My throat felt tight. “Why?”
“Because you need to feel safe,” he said simply. “Because this is your space now, and no one enters unless you allow it.”
He stepped back into the hallway, putting more distance between us. “Relax. Take your time. Come out for dinner when you're ready. We'll talk about the contract then.”
“Wait,” I said, the word coming out rougher than I intended. “The clothes—” I'd noticed the open dresser, the way it sat there full and waiting.
“Should fit,” he said. “We estimated based on what we saw. If anything doesn't work, we can adjust.”
He'd already bought me clothes. Before I'd agreed. Before he'd even found me this morning.
I wanted to ask how he'd known I would say yes, how he had been so certain I'd come with him. But he was already moving away, already giving me space, privacy, and the option to lock him out.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
Before I had the chance to think, there was a knock at the door. I limped over and opened it just enough to see who was standing there. A thirty-something female with a brown leather medical bag, dark hair tied back, and little to no makeup stood smiling back.
“Hello, I’m Laila, your Doctor.” My brow furrowed. Doctor? Why have they sent a doctor? “May I come in?” she asked, nodding toward the door.
I stepped back and opened the door more.
“I’m here to look at your ankle.” She motioned to my ankle as I limped to sit on the bed.
“It’s fine, it will heal eventually.”
She smiled. “Can I still have a look?”
Nodding, I lifted my leg, resting my ankle on the bed. She removed my tattered shoe, then rested her warm hand on my swollen ankle, moving it side to side. I inhaled quickly as a sharp pain shot through it.
“That? Was that the pain?” I nodded. “And this happened a while ago?” I nodded again. “Ah, that’s good.” How the hell can pain be good? I wondered. “It’s certainly treatable.”
I smiled. To live without pain would be somewhat of a dream. “If you did have a small fracture, it would have healed by now.”
“So, what’s causing the pain?” I asked.
“Well, I can’t feel any permanent damage. But you could do with an X-ray.”
My eyes widened. “Does that mean going to the hospital?” She nodded. “I can’t go there. I, I can’t let them find me.”
Her brow furrowed. “Are you in danger, Jasmine?” she asked, placing her hand back on my ankle.
I bit my lower lip. “No, I’m fine now,” I lied.
She nodded and continued to inspect my ankle. “Okay, so, it looks like whatever happened to you damaged your nerve and inflamed the muscle.”
“How do I stop the pain?”
“Rest,” she said. She then looked inside her brown leather bag. “And this...” she pulled out a large needle, and I gulped.
“Err... what’s that for?”
She laughed, probably at the way my face had paled. “There’s nothing to worry about. It’s simply a steroid injection. It will help with the swelling, and once that’s gone down, the nerve should ease back into place.”
“Oh, okay.”
“But I have to warn you, this could happen again if you’re not careful.” I nodded to show my understanding. I wasn’t planning on falling down curbs, or being beaten up again.
After bracing myself, being stabbed and yelping in pain, I listened to her footsteps retreat down the hall. Then I hobbled over, crossing to the door and engaging the deadbolt. The sound it made sliding into place was the sweetest thing I'd heard in years.
