My head felt fuzzy, like something bubbling inside. A continuous beep rang in my ears and someone called out a name. Gabriella. Gabriella? Why was the light so bright? Nothing made sense. Where was I? Dead? Did something happen. Did I die?
“There you are. How do you feel?”
My eyes opened to bright white lights. An out of focus doctor and two nurses hovered around me. A deep throb was felt behind my eyes, and my mouth was dry. My mind tried to decipher the commotion, failing with every thought. Where I was, how I got there, and what was wrong with me.
“Mrs. Pierce. Keep your eyes open for me.”
Pierce? Pierce? No, that wasn’t right. I wanted to tell him that Pierce was wrong, but my dry mouth took precedence over the misunderstanding. “Can I have a drink?”
Refreshing cool water was brought to my lips and with all my strength, I sipped.
“Can you tell me what happened, Mrs. Pierce? Do you remember how you got here?”
“My names, Delgardo.” I corrected. Who the hell was Mrs. Pierce? Wait a minute. Who the hell was Delgardo? My eyes closed while my head reeled, trying to make sense of what was going on. Nothing came to me. Not one.
“That’s her maiden name,” a voice said from behind the doctor. I opened my eyes again. With great strength, I raised my head to a man in jeans, T-shirt, and a backwards ball cap. With one eye, I noticed a brace, running from my ankle to my hip. Metal bars, running up both sides. I wiggled my fingers on my left and felt one there, too. Same thing. Basically just wrapped. It went from my wrist, clear past my elbow. My head was bandaged and my left eye was swollen shut. I was no doubt in a hospital.
I studied the guy, staring at me with almost a glare. Like he was mad at me. I didn’t know him either.
“Yes, that’s right, Gabby. Stay with me.” the doctor coaxed while holding a penlight in my eye. I knew he wanted me to follow it, but I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the willpower. My head fell back to the pillow with not an ounce of strength to hold it up. Flashes went through my mind. The wind. The clouds. The laughs. The wreck. I was in a wreck.
“Nobody calls her Gabby. She wouldn’t answer to that,” the stern voice assured the nice doctor. My first thought was to search him out again with my eyes, but the weakness I felt wouldn’t allow it. I closed my eyes, needing a minute, or a thousand. I had to reflect on my state of mind. Figure out where I was and what happened. Unlike a puzzle, nothing fit. None of the pieces matched. I didn’t think about who I was, or where I came from. I didn’t think about anything. I let it go. Turned it over to the darkness. Again.
I thought I’d had napped for a couple hours, but later found out it had been three days. Pain shot down my neck and my head felt dizzy when I tried to turn my head. The room was dark with the same, beep, beep, beep. The positon of the sun told me that it was late evening, but I didn’t see a clock. A hospital room. I was in the hospital. Everything hurt. My entire body felt like it had been ran through the spin cycle in my washer. An audible moan slipped through my dry lips when I tried to move.
“How do you feel?” a nurse said from my side. Her voice soft and sweet. The room was dark and quiet. Nobody but the nurse and me.
“Like I was hit by a truck. Was I?”
“You were in a car wreck. From what I understand, you rolled it a couple times. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“Was I alone?”
“You were alone. Eighty miles from home,” a deep voice said from the door. The same man with the backwards ball cap stepped in from the hall. This time without the hat. His eyes bore into me while his breath blew steam from a cup of coffee. My eyes narrowed to the man, focusing like hell, trying to place him. Nothing about him was familiar to me. Nothing at all. The guy gave the nurse a look and she cowered like a scared kitten. Her eyes moved to the floor when he looked at her, expression telling her to leave. Even without words, I read it loud and clear. So did the nurse.
“I’m going to get things ready. Dr. Mirage wants to get another CT scan.”
“Is it bad? What’s wrong with me?” I was more concerned with my condition than jerk. I knew without knowing that he was my husband. Not only was I broken, I was married to a dick. Trying to make sense of everything had me whirling with thoughts. One second I would be trying to place who my mother was, and wondering what my name was the next. Searching deep into my mind for answers that didn’t seem to come.
“The doctor will be into talk to you shortly. You’re a very lucky girl,” she said again as she smiled, dismissing herself from my room. An uneasy feeling fell over me once I realized I was alone with him.
His head tilted to the side and he smiled at me, but not a nice smile. He was angry with me. Maybe we had a fight or something before the accident.
“Pretending that you don’t know who you are won’t save you.”
“What? Save me from what?” I questioned, eyebrows taking a sharp dive to the bridge of my nose. He did some sort of clicking thing with his tongue and sipped his coffee. His haunting eyes glared at me through steam, the smirk never leaving his face.
Steam rose from the cup when he set it on my stand and turned to me. I watched him lick his lips and come to my side. My eyes shifted from his cool expression to his fingers. I stared down at my shoulder when two fingers slid down my arm to the tips of my fingers. Silence except for the beeping and the loud thump in my chest occupied the room. I stared at his face unable to speak while he held the tips of my fingers in his hand. The pillow behind my head kept me from moving away from him when he lowered his lips to mine.
“Keep it up. I’m actually enjoying the fuck out of this. Just thinking about starting over makes my dick hard,” he said with admittance to my lips with soft warm words. My lips stayed in a thin, straight line while he kissed me. A grunt fell from my chest when I jerked in pain, trying to move away. Something pulled me to him. Something besides the cologne, and I knew without a doubt, he was my husband. Good Lord! I was broken and stupid.
“Please tell me I’m not married to you,” I said, pleading eyes boring into his while I tried to use my broken hand to sit up. My so called husband just stood there, not even offering to help. I struggled on my own until I reached the control for the bed.
“Oh yes. I own you, Gabriella Pierce,” he said while assuring me with some sort of creepy, power trip, tone. Hoarse and raspy. What the hell?
“Wait. You own me? You’re joking. Please tell me you’re joking. I don’t even know your name.” Unbelievable. If this guy thought for one second I was about to bow down to him, he had another think coming. No way.
Again he moved closer to my lips and I let him. By instinct, my eyes lowered to my lap. He lifted my chin with one finger and kissed me again. Pain moved down my neck to my spine. Once again I let him kiss me with a warm, soft kiss. Fire and ice, burning my lips.
“I own you, I own the girls, and I own the house. I pay for it. You work for me. I pay you, and … the name’s Paxton. You can call me Paxton. Of course I’m sure you already know that, but hey. Let’s play games, shall we?”
This wasn’t real life. People didn’t really act like this. Who in the world did this guy think he was? My mind blurred with thoughts, but no memories. I didn’t know this guy from the nurses. His hand caressed my tender ribs, and his lips once again met mine. My breath caught in my lungs when his thumb brushed back and forth over my sore body. My hip and my side. I’m not sure if my lips parted on their own or if he did it, but there was definitely tongue.
“Hello, Mrs. Pierce. How are you feeling?” a different doctor from before asked, interrupting the kiss. I was so confused. One second this guy was a threat, and the next he was intoxicating. Why couldn’t I just remember? Paxton took a step back, leaving me with a kiss to my forehead. That hurt, too. Everything hurt.
“I would say I’ve been better, but I don’t know if that’s the truth or not.”
“Yes, Dr. Mirage and I spoke. Unfortunately, I’m not a neurologist. I’m your orthopedic doctor. You’re a lucky girl.�
�
“So, I’ve been told. How long have I been here?”
“You’ve been in an induced coma for nine days. You suffered a ruptured spleen, a couple broken bones, and a serious head injury. Your brain was swollen severely. That’s why you’ve been in a coma. Your brain needed the time to recover. Like I said. You’re very lucky. All of this is going to heal. You’re still here and that’s all that matters,” the doctor said while his hand waved down my body, demonstrating all that needed to heal. Everything.
My memory was working just fine from coma on. I remembered all the things that Paxton said he owned. My head snapped to him, and I grimaced in pain. Gah. Stop doing that. Dark green eyes stared back. A look of pure spite was perceived from the look in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was a smirk, or spy-like. Like a predator, waiting for me to slip so he could catch me.
“You said girls. What girls?” I questioned with my eyebrows turned in sharply.
Paxton crossed one arm over the other. “Our daughters, Rowan and Ophelia.”
“Hi, we’re here to take you down for another scan,” a male nurse said as he entered with a girl carrying a chart. My chart. My orders.
“We’ll talk later, Love. Go get better so we can go home,” Paxton said with a wink over the brim of hot the coffee cup.
My eyes rolled to his while my bed was wheeled out. This was all wrong. It didn’t feel right. Rowan? Ophelia?
“I don’t know that man. I don’t think he’s my husband at all,” I whispered to the nurse above my head.
The guy nurse knelt to my ear from above as wheeled me down the hall. The smell of men’s cologne reaching my nose before his words met my ear. “Let’s get a good look at your brain. See what’s going on there.”
I held the air in my lungs when I realized he wasn’t about to get in the middle of that one. Why would he? He only wanted to do what was on his orders. Do his job and clock out. I was on my own until I could figure out what to do.
Paxton was gone when I returned to my room. Thank God. I needed time to figure things out. Figure out what to do. Where to go. Surely I had parents somewhere.
The trip for the scan of my brain exhausted me. It left me feeling like I had been run over by that truck again. I let darkness takeover once again, dozing to the monotone beeping. There were no visons of a past, no recollections of who I was or where I had come from. Nothing but unconscious darkness.
The next time I woke the window revealed darkness. I felt irritated, but wasn’t sure why. Maybe because the neurologist never came like he said he would. Maybe because I hurt. I hurt everywhere. Even my eyes. Maybe the agitation came from seeing him. Why? Why was he there? Why couldn’t he just go away? I gave him a dirty look and hit my call button.
Paxton nobly walked to my side. “I can help you. What do you need?”
I shoved his hand away from mine. With all my might, I tried to move. Just rolling to my side caused excruciating pain. Pain like I had never felt in my life. At least not that I remembered.
My voice raised, yet it was faint. “I want out of this bed, I want to know what’s wrong with me, and I want you to go away. That’s what I need!” Faded words was all that I could muster. It even pained me to raise my voice. My muscles didn’t work, and the ones that did, hurt too much to move.
“Seriously? Tears? Give me a fucking break,” Paxton said, arrogant tone and all.
I wanted to tell him off, tell him to go fuck himself. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but they never formed in my mouth. The pain wouldn’t let them.
“What can we do for you, Gabriella?” Another new nurse asked. She moved around me, checking vitals and the drip in my I.V. while she spoke.
“I have to pee, and I need something for pain.”
“You have a catheter, but I can give you something for the pain. Tell me where the pain level is, one to ten.”
“Ten, more than ten. Oh, God. Give me something. Please,” I begged. My neck and shoulders hurt every time I moved my head, but I couldn’t help it. I was in unbearable pain, and nothing else was on my mind. I just wanted it to stop.
“Where’s the pain, Gabriella?”
“I don’t know. All over. My head, my neck, my back, my leg. It hurts everywhere. And it still feels like I have to pee.”
“Let me get you some Dilaudid. I’ll be right back.”
I squirmed as much as possible while I waited for relief, holding a flat hand over my face. Trying to squeeze the pain from my temples didn’t work at all.
“Shhh, I’ve got you. Just relax.” Soft words were whispered into my ear and Paxton’s warm body blanketed my chest. His hands moved around me and he held me close to him. “Stop fighting it, Gabriella. You’re only making it worse. You’re okay. I’ve got you,” he said in a quiet tone while leaving soft kisses around my neck. It’s stupid, but it did feel like it helped, like maybe some of the pain was lifted.
Tears slid down both of my eyes and he kissed them away, shushing me with soft words. Confusing emotions flooded my body while I wept in the arms of a man I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to say, what to feel, what to do, nothing. I knew nothing.
Paxton pulled away and kissed my lips with one sweet peck. His thumb brushed a tear from my eye when I settled, letting him be my rock. What else was I supposed to do? It wasn’t like I had anyone else coming to my rescue.
“That’s better. Have I not always taken care of you? Hmmm?” he asked, head tilting to the side with a smile. His fingers brushed hair across the bandage on my forehead in a carrying manner. Soft words matching the gentle touch.
I mocked his quiet tone. “Is that a trick question?”
Paxton snickered and stepped away for the nurse.
Instant relief was felt when she flipped a needle and injected it into my IV. I was loopy within a minute, feeling no pain whatsoever. Unless I moved of course. I floated on a cloud, high above the birds.
“Dr. Mirage said we could take the catheter out. We’ll use the bedpan throughout the night and then try to get you up in the morning.”
My heavy eyelids flew open and I assured her that wouldn’t be happening. “No way. Leave it in. I can’t get up.” There was no way I would be able to stand. I would fall and break the rest of my bones for sure.
The nurse filled in the report, hanging at the foot of my bed while she talked. “We’ll see where we are tomorrow. Let’s not worry about that yet. Dr. Mirage wouldn’t steer you wrong. He’s one of the best.”
I could hear her words, but they were mystique. Each word, echoing in my ears. Did she say mirage? That’s what this was. A mirage. Delusion. I was hallucinating. It was the only logical explanation.
I jerked from pain when the nurse lifted my knee. She didn’t bend the left one, but nonetheless, it hurt like mad when she moved it out. I thought my hips were crumbling into pieces. One fist squeezed the covers hard and one squeezed Paxton’s hand. I felt the foreign object being ejected from my body and a little more relief was felt.
The nice nurse patted my bare leg, explaining her plan. “Hang in there for a second, sweetie. We’ll try to put you on a bedpan. I’ll be right back.” She covered my nakedness and left me with Paxton.
For a second I thought I was hallucinating on top of hallucinating. Paxton slid my gown up my hips and trailed his fingers down my stomach. I had to be hallucinating. There was no other justification. This didn’t happen in real life.
Paxton smiled a mischievous smile, moving in and out of focus, and spoke with curvy words. “Nine days without shaving is a long time. Maybe we should take care of that,” I heard him grunt some sort of animal-like, lust noise at precisely the same moment I felt his fingers slide inside me. Seriously?
I did manage to speak without moving. “What are you doing? Stop it.” I couldn’t move. I was higher than a kite for one, and two, it hurt too much to even try. All I could do was lay there and let Paxton touch me. This guy was deranged. Something wasn’t right upstairs.
“That’s not t
he only thing, nine days is a long time for,” he said in a gravely tone, right on my lips. He didn’t move his fingers or stop the invasion until the two nurses came with the bedpan. I don’t know for sure if I used it or not. I crashed again. I crashed hard, trying with all my might to make it all go away. This wasn’t my life. This couldn’t be my life. Not this man. Not Paxton Pierce. Not me.
I vaguely remember asking for more pain meds during the night, and I vaguely remember Paxton taking care of me. He laid in my bed with me and held me to his body while I wretched in pain. His lips kissed my head and his hand caressed my sore ribs.
The sun was bright and shining when I woke the next time. A glare on the sparkling white floor caught my eye, and then his. He was always there. Why? Why didn’t he leave?
Our eyes locked and we held a glance while I sat myself up more. Paxton stood and moved my cup of water to my lips. I sucked on the straw, welcoming the cold liquid.
I turned my head away when I had enough and accused him of what I knew. “I know what you did. You touched me.” The memory was faint, but I knew it happened. I felt his hand between my legs. With everything in me, I knew it was real.
Paxton set the cup back to the table and laughed. Full blown gut laugh. Even his eyes lit up. I turned my head when he leaned in for a kiss, causing him to miss. He placed it on the corner of my mouth. “Like I said. I own you and I own your pussy. I touch it whenever and wherever I want. Don’t forget that.”
I stared up to him, feeling completely off. This wasn’t right. This couldn’t be right. “You’re a psycho. I’m not leaving here with you,” I said with great assurance while I tried to back away.
“We’ll talk later. I have to run by a jobsite. Get some rest,” Paxton said with a caring tone and a kiss to my forehead. I watched him leave, staring after him in I’m not sure what. Shock? Disbelief? I was terrified. This man was bad. This wasn’t right. There was absolutely no way I was married to Paxton Pierce. No way in hell.
I was brought a tray of rubbery eggs and a cup of coffee shortly after Paxton had left. I tasted the cold toast, and snarled my nose at the eggs. Gross. Just like the nurse had promised the night before, I got up. Against my will, through all the pain, I walked on crutches a few short feet to the bathroom. The length of a football field was more like it. That’s what it felt like.
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