Chapter 2
I desperately needed a shower. I looked across the room and at the closed door that was the bathroom. I carefully swung my legs to the side of the bed, and I slowly stepped one foot on the floor. I held my side where the wound was as I pushed myself up from the bed. I stood there for a moment and let the dizziness pass. As I slowly inched my way to the bathroom, I stopped in front of the full-length mirror that stood in the corner. My long brown hair was knotted and greasy-looking. My brown eyes were sunken in and it looked like I hadn’t slept in days. My fair skin had a gray cast to it, and I just looked like total shit. I had no idea where the nightgown had come from that I was wearing, but it was pretty. A pretty satin and pink lace gown that stopped at my ankles was the only thing from keeping me looking like a homeless person. I silently laughed because I was a homeless person. Walking into the huge bathroom, that was bigger than the house I used to live in, I took down the straps of my gown and let it fall to the floor. I carefully removed the white bandage that covered the results of that horrible night. I felt sick to my stomach as I looked at the wound that would forever scar my right side. The dizziness started again, so I sat down on the toilet, waiting for it to pass. Was I even going to be able to take a shower? As I slowly removed myself from the toilet, I reached inside the shower, turned on the water, and stepped inside. I ran my hand along the beige marble walls as I looked through the triple glass doors that, if anyone walked in, they would be able to see me completely naked. In the corner were built-in shelves that held shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, razors, loofah sponges, and a sea salt body scrub. As I struggled to wash my hair, I heard a voice through the door.
“How on earth are you managing to take a shower? I know you can’t wash your hair. I’m sure the pain is too much when you lift your arms.”
He was right. The pain was too much when I tried to lift my arm. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not, and you shouldn’t be in there alone. What if you fell or passed out or something?”
“I’m fine.”
“Aurora, no, you’re not! Now, I’m coming in to help you.”
“Over my dead body, you are, Ian. Don’t you dare open that door!” I yelled.
“Wrap one of the large towels around your body, then. At least let me shampoo your hair.”
“Get one of your maids.”
“They’re gone for the night.”
I took in a deep breath, and since I needed my hair washed, I was left with very little choice but to let him in and help me. I opened the shower door and stuck out my hand, grabbing the large towel from the rack. I wrapped it around my body, flinching in pain as the towel pressed against my wound.
“Okay, I’m covered. You can come in now.”
He opened the door and looked at me as he started unbuttoning his shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking off my shirt so it doesn’t get wet.”
As he unbuttoned the last button, he slid his shirt off his shoulders and set it on the counter. I stood there staring at him. Staring at the ripped, muscular man before me. His taut torso was perfection. Every ripped muscle was well characterized, as was the hint of his V-shape, which was slightly visible as his pants sat low on his hips. My eyes then diverted to his muscular arms, which were perfectly defined and strong. I remembered that much when he had carried me up the stairs that night.
“Do you like what you see?” He smiled.
I cleared my throat in embarrassment. “Yeah, sure. Now could you please help me?”
He walked over, opened the door, and asked me to hand him the shampoo from the shelf. As I handed it to him, he poured a small amount into his hand and began working it into my hair. I closed my eyes at the feel of his strong hands, massaging their way around my scalp. A tingling sensation started down below and my heart began pounding. Once he was finished shampooing my hair, he removed the showerhead from the wall and rinsed out the lather. I stood there, in a soaking wet towel, enjoying what this practical stranger was doing to me.
“Hand me the conditioner and I’ll put some on your hair. After I rinse it out, you can wash your body. Unless you would like me to do that for you?”
“No, I can wash myself, thank you very much,” I said as I handed him the conditioner.
After he rinsed my hair, he shut the shower door, and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. I finished my shower and began to feel somewhat human again. I grabbed a dry towel, wrapped it around me, and opened the door. I was startled to see Ian sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Jesus, I thought you left.”
“The name’s Ian, sweetheart, not Jesus.” He smiled. “I took the liberty of having some clothes and personal items delivered for you, since you have absolutely nothing. If you look in the drawer over there, you’ll find some bras and underwear.”
“How did you know what size I wore?”
“I looked at the bra you were wearing when I brought you here. By the way, I threw that one out. It was pretty nasty.”
How dare him.
“I’ll step out of the room while you change and then I’ll help you brush your hair.”
“Thank you, but I can brush my own hair,” I said as I gave him a dirty look.
“Suit yourself and we’ll see. You couldn’t wash your hair, so what makes you think you can brush it?” He sighed.
He left the room and I opened the drawer that displayed five different beautiful bras, in different colors. A couple of them were plain, but the rest of them were made of lace and sparkles. Each bra had matching panties that came in twos. One a thong and the other bikini-style. I put on one of the lacy bras, and I walked over to the double doors and opened them, revealing a large walk-in closet with built-in shelves from floor to ceiling. I’d never seen anything like this in person; only in the movies. On the shelves were a few pairs of pants that were neatly folded and a few shirts that hung on the rack. I dug through until I found a pair of black leggings. I grabbed a long, pink shirt from the hanger and slipped that on first. Putting on my leggings was difficult, but I managed. Soon, there was a knock at the door and Ian peeked his head through.
“Decent?”
“Yes, and I thought you left.”
“I wanted to stick around and watch you try to brush your hair. In the drawer of the vanity are the brushes and combs.”
I walked over and sat down at the vanity, opened the drawer, and took out a large brush. I started with my ends first, so I didn’t have to raise my arm any higher than necessary.
“For f*ck sake, Rory, give me the damn brush,” he said as he walked over and grabbed it out of my hand.
“Do you need to curse?”
“I apologize,” he said as he gently brushed my long hair.
I stared out the window as each brush stroke relaxed me more and more. “How was your soup?” Ian asked.
“I despise chicken soup. But I will admit that Charles made it pretty good.”
“Why do you despise chicken soup? Everybody loves chicken soup.”
I was in such a daze from the way he was brushing my hair that I didn’t even realize what I’d said.
“I used to love it at one time, when I was a little girl. But when it becomes the only food you are forced to eat every single day, you reach a point when you never want to eat chicken soup again.”
The movement of the hairbrush stopped as he stared at me through the mirror of the vanity. I didn’t realize it until I looked and saw his mesmerizing eyes staring back at me. “Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“Doing what?” he replied as he continued to brush my hair.
“Buying me clothes and helping me with my hair. Why?”
“You fell into my limo. What was I supposed to do? Kick you out and let you die?”
“You could have dropped me off at a hospital and left.”
“Perhaps, but I felt you would be better off here, given your circumstances. It’s not every day that a beautiful young woman falls into my limo with a stab wound. I was intrigued, and besides, you have no clothes; in fact, you have nothing.”
I smiled softly as I looked at him. He called me “beautiful.” No one had ever told me I was beautiful, except my mom.
“And there’s her smile,” Ian said.
He looked at his watch, set the brush down, took my hand, and helped me back to bed. “I have a date, and if I don’t go and get ready, I’m going to be late. So if you’ll excuse me, Rory, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
And just like that, he was gone. Ian Braxton had a date. What would his date think about him harboring a wounded girl, helping her in the shower, and buying her sexy bras and thongs? It didn’t matter anyway; this was a world in which I didn’t belong. As I lay down and turned my head towards the window, I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the sounds of the waves lapping against the shoreline.
When I awoke a couple of hours later, I couldn’t seem to go back to sleep. I felt restless and like a caged animal, being cooped up in this room. When I looked at the clock, I noticed it was one a.m. I carefully got out of bed and opened the door as quietly as I could. I looked down the long hallway and to my right at the spiral staircase. I carefully pulled the door closed behind me, and I slowly walked down the stairs. I found my way to the back of the house and stepped outside the door wall. As I stood on the open patio, I breathed in the ocean air and light breeze that came my way. I sat down in the oversized lounge chair that faced the beach. As my mind began wondering if Ian was home, I heard laughter coming from inside the house. I slowly turned my head and caught a glimpse of Ian and his date heading up the stairs. I turned back and looked up at the stars that lit up the night sky. For the first time in my twenty-three years of life, I felt peace. I closed my eyes and thought about Ian walking up those stairs with that woman.
****
My eyes opened and I found myself covered with a blanket. I was still on the lounge chair. I slowly sat up as Ian came walking out onto the patio with a cup in his hand.
“I hope you drink coffee because I brought you some.”
“Thank you,” I said as I took the cup from him.
“Cream?” he asked as he held up the carton.
“Just a little.” I smiled.
The morning air was just as breathtaking as the night air. I looked out at the calmness of the ocean as the sun was up, displaying its beauty in the clear blue sky. Ian took a seat in the lounge chair next to me as he sipped his coffee.
“When I came in last night and saw you sleeping here, you looked so peaceful, and I didn’t want to disturb you. There’s nothing like waking up with the warm morning air surrounding you.”
“It’s beautiful here.” I smiled.
“How are you feeling, Aurora?”
I looked at him sternly because I’d asked him not to call me that. “My apologies. It’s just Aurora is the name of a princess and, when you sleep, you look like Sleeping Beauty.”
The pit of my stomach started to ache and my heart started to pick up its pace. Why was he saying these things to me? Why does he keep saying I’m beautiful? I’m not. I’m nothing but an ordinary girl with a messed up life.
“Thanks, but I’m far from it.” I laughed softly.
Ian smiled and turned his head towards the ocean as I asked him a question that I wanted to know the answer to.
“How was your date last night?”
“It was fine. Why do you ask?”
“I’m just trying to make conversation, that’s all.”
“Why would you make my date the topic of conversation, Rory? Why not start the conversation by telling me who you are and where you’re from and, most importantly, why were you hurt and who did it? Was it your boyfriend?”
I wouldn’t look at him as I sipped my coffee and stared out into the depths of the ocean. “What makes you think I have a boyfriend?” I asked.
“Damn it, Rory. Why do you evade my questions?” he asked as he got up from his chair. He knelt down next to me and cupped my chin in his hand. “If you won’t tell me, then I’ll just find out for myself,” he said as he got up and walked away.
The fact of the matter was that, growing up, I was never allowed to tell anybody anything. Everything about my life was a secret. As I was in deep thought, Ian yelled from the door.
“It’s time for breakfast and you’re joining us. So, come inside, now.”
I turned and looked at him as he walked away. I got up from my chair and walked back inside the house. Mandy, one of the maids, showed me to the dining room where Ian and another woman sat. He stared at me as I entered the room and told me to have a seat.
“Rory, I would like you to meet Adalynn.”
“Hi, Rory. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled as she reached her hand across the table.
“Hi.”
This wasn’t the same woman I saw Ian with last night. Adalynn was beautiful. Her dark hair was long and her light blue eyes had a hint of gray in them, making them a stunning color. Her high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and full lips gave her an exotic look. Mandy set down a bowl of fruit in front of me and poured some more coffee in my cup.
“I hope you like fruit. I wouldn’t know, since you won’t tell me a damn thing about you,” Ian spoke.
“Leave the girl alone, Ian. She’s been through hell and she doesn’t need you to make her feel worse,” Adalynn said as she winked at me.
“I do like fruit, Ian.” I smiled.
“Well, there’s a start. I finally know something she likes,” he said with a cocky attitude.
I had had just about enough of his cockiness. I looked at him and tilted my head. “Why is it so important to you that you know about me? You’re a millionaire. That much I’ve gathered just from being in this house and seeing the way you dress. I get the impression that you like to control things and people. You come off as arrogant and demeaning, and I’m not comfortable telling you about my lousy life and the shithole that I came from.”
“Damn it!” he said as he slammed his fists on the table. “I saved your life!”
I threw my napkin on the table as I spoke sternly. “Maybe you shouldn’t have.”
I slowly got up from my seat and held my side as I walked outside and down to the beach. The sand felt like I’d always imagined it would. It was so soft and warm as I sat down and ran my hands through it. Did I really mean what I said to Ian about he shouldn’t have saved me? I didn’t know. Maybe I should’ve just told him so he’d leave me alone.