“You could have, but it would have been a shitshow.” Nick cracks a smile and punches my upper arm. “Don’t work out too hard. Take a breather and enjoy where we are now.”
I nod and watch my friend walk away. Slipping out of the gloves, I drop them on the ground and unwrap my wrists. Using the back of my hand, I wipe the sweat from my brow and exit the gym.
Needing a cold shower, I make my way toward the bedrooms, but instead of entering mine, I take one of the guest rooms. Stripping off my soaked clothes quickly, I enter the attached bathroom and turn on the shower. I step under the spray and let the icy water shock my system.
A shiver runs down my spine as my body tenses, but I ignore the cold and breathe through it until I’m relaxed again. Placing a hand against the tile wall, I let my head hang low as the frigid water cascades over my back.
I try not to think about her, but Aurora’s scared eyes enter my mind. I don’t care that she is frightened of me. She should be. However, I regret losing control. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
When I’m done with my shower, I dry off and pull my phone from the pocket of the discarded shorts to send for the maid to bring me fresh clothes. She knocks on the door a few minutes later, delivering an outfit.
After I’m dressed, I head to the kitchen, finding Maggie by the stove, scrambling some eggs. A pile of bacon is already stacked on a plate, sitting on the countertop.
My stomach churns at the savory smell. “I’m afraid I lost my appetite this morning,” I announce.
“Oh,” Maggie jumps a little. “I didn’t see you enter, and I’m sorry to hear you are not hungry. I can make you a plate for later.”
“That sounds good, and please bring Aurora food throughout the day. She is staying in the bedroom today.”
“Of course,” she agrees. “I’ll bring her breakfast right away.”
“I’m going to be in my office,” I say before heading that way. “I don’t want to be disturbed.”
“I’ll make sure no one will bother you,” Maggie calls after me, her gentle voice echoing down the hall.
Inside my office, I slam the door shut and take a seat in the leather chair behind my desk. This space has always been grounding to me, yet today, nothing seems to help my unpleasant mood. Opening my laptop, I do what I do best… throw myself into work and disregard the turmoil going on in my head.
11
AURORA
Liam doesn’t return, and after our last interaction, I’m glad he hasn’t. Lifting my hand, I touch the tender spot on my neck. The first time I went to the bathroom, I noticed the slight bruising on my skin. Since then, I’ve been avoiding looking in the mirror since I don’t want to be reminded of what happened.
I should be used to being manhandled and physically abused; the proof of that is all over my back. I guess I just wasn’t expecting it from him, not after last night. Not after the way he made me feel, or the way he held me while we slept. I hate how naïve I was, how quickly I let my guard down, and misread the situation. I thought we had a moment. I was very wrong.
Without anything to do or entertain myself, I sit on the bed with nothing but my thoughts. The only time my everlasting boredom is interrupted is when Maggie unlocks the door to bring me meals. She didn’t talk to me either of the times she was here. Only gave me a curt nod when I thanked her for my food.
Even though I have little appetite, I force myself to eat breakfast and lunch. I need to keep my strength up, and though I have been eating regularly so far, I’m also aware of how I rely onothers to feed me. I remind myself that Liam is unpredictable, and I wouldn’t put it past him to withhold my basic needs if it suits him, just like my father used to.
The reminder of my dad brings up mixed feelings. I don’t really miss him, but I guess mourn the faint chance I had that our relationship would better itself at some point. I miss the familiarity of the only person who has been a constant in my life, no matter how cruel he was. I grieve what could have been.
The sun is setting, and the room turns gloomy. Reaching for the lamp on the nightstand, I switch on the light just as the sound of the lock turning fills the otherwise quiet space. My heart rate speeds up; a mixture of excitement and dread fills my veins. Excitement about having a tiny bit of human interaction. Dread about not knowing whether I’m about to face Maggie or Liam. The door swings open, and my shoulders sag with relief when I see Maggie carrying in a tray.
Folding my hands in my lap, I sit up a little straighter and force a smile onto my lips. Maggie crosses the room and hands me the tray. I lower my gaze to the plate filled with steaming meat, potatoes, and broccoli. But the delicious-looking food is not what makes me gasp in joy. It’s the small stack of paperbacks beside the plate.
“Oh my god, thank you so much!” I’m so happy, I have the urge to jump up and hug her. “Seriously, I can’t thank you enough for these. I feel like I’m going crazy with nothing to do all day.”
“I figured as much,” she says with a kind smile. “I wasn’t sure what kind of books you preferred, but these are some of my personal favorites.”
“At this point, I will literally read anything. Again, thank you so much, Maggie.”
“No problem. Enjoy,” she chirps, before leaving the room once more.
Her small gesture of kindness is almost overwhelming, and I wish she would stay to spend some more time with me, but I’m beyond happy to have at least something to do now.
As I pull the tray onto my lap and start eating, I wonder if Liam knows about the books or if Maggie went out on a limb for me. I would hate to get her in trouble.
I finish every bite of the food while looking over the book selection I have. It’s a mixture of mystery and romance. I prefer the latter, but I’m certainly not picky.
