Page 24 of Chained to You (Dark Billionaires 6)

The meal sitting before me looked quite appetizing. There were mashed potatoes along with sausages. In a smaller bowl, there was chicken soup, which pleased me because it was exactly what I needed right now. Something comforting and, of course, easy to chew.

“Looks good,” I said. “Thanks.”

“Take your time and enjoy your meal, honey,” Nancy said. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

I nodded, and she left.

Alone, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. God, it felt as if I hadn’t eaten in such a long time. The chicken soup was delicious, and so were the mashed potatoes and sausages. Once I was done, I felt very satisfied and lay back in bed, feeling quite tired suddenly.

Gosh, I had only been up for about an hour, and the mere action of eating had already exhausted me, which didn’t please me. I wanted to be well, healthy, and fit again because I wanted to be with James and Aria. God, I missed them. But of course, it’d take time, this healing process, and I obviously couldn’t do anything about it.

After placing the empty dishes on the side table, I sighed as I relaxed back against the pillows piled high behind me. Since there was nothing much else for me to do, I closed my eyes again.

I was about to doze off when Nancy returned.

“Sorry to disturb you, honey,” she said. “Just need to take your blood pressure. It’s routine stuff.”

I nodded. Once she was done, I asked her about my condition. For the next ten minutes, she explained to me that I had been lucky I had no broken bones or internal injuries from the incident. Most of my wounds were superficial and would be healed within a couple weeks. Then she proceeded to tell me that James had made such a big fuss when we first arrived, making sure I was put on the top-priority list. She said he had been by my side all three nights, which made my heart glow with delight.

By the time Nancy left, my face had warmed at the thought of James. Suddenly, I wanted to see him since, technically, I hadn’t seen him for three days, and considering we were officially in a proper relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend—not as master and mistress as we had previously been—three days was a long time. But of course, he was probably busy with work, as per usual.

I dismissed the thought of James for a moment since I needed to use the bathroom. Sitting myself up, I then slid my feet onto the floor, and, pulling the IV line along with me, I slowly, with legs that weren’t steady, headed into the bathroom.

When I was done a fe

w minutes later, I went over to the basin to wash my hands. That was when I raised my head and finally had the courage to look at myself.

Staring back at me was a girl that I barely recognized. Her face was pale white with dark bruises from the sides of her cheeks to her nose and eyes. She looked quite horrible.

Yes, this girl, Mia Donovan, was ugly with all these bruises and wounds about her face, as Sophie Wilson had said.

God, if I looked this dreadful now, I must have been a lot worse three days ago when James had rescued me at that abandoned warehouse.

I leaned forward to take a closer look at myself and felt a little sick at the sight. Then, because I couldn’t help myself, I touched the tenderness of my cheek and groaned, “Ouch!”

Retrieving my hands, I said, “It’ll heal.” Nodding my head, I reaffirmed. “Yep. It’ll be fine. They’re only bruises, so it’ll heal in no time.”

Positive thinking, I told myself. Also, James didn’t look as though he were repulsed at the sight of me when I woke to see him last night. Or the night before… or whenever that had been.

Returning to the bed, I sighed in relief at the fact that I could now rest again. That little walk was already too tiring for me.

I snuggled myself into a comfortable position, intending to take another nap.

Suddenly, I felt this sense of happiness, and I honestly didn’t know why. I mean, considering what I had recently been through with the kidnapping, beating, and near rape, I shouldn’t feel bright and cheerful like this. Perhaps it was the thought of James and that I instinctively knew he’d come to be by my side tonight. I started giggling.

Yes, I giggled like a schoolgirl.

“Sounds like you’re having a good time being cooped up in hospital,” came a manly voice.

The moment I heard that deep timbre, my heart raced and I felt overjoyed. So much so that I wanted to burst out crying.

I turned my head, and the sight of James standing not too far away nearly broke me down. I somehow managed to hold in my emotions and greeted him with a, “Hi.”

He came over to sit on the side of the bed. “Hi there, sweetheart. I came as soon as Nancy contacted me.”

So Nancy the nurse had phoned him when I woke, and he must have dropped whatever he was doing to come to be with me right away.

Because I couldn’t help myself, I rose up and buried my face against his chest. I felt his strong arms wrap around me, and I sighed pleasantly. I felt warm, comforted, and safe in his arms. Yes, especially after what had happened.

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