Page 109 of Shattered Silence Duet

I nod right before Max groans, “I’m gonna be sick.” I watch him run into the bathroom and shut the door.

Atlas grips my foot more firmly as he stares at me. “We’re going to protect you now, Malishka. Nothing like that will ever happen to you again. Do you understand?”

I nod, giving him a sad smile.

Wanting to change the subject, I ask a new question.“When can you take me home?”

“I like that you’re already referring to it as your home,” Dom whispers in my ear before placing a kiss right below it, making my breath hitch at the tingly sensation that runs through my body. Luckily, Tucker distracts me from embarrassing myself by answering my question.

“As soon as the doctor releases you. Your hand and stomach are the parts he’s the most worried about. He should be in soon to check on you, and finally tell us all what’s going on,” Tucker tells me, rubbing my arm gently.

I move my hands to my stomach. “S-she did it on purpose,” I whisper.

“Did what?” Dom asks in my ear.

I use my right hand to point to my left ring finger, then my stomach.

“Can I?—”

“We don’t know anything yet,” Jasper answers my unspoken question.

“The doctor did x-rays and ultrasounds two days ago. He’s going to give you the update as soon as he comes in,” Gideon tells me, and I nod in understanding.

Dom kisses my head before speaking. “Mina, tell me something. Has Jeff been moving around with you and your mom? How long have you known him?”

I type out my response and press speak.“I met him just after we moved here.”

The guys exchange confused glances, so I type something else.

“I guess it’s possible he’s been around longer since I was always kept in the basement.”

Chapter 9

Max

My brows furrow, like my brain can’t comprehend what she just said.

“Did you say you’ve been kept in the basement?” She looks at me and nods. “As in… you’ve been locked down there?” I ask in clarification and she nods again.

“Fuck,” Atlas growls as he starts pacing the room, he pulls out his pocketknife and starts spinning it in palm, trying to calm his frustration and probably stop himself from punching a hole in the wall or throwing something.

“That bucket, did you have to…” Jasper asks before trailing off, making my horrified eyes move to hers.

She swallows heavily and nods, looking worried about our response.

“She made you pee in a bucket?” I ask in horror. My worry is confirmed when she nods again.

We all saw that basement we found her in. It was dirty and cold and not a place someone should be living. She didn’t even have a real bed, just a broken, flimsy excuse for a mattress on the floor. I look at Jasper and we exchange determined gazes. We already made her new room comfortable for her, but now I know she hasn’t hadone since she was six years old, I’m more determined than ever to make it extra special for her somehow.

“Don’t worry, Sugar, you’ll never have to stay in a place like that ever again,” Tucker tells her softly as he continues to run his fingers across the back of her hand and up her arm in a soothing motion. She tries to readjust herself in Dom’s lap and ends up grimacing.

“What is it? What hurts?” Tucker asks worriedly. She motions to her left shoulder before pointing to everywhere else, then shrugging with a quirk of her lip. “It just pulled on the wound a bit, but it’s better now?” Tucker asks to confirm and she nods.

The door opens and her doctor steps in. He sees Mina is awake and offers a friendly smile. “Ah, so it’s true! Sleeping beauty is awake!” He moves to her left side as Tucker slips out of the way. He gives Dom a funny smile, but doesn’t ask him to move from where he’s still seated behind her.

“My name is Dr. Whitmere. I’ve been in charge of your case since you arrived about two weeks ago. I need to ask you a couple questions, Mina, is that alright?”

She nods, and he smiles warmly at her. He is a bit of a stickler for the rules, but this sixty-year-old man seems to be a decent doctor. He reaches out to pick up her left hand and slowly starts removing the bandage.