Indulgence ( PATIENCE #2)

9. Caged

Hardin

It takes me a few seconds to realise and process what's happening. A few calming breathes to return from the verge of rage consuming me, drowning me. A few bit of time to let my blood to lower the boil.

Only because she crashes herself on me and freezes me and shocks at the same time.

I do, return from that feral need to kill François for daring to touch her like this, only because she is shivering and breaking down against my chest. And even though I know I am gonna kill that french bastard, right now that can wait. Her entire body slacks on me and she cries. All the facade she was portraying on her face melting away. 

From when she woke up I only saw Tessa. A hard to recognize version of her.   But here on me was my old Tess. Harbouring against me for strength , because she is giving out, giving up.

She whimpers as she keeps begging that she can't. She cannot because she is hurt, traumatized and scared. She clutches on my shirt and cries. She presses her unscathed side of the face to my chest, forcing my heart to go on marathon and weeps.

I don't like this feeling at all. I don't like seeing her like this. It makes me frustrated and useless and fucking devastated. I don't like that she looks so small, and inconfident. She confidently wanting to claw my tongue out felt better than this. And I cannot but blaze because I realise that I scared her more, just right now . I scared her by being the monster that I am. I scared her, by forcing her to tell me everything. I scared her due to my Vulture instincts, awakening to kill.

But that's  the last thing I have ever wanted. I just couldn't control myself from raging when I saw her bruises through er hair. I still cannot fathom the nightmare she has gone through.

Last night, I only saw her face and a little bit of her throat. But this is so much worse. She might not have been raped. But she was clearly manhandled. Humiliated. And that is making me fucking livid.

I get alarmed when she stops shaking and leans her entire weight  against me. Her whimpers go almost silent. I quickly look down at her and she is falling unconscious.

Shit no!!

I immidiately wrap one of my arms around her for support. Carefully leaving the area of the bruise. And tap her cheek " Tess..."

Christ....

"Tessaa... Wake up..." I tap again.

"Mmhh." She whimpers before stirring again, holding on to the little strength she has. She looks up at me with a lot of effort. The whites of her eyes surrounding her blue-gray orbs have gone reddish from crying continuously.

Gorgeously painful.

" It's ok... It's ok... You don't have to say it... A'right?" I assure her..

She nods slightly blinking

" You really need to eat. You are fading by the seconds, love...."

Her eyes widen and glazes over a little. But she nods again.

I don't ask for her consent but pick her up and carry her out of the bathroom to the bedroom. I drop her on the bed gently, scared, that I might hurt her. I don't want to. But she doesn't flinch, so I guess she is comfortable on the bed.

Lilian said chicken soup and juice should be fine, when I asked her this morning . So I changed the previous order of eggs and sandwiches and icecreams to a thick chicken soup and some fresh pomegranate juice.

I push the cart close to her side of the bed and put the tray carefully on the bed beside her.

I know she wanted nothing to do with me and I don't want to upset her, or make her throw this plate at me but I ask her anyway.
" I could help you, eat...? "