A Royal Deception

Chapter 4

Damein pov

Wearing a light blue gown, she sat on the edge of the examination table. Her legs and feet were bare and the sight of the scrapes and bruises on her knees and down her legs made my chest tighten. She glanced up when I close the door behind me and her eyes widened in surprise.

“I thought you were the nurse,” she said, wrapping her arms protectively around her waist.

“She’s been detained and ask me to come check on you.” I moved closer to her, winced at the blossoming bruise on her cheek.

“Nurse Nicole asked you to check on me?”

“Well not exactly, I ordered three of the palace guards to tie her up so I could slip pass her.”

A smile lurked at the corner of her mouth, then she glanced down and shook her head. “I’m so sorry for all the troubles I’ve caused you, you have every right to be angry with me for being so careless.”

“If I were angry believe me, you would know.” I glanced up at the top of her head, a small white butterfly strip was covering the gash above her hairline. “Stitches?”

“No, Dr Sebastian said it will heal alright without any.”

Gently I took her chin into my hand, then tilted her face up, I saw the pain in her Smokey green eyes and had to bite back the swear that threatened to erupt. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Liar.”

Her gaze dropped from mine, her thick long eyelashes like a fan against her pale cheek. “I—I do feel like I miss the top stairs of a tall staircase, the doctor gave me something for the pain a few minutes ago.”

I knew I should remove my hand from her chin, but I lingered there a little longer. Her skin is soft and smooth in my callused palm, ivory white against my tanned fingers. But when my gaze strayed to her lips, feel my pulse jumped. I released her and stepped back. “Where is the doctor?”

“He’s looking at the x-ray, he should be back at any minute.” She glanced up again. “Prince Damien, I mean, your royal highness__”

“Just call me Damien.” I hated the damn titles, hated that people treated me with such formality once they know who I am. That was the one thing I enjoyed most these past two years. I’ve been accepted by others for myself, not for my royal blood. “Have you remembered your name?”

“No.”

“Well then,” I stared thoughtfully at her. “I suppose we’ll have to try a few and if anything rings a bell. Agatha?”

“I look like a Agatha?”

“Maybe not , Cornelia?”

She lifted a brow

“No, of course not. Venessa?”

I saw the amusement on her face as she shook her head.

“Lily? Chloe? Emma? Rina__”

“How about Layla?”

I turned around at the voice of Dr. Sebastian as he entered the room. He stood at the doorway a file holder in one hand and a stern looking Nicole Liam behind him. The white hair doctor moved towards his patient, then held up something small between his thump and index finger. The ruby ring she had been wearing earlier. I realized.

“We took it off when we cleaned up the scrapes in your hand.” Dr. Sebastian said. “There is an inscription inside the band, though we need a magnifying glass to read it.

Her breath held, the lady stared at the ring then looked back up at the doctor and whispered. “An inscription?”

“To my dearest Layla.” Dr. Sebastian pressed the ring into her hand. “Though it doesn’t mean for certain that’s your name, I’m afraid until we found out more about you, Layla it is. Unless you have an objection, of course.”

“No. I__”she stared at the ring, then she slipped it on her finger. “Layla is fine.”

“The bad news is you have lost your memory, but amnesia following a trauma and a blow of the sort you’ve had isn’t out of normality. More than likely you’ll slowly regain all of the bits and pieces you have forgotten over the next few days or weeks.” Dr. Sebastian smiled. “The good news is that nothing is broken and I don’t see any signs of serious injuries. You may have a mild concussion, though, and you shoulder have a nasty pull. I’m going to keep you overnight in the infirmary so we can monitor you. Then a couple of days rest should heal up your body well enough.”

“A few days?” Layla put a hand to her temple. “But I can’t stay here, I don’t even__”

She started to sway, I rushed towards her and hold her shoulders firmly so she wouldn’t fall off the table. She reached out instinctively and held onto my hand. Gently I ease her on her back, she blinked several times then her gaze steadied and met mine. Her cheek had paled even more, making the bruise on her face bloom brighter.

“Are you alright?” I asked softly.

“Yes.” Her hands tightened then slip from my arms. “I’m sorry I just got dizzy for a moment. I’ll be fine.”

Dr. Sebastian stepped beside me.

“I’m sure it’s the pain killers, but let me have a look, anyways.”

Reluctantly, I moved away while the doctor examined his patient. Nicole pulled a blanket from a corner cabinet and draped it over the younger lady, then lifted Layla’s wrist and took her pulse.

I stood by, helplessly watching as the doctor shone a tiny flashlight in Layla’s eyes, then asked her to follow his finger without moving her head.

The doctor patted her hand, then turned back to me. “She just need to rest now. We’ll move her to a bed and you can__”

“I’ll have a guest chamber next to my suite prepared for her.”

“Your royal highness.” Dr. Sebastian furrowed his brow. “That’s not really nec__”

In a tone I rarely used with anyone, a tone that brooked no argument and no discussion, I said, “she’ll be more comfortable in a real bed. You can send someone to monitor her there if it’s necessary, whatever you need, whatever she needs take care of it.”

Without looking back I strode towards the door and walked out of the office.

Layla, if that’s her name, is my responsibility now. And in spite of what people thought, in spite of what people said, I have never turned my back on an obligation or duty.