Married To A Duke

I can take care of myself

Amelie

I woke up disoriented. My mind was slow and my body even slower to move. Opening my eyes I first saw a jug of water on the nightstand and the white pillow on which my face was resting sideways. Because, it took me sometime to realise, I was lying on my stomach on what felt like very comfortable bed. Blinking a few times, I sorted through the memories in my mind. And remembered running from my father. The cab. The music. And him.

I had come because I was sure my best friend would help me and take care of me. Though, I was indeed taken care of but it wasn’t my best friend who cared for me. Because I still felt the ghost of his fingers on my forehead, temple and cheeks. I still felt the echo of his thick fingers gliding through my hair.

I closed my eyes, my lids heavy, and another memory came of him talking to a doctor. But the next that followed had my eyes snapping open. No. The word formed in my mind, a shock and horror of it, but no sound came out. And even before I tugged the sheet from my shoulder I knew I was naked underneath except my panties. I screwed my eyes shut and it served me with his thick murmur. “Hush… just a little more…” I remembered his fingers applying medicine on my back, his hands brushing against my front when he wrapped the bandages around and his blue eyes peering down at me.

I screwed my eyes shut against the memory and the strange way my whole body was aware of his touch even now when I could feel the ache in my entire body from the ordeal I went through, only to jerk in place as my eyes widened when I heard another voice, different from the one I was dreaming about. “Are you awake, Miss?”

I clutched the sheet and pulled it halfway to my face as I peered up at the hulking man who was leaning against the wall, near the door. “Wh— why are you here?!” I croaked out, trying to sit up.

He held both his hands up in the air. “Miss, please, relax. I was just here to bring you breakfast and to try to wake you up.”

I frowned and looked at where he gestured, and sure enough a food trolley was there at the foot of the bed. “Then, why didn’t you wake me up?” I licked my dry lips, my throat hurt and my tongue felt swollen inside my mouth.

“Here.” A small water bottle was held out to me. “I thought to not to disturb you and wait for you to wake up on your own.”

I gratefully took the water bottle from him and gulped half of it before I looked at him and said, “Thank you. Now can you please send Summer or take me to her, please. And where are my clothes, who—” The bedroom door opened and I fell silent as the man dominating my dreams stepped inside. His eyes fell on me, blue like the deep waters of Caribbean. Goose bumps rose in remembrance as I gulped, hating myself for the reaction to him. “Gabriel, where is—” I clenched my jaw when he turned to his man, but instantly relaxed as pain shot through my face.

“What are you doing here, Jesse?” Gabriel asked. His voice calm and cold.

“I brought breakfast for the Miss, thought it’d save you some time.” The man, Jesse, replied and something passed between the two of them.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Gabriel said, “You can go now.” And turned his attention to me once again.

“But, your g—” The sharp turn of Gabriel’s head in Jesse’s direction, stopped whatever he was about to say. And I clutched the sheet into my fists as I caught the look in those blue eyes.

I watched as Jesse gave a nod of his head and then quietly exited the room, leaving me alone with him. Gabriel. My best friend’s husband. Don’t forget that, Ami.

“How are you feeling?”

I blinked and it took me a few seconds to recall his words. “I am feeling fine and I’ll be better when I see Summer.”

“Of course.” He said and then he walked inside what I assumed was the bathroom.

I gingerly slid my legs out of the sheet and pulled it around me as I stood up from the bed. For a moment everything blacked out and I had to grab the headrest as I let the daze clear. Once I was sure I wouldn’t see stars I looked around the room for my clothes but didn’t find them. So I decided to forgo them, I was sure Summer will lent me one.

“What are you doing?” The harsh question had my heart skipping a beat and I turned around so quickly that I didn’t realise how close to the bedpost I was and my back scraped against it. A silent scream of agony left my mouth as my knees crumbled. “Fûck—” I heard his thick curse just as a second later his strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his hard chest.

“You are not ready to fight the world yet, tempest.” He murmured the last word as he started to pick me up, but I pushed at his chest, shaking my head. “No?” He questioned.

I shook my head. “No. Please… let go…” He did, leaving me bereft as I stood up and grabbed hold of the bedpost to not need his help again. “If you could just please send Summer.” I repeated once again, my voice on the verge of breaking up.

“She is not here.”

“What? Then where is she?”

“Somewhere.”

I squinted my eyes at him. “You are not going to tell me where is she.” I said, he tilted his head to the side, a silent affirmation. “But… I need her…” I whispered, my throat closing up as once again a feeling of being alone started to suffocate me.

“You said you needed help.” He said and then sat down on the bed, I noticed a first-aid box lying upside down beside him. He must’ve grabbed it from the bathroom. “Here I am. How can I help you?” My eyes went to him and I met his blue ones, there was nothing that would give away what was going on behind those eyes.

“Did something happen between you two?” I asked instead. It had been a few months since I saw both my best friends, Kat and Sun. But the last time I had met Summer we were in the house she had turned into a boutique that Gabriel had gifted her. And from there she got kidnàpped. After that all I heard about her was from Kat as my father didn’t allow me to leave the house. I talked a few times over the phone before it too got snatched from me but it never felt like she was unhappy or there was any problem between her and her husband. She was pregnant for fûcks sake and happy. “Is she okay?” I asked next, remembering her amnesia.

“She is fine.” He replied. I stared at him when he didn’t elaborate and I was about to say something else when he said, “But you are obviously not, why don’t we focus on that.”

Another hazy memory came of him feeding me, taking care of me. Changing ice packs on my forehead. I forced the words out from my tight throat, as I asked, “Lily? Where is Lily?” I ignored the pain in my jaw as I gritted out, “Why did you have to take care of me? Why not someone else?”

“Lily has to go.” He paused and then asked, a slight frown pulling at his brows, “Would you have preferred any other man taking care of you instead of me?”

How could he even ask that? “Yes. Of course.” Obviously.

“Of course.” He repeated, looked away for a second before those blue eyes once again came to me and he said, “Well, as you already know that I was the one who took care of you, won’t you prefer me the next time too instead of another man seeing you…” He waved his hand in the general direction of my sheet covered body.

“I don’t need anymore help, now, I can take care of myself.” I said. Especially, no help from him of any kind that needed touching.

“Of course.” He replied and I swàllowed the curses bubbling up in my throat. “I just saw how perfectly you managed to walk from the bed to the door,” his eyes flickered to where my fingers were tightly wrapped around the bedpost. “Even now you’re standing without any support.” There was no mockery in his words, it was like he was stating facts. And it filled me with righteous anger.

My fingers tightened in response but I relaxed my stance and unwrapped them and stood up straight. I felt like minute by minute someone was sucking up my energy and soon I’d collapse like a cartoon in a heap. “How long has it been since I lost consciousness?” I asked, my eyes roaming around the room for a clock to gauze how many hours I had spent unconscious here. Probably three, but then considering how many memories I have, at least four. Damn, that's too many.

“More than a day.” My gaze swung back to him. Shocked, I just stared at him. “You came here on Tuesday night, bleeding and barely able to stand.” He stood up from the bed and took a step towards me. “Today is Thursday,” He turned his wrist to look at the watch, his blue wolf ring glinting. A pale blue diamond carved into a face of wolf. It was first time I focused on his. I had only seen Summer’s, hers was pink. “Ten minutes past eleven in the morning.” He finished.

I focused back on his words. “I had been unconscious for more than twenty four hours.” I said, amazed.

“As I said, you were bleeding, lost a lot of blood and the doctor gave you some sedative for the pain, and to give your body some time so it could heal.”

I nodded absently as once again I felt a dizzy spell gripping me in its clutches. “I— I need to use the washroom.” I said or tried to say as I staggered away from the bed, wanting to quickly run to the bathroom and close the door behind me so he won't see me like this once again. Weak. And pathetic. And I didn't want him to touch me again, not even to prevent me from hitting the floor.

To Be Continued...