Sebastian Knight

17. Liliana

“Tamara?” I ask.

Sebestian signed, running his hand through his hair, "Eduardo and a few of his men went after her, but I believe she went into hiding. We do have Thomas though. Locked up and ready for whatever I feel they need."

I frown, knowing that they did everything they could to get her. We will get her again, I want my revenge.

"What about Patricia? She's right you know."

Sebestian growled lowly, "No, she isn't right. You do have a family. You have me and Eduardo. Not to mention Deigo, likes you. He was worried about you as well."

Nodding my head, I relaxed only for Sebestian jaw to clench. "What you did" he ran his hand through his hair again- "was stupid. You should have ran. You could have been killed.” His eyes blaze a bleak, chilling gray, and I know he’s restraining his anger.

Sebastian closed his eyes, dread etched in his face. “I have died a thousand deaths since Thursday.”

Thursday? How can I not be Thursday?

“What day is it?”

“It’s almost Saturday,” he says, checking his watch. “You’ve been unconscious for over twenty-four hours.”

Oh.

The door opens, startling us both, and a young African-American woman in a white coat over gray scrubs strides in.

“Good evening, Mrs. Torrens. I’m Dr. Bartley.”

She starts to examine me thoroughly, shining a light in my eyes, making me touch her fingers, then my nose while closing first one eye and then the other, and checking all my reflexes. But her voice is soft and her touch gentle; she has a warm bedside manner. Nurse Bianca joins her, and Sebestian wanders to the corner of the room and makes some calls while the two of them tend to me. It’s hard to concentrate on Dr. Bartley, Nurse Bianca, and Sebestian at the same time.

Dr. Bartley checks my ribs, her fingers probing gently but firmly. I wince.

“These are bruised, not cracked or broken. You were very lucky, Mrs. Torrens.”

I scowl. Lucky? Not the word I would have chosen. Sebastian glowers at her, too. He mouths something at me. I think it’s foolhardy, but I’m not sure.

“I’ll prescribe some painkillers. You’ll need them for this and for the headache you must have. But all’s looking as it should, Mrs. Torrents. I suggest you get some sleep. Depending on how you feel in the morning, we may let you go home. My colleague Dr. Gomez will be attending you then.”

“Thank you.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Deigo enters bearing a black cardboard box with Fairmont Olympic emblazoned in cream on the side.

Holy cow!

“Food?” Dr. Bartley says surprised.

“Liliana is hungry,” Sebastian replied. “This is chicken soup.”

Dr. Bartley smiles. “Soup will be fine, just the broth. Nothing heavy.” She looks pointedly at both of us then exits the room with Nurse Bianca.

Sebastian pulls the wheeled tray over to me, and Deigo places the box on it.

“Welcome back, Liliana.”

“Hello, Deigo. Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome.” I think he wants to say more, but he holds off.

Sebastian is unpacking the box, producing a thermos, soup bowl, side plate, linen napkin, soupspoon, a small basket of bread rolls, silver salt and pepper shakers . . . The Olympic has gone all-out.

“This is great, Deigo.” My stomach is rumbling. I am famished.

“Will that be all?” he asks.

“Yes, thanks,” Sebastian replied, dismissing him, not before giving him a sly smile. "Thank you Deigo for everything for the last 24 hours.

Deigo smiled, "Of course boss, you are like my brother. I will do anything for you and Liliana."

“Deigo, thank you.”

“Anything else I can get you, Liliana?”

I glance at Sebastian. “Just some clean clothes for Sebestian.”

Deigo chuckled, nodding his head, "Definitely, I think he needs a shower as well."

Sebastian chuckled at Deigo's expression, he gave him the side eye while Sebastian glanced down at his shirt.

“Have you been wearing that suit since Thursday?" I asked.

Sebastian gave me a crooked smile, "Yes, I couldn't bare to leave your sight after what happened."

Deigo left the room, not before giving me a soft smile.

“Deigo is real pissed at you, too,” Sebastian adds grumpily, unscrewing the lid of the thermos and pouring creamy chicken soup into the bowl.

Deigo, too! But I don’t dwell on that as my chicken soup distracts me. It smells delicious, and steam curls invitingly from its surface. I take a taste and it’s everything it promised to be.

“Good?” Sebastian asked, perching on the bed again.

I nod enthusiastically and don’t stop. My hunger is primal. I pause only to wipe my mouth with the linen napkin.

“Tell me what happened—after I left."

Sebastian ran his hand through his hair and shakes his head. “Oh, Lily, it’s good to see you eat.”

“I’m hungry. Tell me.”

He frowns. “Well, after you ditched me, I went back to Eduardo's and we began to look for you"- he can't hide the pain in his voice.

I stop eating. Oh s**t.

“Don’t stop eating, or I’ll stop talking,” he whispers, his tone adamant as he glares at me. I continue with my soup. Okay, okay, Damn, it tastes good.

Sebastian's gaze softens and after a beat, he resumes. “After that we tracked whatever we could, anything we could. I wanted to break Patricia's neck as I came back. I was ready to break her neck! You should have never left!"

I started hard at Sebastian, "I didn't want you to believe that Patricia was right! For f**k sake, all my life ive been treated like s**t and i thought that maybe they were fuckin right" I snap suddenly, an unexpected surge of anger flaring in my belly.

“Mind your language,” he growls. “Calm down and eat.” I glare mutinously at him. “Lily,” he warns.

"I just want want you to be happy," I whisper.

"I am with you! Can't you see that Liliana! I love you for God sake!" His voice boomed.

"You-you love me?" I asked, my eyes raised. Nodding his head. "Oh Sebastian, i love you too. I have had feelings for you for a long time."

I wipe my soup bowl with the last of my bread and pop it into my mouth. For the first time in a long while, I feel replete in spite of our conversation.

“Finished.”

“Good girl.”

There’s a knock on the door and Nurse Bianca enters once more, carrying a small paper cup. Sebastian clears away my plate, and starts putting all the items back into the box.

“Pain relief.” Bianca smiles, showing me the white pill in the paper cup.

I nod gratefully. My head is pounding. I swallow it down with a sip of water.

“You ought to rest, Liliana.” Nurse Bianca looks pointedly at Sebastian.

He nods.

No! “You’re going?” I exclaim, panic setting in. Don’t go, we’ve just started talking!

Sebastian snorts. “If you think for one moment I’m going to let you out of my sight, baby, you are very much mistaken.”

Bianca huffs but hovers over me and readjusts my pillows so that I have to lie down.

“Goodnight, Mrs Torres,” she says, and with one last censorious glance at Sebastian before she leaves the room.

He raises an eyebrow as she closes the door. “I don’t think Nurse Bianca approves of me.”

He stands by the bed, looking tired, and despite the fact that I want him to stay, I know I should try to persuade him to go home.

“You need rest, too, Sebastian. Go back to Eduardo's. You look exhausted.”

Sebastian shook his head with a crooked smile, “I’m not leaving you. I’ll doze in this armchair.”

I scowl at him then shift onto my side. “Sleep with me.”

He frowns. “No. I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me. Please, Sebastian.” I beg him

“You have an IV.”

“Sebastian. Please.”

He gazes at me, and I can tell he’s tempted.

“Please.” I lift up the blankets, inviting him into the bed.

“f**k it.” He slips off his shoes and socks, and gingerly climbs in beside me.

Gently, he wraps his arm around me, and I lay my head on his chest. He kisses my hair. “I don’t think Nurse Bianca will be very happy with this arrangement,” he whispers conspiratorially.

I giggle, then stop as pain lances through my chest. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Oh, but I love that sound,” he says a little sadly, his voice low. “I’m sorry, baby, so, so sorry.” He kisses my hair again and inhales deeply, and I don’t know what he’s apologizing for . . . making me laugh?

Or the mess we’re in? I rest my hand over his heart, and he gently places his hand on mine. We are both silent for a moment.

"It's not your fault Sebastian, none of it is. There is risks when dating someone in the mafia, I will take those risks," I whispered.

"Oh, and Detective Franko Allen wants to talk to you. Just routine. Now go to sleep.”

He kisses my hair.

I sigh heavily. Ugh, Detective Allen. I shudder at the thought of reliving

“Do we know why Thomas was doing all this?”

“Hmm,” Sebastian murmurs.

I’m soothed by the slow rise and fall of his chest, gently rocking my head, lulling me to sleep as his breathing slows. And while I drift I try to make sense of the fragments of conversations I heard while I was on the edge of consciousness, but they slither through my mind, remaining steadfastly elusive, taunting me from the edges of my memory.

Oh, it’s frustrating and exhausting and Nurse Bianca's mouth is pursed and her arms folded in hostility. I hold my finger up to my lips.

“Please let him sleep,” I whisper, squinting in the early morning light.

“This is your bed. Not his,” she hisses sternly.

“I slept better because he was here.” I insist, rushing to Sebestian's defense.

Besides, it’s true.