Page 48 of Room Service
“Thank you, Dorien,” she says, her voice quiet but packed with emotion. “Thank you for coming when I needed you to.”
Fuck.
I don’t know how long we stay like that for, but I don’t even entertain moving until I feel her arms loosen around me, and only then do I pull back to look at her and say, “I’ll always be here when you need me.”
The soft smile she gives me is one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen, even with her split lip.
“I bet I look hideous,” she comments shyly, but she’s so far off the mark. She’s never hideous.
“Not even close, buttercup,” I tell her, and it earns me a wider smile that makes her wince slightly as it stretches the skin where it’s split. “I’m going to call my doctor to come out and check you over.”
“There’s no need to—”
“It’s not up for debate, Elise,” I interrupt.
“I don’t want you to go to any trouble, I’m fine.”
“It’s no trouble, and it’s happening,” I state, unwilling to waver on this for even a second. I hold her gaze, and eventually, she nods, as if I was waiting for her permission. I wasn’t. I pull my phone from my pocket and scroll to the number for my doctor, the one I pay a handsome retainer to, to be at my beck and call whenever I need, not that he’s needed to do that much since I tripled his wage three years ago and made him a lifelong offer he couldn’t refuse. I mean, he gets to do fuck all most of the time, and I’ve never been more thankful for my foresight to have him on call no matter what. It’s worth it, because he is the best doctor for miles, and what I need now is the very best.
The phone rings as I look at her neck, my fingers reaching out and running over the red marks that shouldn’t fucking be there. The doctor answers on the third ring.
“Dorien,” he greets.
“I need you to come to The Blue Diamond hotel, doc. It’s urgent.”
“On my way,” the doc says, no questions asked. He’ll bring whatever medical shit he deems necessary, and if he doesn’t have everything he needs, I’ll have it shipped here from the private hospital a couple of streets over.
“Let’s get you changed and settled in bed for when the doctor comes,” I say, lifting her off the unit and carrying her out of the bathroom and to my bedroom. She feels so small in my arms, and my inner caveman just wants to wrap her up in a cocoon and keep her that way. It’s quite a turnaround for a guy who, until recently, refused to feel emotions about anything.
I enter my bedroom and place her on the edge of the bed, where she waits whilst I get a pyjama shirt for her to change into. It’s one of mine, because I don’t have the time right now to look for the one she wore not so long ago, when she came to dinner and life was a little less complicated. I place it on the bed beside her and say, “I know it will be a bit big on you, but I’ll have something sent in your size as soon as the doctor has been.”
“No, there’s no need to do that, I’ll be okay in this,” she says as she picks up the shirt which will most definitely engulf her.
“I’ll just go and wait for the doctor and make us some tea,” I say with a smile as I leave the room and close the door to give her some privacy while she gets changed. I didn’t have any bottoms for her, but I hope she’ll cover herself with the duvet for when the doctor’s here.
I enter the kitchen and fill the kettle, not even tempted to grab an alcoholic drink. I need my wits about me. I need to focus. And I need to watch the footage of when she went outside so I can hunt her fucking husband down and show him why he shouldn’t put his hands on any woman, ever.
Leaning on the counter, my hands bracing me, I watch as it starts to boil, and it’s not too dissimilar to the way my blood boils beneath the surface. The door knocks as the kettle clicks off, and I go to it, opening it to greet Doctor Ron.
“Thanks for coming,” I say as I close the door.
“Of course. Where is the patient?” he enquires, and this is another reason I actually like Doctor Ron, because he doesn’t fuck about.
“In my bedroom,” I say, already leading him to where she is. “She was attacked outside the back of the hotel. She managed to phone me and I got her up here.”
“Is she lucid?” he asks.
“Yes, appears to be. I cleaned the blood off her face but I want her fully checked.”
“There is only so much I can do in a hotel room, Dorien.”
“Then if you need more equipment, I will get it sent here,” I state.
“I have no doubt.” He chuckles, because he knows I don’t do things by halves, the contract he signed five years ago shows just how serious I am. It’s watertight but will set him up nicely for his retirement in ten years’ time.
I open the bedroom door to see Elise sat resting against the headboard, with the quilt covering her bottom half. Good girl.
“Elise, this is Doctor Ron,” I begin, starting the introductions. “Doctor Ron, this is Elise.”
