Page 15 of His to Bedevil

Berto nods. “The first place we secured.”

I nod my head in approval and head toward the bathroom. Stopping in the doorway, I turn around. “Tell Marcus to do a search of a baby named Irma born within nineteen to twenty-five years ago in and around Miami. As soon as he has some hits, get the information to me. And send the doctor up immediately.”

Not even waiting for a response, I close us in the bathroom and head over to the bathtub. Sitting on the edge of it, I cradle Irma in one arm and start the water. Once I get the right temperature, I let the tub fill up and gently place Irma down on the floor. I try to get her to stay in a sitting position with her back against the tub, but she’s limp and unable to sit up on her own. She just keeps sagging to one side or the other. “Irma, my love.” I hold her head between my hands. “Irma, can you hear me? I need you to wake up so I can bathe you.” The only part of her that moves is her chest from breathing. Her eyes have sunken in some, and all I want to do is to bring her back to good health.

Helping her wilt down to the floor on her side, I undress her. My nostrils flare when I see her bones poking out through her thin and pallid skin. “I’ll get you better,mi amor.Un promesa.”Promise.

Once I get myself undressed, I grab what I need out of the shower, plus a couple of washcloths, and set them all on the side of the tub. Bending down, I scoop her back up into my arms and step into the tub. I sit down with her perched in my lap, and I turn off the water once it gets high enough to submerge us both.

Her head is resting in the nook where my neck and shoulder meet. Lathering up the washcloth with soap, I begin to wash her. “Irma,” I repeat her name out loud again. All these weeks, I’ve obsessed over what her real name could be. I thought of every beautiful name out there and tried to imagine it being hers. But Irma is one I hadn’t thought of.

A knock comes at the door as I’m washing her. “Señor Martinez, it’s Dr. Bernard. Can I come in?”

“Wait for me out there!” I bark out.

Going back to washing her listless body, I can’t help but notice that she is free from any and all body hair. Her legs are slightly prickly with some hair, but not much. She’s been without access to any and all grooming products for almost a month, so she should have hair between her legs and under her arms, but there is none. I’m guessing she has had laser hair removal.

Once I’m satisfied with the cleanliness of her body, I dip her head back into the water. She moans a little, and her eyes flicker open only slightly. Enough for me to see her green irises trying to focus on me. “I’m just getting you cleaned up,mi amor. Just relax,” I whisper to her.

Cradling her in one arm with the back of her head submerged in water, we stare at one another as I run my fingers through her hair in the water. I manage to peel my eyes away from hers as I grab the shampoo and squeeze some into her hair. Lifting her up some out of the water, I massage the shampoo into her scalp and throughout the rest of her hair. After rinsing it out, I do the same with the conditioner. All the while her eyes are on mine through two tiny slits, just silently watching me.

Once I get her clean, I step out of the tub with her still in my arms and set her on the countertop. Steadying her, I pull back some so I can look down at her face. “Can you sit on your own for just a second while I get us each a towel?”

She doesn’t nod, but she stiffens her body some, trying to hold herself up. Extracting myself from her, I wait just a second to make sure she doesn’t immediately wilt, then I turn and grab a few towels for us and quickly make my way back to her. I wrap a towel snuggly around her feeble body, and then I wrap one around my waist and secure it. Using the third towel I grabbed, I gather her hair in it and try to dry it as much as possible.

Her eyes are still open, but she’s sagging in my arms a little. I can only imagine what her mouth feels and tastes like, so I fill up the cup I have right next to the sink with a little bit of water and bring it to her lips. “Drink, my love.” She’s struggling to keep her eyes slightly open, but she manages to open her mouth some for me to tip the cup and her head back a little. She swallows down the small amount of water, and I set the cup down and grab my toothbrush because I don’t want to let go of her to grab a new one. I put a small amount of toothpaste on the brush and lift it to her mouth. “Open.” I meant it as a command, but it comes out in a soft tone.

She obliges, and I lightly brush her teeth. Her breath is unpleasant, but it doesn’t bother me. After I brush every tooth and even her tongue, I make her lean over the sink so I can rinse her mouth out. Now that I have her cleaned up, I scoop her up off the counter and exit the bathroom with her.

Dr. Bernard is waiting for me in the sitting area, rising to his feet as soon as I walk into the room. Irma’s eyes close once again before I even get her to my bed and lay her down. Tucking her under the blankets, I turn to face the doctor. “Assess her and do what you need to do.” He nods his head and steps forward. I know and trust this doctor entirely, but I can’t seem to move away. My fists clench at my sides when he peels back the covers and touches her skin. Before I lose it and rip his head off, I spin on my heels and head into my closet to throw some clothes on. I’ll need to take a shower soon, since I was soaking in the tub with a dirty Irma, but it can wait.

Coming back out wearing sweats and a T-shirt, I stand next to the doctor and stare down at Irma’s motionless form. “She’s severely malnourished. I need to put her on an IV.”

“Will she be okay?” I ask when he turns to leave the room.

“She’ll need the IV for a day or so, then she’ll start to come around and become more conscious.”

I’m still just standing there next to the bed watching Irma when the doctor comes back with the IV and tools he needs several minutes later. “Alejo,” Berto calls from behind me.

Looking at the doctor, I say, “Be careful with her.” Then I let him do his job and I meet Berto across the room. “Has Marcus found anything?” I ask in a low voice.

“He has a few potential hits, so he’s looking into them now,” he confirms quietly.

“I want to be notified immediately when he finds the right one.” I go to return to Irma’s bedside when Berto grunts. Cocking an eyebrow, I silently tell him to spit it out.

“What are you doing, Alejo?” I knew this was coming. “She’s an enemy. Why is she in your bed being cared for?”

“It’s none of your concern,” I snap.

“It is when I am the man whose job it is to keep you alive. You know what she did to Julio and how she fought both him and Diego at the same time. She’s dangerous and cannot be trusted. We have her name and will soon be able to figure out who she is and who sent her. You don’t need to keep her alive anymore,” he rushes out.

Hearing him talk about her life so carelessly makes me livid. Her life is none of his concern. It’s mine and mine alone. But I do know that Berto only means well. He’s concerned, and I don’t blame him. But this is my call. “You’ve voiced your concerns, and I’m letting it slide. But only this once. Talk about her life again like that, and it’ll be yours you’re fighting for,” I snap.

He doesn’t even flinch at my little outburst or my threatening words. He just nods his head and leaves the room silently. He’s been my advisor since I took over for my father, and he was his advisor for years. I trust him, but it’s my call.

When I return over to the doctor and Irma, he’s packing up. Irma still lies there unmoving, her chest slowly rising and falling. The IV is hooked into her arm, and I’m glad I wasn’t there when he pierced her skin with the needle. I fear I may have snapped. The thought of anyone making her bleed brings my blood to a boiling point. “I’ll be back tonight to check on her and replace the fluids. Call me if you have any concerns.”

“Thank you.” I pin him with my stare, and his eyes widen some. I don’t usually thank him, and he’s clearly surprised.

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