CHAPTER 607. FIGHT FOR YOU. You Have to Be ReadyThere wasn’t a single sound outside or any sign of movement. The chemical light sticks didn’t last long, and Adriana used them only when she had no other choice. She knew the walls of her prison were padded, but she wasn’t sure if it was to keep sound from escaping or to prevent her from hurting herself. She had explored the space using one of the small light sticks, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t tear off the padding. She was certain that someone like Vance, who had managed to outwit Kyle and his family, wouldn’t place her anywhere public where she might be rescued. Crying or screaming wouldn’t help. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her, and she collapsed into one of the corners, curling up to keep warm as the temperature dropped. The cold seeped into her bones. She had only water to drink—very little—and no food. Her only hope was that Kyle would find her quickly. Part of her brain, overwhelmed and drained, would dr
CHAPTER 608. FIGHT FOR YOU. I’ll Always Fight for YouThe commotion caught everyone’s attention within seconds. All eyes turned to a man sprinting across one of the upper decks. Shouts erupted, and Kyle rushed to one of the interior corridors, where a senior officer was banging on a door. “Louis! You need to come out! Louis!” “No… I can’t!” “Louis! What did you do?! Did you tamper with the manifest?!” the officer yelled. Kyle arrived just as he heard a shaky, nervous voice respond from the other side of the door. “It wasn’t my fault… it wasn’t… he made me!” “Then come out and help us find that container!” Kyle demanded. “No! I’m not coming out until we’re back in English waters… with… with my country’s authorities!” Kyle’s blood boiled at those words. “It’s twenty hours back to England!” he spat angrily. “And there’s a woman in a container! A kidnapped woman, without water, without food, probably freezing to death! You need to tell me where you moved that container—now!” “No
CHAPTER 609. FIGHT FOR YOU We Don’t Have Time!Kyle’s heart leapt into his throat in an instant. He had no idea what was happening outside—only that the container had been struck several times, crushed in the middle, making escape almost impossible. The violent impact with the water was unlike anything he’d ever felt. Then, the sea poured in—freezing, sharp as knives cutting into his skin. “Kyle!” he heard his name and, in the dim light filtering through the container’s mangled opening, saw Adriana’s terrified eyes. “We’re getting out, baby! We’re getting out! Climb up—come on, climb!” But the truth was, the opening was far too small for either of them to fit. Adriana shivered as icy water surged higher, rushing in around them. Several glow sticks floated up beside them. Kyle grabbed a few, cracking them all at once to provide more light. Seconds later, he heard a hoarse voice calling out. “Son! Kyle! Son!” “Dad! Dad, we’re here!” Kyle shouted back, fighting to keep panic at ba
CHAPTER 610. FIGHT FOR YOU. Don’t You Dare Die!There were no words to describe the fear, anguish, or terror Adriana felt, even as her head broke the surface of the water and she could breathe again. The exhaustion in her body vanished in an instant, replaced by adrenaline and the overwhelming drive to survive. She was screaming, though she didn’t realize it. Screaming because she wanted to dive back down for him, even as the cursed container continued sinking deeper into the ocean. Screaming because she didn’t have the strength to do so. Screaming because she could no longer see him. Screaming because she didn’t know if Aaron Orlenko had gone back down after him. The darkness was endless. The Atlantic waters were black as night, and the container was far too heavy to stop its descent. At some point—she couldn’t say when—a lifebuoy splashed down beside her, and someone dragged her to it. Adriana couldn’t tell if the wetness on her face was salt water or tears, but she didn’t know w
CHAPTER 611. FIGHT FOR YOU. This Won’t Be Easy“We need to take care of you! Adriana! You need medical attention too! Snap out of it!” Her father’s voice startled her, pulling her out of her daze. She hadn’t even realized when he’d come up to her.Her mind kept shifting—one moment, she was back on the plane; the next, she was with Kyle, listening to his faint, delirious murmurs; and then she was lost in the chaos of people surrounding her.“He… saved me…” she mumbled, trying to form a coherent sentence. Zack, however, simply patted Aaron on the shoulder, a silent reassurance that he would take care of his daughter.“They’re operating on him. He’ll be okay,” Zack whispered in her ear. “I promise, but you need to let them look at you. Come on.”The moment they landed on English soil, Aaron Orlenko had called Zack, who rushed to meet them at one of London’s specialized hospitals. Zack hadn’t fully believed Aaron’s assurance that Adriana was fine, though he wasn’t surprised that the one b
CHAPTER 612. FIGHT FOR YOU. Now You’re MineIt hurt. It hurt so much all he wanted to do was scream, but this wasn’t the first time Kyle had been through something like this. He knew the drill—it would pass eventually. So, all that came from his lips were soft words.“It’s too much,” he whispered without opening his eyes. He knew, however, that the lead doctor overseeing his surgeries never left his side until he was fully awake.“Easy,” came the doctor’s calm voice. “I’ll up your morphine. Hang in there.”Kyle slowly opened his eyes and exhaled in relief at the sight of the familiar medical team. Many of them had been with him since his very first operation. To him, they were almost like family.“Did you have to cut off another piece of me, or did you finally show me some mercy this time?” he asked, his sarcasm earning a smile from the doctor—a good sign.“We didn’t cut anything else off, but the scalpel almost slipped. We nearly mutilated you for life…”“I told you to tie it off to
CHAPTER 613. FIGHT FOR YOU. You’re Not Getting AwayIf anyone had doubts about the favor Adriana had asked of the Mariposa, well... this was it.As Kyle stared at her with a bewildered expression, his family bid him affectionate goodbyes and warm wishes, leaving him alone with his new "owner."“No… wait… what is this…?” murmured the fighter, unsure if what he was feeling was closer to distress or relief.“This is the solution to an immediate problem,” Adriana whispered, leaning in to give him a soft kiss on the lips.“What problem?”“You trying to escape from me. And that’s not going to happen,” she said with unwavering confidence.“But…” Kyle pressed his lips into a thin line and took a deep breath. “Adriana, this isn’t right. I… I have a long recovery ahead of me. The people who already know me, who know how to handle me—they’re what I need right now. I just need time. It’s best if I go back to Ukraine with my family and from there…”“Did I call it, or did I call it?!” Adriana excla
CHAPTER 614. FIGHT FOR YOU. Intensive MotivationThe key detail wasn’t that the property was enormous but what it offered. Zack, a retired athlete and one of the best in his field even with his years, had dealt with injuries his entire life and knew exactly what was needed for a long recovery.“Just so you know, this was a team effort,” Adriana teased with a wink as they were left alone, walking ahead to show him the house.Nearly everything was on the ground floor, so Kyle wouldn’t even need to worry about stairs. Yet as she explained how everything was within reach, Adriana noticed his face growing darker.She couldn’t fully grasp how hard it was for him to feel so limited again. But before that darkness could settle over him, she leaned in and captured his mouth in a playful, flirty kiss before opening the back door.“Don’t get too comfortable yet. The best part is coming,” she said, biting her lip. Kyle wheeled himself to see a massive black-glass structure in the backyard, like