Sapphire Tears by Nicole Fox

Author:Nicole Fox [Fox, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-03T16:00:00+00:00

28

JUNE

When the door clicks open, I bounce onto the balls of my feet and stand.

I’ve been gearing up for a fight since the moment he locked me in here. Four hours later, I’ve worked myself up into a state of downright belligerence.

But when I’m faced instead with Sara’s mild smile and her subtle blueberry scent, I feel all that anger wither away. The adrenaline rinses clean out of my system and I’m left with nothing but a limp, wilting disappointment.

Sure, he locked me in here. But I still want to see him.

Pathetic.

“Hey there,” Sara says, shutting the door behind her. “How’re you doing?”

She’s wearing faded blue mom jeans and an oversized pale gray shirt. Her auburn hair has been tied into a messy braid. She looks so much younger without her doctor’s coat.

“What are you doing here?” I gulp.

“Kolya wanted me to come down and give you a check-up.”

I roll my eyes and turn away from her. “Oh, right. Figures. When Kolya snaps his fingers, everyone jumps.”

I expect her to protest, but she just sighs. “He’s paying me to jump when he tells me to, June,” she says reasonably. “It would be poor form for me to go back on my word now. Especially considering you’re my patient. I have an obligation to keep you safe.”

I cross my arms, feeling pouty and petulant even though she’s making plenty of sense. “You act as though we have some kind of relationship.”

Her eyebrows raise just a little. “Well, I’d like to think we’re friends, too.”

That has me turning back around. “Friends?”

“Well, you’re my friend, at least. Even if I’m not yours.”

I grit my teeth. “Way to make me feel like a bitch.”

She smiles and comes all the way into the room, bringing her medical bag with her. “I’m not trying to make you feel like anything. You have a right to feel any way you want.”

“How about trapped?” I say. “How about controlled and manipulated and betrayed?”

“If that’s how you feel, it’s valid.”

“Are you a therapist, too?”

“Therapist, OBGYN, punching bag—I’m whatever you need me to be,” she says. “Your well-being is all I’m concerned with.”

“Is that why you ratted me out the day I tried to run?”

I don’t know why I’m bringing it up now. We’ve long since put that behind us. Especially after the subsequent conversation between Kolya and me had led to our fake wedding becoming real. But I’m throwing everything that’s not nailed down to the floor, metaphorically speaking. I just want to hurt someone else, so I’m not the only one in pain.

Selfish? Yeah.

Stupid? Sure.

But human? Oh, goodness yes. Pitifully, pathetically human.

“Actually, it is,” she says without an ounce of regret. “He is trying to protect you. Women who’ve been abused end up with a skewed map of the world, June. Is it so bad that he wants to keep you safe?”

I shudder involuntarily. “It wasn’t like that. With me and Adrian, I mean. It wasn’t… that.”

“Abuse doesn’t have to be physical,” she says firmly, showing none of the reluctance I’m feeling with the big “A” word.

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