Page 39 of Maxim

Signing, I nod. “I will stay alive. I won’t try to off myself again. You save them, though, and prove me wrong. I want to believe you, Maxim. I don’t know how, though. Show me how.”

He nods. “I won’t fail you again, Olena. I’ll go get you some food. You rest.”

As he walks out of the room, I wonder if I just made a deal with the devil.

If I did, and he brings me my siblings, it will be well worth it.

I don’t like leaving her alone, but she needs to eat. Her nutrition is more important now than it has ever been. Losing so muchblood is a serious medical event. One that needs specific care and attention. Not only physically, but mentally.

I will be there for both.

Going to the kitchen, I pull out some ingredients to make a quick sandwich.

Olena hates me, but I don’t blame her. I should have been a better caretaker. I should have made sure she was okay. I spent too much time away, ashamed of what I did to get her here. I felt even worse when I had to chain her.

I really didn’t want to, but I was out of options. If she had escaped again, it not only threatened my position with her father, but it also threatened her life. I have no doubts that he would kill her on sight if he saw her again.

I thought I was doing what was right, but the truth is I am losing sight of right from wrong. I have made so many exceptions to my rules that I don’t even know if I have any left. How can someone allow themselves to dive into the darkness the way I have and still think they can find their way out?

Olena.

???????.

That’s how I find my way out. I focus on her.

She wants her siblings? I’ll get them back. It won’t happen overnight. I will have to do some unspeakable things to get there, but I’ll do it.

When it gets too hard. When I think that I can’t keep going. When I want to quit. That’s when I will come to Olena. I will remember the way she looked when she was lifeless in that tub. That will be my motivation to keep going. I will do it for her.

Finishing up her sandwich, I fill a glass of water and put both on a tray. Then I bring it back to the room.

I find her sitting up in the same position I left her in as she stares at the wall.

“You need to eat. You lost a lot of blood.”

“How did you save me anyway?” she asks.

“I tied your arms to stop the bleeding. Then I pulled you out and took you to my car. I drove you to a doctor I know. He did the hard part of patching you up.”

“You didn’t have to do that. You could have let me go.”

“No. I couldn’t have,” I tell her.

“Why not?” she asks.

“You don’t get it. You represent everything I am working toward. You run inside of my veins as much as I do yours now.”

I feel the need to spill everything to her. To tell her my whole mission. I want to trust her. Make her understand. I need her to understand me.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

I let out a sigh. “When you were on the table, they needed blood. They were going to get a donor, but I’m a universal donor. I told them to take my blood.”

She pauses, the sandwich halfway to her mouth as she looks at me.

“You gave me your blood?”

I nod. “Let’s just say I am invested in keeping you alive. Not because of anything sinister. I want you to lead a happy and full life. You will. One day you will.”