Lyla’s POV
Two days after I woke up, I hadn’t gotten the chance to see Damon again to ask him about the arrangement or bargain that he said he made with my brother.
Even Ruth wouldn’t tell of his whereabouts and no matter how many times I asked her for a phone, she kept on saying no each time.
“Sorry, what?”
I asked as I heard someone mention my name. The doctor and his nurse were around to check up on me. As usual, the doctor was the one always talking while the nurse kept on glaring at me with this deadly look on her face.
“Since you feel better now, I’ll make sure Ruth helps you to move about but you just have to take it slow and steady” he advised.
I smiled, not fully agreeing with him, “I’m not a handicap. I’ll be sure to be careful while I take myself around”
The nurse suddenly snorted, “That’s if he lets you” She grumbled under her breath.
I let her statement slide after noticing that the doctor gave her a signal which made a guilty look on her face.
“If you need me, Ruth knows how to get to me. You’re a fighter, Lyla and I’m proud of you” He held my hand tightly.
I forced a smile, feeling uncomfortable with his actions.
“Thank you”
I waved slightly as he walked out of the room along with the nurse. I quickly dropped the hand as it hurt a little.
My other hand was wrapped in a cast. I’d insisted on not having it sling around my neck and after much disapproval, the doctor has agreed.
I stood up slowly from the bed and walked closer to the mirror. Once I stood in front of it and saw my appearance, I closed my eyes and a second later, I opened it again.
Still not believing my appearance, I touched my face, my bruised eye that has turned black and my cut lips. The fear that I had been fighting, dropped from my eyes
I opened the white shirt I was putting on that reached just my ankle to reveal the plaster that was on my rib, I ripped it open to see how damaged I was. Even though the wound was healing, the memory of me being punched over and over was still fresh.
“We’re animals! Wild animals”
The other side of my body was still bruised and I winced in pain and my hand came in contact with it.
“Do you want to die?….. We’re werewolves”
His voice echoed in my head continuously.
My hair was disheveled, my skin had lost his color and unlike usual, the last thing I was worried about was my nonexistent ass.
“Werewolves! What does that even mean?”
I turned as the door was suddenly opened to see Ruth at the door.
“What are you doing?” I turned back to face the mirror and quickly cleaned my eyes.
“Nothing, I was just getting ready to take a bath. Do you need something?” I asked.
“No my dear. I just need to ask what you’ll love for dinner”
“I’m not really hungry. I’ll be fine with anything”
Limping, I walked steadily towards the bathroom door. I was about opening it when I felt Ruth’s tense look on my back.
“Do you need help?” She asked.
“Yes, can you help me out with fresh clothes?”
She hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.
“I can help you with your bath, Lyla. You don’t have to be shy about it” She said smiling.
“I can do this, Ruth. Thank you”
She tried moving closer, probably to convince me.
“Stop please, I’m miserable enough as it is right now. Helping me will only make me feel more miserable. So, please, leg me do this one thing by myself this time around”
I begged as fresh tears leaked out of my eyes.
Ever since I woke up, Ruth has been there helping me out with everything. I know I was supposed to be grateful for her help, but it just made me feel more miserable.
Ruth respected my decision and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her. I also closed the bathroom door firmly behind me as I switched on the light and opened the curtains shielding the bathtub.
My lips rocked with a smile when I remembered what had happened here on my first day in this mansion.
I pushed the memory at the back of my mind. It wasn’t worth it, remembering that at all. Not after everything I’d gone through in Damon and his father’s hand.
Struggling, I tried removing the cast from my hand but it wasn’t working.
I hissed at the failed attempts.
You’re so useless, Lyla! I cursed out.
As I was about to go for my last option of calling out to Ruth, the door suddenly opened.
I moved back as I watched Damon walk into the bathroom, light reflecting in his eyes as he took in my appearance.
His jaw was tightened as anger flickered across his eyes.
“I heard your struggle from outside the door and I thought you would need some help”
He crossed his huge arms against his chest.
“T–hat was thoughtful of you but I can manage” I struggled to speak.
He nodded and went on to rest his back against the wall, throwing his two hands into his pocket.
“Okay, let’s see you do that,” he said, determined to watch me make a fool out of myself.
“I can’t manage with you here, Damon” I pleaded without using the word, please.
He raised his hands and closed his eyes.
“Eyes are closed, Lyla and hands are up. Do your thing and put a towel around you. Then, tell me to open my eyes and see how incredible you are despite how wounded you are” He mocked.
“You can as well mock me all you want. I didn’t ask to be like this” I spat.
“I’m not going to argue with you, Lyla”
I knew he wasn’t going to move away from that spot until I do as he said. I tried once more to remove the cast even though the pain was unbearable.
“You’re so useless Lyla”
I hissed out and I screamed out in pain as Damon pulled me forcibly towards his body, his eyes boring into mine.
“If you open that mouth of yours to use that filthy word ever again, I’ll make sure you use that mouth for nothing else ever till you die” I shivered from the intensity of his threat and almost cried.
“It’s none of your business” I wriggled, trying to get out of his tight grip.
His hand was wrapped around my waist as he placed his forehead on mine, smiling wickedly.
“You will know it is every of my business if you repeat that word” he threatened once more.
“What word exactly? You or are or so or useless, which one” I asked angrily.
“Don’t play with Fire, Lyla. It burns! Now, be a good girl and let’s get you cleaned up”
“Let go of me, Demon!”
*NEVER*
That voice!
It was the first time I’ll be hearing that voice ever since I woke up.
“D-did you say something just now?”
He raised his eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought I heard something”
“Side effect of being in a coma for that long”
I glared at him trying to tag me crazy.
“I’m not crazy, Damon”
He opened his mouth to say something but stopped.
“Let’s remove this first” He touched my hand to try and remove the cast but I pushed him away.
“I can do it myself, please leave. I’m not entirely useless” I repeated.
Damon pulled me close once more, his hand at the back of my head.
“Why don’t you calm the fuck down and cooperate with me on this? You might be lucky enough to see your little friend by morning”
“Pearl! She’s still alive” I asked and he nodded once.
The thought of seeing Pearl moved me to tears. I’ve missed her so much and I’m so glad to know she’s still alive.
When he saw that I wasn’t saying anything, he took it as my cooperation with him. He moved on to help me remove the cast before filling the bathtub with soapy water.
I thought he was going to strip me naked. Surprisingly, he didn’t. He lifted me up and placed me in the bathtub, making sure the water covered my nakedness.
“Remove the buttons yourself” he asked.
I stared at him before nodding my head.
I struggled to get the buttons undone as I could feel the heat of his stare on my body. After successfully removing them, I removed the shirt from my body. As I passed the shirt to him, my finger grazed his and I felt an electric current through my body.
His stare was intense and before I could move my finger away, he interlocked it with his long fingers.
*Fuck this! Fuck this!!*
I heard that voice. It sounded like it was struggling with something.
*Fuck this, Damon*
Before I could think about what I heard, I felt his lips on mine.