Chapter 81 Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Chapter 81
CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

Irina's POV 

Everything hurt so badly I could barely breathe.

My stomach felt like it was on fire.

After Dimitri got out of the car I tried to stop him.

"No!" I screamed but he was already gone.

"Drive!" Dimitri shouted to the driver whose name was Alexei, surprisingly. But I didn't care. Even though that name was the last thing I wanted to hear, I had to trust this one with my life. 

Alexei stepped on the gas and we shot forward.

Bullets immediately started hitting the car.

"Get down!" Alexei yelled at me.

I tried to duck but the pain was too much.

We swerved violently and I was thrown against the door.

More bullets hit the car and glass exploded everywhere.

"Hold on tight!" Alexei shouted. I could sense the fear in his voice. 

But then something hit us hard. Another car rammed into our side.

We spun out of control.

I screamed as we flipped and everything became a blur.

Then we crashed. The impact was so hard I thought I would die.

My head hit something and everything went black for a moment.

When I opened my eyes again everything was upside down.

No wait, the car was upside down.

I could smell smoke and gasoline.

"Alexei?" I called out.

But he did not answer.

I looked towards the front and saw him.

He was not moving and his neck was bent in a wrong angle.

Oh God, he was dead. 

I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. Tears weren't coming. Fear rose in my chest, making it hard to think clearly. I took deep breaths to clear my head.

The smell of gasoline grew stronger. I needed to get out before the car exploded.

I tried to move but pain shot through my entire body.

My stomach hurt the most, it felt wet and warm.

I looked down and saw blood, so much blood.

"No," I whispered. "The baby."

I had to get out, I had to save my baby before it was too late.

I unbuckled the seatbelt and fell hard onto the roof.

Pain exploded through me and I screamed.

But I had to keep moving.

I crawled towards the door and pushed it open.

Every movement felt like dying but I kept going.

Finally I made it out of the car.

I dragged myself away, leaving a trail of blood behind me.

I could hear sirens in the distance but they sounded so far away.

I made it to an alley and collapsed against a wall.

I could not move anymore, my body would not let me.

I looked down at my stomach and the bleeding was getting worse.

"Please," I whispered. "Please let my baby be okay."

I touched my stomach gently, trying to feel my baby. Trying to get the baby to kick and tell me it was okay, but I felt nothing. Just blood, covering my palm.

“Please… fight. Please stay with me.” I whispered to the baby.

I thought about Dimitri and wondered if he was still alive.

Had Viktor killed him? Would I ever see him again?

Tears fell down my face.

"I am sorry," I whispered to my baby. "I am so sorry."

My eyes started closing and I could not keep them open.

Maybe this was it, maybe this was how I would die. Alone in an alley, bleeding out, never seeing Dimitri again.

"No," I said to myself. "Stay awake, stay awake."

But it was so hard and I was so tired.

I heard footsteps running towards me.

"Over here!" A man's voice shouted.

I heard more footsteps getting closer.

I forced my eyes open a little and I saw Dimitri, running towards me.

He was alive, he came back for me.

"Dimitri," I tried to say but it came out as a whisper.

He dropped to his knees beside me.

"Irina," he said. "Irina can you hear me?"

"You came back," I whispered.

"Of course I did," he said. "I will always come back."

"The baby," I said weakly. "Is the baby okay?"

Dimitri looked down at my stomach and his face changed.

He looked terrified.

"We need a doctor!" He shouted. "Now!"

A medic appeared and checked me.

His expression was serious and that scared me.

"What is wrong?" I asked. "Tell me what is wrong." My voice came out as a whisper.

The medic did not answer me. Maybe he didn't hear me.

"We need to get her to a hospital immediately," he told Dimitri. "Or she will die."

Those words hit me like a punch.

Die, I was going to die.

"No," I whispered. "I cannot die, the baby..."

"You are not going to die," Dimitri said firmly. "I will not let you."

He carefully lifted me and I cried out in pain.

"I know baby, I know," he whispered. "Just hold on."

He carried me to a car and placed me in the back seat.

He climbed in beside me and held me close.

"Drive!" He shouted. "To the nearest hospital!"

The car sped away.

I looked up at Dimitri and his face was blurry.

"Dimitri," I whispered. "I am scared."

"I know," he said. "But you are going to be okay."

"What if I am not?" I asked. "What if I die?"

"You are not going to die," he said again.

But I could see the fear in his eyes.

"If I do," I said. "Promise me you will save the baby."

"Irina do not talk like that..."

"Promise me!" I said as loudly as I could.

"I promise," Dimitri said and tears fell from his eyes. "I promise."

"Thank you," I whispered.

My eyes were closing again.

"No no no," Dimitri said. "Stay awake Irina, stay with me."

"I am trying," I said. "But

I am so tired."

"Just a few more minutes," he begged. Tears gathered in his eyes. "We are almost there."

I tried to stay awake but the darkness was pulling me down.

"Dimitri," I whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said. "So much."

"Tell the baby," I said. "Tell the baby I loved them."

"You will tell them yourself," Dimitri said.

But I was not sure about that.

The darkness was taking over and I could not fight it anymore.

"I am sorry," I whispered.

Then everything went black.