Wrapped in Chains - Nicola Jane Page 0,59

the air and Eva wraps it in a towel. She then passes the baby to Anna so that she can hold it against her chest. “Well done,” they chime together. Riggs stares down at the baby, bewildered.

“You have a daughter,” adds Frankie proudly. Cries from the baby fill the room and Anna begins to cry tears of joy.

“A daughter,” repeats Riggs quietly.

“Are you cutting the cord?” asks Frankie. Riggs nods, then follows her instructions.

Once that’s done, Anna passes the baby to him. “Time to get the placenta out,” says Frankie and the process of moaning begins again.

Chapter Seventeen

Leia

I watch warily from my bed as Ryan sets a small table down in the room. He repeats yesterday’s process and lays down a cloth and two plates followed by cutlery. “You really must eat breakfast,” he says.

“I’m not hungry,” I mutter.

He ignores me and fills two glasses with orange juice. My mouth waters. “If at any point I think the baby is in danger, it’s my duty as a doctor to save it.”

I sigh heavily and take a seat on the stool opposite him. He places a slice of toast and jam on my plate. “There’s also eggs and bacon after this,” he says.

“Ryan!” Someone yells his name from somewhere in the house and Ryan’s face twitches in annoyance. “Ryan!”

“I’ll be right back,” he mutters, leaving the room.

I stare at the open door. This is good news. There’s someone else here in this house. Someone who could help me. I want to cry in relief, but Ryan soon returns. I pick at the toast in silence. He places eggs and bacon down next and I want to vomit. I haven’t eaten for at least twenty-four hours and my stomach is protesting at the sudden barrage of food.

“Will you raise the baby alone?” I whisper. My plan is to make him think I’m coming around to his crazy idea. He stares at me for a moment and then nods. “What about your pregnant girlfriend?”

“How do you know about her?” he snaps.

“You told me, remember?” I say gently, adding a smile. “What was her name again?”

Ryan’s expression fills with pain. “Sara,” he whispers. He seems lost in thought for a moment, so I remain quiet. “I miss her,” he mutters.

“I know you do. How far along was she?”

“Four months,” he says.

“And she left?” I ask.

His eyes shoot to mine and his face hardens. “Eat your breakfast.”

I nod and pick at the eggs. “Who shouted for you just then? Was it Sara?”

“My mother,” he hisses, stabbing the eggs on his plate. “Always shouting for me,” he mutters.

“Does she need looking after? I can help you with that.”

He sighs. “She’s bed bound. Depends on me.”

“I can help look after her. I’m a good nurse,” I say.

“You have enough to do, growing my baby.”

A frustrated cry escapes me. “My baby,” I say coldly.

Ryan smiles and stands. “Let me show you something.” He pulls out a key and unfastens my chain from the wall. He wraps it tight in his hand and tugs me towards the door. I follow eagerly. If I can get an idea of the layout of the house, it will make it easier when I get a chance to run.

We go downstairs and I realise I’m on the third floor. The second floor has three doors along the passage. He takes me to the first and pulls me inside.

I gasp. The room is decorated beautifully for a baby. A white cradle is in the centre with a scan picture laying on top of the covers. A photo hangs on the wall. It’s of a woman in her mid-twenties. She’s laughing and her hands rest on her stomach. There’s no obvious bump. He catches me staring. “Sara,” he confirms. “She decorated this room.”

“It’s lovely,” I say.

I follow him from the room and he opens the next door along. I grip the wall to stop me from falling to my knees. It’s clinical, all white, with a hospital bed in the centre. A tray of medical instruments lay neatly on a table. But the thing that terrifies me the most is the incubator hooked up to a machine, ready for a premature baby. I gasp. “Where did you get all this equipment?”

“I wanted you to see that you’re safe, Leia. I’ll look after the baby the second it’s born. I won’t let you down.”

“And me?” I ask. “What about me?”

“You’ll join Sara.” He smiles and begins to lead me out the room.

“Where is Sara?”

“She’s happy. You’ll