The Recall Trials-Chapter 106: I’m Scared

I couldn’t feel my legs.

I stood there, staring at Nomi’s still body on the floor, while Kira pressed her hands against Nomi’s chest and murmured medical jargon I couldn’t follow.

The other contestants lingered nearby, whispering. I caught their whispers...

"...pregnant..."

"...the Trials will never allow this..."

"...what if it’s Vincent’s?"

Nomi. Pregnant.

My stomach twisted so tight I thought I might throw up.

Oh God...

I felt Zaara’s hand close around mine.

I flinched, and she hesitated.

She guided me gently down to sit beside her on one of the metal benches along the wall. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

The surface felt freezing cold through my jumpsuit.

Zaara kept hold of my hand, but she wasn’t looking at me either. Her eyes were locked on Nomi, who lay unconscious, sweat glistening on her face.

I tried to speak. Nothing came out. My chest felt crushed.

I couldn’t help it. The memory slammed into me.

That night we were drugged.

Nomi’s fingers on my skin. Zaara’s scent. Her warmth. The way I’d been tangled between both of them, drunk on heat and hunger and the burning taste of the aphrodisiacs.

Had I...?

My throat closed up.

Had I come inside Nomi?

I couldn’t remember. It was all a fever dream of sweat and gasps and red lights strobing across the ceiling.

I remembered her voice in my ear: "Don’t stop."

I remembered Zaara’s fingers digging into my shoulders, trying to pull me back to her.

My head fell into my hands.

"Vincent..." Zaara’s voice was trembling.

I forced myself to look up.

Her blue eyes were shiny with tears, but she held my gaze. "Tell me the truth. Did you finish in her... that night?"

My mouth opened, then closed again.

Zaara swallowed hard. "I need to know, Vincent."

Zaara’s face crumpled.

But she didn’t let go of my hand.

"Was it... protected?" she asked.

I squeezed my eyes shut. A single tear slipped down my cheek.

"I don’t know."

"I don’t remember. We were all on those aphrodisiac, and everything got so...." My voice cracked. "I don’t know if I finished... I can’t remember if I..."

Zaara flinched.

I wiped my face with my trembling hand.

I could feel eyes on us from across the room. The others pretending not to stare.

Zaara’s voice came out in a shudder. "Vincent... if that baby is yours..."

My heart squeezed tight.

"I don’t know if it is," I rasped. "I swear to God, Zaara, I don’t know."

She blinked rapidly, trying to keep tears from spilling over.

"Would you... would you take responsibility if it is?"

I couldn’t speak for a moment.

Finally I whispered, "Of course. How could I not?"

God help me...

Some twisted, part of me wanted that baby to exist. To prove there was still something good left in me.

And if it was mine...

I’d protect it. No matter what it cost.

Zaara dropped her forehead to my shoulder.

I wrapped both arms around her, burying my face in her hair.

I wanted to say something that would fix it. But I had nothing.

I swallowed hard, feeling like the walls were closing in.

Zaara wiped her eyes and lifted her chin.

"Vincent," she whispered. "No matter what happens... we’re getting out of here. All of us."

I stared at her.

"I hate this place," she whispered.

I stared at the metal floor, my mind was spinning.

What happens if Nomi’s pregnant and the Aetherions find out?

Would they kill her for being "unfit" for the Trials?

Would they use the baby as leverage?

Would they force her to carry it, just to manipulate the rest of us?

A sharp pain squeezed my chest.

"I’m so sorry," I rasped.

I wanted to hold her. But I was afraid to touch her.

Across the room, the door where they’d taken Nomi slammed open. Kira stepped out.

Zaara and I both stood up at the same time.

Kira’s eyes scanned the room until they landed on us.

"She’s stable," Kira said. "She’s awake. But... she wants to talk to Vincent. Alone."

I felt my stomach drop.

"Alone?" Zaara’s voice echoed, voice cracking.

Kira nodded. "She specifically asked for him."

I met Zaara’s eyes. They were filled with pain,.

"Go," she whispered. "Go talk to her."

I hesitated. "Zaara..."

"Go." Her voice shook. "If she’s carrying your baby... you owe her."

My mouth went dry.

I turned and followed Kira.

What the hell am I going to say to nomi?

Slowly, I stepped forward.

Nomi glanced at Kira. "Can we have a minute?"

Kira hesitated, then gave me a look and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Suddenly, it was just the two of us.

Nomi licked her cracked lips. "So... you heard."

I nodded. "Yeah. Kira... she said... you’re pregnant."

She gave a shaky laugh that turned into a cough. "Guess there’s no hiding that anymore."

A million things tumbled out of my mouth at once:

"Are you okay? Do you need water? How far along...?"

She held up a hand. "Vincent. Stop."

I swallowed hard.

Nomi let out a trembling breath. "I know what you’re thinking. You’re trying to calculate the odds. Wondering if it’s yours. Wondering if it could be someone else’s. Right?"

Heat rose in my face. "I’m not...I mean, I just.."

She shook her head. "Vincent. It’s yours."

My heart seemed to stop beating. "You... you’re sure?"

Her eyes glistened as she stared at me. "I haven’t been with anyone else. Not for over two years."

I blinked. "Two... years?"

"I... I was celibate." Her voice cracked. " I didn’t let anyone touch me. Not until..."

She swallowed hard.

"...not until that night. With you."

I couldn’t breathe.

"Nomi..."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I don’t even know if we used protection. I don’t remember. Everything was spinning. The aphrodisiac... the lights... one minute we were dancing, the next we were... together."

I pressed a hand to my forehead. "I didn’t mean... I never wanted to... I’m so fucking sorry, Nomi."

"It wasn’t just you," she whispered. "I wanted you. I’ve wanted you for a long time."

I lifted my head. "Even knowing I loved Zaara?"

A bitter smile touched her lips. "Do you think I don’t know that? But that night... for one second, I wanted to pretend I mattered to you the way she does. Even if it wasn’t real."

Nomi let out a shaky breath. "Vincent. I’m not asking you for anything. I don’t expect you to love me. I don’t expect you to choose me over Zaara."

"But—"

"But you deserve to know. And... if I’m carrying your kid... they deserve to know their father."

I felt tears prick my eyes. "Nomi... we’re in the middle of the Trials. How are we supposed to have a baby in here?"

She shook her head, eyes filling again. "I don’t know. But I’m not giving it up, Vincent. I don’t care if the Aetherions threaten me. I’m not letting them take this away from me."

My chest felt tight.

Nomi reached for my hand. Her fingers were cold, trembling.

"I’m terrified," she whispered. "But if this baby’s yours... then at least there’s something good left in all this horror."

I stared down at her small hand in mine.

My mind spun in a thousand directions.....Zaara’s tears, Nomi’s quiet desperation, the looming threat of the Aetherions finding out and deciding that a pregnant contestant was expendable.

I met Nomi’s eyes. "We’ll... we’ll figure it out."

She gave me a watery laugh. "Vincent. I’ve been trying to figure shit out my entire life. It’s never that simple."

"I know."

Her chin wobbled. "Will you... just stay for a minute? Please. Don’t go yet."

I pulled the small metal chair closer to the bed and sat down.

Nomi leaned her head back against the pillow, tears leaking sideways onto the white sheet.

Neither of us spoke for a long time.

"I’m going to protect you. And the baby. No matter what." I held her gaze, letting every word anchor into me as much as into her. "You’re not alone in this. You hear me? You’re going to be okay. Both of you."

Her lips trembled. A choked sob escaped her, and she reached a shaking hand toward me.

I wrapped my fingers around hers.

"We’re going to figure it out," I whispered fiercely. "I promise you, Nomi. You and the baby are going to be fine."

Whatever the Trials threw at us next...

I wasn’t going to let Nomi....or our child, face it alone.

Suddenly, Zara’s voice broke the silence.

"Heyyyyy," she whispered as she walked in.

Zaara reached for her hand. "You fainted. You scared the hell out of us."

Nomi winced and shifted slightly. Her eyes darted between us. "Wait... did Kira... tell...?"

She tried to sit up, but I gently pressed her back.

"Easy. Don’t try to move yet."

Her breathing hitched. "They all know... don’t they?"

"Yeah. We... we know."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Oh god. Vincent... I can’t... I can’t do this here. I can’t..."

"Nomi. Chill."

She kept shaking her head, silent sobs choking her words.

I curled my fingers around her hand. "We’ll figure everything out. When we get out of here. And we will get out of here."

Zaara nodded beside me. "He’s right. We’ll get through this."

Nomi squeezed my hand weakly.

Nomi’s breath shuddered. "I don’t want to be a mom in this place..."

"You won’t be," I said fiercely. "We’re getting you out. You and the baby. Alive. I promise."

For a moment, her eyes searched mine like she was trying to find something solid to hold onto.

Then her shoulders sagged.

"I’m scared," she whispered.

"So am I," I admitted.

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