Her hearing and sight were as if she was underwater. Her head throbbed, and she tried to remember what had happened. She blinked a few times and then, as she sat up, she opened her eyes properly to see where she was.
On the bedside table there was a bottle of Stalinskaya and an empty glass. To the right of the bed, the entire wall was a mirror. The window on the other side of the room, directly opposite the bed, showed that evening was falling. To the left of the bed there was a large desk, placed next to a cabinet for binders.
And from behind the desk, Cristi was watching her closely.
He looked disheveled. She couldn't see his legs, but judging by his posture, she knew he was sitting with one leg crossed over the other. He was wearing an immaculate white T-shirt, and his hair was tousled.
His appearance and the light in the room made him seem… dangerous. At that moment it became certain that she should never, under any circumstances, provoke Cristi. As physically handsome as he was, he was just as tough.
She was disoriented. It was obvious she wasn't in her room. But then, where was she? And why couldn't she remember anything that had happened after they left the parking lot? She didn't believe Cristi was capable of doing anything to her without her consent, but she didn't believe Bogdan was capable of having a child with another woman either. She had to find out what was going on.
-Where are we?
-At my place.
-At… your place? How on earth did I get here? And where is this headache coming from? And why can't I remember anything?
-At my place.
-How did I get to your place?
Cristi changed position. He lowered his leg and rested his elbows on the desk.
-Don't you remember? You fell asleep in the car, right after we left the parking lot. I didn't know your address, so I brought you here. I think you must have been very scared, because once you fell asleep, you didn't wake up until now.
-Scared? But I never— then she remembered Alex. Wait, I remember. I think it's because of the blow to my head.
Cristi suddenly straightened up.
-A blow to the head? Maya, what are you talking about?
-In the library… before you arrived, while I was struggling to get away from Alex, I felt him lower his guard. But in fact, he pushed me backward, trapping me between him and the shelf. He slammed my head into the bookshelf. I remember feeling dizzy right away.
Meanwhile, Cristi had come over to the bed and sat down on the edge.
-My God, Maya! Is that why you were sleeping so deeply? Do you have a concussion?
-I don't know.
-I'm taking you to the hospital.
-I'm fine, really. Thank you for taking care of me, but I'm fine.
There was nothing serious, and she had no reason to end up at the hospital. She threw the blanket aside and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, then stood up to walk toward the window. But once she was upright, the dizziness hit her again, and she felt her legs give in beneath her. Seeing her about to fall, Cristi stood up and supported her, carefully sitting her back down on the bed.
It was hard for him to admit it, but he was scared. Maya definitely had a concussion and needed to be seen by a doctor immediately. He took his phone out of his pocket and pressed the number five for speed dial. His doctor answered on the second ring.
-Cristi, I was actually about to call you. Diana and Bogdan stopped by today for a referral; she looked weak, so I took the liberty of ordering some additional tests.
-Thank you, but I'm not calling about her. I have a problem.
-Are you okay?
-I am, but I'm with a girl who hit her head pretty badly today. She got dizzy and was about to faint. I think she has a concussion. Can you see her?
-I was just heading home, but I'll turn back to the clinic. Can you bring her in fifteen minutes?
-Yes. Thank you.
-Anytime. Take care.
He put the phone back in his pocket, then stood up and went to the mirror covering the wall. It was actually the door of a huge wardrobe. He grabbed a jacket from the coat rack and helped Maya put it on. His own was in the car, where he usually left it. After making sure he had his documents—and Maya's—he picked her up in his arms and left the room, heading toward the staircase that led to the downstairs hall and the door opening to the back courtyard.
Before reaching the kitchen entrance, Maya fell back into a deep sleep. The usually quiet kitchen was alive with conversation. He hoped to avoid suspicious looks and the questions that would come the next day, but it was urgent and he didn't have time to go around through the living room. He steeled himself, and with Maya in his arms, he entered the kitchen.
There, five pairs of curious eyes were fixed on him. He noticed the silence that fell as he appeared and focused his attention on a single person: Bogdan.