Page 45 of Drax (Iron Thunder MC 3)
“Fuck!” I growled. I hadn’t realized the doctor was cleaning my wound, pulling the bullet out with a pair of tweezers. I wasn’t paying attention.
“How much blood has he lost?” Mary-Beth asked the doctor. She’d decided she was going to do all the talking since I had no questions for him.
“He won’t need a transfusion, if that’s what you mean. But he will need to rest up and get lots and lots of nutritious food in his system.”
“I can take care of that,” I heard her say.
There was a splash of some stinging liquid on my wound next and then he was stitching me up. I clenched my jaws tightly. Very soon, I was numb and could barely feel the needle going in.
She reached for my hand and held it. I didn’t need her holding my hand, but I felt like she needed it more than me, so I let her hold it.
“All done. Let the wound heal naturally. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t get infected. That’s about it.” The doctor spoke while peeling off the surgical gloves he had on. Mary-Beth was nodding her head.
I looked down and saw my stitched-up wound. My shirt had a big gaping hole in it, and I was drenched in my own blood.
“We need to get you cleaned up and in bed,” she said and started tugging me up.
“I got this,” I said with a growl and stood up. But immediately, I felt light-headed. I needed something to lean on and felt like my legs were about to give way.
Mary-Beth leaned into me. Pushing me with her own body to straighten me up. Fuck! What was happening to me? I felt like an invalid. Was I getting too old for this?
Both Mary-Beth and the doctor must have seen the sudden fear in my eyes because they exchanged looks too.
“You’ve lost some blood. You’re just weak. You need to rest. That’s all. You’ll be back to feeling like yourself in a few days,” Doctor Miller said. I grunted a response.
I had no choice but to lean on Mary-Beth. I hated having to do it and didn’t want to lean on her. I didn’t want her comforting me. It should have been the other way around. But I didn’t even have the strength to fight it. Another wave of nausea took over my senses and I thought I was going to double up and throw up.
“Come on. Let’s get you upstairs. Please, Drax.” She was speaking in a quiet pleading voice. I nodded because I had no other choice. Slowly, she started leading me, weaving around the others in the room. I avoided all eye contact. I hated knowing my men were seeing me like this, in a sorry state. It was just one fuckin’ gunshot wound!
She led me down the hallway and up the stairs.
“I’ll get the bath going,” she said as she shut the door behind us in my room.* * *I sank into the water in the tub.
At first, I wanted to fight Mary-Beth on this too. I just wanted her to let me go to sleep. But the water was the perfect temperature and now that I was immersed in it, I never wanted to get out.
She was fetching fresh clothes for me and I waited in silence for her to return. We hadn’t really ‘talked’ yet. Whatever we’d said to each other was purely functional so far.
She returned sometime later, with clothes, a fresh towel and a plate of sandwiches.
“Sophie’s been busy in the kitchen feeding the army,” she said and brought the plate over to me. I greedily took two big pieces off the plate and chomped down. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was.
She stood by the bathroom door, watching me. I knew she had questions, but she was holding back. She didn’t want to trouble me. And for that, I was relieved.
The Mary-Beth I used to know wouldn’t have missed this opportunity to pick a fight. To barrage me with all the questions she had. But tonight, she seemed calmer. More mature.
Maybe it was me angling for the fight.
“I am sorry if you feel ashamed or embarrassed, Drax, but you shouldn’t be,” she said. The silence between us had gone on too long and now her voice sounded almost hollow. “About your wounds. About feeling weak. You got hurt. Badly. You lost blood, needed stitches. You’re human. I want you to remember that.”
I knew she was right. I nodded. She came toward me and knelt beside me by the tub. I reached for her and stroked her hair, dampening it. But she didn’t care.
“I’m just happy you’re safe, Drax. I’m so happy you’re back here in one piece. That is really all I care about,” she continued.
I breathed in deeply. I wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her everything. That her brother was right here. In this building. Being held and guarded by my men.
