Polar Opposites (In Aeternum Book 4) (19 page)

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Right,” she muttered. “This way.”

Bailey trailed her across the open space and down another hall. She could feel the slight decline, like in the previous hallway. This time, however, it wasn’t just a corridor. Now they passed doors with tiny squares for light.

This is like a maximum security prison. Who do they have in here?

The doctor stopped. “Here you are.” She knocked on the door. “Lynn, I’m coming in.” She unlocked and opened it. “There is someone here to see you, Lynn.”

Bailey adjusted so she could look in the room. It shocked her, what she saw. It wasn’t just walls. This gave off the projection one was outside in a wide-open field on a clear day, and warm sun shining down.

“I have to lock you in with her.” She gave Bailey a button. “Panic button.”

Lynn watched her carefully, suspicion and something else in her blue eyes.

“Thanks but we’ll be fine. Lynn, might I come in and speak with you for a moment or two?”

A slight shrug, which Bailey took to mean she could.

Dr Treymous waited until Bailey had entered, then she closed the door and locked it. An ominous sound.

Bailey kept her gaze upon Lynn, who watched her in return. There was no hiding the fear in that stare and for that reason, she remained where she was instead of approaching.

“You have a lovely room. I like how you make it as if you’re outside, no walls, no boundaries. Free.”

No response from Lynn. The woman looked about twenty but Bailey couldn’t be sure. Using the corner to assist her, Bailey slid down until she sat on the floor.

“I’ll just stay over here. I’m not here to hurt you, Lynn. I just need to know how you’re doing. And see if there is anything I can do for you.”

“What do you care?” she snapped. Her voice was a lot deeper than Bailey had assumed it would be.

“Me? I don’t actually. I was asked to come here by someone you know.”

Her entire body leaned forward slightly. “You don’t care?”

“I don’t know you. I know you were rescued a while ago but I haven’t read your file.”

“Who wanted you to come?”

“A man named Kevin. Do you remember him?”

Her fingers dug into the pillow she held. “Yes. He saved me. I never saw him again.”

“He’s the one who asked me to come here.”

“Why would you do that for him?”

“Because he asked it of me.”

“Are you his wife?”

“No.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Nope.”

“Have you slept with him?”

“Not once.”

“But you’d come here to check on me because—”

“He asked me to. No other reason.”

“So you do his bidding. I’ll never do another’s bidding.” Venom coated her words.

“I’m doing a favor for him.”

“Are you friends?”

“I respect him.”

“So he can’t come here himself?”

“Do you want him to come see you? He told me he didn’t want to remind you of what he removed you from.” She shifted on the floor. “If you want him here, I will tell him.”

“I want to see him.”

“I will tell him as soon as I leave here. I can’t promise he’ll come, but I will let him know.”

“Sure you will,” she muttered.

“Is there something I can do for you while I am here?”

“No. No one can.” She waved a hand around. “They keep me here, thinking I’m dangerous. They even gave you that button to call the ones with the sleep medicine, if I happen to scare you.”

“The one you heard me tell her I won’t need because we’ll be fine?”

“You’re foolish to think I’m a good person.”

You’re an angry person.
“I don’t know you to make that judgment call.”

“You’re not like the others who come here.”

“What others?”

“The ones with the coats and masks.”

Something wasn’t right here. “What do these people want?”

“To run tests. Always with the tests.”

“How often do they come?”

“Once a month.” She put down a blue pillow and picked up a yellow one. “Always the same time.” Her grip tightened. “They take away the happiness.”

“The happiness?”

Lynn rose and walked toward her. Bailey didn’t move, she wasn’t worried. This woman wasn’t violent unless she felt threatened. This she knew just from being with her a short time. The stiller Bailey was, the more relaxed Lynn was.

“Do you know what it’s like to have them take away the sun?” She looked up. “Make it dark and gloomy? Monsters come at night. I don’t like the dark.” Her blue eyes met Bailey’s. “Why do they want to take away the light?”

“I don’t know, Lynn. But it’s something I will look into.”

Her eyes grew wild. “No. No!” she screamed over and over again. Bailey watched her closely for any signs of an impending attack.

“Don’t say anything or they’ll hear you!” Lynn backed away until the bed was behind her, and she curled up in a small ball, rocking with her pillow, muttering.

Bailey pushed to her feet and had just stepped away from the door when it burst open. Two men rushed in and Lynn screamed again. Louder. More fearful.

“Stop!” Bailey ordered, shifting so she was in front of them. “What do you think you’re doing?” Above her, the sun vanished, replaced by dark rolling clouds.

“Get out of the way, she was attacking you. We need to sedate her.”

“You need to leave this room so I can finish my talk with her. There was no attack. She screamed. And you’re frightening her.”

“You don’t know what she can do,” one protested.

She narrowed her gaze. “And you don’t know what I can do. Get out.” Her voice was low and dangerous.

They shared a look then left. Bailey turned back to Lynn, noting that the sun had been put back. Her eyes were wide and Bailey smiled at her, hating the tears that streamed down her face.

“I’m sorry about that. Are you okay?”

“Dark. Dark. Always to put me in the dark. Why? I don’t like the dark. I’m good. Just leave me in the light. The light is good. Not the dark. Dark. Dark. Dark is bad.”

Bailey touched her ear and called McNeal.

“Have you gone to see her?” he asked the moment he picked up.

“I’m with her now. She wants you to come and, McNeal, I think you should as soon as possible.” She hung up and approached the bed. The rocking continued and Bailey reached out slowly to the young woman and touched her leg.

She jumped, startled, but didn’t strike out.

“The dark is gone, Lynn. You’re back in the light. It’s okay.”

Frightened eyes flashed up and the relief that poured through her was obvious to Bailey.

“I know you’re scared, Lynn, and you have every right to be. I don’t know what you went through but I know this. He’s on his way to you. He’ll be here. I have to go. I’ll be back tomorrow to see you before I leave the country.”

The fear receded and the anger took over. “I don’t give a damn what you do.”

“I know you don’t. Nevertheless I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bailey went to the door and knocked. She didn’t look back as she left. Dr Treymous waited for her.

“I saw she spoke to you, what did you talk about?”

“Wasn’t much more than muttering about the dark from her. The men scared her when they burst in.”

“We feared for you.”

I bet you did.
“They were just doing their job. I understand. I will be back tomorrow to see if I can get some more from her. Thank you for your time, Doctor.”

“I’ll walk you out. I hope you let them know we’re taking excellent care of those who stay here.”

“I’ll make sure the appropriate people know precisely what you are doing here, don’t worry.”

They reached another door and the doctor typed in a number on the panel. Silently the door swung open and Bailey found herself in another part of the bookstore. She walked toward the curtained area then stepped back into the main part, behind the old man at the counter.

“I do hope you found what you needed,” he said without looking at her.

“I hope so as well. See you tomorrow, and thank you for all your help.” She smiled at the other patrons in the store and made her way outside.

Bailey didn’t look back at the store, just headed for her room, needing to digest all this and aware McNeal would be calling back.

Chapter Fifteen

Ivan wiped the sweat from his brow and thanked the man who’d been kind enough to give him a return ride to Adast. His lungs burned and his legs were no stronger than a piece of hay in a hurricane. The run up and down had so been worth it.

The scenery was stunning. The passing cyclists had been friendly and had called out encouraging words to him as he had moved along. He’d gone up as far as he could, then grabbed a ride from a kind couple to the top and had stood there snapping some pictures on his phone. Then he’d gotten a ride back to the place he’d caught the vehicle up and had begun to run back down.

He walked to the door of their room and turned the knob, pushing inside. Bailey was across the room by the window, hands on hips, but she angled her head to look at him when he entered. Her grin was more of a brief flash than anything.

“I don’t know, I’m only reporting what I saw and dealt with personally. Like I told you there, you need to get over here. I’ll stop by tomorrow and see her again but there’s something going on, in my opinion, there. You’re welcome.” She touched her ear. “How was your run?”

“It was awesome and totally kicked my ass. Who were you talking to? Is everything okay? How’d your visit go?”

“McNeal. I suppose. And it was, hmm, interesting to say the least.”

He kicked the door closed behind him. “Interesting good or interesting bad?” He removed his shirt and slung it over his shoulder.

“I’m not sure. My instincts say bad but I don’t know enough of the situation to judge.”

“Bullshit.”

He could see his statement had startled her. She cocked her head at him and hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her pants.

“What?”

“Bullshit. Your gut is trustworthy. If it says the situation is bad, then it is. Why do you doubt yourself?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Really?” He strode toward her. “Why not?”

“She’s not all there and I don’t know if it was an act or not.”

“Seems to me for a woman who assesses situations all the time, you would know when you can and can’t trust yourself. There are some things which can’t be faked, you know that.”

“I do. Maybe I just don’t want to think anything could be wrong.”

“So what are you going to do?” He walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

“I’m going back to see her again tomorrow and I let McNeal know what I saw.”

He peeked over one shoulder and noticed she’d followed him to the doorway. The worry and stress were blatant on her face. “Come here.”

She listened and soon stood before him.

“Do you want to do something about her right now?”

“You willing to help?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“It could be your death or loss of your job.”

He captured her chin and put his mouth over hers, lightly. “You don’t go off half-cocked, Bailey. If you feel strongly enough to go now, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you,” she said, curling her arms around his neck. “I want to see her tomorrow and see if it’s just that I didn’t know what I was getting into. The orderlies have to be fixed for sure. They are scaring her and I don’t like that.”

“But not tonight?”

“They know I’ll be back tomorrow and I am going to assume they will let me see her in good shape.”

“Okay then.”

He gripped the hem of her shirt and lifted. She stepped away from him to help out, arms over her head. He dropped it on the floor and hooked his finger through the blue of her bra, drawing his fingertip along the material.

“Lose the clothing.”

She didn’t argue, just bent and went to work on her shoes. He shucked off his remaining articles as well and soon the two of them were standing together under the heated spray. Bailey stared up at him, the water slicking her hair down against her head.

He trailed the back of his hand down her skin. Her eyes burned with a fire he had never imagined any woman would look at him with, much less the one who shared the shower with him now. “Bailey,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her.

She opened beneath him, her tongue slipping against his as she pushed it into his mouth. He groaned and lowered his hands to grip her ass. She ran her hands over his back, working the muscles and digging in slightly with her trimmed nails. His cock hardened between them and he almost froze when she curled a hand around it.

“Shhh,” she whispered before pressing her lips tighter to his.

The kiss grew heated and she stroked his erection as their tongues swirled around one another. The water helped her hand to glide easily on him. Ivan released her ass and put one hand on her breast while he dipped the other between her legs.

He positioned two fingers inside her wet pussy and worked them as she kept him teetering on the edge. Their moans combined growing louder as their pace became more frantic.

She came around his fingers, coating them with her thick cream, and he reveled in the way her velvet walls clutched at him, desperate to keep him buried deep inside her. It was a feeling he desperately craved to experience again with his cock in her body. Fingers out, he took her hand away and lifted her up so he could slide into her pussy.

“Oh, shit,” she moaned.

The warm heat cocooned him and he was at a loss for words. Heaven. Bliss. Perfection.

In and out he stroked, her cries filling his ear as he moved. Soft. Hard. Shallow and deep. With each thrust, he felt their connection deepen, enrich and grow. Her lithe body trembled around him as she orgasmed once more.

Ivan knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. A few more strokes and he pulled out of her body to come on her belly.

It was the hardest thing he’d ever done and he hadn’t been sure he’d be able to. He longed to come within her, covering her with his seed. Getting her pregnant.

Those words gave him pause.
Am I insane?
A baby was a whole new level of commitment. It didn’t matter how much he thought they belonged together, a child changed everything. Was he ready to bring one into his life?