Venom's Alliance: Loyalty's Fracture

Chapter 19

Kalia's POV

The door opening pulled me out of my sleep, and I thought about covering myself, but my body felt heavy, and the pain still lingered on my skin.

"I got something for us to eat," Jay's deep voice said softly, pulling me back to the present. I opened my eyes and saw his tall, imposing figure standing next to me, with just a towel wrapped around his waist. I couldn't help but wonder how that towel managed to stay in place; it was both fascinating and infuriating. How many women have seen him like this? Did he walk around like this while doing laundry and finding us food? Why didn't they have bathrobes for men in here?

"Why are you frowning at me?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

"What are we eating?" I replied, taking a deep breath and trying to shift focus away from his perfect body.

"Something the granny prepared, traditional food, and she was kind enough to give me some medicine for your back," he explained.

"Of course she would when you're wearing almost nothing," I thought to myself, secretly admiring his charm. I tried to get up, but my back had other plans. The sharp pain made me gasp for air and shut my eyes, sinking back into the mattress.

In the next moment, I felt Jay's hands on my back, and I winced when he touched the bandage. "Fuck, it's infected," he cursed under his breath.

"I need to get you to the hospital and get proper medicine," he said urgently, concern lacing his voice.

"It's okay for now. I don't think we can go anywhere with the storm, and the pain is settling," I said, trying to downplay the situation as I tried to get up again. The pain was still there, but I masked it well, pulling the sheet over my chest. To my disappointment, I noticed Jay looking at me, clearly mad and worried.

"It's not that bad," I tried to reassure him, but his eyes darkened with worry. Not sure what to do next, I looked down at the sheet covering me.

"Don't lie to me, Kalia, please," he begged, sitting next to me. I avoided looking at the towel still sitting there. "We'll eat, and then I'll clean the wound. This pill should help with the pain enough to get some sleep."

"I can't sleep, Jay," I murmured, playing with my fingers. "I have insomnia, so unless Granny had some magic sleeping pills, I won't be able to sleep," I admitted, feeling vulnerable and exposed. I had managed to snatch a few minutes of sleep before he arrived, but most likely that was all I was going to get for the night.

He seemed to think it over, then stood up and grabbed the tray of food, placing it gently next to me. The tray held a steaming bowl of soup and some fresh fruit. The aroma hit me, making my stomach growl despite everything going on inside me. "Can you eat?" he asked, his voice soft but firm.

I looked up at him and rolled my eyes, trying to hide my reluctance with a bit of sarcasm. "It's really not that bad; food always makes it better."

He gave me a slight smile, a quick expression that seemed to ease the tension between us, and then settled the tray beside me. We ate in silence, the only sound being the quiet clinking of utensils. He only ate when I did, his eyes never leaving my face, watching me with an intensity that made my heart race.

Every spoonful of soup I took, every piece of fruit I bit into, he mirrored. His presence was both comforting and nervous. I could feel the weight of his gaze, a mix of concern and something deeper, something that made my pulse quicken. As I ate, I couldn't help but steal glances at him, noticing the way his jaw tensed and relaxed, the way his eyes softened every time they met mine.

After we finished eating, I took the pill and then sat on my bed, bracing myself for the pain as he got ready to clean the wound again. This time, it hurt even more, not because of the wound itself, but because I was so aware of how close he was. Every touch sent shivers down my spine, and his sweet words made the mix of panic and relief even stronger.