Chapter 12
1232 Words
Aria
I pushed him and pulled my hand back so fast I nearly knocked over the bowl of eggs. The warmth of his breath was still lingering on my skin, and it made my heart race in a way I didn't like. It felt too intimate, too personal for a man who had forced me onto this island.
"I’m fine," I said, my voice sharp. "I don't need you to do that."
Dante straightened up, his eyes darkening as he looked down at me. "You’re impossibly stubborn, Aria. It’s a burn. It’s going to blister."
"I’m a doctor, I've spent quite sim time in my," I shot back, tucking my hand behind my back. "I think I know how to handle a minor burn. You can go back to whatever Kingly business you were doing."
He let out a frustrated huff, his jaw tightening. "Fine. Have it your way." He turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen, his heavy boots echoing against the tile.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I looked over at Leo, who was still sitting on his stool and watching me with wide, worried eyes.
"Are you really okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine, Leo," I assured him, trying to keep my voice gentle. "I’m not so weak that a little heat can take me down. I’ve handled much worse than a hot pan."
He didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't push it. I went back to the stove, trying to ignore the stinging in my palm. I thought Dante was finally gone for good, which meant I could cook without feeling his burning gaze down my back, but less than two minutes later, the door swung open again.
Dante was back. He was carrying a white first aid box with a red cross on it. He didn't say a word as he walked over to me. Before I could protest, he grabbed my wrist.
"Dante, I said I’m fine..."
"And I said you're stubborn," he muttered.
He sat me down on a stool and opened the kit. I tried to pull away again, but he just tightened his hold slightly, giving me a look that told me to stay still. I watched him as he cleaned the burn with an antiseptic wipe. His movements were surprisingly careful, almost tender. He applied a thick layer of cooling gel and then began to wrap a clean bandage around my palm.
My heart gave a strange little flutter. I wasn't used to people doing things like this for me. Usually, I was the one fixing everyone else, now and before. Seeing him focused so intently on a small injury on my hand felt…nice. But I couldn't let him see that. I sat there with a blank expression, watching him work as if I were bored.
He finished the wrap and taped it down. He stayed there for a second, still holding my hand, waiting for me to say something. I knew he wanted a thank you. I could see it in the way he lingered.
I just pulled my hand back and stood up, not saying a word.
"Nothing?" He asked, his voice rising in irritation. "I just spent five minutes patching you up, and you can't even offer a thank you?"
I looked him dead in the eye. "For what? You abducted me, Dante. You dragged me to this island against my will. Am I supposed to kiss your feet because you put a bandage on a wound I wouldn't even have if I were at home? You don't get points for 'caring' about a prisoner."
Dante’s eyes flashed with gold. He looked like he was about to start an argument, his chest heaving as he stared me down. He looked truly pissed off. But then he glanced over at Leo.
The boy was staring at his father with a look that said he thought Dante was in the wrong. Dante saw the judgment in his son’s eyes and seemed to deflate. He let out a low growl of frustration, grabbed the first aid kit, and walked out of the kitchen without a word.
I let out a sigh of relief. I felt a little bad for being so harsh, but I couldn't let him think that a few nice gestures would make me forget where I was.
I finished cooking the eggs and toast, making sure everything looked appetizing. Vesper led us to the dining table. It was a smaller, more private room, but it was still far more grand than anything I was used to.
I placed the plate in front of Leo, but he didn't pick up his fork and just sat there, looking at the food and then at me.
"I'm not eating unless you feed me," he finally said.
Vesper, who was standing by the door, immediately snapped her head toward him. "Leo, don't be a brat. You have hands. Use them. You’re six years old, not a baby."
I saw Leo flinch slightly, and something in me just snapped. I felt a surge of motherly protectiveness over him. He was sick, he was scared, and he had just spent the morning screaming for someone to listen to him.
"It’s okay, Vesper," I said, my voice firm. I picked up the fork and cut a small piece of the egg. "I’ll do it."
"You're just spoiling him," Vesper said, her voice dripping with disdain. She looked at me like I was a piece of trash that had drifted onto her porch. "He needs to learn to do things for himself, not have his every whim catered to by a captive doctor."
I ignored her, focused entirely on Leo and holding out the fork. He opened his mouth and took the bite, a small, satisfied look on his face. He ate the whole meal that way, bite by bite. Every time I looked up, I could see Vesper watching me with pure hatred. She clearly despised me, and she wasn't trying to hide it.
By the time Leo finished his toast, his eyes were drooping. The combination of the fever and a full stomach was too much for him. He leaned his head against my thigh, and within minutes, he was fast asleep on my lap.
I stayed there for a long time, just stroking his hair. I didn't want to move him since he looked so peaceful
Eventually, the nanny came to take him to his room. I tucked him in one last time, feeling a strange heaviness in my chest as I left the room.
"Aria. My office," Dante's voice came from the hallway.
I followed him to his study. His cockiness from earlier was gone replaced by a grim seriousness. He sat behind his desk and pointed to the chair across from him. I sat down, my heart starting to thud against my ribs again.
He didn't say anything. He just reached into a drawer and pulled out a single sheet of paper. He placed the document in front of me and tapped it.
"Sign this."
I picked up the paper, expecting it to be some kind of medical agreement or a contract for my services. But as my eyes scanned the lines, the air felt like it was sucked out of the room.
The information in it, made me nearly choked in shock.
- Writer
