POV: Selina
There is no doubt in my heart that this is not the first time it's happened. Carl handled it so efficiently and they have everything he needs to recover quickly, you won't believe that he has a blood bank in his house. It's as if he is prepared for the worst. Now I'm feeling scared to be called his girlfriend. What if I'm shot too, what if he gets me in trouble, what am I going to do?
I lay on the large bed that is in the luxurious bedroom that Carl asked me to stay in. We are currently at a beautiful condo that I think belongs to Raphael. I'm guessing that this is where he stays when he doesn't want to be disturbed. The condo includes multiple lavish bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom, walk-in closet, and private terrace overlooking the sea.
"Where is he, Carl?
I want to be by his side when he wakes up. I can't stay here alone, please take me to him" I begged.
"As you wish, Miss Victoria. Come with me," he told me. I filled behind him as he led me to the master bedroom. I gasped in surprise when I walked into his room, I'd never seen such beauty and magnificence in my life. I saw him lying on his king-sized bed, he looked so handsome as he slept so peacefully.
My eyes roamed his room, taking in its beauty. He has a fireplace, a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub, and a spacious dressing room. I forgot my reason for being here and I went about admiring his stuff. By the time I got back, Carl had left the room and I was left alone with Raphael Hawkins.
I watched him sleeping peacefully and I knew in my heart that I couldn't leave him just yet. I turned off the lights and left only the bedside lamp on. I sat quietly by his side, my gaze fixed on his peaceful face as he lay sleeping. I watched his chest rise and fall with each steady breath. I'm glad that he was finally resting after the ordeal he had been through tonight.
The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the medical equipment and the faint rustle of the sheets as Raphael shifted slightly in his sleep. I know that I shouldn't be here. It's just a mere contract that binds us together. This is not a part of the contract, I did not agree to be his nanny. I did not agree to babysit his ass when he chooses to be reckless.
Yes, I know that I owed him nothing, and yet I couldn't bring herself to leave him alone in his time of need. Claire called and told me that Mom asked for me when she opened her eyes. I should be taking care of her and not this rude bastard. I don't know why I feel obliged to help him, I just cannot bring myself to walk away from him.
As the night wore on, he started shivering with a fever, his brow glowed with sweat despite the coolness of the room. I tried to call Carl but he wasn't taking my calls. I had no choice, I had to handle it myself. I reached for a bowl of water and a cloth, my hands moving with gentle precision as I soaked the cloth and placed it on his forehead. I've done this before with Mom, so I'm pretty good at it. I mopped his whole body with the wet towel, doing it slowly.
For some weird reason, this simple act ignited my feelings and painted some very nasty pictures in my head. I have to shake my head vigorously to shake off that feeling and concentrate on making him feel better. I stopped thinking of his hands on my body, massaging and caressing me, I stopped thinking of his lips on mine and his tongue doing magic on my body. I focused on him and mopped his body thoroughly before placing the wet towel on his forehead again.
The touch of the cold cloth seemed to soothe him, and his restless movements stilled as he settled into a more peaceful sleep. I kept watching him with a tenderness I had never allowed myself to feel before, my heart aching with a longing I just couldn't understand.
At that moment, as I sat by his side, caring for him with a commitment that went beyond our contract, I realized that the walls I had built around my heart were crumbling. Despite the circumstances that had brought us together, despite his mean attitude and other things that should have kept us apart, I found myself falling for this man lying before me, wounded and vulnerable, yet still so undeniably strong.
Silly me!
I must have forgotten that he can not love a woman. He must have put that story out there to keep girls like me away. After watching him for a few more minutes, I realized that his fever was gone. So I went over to the couch in his bedroom and lay down. I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I opened my eyes again, it was morning already.
I have to go and check on mom in the hospital, so I wasted no time in getting up from the damn couch and going to make some chicken soup for mom and Raphael. I know a recipe for chicken soup that hastens the healing process. I checked his heartbeat and temperature before leaving his room. I reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair away from his face, my touch light and tender. And as he stirred in his sleep, a small smile tugging at his lips, I couldn't help smiling back at him and wishing he would wake up and pull me into his arms and kiss me passionately.
"I'll be here for you, Raphael. I'll be here for as long as you need me." I whispered to him, smiling to myself as I headed to the kitchen. For a strict and stubborn bachelor, I was surprised to see that his kitchen is fully equipped with top-of-the-line appliances, including a professional-grade stove, multiple ovens, a wine fridge, and a massive marble-topped island. I had no idea that he had a chef and some domestic staffers. I wonder if they knew what its boss has been up to.
"Mr Hawkins only eats what I make for him. You shouldn't have come here, you should have just stated what you wanted and let me do my job." The chef told me sternly. I explained to her that it was not just for Raphael, it was for my mom too. I told her it's a special recipe and she couldn't get it right, but that only seems to infuriate her more.
"You can do as you wish, ma'am. But trust me, he won't eat that." She told me proudly before walking out of the kitchen and bumping me with her shoulder as she left. I could only scoff at her actions because I don't understand why she's being so mean.