Chapter 28 Bruises
Aiyana's P.O.V
In two strides he was at my bedside with his hands hovering over me, not touching, but tense like he was holding himself back from either violence or tenderness, maybe both.
I didn't know the full extent of what he was capable of and my feelings fir him didn't blind me to the possibility of being hit by him.
I mean he was a mafia boss.
“He put hands on you.” Jerome said softly, but that softly meant everything but sift. 8 could already see the strom brewing in his eyes and after spending some time with him, I knew that as much as his face and demeanor may not show his feelings, his eyes were another thing though.
I felt fear. Not for myself but for Gerald from the way he was looking at the door .
“He didn’t…” I winced as I shifted, trying to explain why I was bruised without infuriating him any further but it seemed like that was an impossible task right now.
“He was teaching.” I said again but it still looked like my words were entering one ear and going out the other one.
Jerome’s knuckles whitened.
I had never seen him like this, so quiet, so tightly controlled.
It was worse than rage.
Rage I could understand.
This was restraint cracking.
“You were unconscious two days ago.” He said. “Barely standing this morning and now you look like this!”
“I chose this.” I said quickly. “I asked for it.” I said again, standing to stop him as he tried to step out of the room.
His eyes darkened immediately as he took some steps towards me, making me take one back with every one he took forward.
“You should have asked me.” He said as he raged in silent anger.
“I didn’t want you to stop me” I whispered, knowing very well that he may be brutal but still had some chivalry and would never actually train me hard, maybe because he liked me.
Or maybe for any other reason.
Silence slammed between us and it was definitely not the comfortable silence, I could feel the air thicken with every second that passed by.
He reached out at last, touching my wrist gently. So carefully it hurt worse than any strike.
His thumb brushed over a bruise with infuriating tenderness.
“You think I’d stop you from becoming strong?” He asked lowly, his voice carrying such a tender tone, I almost did a double take to make sure that it was him speaking.
I swallowed.
“I think you’d bleed for me instead.” I responded with my head bent down and staring at our shoes as I kinda didn't want to face him.
That did it.
His jaw clenched. His grip tightened, not painfully, but possessively.
“I will always be willing to bleed for you.” He said, and even though it seemed like he had stated what he wanted to, he definitely wasn't finished.
“But I will not let you bleed alone.” He finished and something in my chest immediately twisted sharply.
Jerome pulled his hand away slowly, standing to his full height. “Gerald.”
Just the name, and the door opened seconds later like magic, revealing the man in question who was for a second oblivious to the hot anger brewing against him.
Gerald walked in with his usual relaxed stride, and for a few seconds he didn't catch on, still being his annoying self but all of a sudden, he stilled like the cold water if realisation had poured into him.
Jerome didn’t raise his voice.
“You hurt her.” He stated. It was not a question but a sure statement.
An accusation if you will.
“You told me to make her survive.” Gerald responded as he took several steps back.
He knew already that the man before him was angry, very angry.
“I didn’t say break her.” He responded, taking some steps closer as Gerald moved backwards.
“She asked for the truth.” He responded as his voice almost shook, even though I could tell that he was trying to keep himself steady and in control.
Jerome stepped forward, and for the first time, I saw Gerald lose his smile.
The room vibrated with unspoken violence.
“I will not watch another man put her on the ground, not even you.” Jerome said quietly.
“And I won’t teach her to stand by being gentle, you know very well that you can’t shield her forever.” Gerald responded, facing him head on and I could swear I felt some sizzling from the level of anger that brewed in this space.
Jerome inhaled slowly, but neither man backed down.
My voice trembled as I looked between them, seeing that it could turn violent any minute from now. “Stop, please”. I pleaded as I moved to walk in between them.
They both turned to me.
I pushed myself upright, wincing as I moved.
“I asked for this, I asked Gerald to train me. Please stop.”
Jerome’s eyes softened instantly.
“It hurts…” I admitted. “A-And I regret it. And I still want to do it.” I stuttered as I tried to make him see reason.
Gerald studied me carefully now.
Jerome looked like he was fighting the urge to either pull me into his arms or tear the world apart, but finally, Jerome stepped back.
“One hour a day,” he said. “No more.”
Gerald exhaled slowly. “Fine.”
“And if I see another mark like this…”
“Then you’ll kill me,” Gerald finished lightly. “Yes, yes.”
Jerome didn’t smile.
When Gerald left, the room felt smaller.
Jerome sat beside me slowly, careful of my injuries. His hand hovered at my back before resting there softly.
He said nothing more but started to inspect the wounds in me that were visible, you hung them very lightly as he inspected every single bruise, no matter how small.
The look in his face spoke for him as he looked like it was bruises in him instead.
“I don’t like being helpless.” I said to answer his silent question of why I would let myself get this hurt.
His thumb brushed the edge of a bruise again, gentle.
“You won’t be…” He said quietly. “Not for long.”
For a moment, neither of us spok
e.
Then he rested his forehead lightly against mine.
Just for a second.
No words. No demands. No fire.
Only presence.