Page 20 of Broken Princess

“Enjoy your nap?”

She shakes her head but smiles before she nervously looks around. “Erm, I need help.” Oof, that looked like it hurt to ask.

“Whatever you need,” I reply, crossing to the bed and taking her elbow as she starts to shuffle gingerly to the end of the bed. The occasional wince appears as she moves.

She’s blushing hard, mortified about something and then it clicks. “I’ll carry you to the bathroom and wait outside.”

Her relief is palpable as she meekly says, “Thanks, Sin.” She won’t make eye contact as I disconnect her IV bag and try to lift her bridal style, but she yelps and her eyes dart to mine. “Fuck, that hurts.”

I stop dead and wait for her to catch her breath before trying again. This time she straightens her spine and pushes her shoulders back to avoid compressing her ribs and stitches, her head resting as far back on my shoulder as she can while still being supported. She smiles weakly and says, “I’m good. Go slow.”

Slowly and with the utmost care, I take her out of the med-room, down the hall to the bathroom. When I go to put her down, I don’t know where to put her. I’m looking around as I ask, “Can you stand?”

She smiles and then laughs. “I have no clue. We should probably have figured that out first.”

I lower her legs, and she winces as my arms tug at the cuts and scrapes on her legs and torso as she cautiously puts weight on her booted foot. But when I let her go, she doesn’t topple over, so that’s a win. She clutches the sink for balance and meets my gaze in the mirror. “We’re good, Sin. Can you grab me a coffee and give me five?” But as she drops her eyes, she stops and sees herself for the first time and gasps.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Aurora. I should have thought, covered up the mirror until you were ready. Idiot,” I chastise myself.

But she’s not listening to me, she’s enthralled. Like she’s Medusa, trapped by her own gaze. I can see her eyes wander as she moves the hospital gown further up her arms. Assessing the damage and reviewing each injury and then moving on. If I’m being entirely honest, it’s slightly disturbing. Her vacant stare is unnerving. Her head tilts and pitches as she carries on, considering herself from different angles. She’s completely detached. She brings her hands up to the ties of the hospital gown and then realises I’m still here.

“Make it ten, Sin.” When I make no move to leave, she reiterates more firmly. “Give me ten minutes. Bring me coffee. Get out.”

I turn for the door and head down the corridor, up the stairs and make a move towards the coffee pot, quite bemused. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like Aurora Bianchi. She’s a badass by every definition. I am amazed she’s not in pieces, given the state we found her in and what she’s endured. I do, however, expect her to break down at some point. Spectacularly so.

She puts on a brave face, but she doesn’t have to. Maybe given time she’ll realise no one here thinks any less of her. She doesn’t have to protect herself from us.

After grabbing some sweats and a t-shirt for her, I make myself useful tidying the kitchen until it’s time to get her back in bed. Leaving the clothes in the med-room, I go to open the bathroom and find it locked. Knocking gently doesn’t work, so I slide down the door and rest my head back against it, resting my elbows on my knees.

“We’ve got all the time in the world, Aurora, but you should probably note that your coffee is going cold.”

I can hear shuffling and sniffling and rustling. She sounds like a burrowing animal until it’s followed by what could easily be mistaken for a foghorn but is actually her blowing her nose. It makes me chuckle. I could never accuse Aurora of being… typical.

The lock clicks and a hand appears, making a sort of ‘gimme’ gesture.

“Oh no, little one, back to bed and I’ll help you get changed.”

“Any excuse to see me naked, right? Creepy much?” she says, trying to break the tension, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes.

I turn and reach out, gently pulling her chin up. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will happen to you without your consent. I just meant that if you’re going to try to hold your balance and get changed, I’d rather someone was there to help. Fuck, you could blindfold me for all I care.”

“It’s weird having you guys be so attentive. It’s much easier when you’re cold, ruthless bastards.”

“We’re all still cold ruthless bastards, Aurora. Just not when it comes to family.”

“Fair,” she says, volleying her head in agreement.

After returning her back to her room, I lower and leave her perched on the edge of the bed.

“You dressed all my wounds, right?” she says, and as soon as I nod, she undoes the tie at the neck of the hospital gown, it falls, pooling in her lap. “So, there’s really no reason to ask you to turn around then. You’ve seen everything anyway. Hand me the tee,” she demands.

I’m dumbstruck and for a minute I don’t know where to look. I’m definitely not studying her injuries. I try hard not to gape, but I’m hypnotised by the curve of her luscious tits. I definitely didn’t clock those before. Stop looking, you perv. I force my eyes up to hers and the cheeky little minx is laughing at me.

“It’s very boring down here, Sin. Can’t blame a girl for making her own entertainment now, can you?”

I frown and jokingly growl at her in response. She holds up her hands in apology but as she tries to lift them to put on the shirt, she cries out. I step forward, taking the t-shirt out of her hands so I can pull it over her head. It’s completely oversized on her so it’s easy enough for me to stretch it and allow her to put her arms through the sleeves without lifting them too high. The actions elicit few winces and sharp inhales, though, and it doesn’t sit right with me that in helping her, I’m also hurting her. The shirt is almost as long as the hospital gown. I think it’s Zo’s, so it’s no wonder.

“I can’t face trying to wrestle on sweats, but underwear would be fantastic, Sin.”

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