Hidden Truths, Burning Hearts

Cure To His Pain

//Amelia's POV//

I just got out of shower wearing my pj for the night. I got downstairs to fill my bottle in the kitchen. As I was filling the bottle I heard loud banging in on my back door.

"Open the door, Amelia. I've come to collect my dues!" I heard his sinister laugh from behind the door.
I froze in fear as tears were already forming in my eyes.

"Please go away. Leave me alone."
I cried from inside but the banging never stopped. The door could give any moment.
"I'm gonna get you today! There's nowhere to  go baby girl."

He said in a low threatening voice from outside. And just then the door broke and he started to walk towards me with a wicked grin on his face.

"No. Please no. Don't come near me." I pleaded crying as he slowly came towards me as a predator approaching his prey.
He gripped my hair and pulled hard.

I screamed and found myself in my living room with the tv on. I looked around panting but there was no one besides Leo. I had drifted off while watching a movie.

Sweat was dripping from my face. I got up to get some water from the kitchen. The nightmares were getting more frequent ever since I last saw Ray two weeks ago.

I was miserable. I couldn't sleep because of the nightmares and I couldn't even focus on my work. It's been days since I last worked on a piece.

It was around 10pm. I heard a car pull up in front of my house and some voices. Just then the glass of the living room window broke. I screamed alarmed as I was still shaken from the dream. Leo woke up shrieking as he was sleeping on the couch.

Then I heard the car drive away. I picked Leo up and brought him to his hideout in the kitchen. I told him to stay there and took my phone in my hand ready to call 911 if needed. As I went in the living room I saw a stone laying on the floor.

Why would someone break my windows. I thought as I opened the front door to see if someone saw something. That's when I saw a body laying in front of the house on the sidewalk. I thought he was dead whoever it was. But then I saw him moving as he grunted in pain I suppose.

"Who's there?" I asked from my door. I was gripping my phone tightly in my hand.
The man signed as he turned towards me from the ground. I got down a few steps to get a better look at him. I gasped when I saw his face in the dark. And rushed towards him.

"Ray?" I asked as if I needed to be sure.
"Oh my God Ray! what happened to you?" I asked as I kneeled beside him and took his face in my hands.

His lips were busted and there was a cut in his forehead. His face had bruises all over it.
"Who did this to you!?" I asked as tried to get him up.

He got up after a struggle. And I helped him walk towards my home. He was crouched with one hand over my shoulder and the other he was holding close to his ribs.

I sat him down on the sofa once we were in the house and got him a glass of water. He gulped the whole thing down in no time.

"We should get you to a hospital." I said as I took my phone to call 911.
"No. Don't call. I'm gonna be fine." He said as he grabbed my hand.

"Ray have you looked at a mirror lately? You look like shit. And you're in pain. You need help." I said as I cupped his face in my hand.
"I know. But I can't go to the hospital. I can't get the..." he stopped mid sentence.
"Can't what?" I asked.

He sighed looking down. Then looked at me again with desperation in his eyes.
"I can't get the police involved."
"Right." I scoffed as I got up.

I rubbed my face in hands as I thought about this terrible situation I was in. How could I fall for someone like him. And how could my heart love him knowing what he is. Why do I still feel like he could never hurt me. I let out a breath as I turned to him.

"How about we get you cleaned up first? I'll call my friend. Chloe is a nurse. She can see if you need to go to the hospital or not."
I said to him.
"Okay." He said giving up.

I helped him get to the kitchen and sat him down on a chair as I opened a cabinet to get the first aid box. Leo came out of his hiding and started to get observe the new person in our home.

"This is Leo." I said as I felt some introduction was necessary.
I stood over Ray as I started to clean the cut on his forehead. Then the corner of his lips. He looked at me the whole time not once looking away as I worked on his face.

Yet his eyes were not making me feel uncomfortable. As the eyes of other men do, whenever they stare at me anywhere. Rather they gave me butterflies. His eyes were not looking at me with lust in them but with affection.

"You're very good at this." He said as I was applying some medicine.
"Chloe taught be how to do first aid properly." I smiled at the memory of Chloe telling me everything she learned at nursing school.
"You have to thank her for that." I added.

He smiled at me in return but winced in pain.
"Sorry. It'll hurt a little." I said guiltily.
"I'm used to the pain." He said. His eyes never leaving my face. 

"Stop looking at me like that." I finally said as I couldn't help the way he was making feel.
"Like what?" He asked sounding clueless.
"You know like what. You've been staring at me the whole time." I said as I put away the first aid box.

"I wasn't aware. I'm sorry." He said looking away. "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything."

"You didn't. It's just too much." I said. "Forget it. Why don't you take a shower? I will ask Chloe to bring you some change of clothes." I added looking at his muddy clothes.

"Thanks. But you don't have to bother. I'll leave in a while." He said as he got up.

"You can't leave like this. Do you even have someone to take care of you at home?" I asked him.
"No. It's just me. But I'll be fine. I'm used to be on my own." He said as he tried to smile reassuringly at me.

"Ray, someone beat the shit out you. Don't try to be all hero on me now. You need someone to take care of you. Stay for a few days at least."
"But that someone shouldn't be you. It's not your job."

"I don't care if it's not. Besides those people who dropped you here, they broke my window. They know where I live. What if they come back? Don't you think we should stick together for a while?" That seemed to do the trick as his face turned one of concern.

"Fine I'll stay but just for a few days."
I smiled with a sigh of satisfaction.
"Good. Now how does that shower sounds?"
"Great."

I showed him the bathroom downstairs and got him a clean towel.
I came back in the kitchen to call Chloe.

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