over Dalton and Sky deep in conversation in the rear garden. Occasionally, he assumes that Dalton must have said something highly amusing that would make Sky laugh so freely, given the seriousness and tension in her current circumstance. He should be admiring Dalton, he knows, for helping her to relax but instead he finds himself balling his hands into tight fists.
Storm eyes the tension held tight in the face and neck of Kane, shakes his head slightly, and coughs to get his attention. “ You know he’s just doing his job, right?”
Kane snaps his head towards Storm. “What the fuck are you talking about? I know he’s doing his job.”
“Then why are you looking like you are ready to nail his ass? Are you in deep?”
“In deep?” Kane scowls in puzzlement.
“You and Sky. What you have going on.” Storm pokes out his chin, gesturing to the garden.
“There is no me and Sky.”
Storm rolls his head back, momentarily closing his eyes. “You sure about that, buddy?”
Chapter Fourteen
Alexei Bortsov pulls his heavy eyelids apart and is immediately blinded by the glare of the overhead lights inside his private hospital room. Confused and disorientated, he slowly lifts his head to find both arms are attached to machines by an abundance of wires. He lays his pounding head back against the pillows, swallowing hard. His tongue feels swollen and alien in his mouth. For a brief moment, he is scared, until the realisation dawns upon him that he is alive. At least he thinks he is.
He blinks away the fear trying to remember how he got here. Has he been in an accident? How long has he been here? Think, think.
The door to the room opens. His gaze falls upon a heavy breasted nurse who smiles kindly as she walks purposefully towards the plethora of beeping machines. She pats his hand lightly, leaning into his face.
“Well, it is good to see you fully awake, Alexei. You have been drifting in and out for a couple of days now, but you probably don’t remember any of that. I will get you something to wet your mouth in a moment. How are you feeling? You will be confused, I am sure. But all of this will be explained to you by the Consultant who is on his way. Are you in pain?”
“My head hurts. How long have I been here?” He struggles to form words as his tongue gags in the dryness of his mouth.
“I will get you something for your headache. Now let’s try to get you sitting up a little so you can sip some water.”
As she elevates the bed into a slight upright position, the door opens again to expose the presence of a uniformed Police Officer holding position. For a moment Alexei and the Officer hold eye contact. His forgotten and buried fear returns to lay heavy on his chest.
“Why is there a Policeman guarding me? I want to know what happened to me.” Alexei grunts trying to sit up fully before dizziness beats him. He slumps back into the comfort of the pillows.
The nurse pats his arm reassuringly. “Hush now. The Consultant will be here any moment and will answer all your questions. You just focus on trying not to gulp that water or you will make yourself sick.”
***
Brains looks at me, her eyes wide and her mouth loose. “You’re not going to do it, are you?”
“He caught m e off guard. I was in a rush, just wanted to get him off the phone as quickly as possible, and besides, he agreed to send my fee to a hospice that I support. I had forgotten all about it until now. It was months ago when I stupidly agreed to do it but now I’m obliged. And anyway, Lily Cole and Dr Victoria Zdrok are doing it. Think of it as empowering women, right?” I fold my arms across my chest as if to emphasise the point.
“If you say so. Will you be naked in the pictures?”
“It’s Esquire Magazine , not some tit and ass publication. They assured me it would be
Storm eyes the tension held tight in the face and neck of Kane, shakes his head slightly, and coughs to get his attention. “ You know he’s just doing his job, right?”
Kane snaps his head towards Storm. “What the fuck are you talking about? I know he’s doing his job.”
“Then why are you looking like you are ready to nail his ass? Are you in deep?”
“In deep?” Kane scowls in puzzlement.
“You and Sky. What you have going on.” Storm pokes out his chin, gesturing to the garden.
“There is no me and Sky.”
Storm rolls his head back, momentarily closing his eyes. “You sure about that, buddy?”
Chapter Fourteen
Alexei Bortsov pulls his heavy eyelids apart and is immediately blinded by the glare of the overhead lights inside his private hospital room. Confused and disorientated, he slowly lifts his head to find both arms are attached to machines by an abundance of wires. He lays his pounding head back against the pillows, swallowing hard. His tongue feels swollen and alien in his mouth. For a brief moment, he is scared, until the realisation dawns upon him that he is alive. At least he thinks he is.
He blinks away the fear trying to remember how he got here. Has he been in an accident? How long has he been here? Think, think.
The door to the room opens. His gaze falls upon a heavy breasted nurse who smiles kindly as she walks purposefully towards the plethora of beeping machines. She pats his hand lightly, leaning into his face.
“Well, it is good to see you fully awake, Alexei. You have been drifting in and out for a couple of days now, but you probably don’t remember any of that. I will get you something to wet your mouth in a moment. How are you feeling? You will be confused, I am sure. But all of this will be explained to you by the Consultant who is on his way. Are you in pain?”
“My head hurts. How long have I been here?” He struggles to form words as his tongue gags in the dryness of his mouth.
“I will get you something for your headache. Now let’s try to get you sitting up a little so you can sip some water.”
As she elevates the bed into a slight upright position, the door opens again to expose the presence of a uniformed Police Officer holding position. For a moment Alexei and the Officer hold eye contact. His forgotten and buried fear returns to lay heavy on his chest.
“Why is there a Policeman guarding me? I want to know what happened to me.” Alexei grunts trying to sit up fully before dizziness beats him. He slumps back into the comfort of the pillows.
The nurse pats his arm reassuringly. “Hush now. The Consultant will be here any moment and will answer all your questions. You just focus on trying not to gulp that water or you will make yourself sick.”
***
Brains looks at me, her eyes wide and her mouth loose. “You’re not going to do it, are you?”
“He caught m e off guard. I was in a rush, just wanted to get him off the phone as quickly as possible, and besides, he agreed to send my fee to a hospice that I support. I had forgotten all about it until now. It was months ago when I stupidly agreed to do it but now I’m obliged. And anyway, Lily Cole and Dr Victoria Zdrok are doing it. Think of it as empowering women, right?” I fold my arms across my chest as if to emphasise the point.
“If you say so. Will you be naked in the pictures?”
“It’s Esquire Magazine , not some tit and ass publication. They assured me it would be
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