Aurora’s POV
I slowly got up from the bed and drew away the covers, reducing the level of the air conditioner with the remote I found on the bed stand. My mind flashed back to my collapse at the pool and I wondered why I fainted.
The last time I swam, I had the same experience but it wasn’t this severe. All the same I was happy that Angelo was there to help me, and then Matteo, he held onto me like I was a treasure about to be lost.
The single act tore a chunk off the walls I’d surrounded myself with. But that wasn’t what I wanted, I needed to be done with my revenge and move on with my life.
I scanned the room slowly, then realized it wasn’t mine. I’d noticed that I wasn’t in my room when I woke up but I blamed it on my collapses, but now that I felt better, the ambience was quite different and the size was bigger than mine.
My eyes were still scrutinising the room when the door swung open, causing me to jolt in surprise. Matteo closed the door as he got in and stared at me with darkness surrounding his eyes.
I let my eyes roam around his body then it dropped to hands which were dripping with blood. A gasp left my lips as I hurriedly came to him. “You are bleeding, what happened to your hands?” I reached for his hands but he moved away from me and walked towards his wardrobe.
My brows climbed in defiance, if he thought that he was stubborn then I was his perfect match. Perfect match? I nearly threw up at the word. The only reason I wanted to treat him was because he saved me and I had to earn his trust so that he would tell me of his plans.
“Allow me to treat it as an appreciation for taking care of me.” I scrutinized his stoic face which softened and then he sank onto the bed while I searched for his first aid kit.
“It’s inside my bathroom,” He pointed to a door opposite his wardrobe which I entered and almost got lost in. His bathroom was like a safe haven, the blue tiles with bright sky design made me feel like I wasn’t in the Moretti’s mansion.
And the reed diffusers, they had the most enchanting fragrances. Some smelt like jasmine, others like lilies and I felt like inhaling them for a long time.
My eyes darted to the large sized first aid kit which widened at the size of it. Perhaps, they had all the equipment used for surgery.
“Have you found it or do you need help?” Matteo’s voice broke through my thoughts, shaking me off my reverie as I picked the kit and returned to his room.
“You have a beautiful bathroom, for someone as dark hearted as you are I thought that you’d always surround yourself with black. Take a look at this bed stand, it’s coated with black. The tiles and window sill and even the curtains are all painted in black apart from the walls.” I explained, opening the first aid kit.
He stared at me with an expression showing that he enjoyed my honesty. “You are very observant, Aurora. Everyone sees me as someone who has been overwhelmed by the dark, maybe it’s true because I don’t hide it, but I also have other sides to me.”
I nodded in agreement because I knew that he was saying the truth. Though he he had an icy demeanor, but when he was around anyone he was comfortable with, he became playful and charming.
He was also like that with me sometimes.
He snapped his fingers at me, and I shook my body wondering why I was always zoning out. “Will you allow my blood to drain off because you’re zoning out or are you going to save me?”
I chuckled and dabbed a cotton wool on the cut which looked deep. An ordinary dressing wasn’t enough and I shivered at the thought of having to sew his cut.
“If you are that scared of putting a needle in my skin then I’ll do it myself.” He said and nudged me to bring out the equipment for sowing the cut.
“How did you have a cut this deep, not just on one hand but the two?”
“I don’t think I want to talk about it.” He replied and looked away.
He wasn’t looking cold this time, instead an air of sadness and regret clung onto him. For a split second, I wanted to know why he felt that way. My instincts told me it had to do with his past but how could I get to know about it when he didn’t even want to open up.
“Your hands are still bleeding,” I announced in a whisper.
He sighed and I put the dried vein that was now in the form of a rope which was used for sowing deep cuts into the whole of the needle and passed it into him. I dabbed a cotton wool which was damp with spirit on the cut. He barely winced, only shifting so that I could comfortably clean the other hand.
“I’ll clean it now,” He said in a gruff voice and pierced his skin with the needle.
I averted my gaze from the sight, not able to stand it. I couldn’t even imagine a doctor joining my skin, but someone in front of me was making it seem so simple like dunking bread into a cup of tea.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” I placed my palm on his arm which flexed under my touch.
He shook his head. “What nearly hurt me was the fact that you could have died if no one was around to take care of you.”
I batted my lashes and tried to push away his words from continuously ringing in my head but it wasn’t working. All I could see was the sincerity in his words and a deep longing that even the sadness couldn’t hide.
His fingers were smeared with blood by the time he was finished with the first palm. I couldn’t let him stitch the other palm so I said, “Allow me.” My tone was shocking as it came out as a command and not a plea.
He caressed me with a glance briefly but I ignored his stare that was causing some crazy feelings inside of me, and picked up a new needle.
He guided me with his already sown hand which gave me more courage to sew it quickly than I expected.
“Some day, you might have to tell me why you have these cuts.” I blurted and regretted saying the words immediately because of the dark look he fired at me.
“I don’t owe you any explanation. Just because I’ve saved you countless times doesn’t mean we are close,” He barked and I could feel anger welling within him.
I opened my mouth to say something but I snapped it shut immediately. It wasn’t his fault but mine since I was overstepping my boundaries. Whatever happened to him wasn’t my business and I had to be careful so that I wouldn’t fall for him.
“I’d take my leave now,” I rose up from the bed and walked to the door and almost left when his deep voice caused me to jolt on my steps.
“There’ll be a sparring match at one of my underground clubs between Angelo and I. You can come if you want to,” He said and continued gathering the instruments we had used, ignoring my presence like I never existed.