CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER NINE
Cora glanced around the room in dismay. It smelt strongly of bleach and something else she couldn’t place. The room was smaller than hers with a double bed in the middle of the room that looked like it would fall apart the first time someone sat down on it. Her eyes darted to the open bathroom door. It was even smaller than the bedroom and dirtier. Cora shook her head and turned towards Vlad.
He was sitting at the small wooden table writing something down on a small piece of paper. Her eyes were drawn once again to his blood stained shirt. That wound was going to get infected if he didn’t clean it soon. She sighed and reluctantly made her way into the bathroom. Her eyes darted to the bath. It had a dirt ring around it, the toilet was stained yellow, and so was the basin. She carefully opened the cabinet beneath the basin. It creaked loudly, making her wince.
What she saw inside it made her stomach roll. Old trash—used condoms, used sanitary pads—and a lot of other things that made her want to throw up. Slamming the door shut, she quickly hurried out of the bathroom.
Vlad had already pulled on the jacket again and was busy buttoning it to hide his shirt. He glanced up at her with a frown. She looked hopeful.
“Are we leaving?”
“No.” He stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket. “I have to go out to make some calls. I’ll be back in half an hour. Are you hungry?”
“You really expect me to sleep on that bed?” She pointed at it and pulled a face. “I am not—”
“—going to argue with me,” he interrupted her. “I thought we agreed that you are going to listen to me?”
“That was before I knew that you were going to book us into a dump like this!” Cora sucked in a breath. “The bathroom is so dirty! How do I know that the sheets on that bed are clean?”
Vlad pursed his lips. “I don’t have time for this. Make a list of all the things wrong with the fucking room if you want to. I need to go. Don’t leave this fucking room Cora, I’m serious. If I come back and I found out that you disobeyed me, I’ll pull you over my damn knee. Is that clear?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me, princess.”
With one last glare at her, he turned and exit the room. The door slammed shut behind him, making her jump. Her shoulders sagged the moment she was alone. He wouldn’t really spank her, would he? She shook her head and entered the bathroom again. Cora stared at herself in the mirror above the basin. Her hair was a mess, not to mention the little make-up she had put on before heading downstairs was ruined too. No wonder people had stared at them.
Opening the tap, she splashed her face with cold water and wiped underneath her eyes. After pulling the hair-tie out, she finger combed her hair until it looked better. She had some money on her and her credit card. Cora hadn’t grabbed her phone on the way out of her room and she deeply regretted it.
She needed clean clothes and Vlad needed bandages and other stuff to clean that wound. Maybe even some clean clothes, but she didn’t know his size. She could take a guess, but what if she guessed wrong? He would have to be happy with whatever she got him. With a firm nod at her reflection, Cora marched right out of the motel room.
Her steps flattered a few feet from the door. What if those men came back? Cora shook her head and continued to walk toward the direction of town. She would be fast and back inside the room before Vlad even realized that she had gone out.
Her calves were burning and her arms were starting to ache. She hadn’t planned to buy so much but when she had walked down the aisle that contained the cleaning products, she had thought back to how dirty the bathroom was. She even got a good price on bedding. Cora just hoped the clothes she got him fits.
The room was dark when she entered. Kicking the door closed with her foot, she walked over to the table and lifted the bags onto it. A loud groan fell from her lips after she sunk down on the chair. It felt good to be rid of the load. Her eyes darted around the room. Vlad wasn’t back yet. Cora had a few minutes to change the sheets on the bed and clean the bathroom.
She stood just as the door opened and slammed closed. Her eyes widened when Vlad stumbled inside. He nearly hit the floor but grabbed onto the door to steady himself. Her eyes shot up to his face. His skin looked a little greenish and droplets of sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.
“V-Vlad?” she took a step forward with her hands held up in front of her. “Are you okay?”
“Fucking bastard bumped into me,” he rasped as she stumbled forward. “Fuck, it hurts.”
Cora rushed forward and wrapped an arm around his waist when he staggered again. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned against her. She grunted as he leaned his full weight on her. Cora took slow and small steps as she led him towards the bed.
He sat down on the edge of the bed with a loud grunt. Cora was already reaching for the buttons on his jacket. To her surprise he stayed silent as she pushed it off his shoulders and threw it to the ground. Fresh blood dampened his shirt.
Cora’s eyes widened when Vlad reached for the hem of his shirt and tugged it up and over his head. He threw it away with a grunt before glancing down at the wound on his shoulder. Her eyes were glued to his chiseled abs. He had tattoos everywhere, she thought. Her eyes traced the dark lines and then the colourful ones. So many shapes and so many pictures.
“The bullet’s still stuck inside.”
Heat flooded her cheeks and her eyes snapped up to his when his words registered. The bullet? His ice blue eyes locked with hers when she glanced at his face. He looked grim again.
“I need you to take it out and stitch it up.”
“W-what?”
Instead of answering her, he laid back on the bed with another loud grunt. Panic hit when his eyes fluttered closed. Was he unconscious? She got up and leaned over him. His chest rose and fell with every breath he took. Cora pressed a shaky hand against his forehead, making his eyes flutter open.
“You’re really beautiful,” he whispered.
She blinked at him in surprise. Beautiful? He thought she was beautiful? Cora licked her lips and gave him a small smile, but before she could utter a word, his eyes fluttered close again. She sighed and straightened. Her eyes darted over to the bags and then back to Vlad. She needed to do something about the wound. Had he said that the bullet was still inside? How was she suppose to get it out?
She raised her chin and squared her shoulders. She could do this. It would be easy. Just take out the bullet and stitch him up. Easy-peasy.
Only it wasn’t so easy. There was so much blood and it made her feel queasy. Cora cleaned around the wound and then probed around the edges. She has never seen a gunshot wound up close and personal. It looked really deep. Cora grabbed the make-up bag she had bought and opened it. Grabbing the first set of tweezers, she leaned closer to get a better look. Her stomach turned when more blood spilled onto her fingers.
Cora squeezed her eyes closed and sucked in a deep breath before slowly blowing it out. The tip of the tweezers hit the bullet still lodged inside. Her eyes snapped open again. Cora leaned a little more closer and then gripped the bullet, but the tip slipped. A few more tries and then she finally gripped it firmly.
She had to concentrate really hard to keep her hand steady as she pulled the bullet out. Once it was out she cleaned the wound again and then bandaged it. There was no way she was going to stitch his wound up. He could to a hospital for that.
Cora stood and pressed a shaky hand against her heart. She entered the bathroom and opened the taps. After washing her hands and splashing some cold water onto her face she felt a little better. She was still a little dizzy but with each deep breath she took it faded a little. Cora glanced at Vlad one last time before walking over to the table and sinking down onto the chair. Placing her head on her folded arms, she slowly relaxed. Her eyes fluttered closed but slammed open immediately when the earlier events flashed through her mind.
“What is happening to my life?”