Page 13 of Sapphire

“We have security stationed around the hospital. They will also have to get past Tomas and me to get to you, and that will never happen,” I try to reassure her.

“You two are my guardian angels.”

“There’s nothing angelic about me,” I joke, giving her a wink which makes her laugh.

* * *

I’ve spent the past three days with the mystery woman. She’s funny, intelligent, and underneath the bruises, beautiful. Our friend Enrique came to take her statement about the attack; he was there the night we found her, arriving on the scene after the ambulance. She couldn’t give him anything solid and became frustrated with his questions as she could only remember snippets of her life, nothing concrete. It’s like a fuzzy movie playing in her head. She hates the fact that she can’t remember her name. And I don’t blame her. I would hate to know that I’d forgotten all about Tomas. The doctor advises that she has post-traumatic amnesia, maybe even repressed memory loss, possibly because of the brain trauma she received or from psychological trauma prior to the accident.

It scares me that this amazing girl has gone through something so horrific that her mind has shut it out. In all honesty, I don’t want her to remember anything. I don’t want her to have to relive whatever happened to her.

“Don’t you have a job or something? You can’t spend all your days looking after me,” she asks me.

“I can and will. I’m on holiday. We’re staying at my summer house here in Ibiza.”

“See, I’m ruining your holidays. You need to go out into the sunshine, drink loads of cocktails or beer and have fun.”

“Hey, I’m having fun. Tomas is in his office all day, and I don’t do well entertaining myself. I get into trouble if I do. So, you’re doing Tomas a service by supervising me.”

She doesn’t look convinced but doesn’t push the subject anymore.

* * *

“I’m about to sign your release papers, miss, but I need to know that you have somewhere safe to go,” the doctor asks her as he looks over at me.

Our mystery woman looks scared. I guess the thought of walking out of the safety of the hospital when you have no idea who you are or how you got there must be daunting.

“She’s coming home with us, doc.” I hope Tomas is okay with this idea as I haven’t had time to talk to him about it.

“What? No. Mateo, no. I can’t.”

She would try to fight me on this, but it is not negotiable. I’ve spent the past week with her every single day, all day, and she’s family now.

“You don’t know who you are or where you come from. How on earth are you going to go out into the world like that? I couldn’t do that to you, not until you are much better.”

She frowns and stays quiet.

“At least Tomas and I can keep you safe. You know us now, well me anyway and Tomas is a good guy when he peels himself from his office.”

She looks up at me, those sapphire eyes sparkling with unshed tears. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Mateo, but I’m so thankful.” She launches herself into my arms, giving me a hug.

I try to make sure that I don’t hurt her. It’s the first time we have been physical with each other, besides that first day holding hands. I wrap my arms around her fragile body; she’s like a little pixie, and I hug her back. I hear someone clear their throat and look up to see Tomas watching me, his eyes flicking down to the mystery woman and me. He turns and leaves the room, looking upset.

“Can you excuse me for a moment?” I say to my sapphire beauty. I walk into the corridor where Tomas is to see if he’s okay.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Nothing.”

He doesn’t look convinced. “Do you have feelings for this woman?” he asks angrily.

“I’m being a kind, decent human being. How dare you accuse me of anything more, especially after what she has been through.”

He just shakes his head. “I walk in and find you wrapped in some gorgeous woman’s arms?”

“She hugged me.” I fight the smile inside of me over the fact that Tomas thinks she’s gorgeous too.

This past week, as each day the bruises subside, the more her beauty’s exposed. I bet before this incident she was a model, especially as she speaks so many languages. And that her accent isn’t from here either.

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