Captivation: Want Nothing But You
Chapter 112

Captivation Want Nothing But You Chapter 112 by Adolf Dunne

Awake From A Nightmare

Even the butler, Lukas was shocked by the sight of the man's eye. He'd seen it on multipleoccasions, but the feeling never faded. Lukas didn't know the actual story about how the man hadgot the scar. Maria had told him that the man’s enemies had chased him down and cut him, justbefore she'd saved his life. Lukas didn't know how true this story actually was. The man was keenlyaware that Lukas was staring at him, but he didn't care.

He completely ignored him and kept looking at Maria. “Rachel is in hospital at the moment. She's ina coma,” he said calmly. Maria had been busy checking her nail polish, apparently already bored bythe conversation. But she stopped when she heard what the man said. “She's in hospital? Whatabout her baby?

Is her baby alright?” Lukas asked before he could stop himself. “The baby is fine. Rachel just has aconcussion,” the man said Lukas's previously worried expression changed to something a little moreunreadable. “Never in my life did I ever think Rachel would really be pregnant...” Maria splayed herhand on her thigh and looked down at her half-finished manicure. Her hair fell forward to cover herface, and her thick eyelashes hid the look in her eyes.

It was nearly impossible to tell what she was thinking After a long while, she said, “I see. You shouldleave Apliaria these days. I will give you some money.” “Okay,” the man said in a low voice. Hepulled his cap back on, adjusting it so it hid his eyes, then he left without another word.

Lukas quickly centered himself and calmed his rapid heartbeat. Once he was sure his emotions wereno longer showing on his face, he looked up at Maria and said, “Madame, would you like me to replacesomeone else to keep an eye on her?” Maria said nothing in return and gently swirled the red liquidin the glass, barely even moving her wrist.

Then she touched her lips elegantly to the brim and took a sip. As she tilted her head back to drink,she exposed her smooth, pale neck. It was made even more enticing by the lighting in the room.Lukas couldn“t help but look at it. And he couldn't help that he was nearly salivating at the sight.For a lady of nearly 50 years old, Maria was still an extremely attractive, charming woman. Everymove she made looked measured, elegant, well thought through and refined. She somehowmanaged to effortlessly look simultaneously lazy and sexy. It was no surprise the that she'd marriedinto the Sullivan family. Even among the younger, fairer ladies she'd stood out as someoneinteresting and exotic. But just like beautiful flowers, the more beauty it held, the more poisonous itwas.

Such a statement applied almost perfectly to this woman. Before Maria had married into theSullivan family, the Kennedy family hadn't even been considered as one of the upper-class families.It had been quite a shock when Maria, a woman coming from just about nothing, had married intoone of the wealthiest families.

2 Maria had been Mrs. Sullivan for more than 20 years now. Many said it was out of sheer dumb-luck, but the vast majority were of the opinion that she had schemed and lied her way into theposition. Lukas had been in Maria's service for nearly 10 years. He knew better than most just howvicious and vindictive this beautiful woman was. Lukas kept taking deep, measured breaths to keephimself calm as she waited for Maria to speak. “Send someone else to keep an eye on her?” Mariasneered. “And give that bastard more evidence?”

Lukas could feel the confusion starting to show on his face. Before he could say anything Mariaspoke again, “Why do you think I asked him to leave Apliaria in the first place? As ridiculous as thatbastard is, do you really take him for a fool? Do you really think he'd be satisfied that this was anaccident?” She shook her head and stood. She didn't need Lukas to answer. In fact, she didn't want,or expect him to. “I'm feeling a little tired. Tell the beautician to come up to my room,” she saidairily. "Yes, Madame,”

Back at the hospital ward, Rachel seem to be in some kind of distress. Her eyes were still tightlyshut, but her mouth was tipped down in a frown and her forehead was glistening with sweat. Shelooked like she was having a bad dream. In her dream, Rachel was running down a dark, emptyroad. There was no one behind her, just the streetlights that seemed to be keeping pace with her.Every time she glanced back, all she could see was darkness; the lights turned off as she passedthem.

She didn't know why she was running. But she was overwhelmed by the feeling that if she stopped,the blackness would swallow her whole, and then she’d disappear forever. So she kept on runningAnd running... And running. She started getting tired. Every step was becoming more and morelabored.

Then she started slowing down. She bit her lip, willing herself to carry on. Her vision was blurredwith sweat, and her breathing was coming in great gasps; but still she ran. Suddenly, someonegrabbed her arm. Rachel whipped around to stare right into the face of the man. “You!”

“Rachel. Stop running!” the man said coldly, gripping her chin tightly. Rachel gasped in horror. Shetried to struggle out his grasp, but it was useless. “If you try and escape, I'll give your precious littlemaid to Crown Club and let those men do whatever they want with her,” Victor seethed. 2

A streetlamp not too far away flickered on. It illuminated Abby lying pathetically on the ground.Covered in blood, she was dirty and looked all around miserable. She looked up from the groundwith tears glistening in her eyes as she said, “Miss Bennet...” “Abby!” Rachel screamed. She tried topull out of Victor's grip, but he was holding her too tightly. Violent rage boiled through her body athis insolence. She rounded on him and shouted, “Victor, let me go! You bastard!

Bastard!” But Victor's face remained cold and expressionless, even in the light of her anger. Rachelwas overcome by the sudden urge to bite him to force him to let her go. Before she had fullycommitted to the idea, Victor suddenly pushed her into the middle of the road. A truck's hornblared to her right. Rachel whipped her head in the direction of the sound to see there was a truckbarreling straight towards her. She looked at Victor in horror.

He was still staring at her with that blank, uncaring expression. His eyes were almost dead as hesaid, “Go to hell, Rachel.” Rachel screamed. She screamed so loudly that she woke herself up fromthe nightmare. She gasped for breath, straining against the clutches of her own subconscious.Victor's last words still rung in her ears. So clearly, in fact, that she was having trouble discerningreality from imagination. She spent a few more moments steadying her breathing and calmingherself. Once she was quite certain she was no longer trapped in the dream, she looked around theroom.

It was dark

It didn't take Rachel long to figure out where she was. The faint smell of disinfectant and the partsof the room she could see by the light of moon painted her a clear enough picture. She was in thehospital. Slowly, Rachel sat up. As her thoughts returned to normal, she started to remember whatShe'd taken a call from Roger. He'd phoned to tell her he had found Riley, and that he was now onhis way to meet her. She'd tried to move away from the crowds so she could hear him better, andgive him proper instructions as to where she was. Then someone had pushed her into the road...And she was still alive? Rachel gasped and immediately laid her hand on her stomach. She couldfeel the small lump beneath her palm; her baby was alright. But was she?

She remembered how much pain she'd been in before she'd passed out. How was it that she wasstill alive?

Rachel frowned in thought, trying to order her thoughts. She didn't get very far before someoneturned the lights in the ward on.

The sudden, bright assault of the iridescent lights was too much for her sensitive eyes. She raisedher hand to shield her face and to give her eyes time to adjust. Out the corner of her eye, she sawsomeone sitting on the sofa. Rachel turned her head to look at him. Her expression slackened astheir gazes locked;

“What are you doing here?” she blurted out before she could stop herself. The memories of herdream were still so fresh in her head she was having trouble believing her own eyes. Before she saidanything more, she stopped. Her hazy memory of the accident finally cleared.

Someone had grabbed her and rolled her out the way. She hadn't had time to see who it was.Everything had happened so quickly she“d barely had time to comprehend the situation. Then she'dhit her head and passed out. All she could remember was a faint ringing sound and the minty scentbefore she'd fallen unconscious.