MAEVE HAWTHORN.
I really can’t sleep!
Tossing and turning on the bed, all of my attempts to fall asleep proved to be nothing but futile as I kept changing positions and although the room was conducive, just the right temperature, I still couldn’t bring myself to fall asleep.
The maids had brought me my dinner and as they did earlier in the morning, locked me back in my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Frustrated, I laid with my back down on the bed as I stared at the ceiling, counting sheeps but even at that, it felt as though sleep was doing everything in its power to avoid me.
Covering my face with my palm, I tried to shake off the image building up in my head and when I couldn’t control it anymore, I jumped out of bed.
“Maybe a shower will help me relax.” I said to myself as I pulled off the nightgown I’d worn earlier on before making my way to the bathroom.
“Shit!” I winced when the cold water from the shower touched my skin and I wanted to run out of the bathroom but soon, I started relaxing under the running water.
The water stung as it dropped on me and it was sensational, reminding me of how I felt when Enzo was touching me. The thought of it caused heat to rush to my cheeks.
My cheeks felt so hot that I knew that if I looked into the mirror right now, they would be bright red but the harder I tried to get rid of the thoughts, the harder my cheeks flushed.
“Arghh! Fuck it!” I almost screamed as I stood under the shower longer than I wanted to, the water touched my head, cooling it and it also helped get rid of the thought of Enzo.
Good, now I can sleep well.
Wrapping my towel around my body and another on my head, I walked back to the bedroom and what I saw shook me to my core. The shock hit me full force as I was caught off guard by the sudden presence in my room.
“JESUS CHRIST!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, surprise siphoned the blood from my veins and apparently the towel from my body too.
“You don’t have to scream so loud, this is my house.” A familiar voice pulled me out of the shock I was in and as I punched the switch, the light came on and that was when I realized it was Enzo.
Why does he look like a living dead?
“Don’t talk like you’re supposed to be in here! THIS IS MY ROOM!” I snapped as I covered my boobs as if he hadn’t already seen it.
“Also, what are you doing here?” I asked as I bent to pick up my towel, turned around before wrapping it around my body, “it’s late and-” my words caught in my throat when I turned around and got a good look at him.
He was covered in blood that was supposed to make me happy but I found myself wishing those weren’t his blood. He had black eyes and they were bruises all over his body.
“Wha-” I could barely complete my sentence as my eyes raked his body and I felt my heart leaping. He was injured so badly, causing all the anger I felt a moment ago to be replaced with something different.
Worry.
But just as my stomach tightened and I wondered what kind of fight he could have possibly gotten into to be so bruised, I also felt something else between my legs but I immediately shook the thought right out of my head.
Now isn’t the time.
I should ignore him, shouldn’t I? I should be happy that he looks pathetic and half dead, right? Why are my legs taking me further towards him?
Why can’t I stop myself from worrying about him? Why am I hoping he’s fine?
“What the hell happened to you?” I heard my own voice as I asked and I shook, wondering why I care about what had happened to him when I should be happy.
Stopping in front of him, the injuries were visible now and some of them looked like gunshot wounds that I recognized all too well and I swallowed as I extended my hand to touch him.
Feel him.
“Y- You’re-” what I wanted to say didn’t leave my mouth as Enzo’s body fell on me, this time he put all of his weight on me and I struggled to hold him up.
My heart raced as though it was trying to get to a finish line and I didn’t want to move away for fear of letting his body leave mine. It felt strange but I liked it and right now, I wanted to remain still.
What I felt this time was different from what I’d felt when he was in my room earlier today, it was more intense and it made my heart jolt and my pulse pound.
I was too powerless to move away from him, to ask him to stop holding me, his appeal was that devastating and as much as I hated it, I liked the feeling.
I felt an unwelcome surge of excitement when his arm wrapped around me weakly, hugging me as though he was clinging to dear life and I shuddered as I listened to Enzo draw a shaky breath.
“Just for a minute, let me remain like this for a minute.” He said, his voice heavy with desperation as he begged, his arm tightened around my waist and despite the uncomfortable smell of blood and all the injuries, he still felt warm.
Just where was he coming from? Who did this to him?
“Oh, Okay.” I complied, staying still as he gathered me into his arms. His arms encircled me even more as if he hadn’t gotten enough of me as he kept one hand on my back.
He felt comfortable, the touch of his hands, the feel of his embrace was suddenly almost unbearable in its luscious affection.
I could feel his uneven breathing on my neck as he held me close and shocking myself even more, I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer and I felt his muscles relax.
Time seemed to have stopped as Enzo and I remained standing and in each other’s embrace, “gosh, I don’t want to let go of you.” He whispered, his breath hot against my ear and I froze.
He didn’t mean it. There’s no way he could mean anything in this state he’s in.
“Y- Your wounds, we need to do something about it.” I whispered back, my arms still wrapped around his neck as I waited for him to let go of me but he didn’t.
“We really need to treat your wounds, Enzo.” I added after a long pause and this time, his arms that were encircled around me detangled and I also pulled my arms off his neck.
“Yes mama.” He smiled as he pulled away from me and for what seemed like hours, although it wasn’t, I wasn’t myself as emotions gushed through me.
Enzo walked past me, the stench of blood strong as he made his way to my bed and sat on it with his head low and his eyes half closed.
Fear settled within me as I crouched in front of him and placed my palm on his head, he was really cold now and with the wounds, I knew I had tons of jobs to do.
Thankfully, with my father being an absolute troublemaker that gets beaten up most of the time, I’m used to taking care of things like this but still, I was scared.
My father was never really cold, his temperature was never this low and his breathing was always so loud too but right now, I couldn’t hear Enzo’s breath.
My heart tightened against my chest as I took his hand to feel his pulse but I had no idea what I was doing and I gave up instead.
“W- where do you keep the first aid kit?” I asked, the words rushing out of my mouth as I stood to my feet and hurriedly put my nightgown back on.
“ENZO!” I yelled but there was no response, “ENZO DE-LUCA!” I shouted again and that was when I got a reaction out of him as he looked up at me, the glint I saw in his green eyes before was now completely gone.
“I love it when you call my name.” He smiled but now really isn’t the time for all of this.
“The first aid kit?” I asked and Enzo told me where he usually kept them. There was one in his room for emergency purposes and another was in the living room but his room was the closest.
Thank goodness for the maid I met on the way, I was able to get to Enzo’s room and it smelled exactly like him. Pushing the thought out of my head, I went to the bathroom and carried the box, clutching it to my chest before dashing out of his bedroom.
Without wasting any more time, I started dressing his wounds and pulling out the bullets was one heck of a job but I’ve done it once for my father and once for a stranger so I was sure I could do it again.
I managed to pull the two bullets out as I disinfected the wounds before covering it up and stitching up the tears that needed stitches.
I was trying to remain focused and not get distracted but it was hard with my heart thumping like crazy, I was seeing more of him than she’s ever seen since she arrived.
His chest, more scars, his tattoos and having my hands all over Enzo’s body was doing things to me, it was driving me so crazy that I could barely-
My breath hitched when my fingers graced his nipple by mistake and Enzo was quick to grab my hand, stopping me from doing anything else as he looked up at me.
Fuck. Those eyes. The eyes that make me want to submit fully to him.
Stop looking at me with those eyes, Enzo, please.