Page 49 of Nemesis
My thumb brushed over her cheekbone in the process and she stirred, releasing a peaceful sigh. My skin itched to touch her again and although I shouldn’t, I brushed my thumb against her soft skin once more.
“Dios, eres asombrosa,” I whispered.
I finally got up, looking at her one last time before grabbing my bag that had stayed next to the front door and carrying it down back to my bedroom. I shrugged out of my clothes, leaving only my boxer briefs and grabbing a white shirt that I pulled on. I changed the soiled bandage on my shoulder in the bathroom and returned to the bedroom, flicking off the light before climbing into bed, my head dropping gently onto the stiff pillow.
I laced my hands behind my head and tried to ignore the pang that was settling in my chest. I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep.
I eventually drifted off to sleep to the memory of her.
It wasn’t until later in the night that a scream yanked me out of my dreams.
Olivia.
“No!” she cried out, terror lacing her voice.
I jolted out of bed, grabbed my Glock from under the pillow, and rushed to the living room, gun aimed and ready. I looked around to identify the intruder but didn't see anyone else in the room.
What the hell?
My eyes landed on Olivia’s body, finding her writhing in distress, a hand clutched to her side. Her face was drained of any color, her eyes forcibly squeezed shut.
My heart tripped when her next words came out in a choked sound.
“¡Mama! No me abandones.”
CHAPTER20
SOFIA
Click.Click.Click.
I heard screaming from afar and my throat strangely burned, but I couldn’t tell where the piercing sound was originating from.
Am I the one making that sound?
Mama was on the floor and my lips parted on a gasp as I tried calling for her. Over and over again. But no sound would come out.
Her head lolled to the side, her lifeless eyes staring right at me. I tried reaching for her, but my hand was unable to move. My body wasn’t answering any commands. No matter how desperately I demanded it to move, it wouldn’t. I was completely frozen.
I felt an intense pressure in my middle, piercing and burning its way into every fiber of my insides. I looked down to figure out what was happening to me, only to be met with a gruesome sight, the smell of death hanging thick around the room.
Blood. So much fucking blood seeping through my shirt. I grasped at my side, trying to stop it from pouring out, but it was all in vain.
It never crossed my mind how many liters of blood a body contained up until then. Sure, we were taught in school, but the simple knowledge was nothing compared to watching it pour out of you, pooling underneath you.
My vision slowly faded, gaze unfocused, as my eyelids felt too heavy to remain open.
Darkness surrounded me, anchoring me deeper when I felt my body being shaken. A panicked voice screaming a name penetrated the deep fog my brain was slowly being submerged under.
The voice sneaked through once again, tugging at my consciousness, but a soft lull snaked throughout my body, tugging me further into the blackness that was threatening to take over.
Something heavy was grabbing my arm, roughly jostling me again. “Olivia, wake up,” the voice said more urgently this time.
Visions danced behind my lids as something heavy dropped on my body.
I wonder who this Olivia is.
The voice screamed her name repeatedly and I tried latching onto the plea, letting it anchor me back as I attempted to crawl out of the darkness.
