Page 28 of Through The Woods

Chapter Eight

There was a light tap on my shoulder, but I rolled away from it.

“No. Five more minutes.”

The tap came again and I reluctantly opened my eyes to see Joker standing at the side of my bed. He brought his hand up and tapped it against his lips.

Food.

I’d been so tired after cleaning and cooking, that I left the men to it and came upstairs to crash. I couldn’t even think about food after the things that I’d encountered in their rooms.

I rubbed my eyes and pushed myself up into a sitting position. There was still enough early evening light coming in that I didn’t need to turn on a lamp. Joker smiled pleasantly at me before bending down to retrieve a small tray containing a cup of broth and some crackers.

I must’ve been moving up in the world if Charm was allowing me to have crackers. I held my hand to my mouth and brought it down to the open palm of my other hand, thanking him for bringing it up to me.

He set the tray down and shook his head before signing ‘thank you’ to me. Sensing my confusion. He held his left hand up and quickly swiped his right hand across it three times.

Cleaning.

He was thanking me for cleaning.

I wanted to hug him in that moment—never mind that I’d come very close to being violently ill while cleaning his room. His face reflected nothing but gratitude and it touched me.

His eyes moved down and widened in alarm and I followed his gaze, realizing that my stitches must’ve reopened at some point while I was sleeping. Blood soaked through my shirt and into the sheets.

Joker held his hand up and ran out before I could convince him that I was okay, returning with Doc a few moments later.

“Let’s see what’s happened.” He removed the bandages and cursed. “I told him it was too much for you.”

I placed my hand on his arm. “I’m peachy. I can handle it.”

Joker shook his head and left the room again. This time he came back with Charm in tow. I groaned and placed my head in my hands. “I said I was okay.”

Doc pressed against my side and I yelped. “Yeah, you sound like you’re well on your way to being fully recovered, Neve.”

Charm moved around the bed and leaned over Doc’s shoulder to get a better look, leaving me feeling extremely exposed with him standing inches away, breathing on me.

Doc pointed down at something. “See that? The stitches tore away. And this is worrying.” He dug his finger in again and I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out.

Charm reached out and touched the skin around the wound. “It’s infected.”

I took a deep breath. “I—I’m perfectly fine. I just need to sleep and I’ll be good as new by tomorrow.”

Both men gave me incredulous looks as Joker shook his head near the foot of the bed, obviously in agreement with them.

“Neve, your body isn’t healing as well as it should. I’d like to take you downstairs and get you started on some IV antibiotics…drain it and then stitch everything back up.”

I tried to sit up, but Charm pushed my shoulders back down on the bed. “Will I have to be tied down again? I don’t want to stay down there. Please.” He couldn’t know, but being down in the basement alone wasn’t exactly high up on my list of experiences to repeat.

One night I’d dreamt that Clint came through the door. I’d woken up with my throat on fire, half convinced that I’d been choked again. My body shuddered at the memory.

Charm looked over at Doc. “Why don’t we bring it up here. She’s obviously not in any shape to make the trip downstairs again.”

Doc nodded and looked over at Joker. “Can you help me get what I need?” Joker nodded happily and gave me a thumb’s up on his way out.

Once the men left, Charm looked back down at me. “Is there anyone you need to get in touch with?”

I thought about it. The cell phone I had before coming here only worked when we’d paid the internet bill. It didn’t have a data plan or anything; just wi-fi only. Even if I did have it, there was no one. No one who would miss my presence—no one who would worry over my disappearance.

---