What I thought would be a bullet lodged in his skin is exactly as he said: a flesh wound.
“You were right.” I croak and clean the area.
Lucca doesn’t even flinch as I press the wipe a little harder, trying to clean the edges of the wound. “Don’t worry about hurting me. I can handle it. Pain doesn’t bother me. An infection does, so make sure the wound is clean.”
What is he, a real-life GI joe or something? He gets shot at, is bleeding, and then doesn’t even flinch as he gets the wound cleaned. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me.
Not after all that’s happened.
Even though I’m afraid of hurting him, I do as he says and cleanse the area, using two wipes.
“Good as new,” I say, and drop the wipes into the trash can.
Lucca turns around and smiles at me, and my stomach does this little somersault. It doesn’t make sense to me. I shouldn’t be attracted to him, but with my hormones racing like Mario in Mario Kart, I don’t know what else to expect. He is a man, and I’m a young woman.
These emotions happen, right?
“The shirt and boxers are for you. Go take a shower, and then we can go to bed.”
I advert my gaze as best as I can and grab my clothing off the bed before rushing into the bathroom. As soon as the door is closed, I click the lock into place. It makes me feel safe, even though deep down, I know it wouldn’t stop him from getting inside.
Exhaustion clings to my bones, and I strip out of my clothes quickly, not even glancing in the mirror and instead moving to the shower. The pipes creak when I turn the water on, but it doesn’t take long for the bathroom to fog up.
The feel of water on my skin is heavenly, and I sigh into the misty air. I let my eyes fall closed for a moment while running my hair under the water. It’s scalding hot, but it’s never felt better. I clean myself as best as I can and step out of the shower, grabbing one of the towels hanging up.
The material is scratchy but does the job. I grab the clothes from the counter and stare at them. I want to sniff them. It’s stupid, but I can’t help it. The longer I tell myself not to, the more I want to. My resolve cracks, and I bring the shirt to my nose and inhale.
A woodsy scent fills my nostrils and calms me immediately. Goosebumps blanket my skin, and I breathe the scent into my lungs one last time before putting the shirt on. It falls to my knees and looks more like a dress than a shirt. I put the boxers on and roll them to fit my waist.
Lucca isn’t a huge guy, but he’s a lot bigger than me.
Once dressed, I pick up my clothes and unlock the bathroom door. Lucca is sitting on the edge of the bed in a clean navy shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. His phone is in his hand, and there’s this peculiar look on his face, like he’s plotting some type of world domination.
“Hey,” I say, making my presence known.
His head jackknifes up, and his gaze collides with mine before slipping down my body.
Is he checking me out? I doubt it.
“Ready for bed?” His voice is deeper, almost smoky.
“Sure,” I whisper and place my clothes on the floor at the edge of the bed. I pull the sheets back on the mattress and then slip under them.
Lucca moves about the room for a few minutes before shutting the light off.
“Goodnight, butterfly.”
Darkness surrounds me, and I panic. I fist the sheets in my hands and blink my eyes rapidly to keep the tears at bay. Ten minutes pass, then twenty, and I’m barely holding onto reality. After being in that cell, having all this freedom, a bed to sleep in, a pillow to rest my head on. I’m afraid it isn’t real, that someone is going to pop out of the dark and tell me it’s a joke.
Unable to sleep, I roll over and look at the other bed. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness enough to make out Lucca on top of the covers, lying flat on his back. I wonder if he is sleeping? The worst idea ever hits me. Or maybe it’s the best idea ever.
As quietly as I can, I slide out of my bed and climb into his. My gaze stays glued on his chest, rising and falling in a slow and steady rhythm. I lift the blanket gently and crawl underneath.
Even with the thin comforter between us, his body heat radiates into my skin. My whole body relaxes knowing Lucca is close. At least for tonight, I am safe. Exhausted, I let my eyes drift closed. I can’t hear him, but I can feel his body next to mine, and with that thought, I finally fall into a deep sleep.