The Best Part

Chapter 8

I cannot see Aaron again, I tell myself whilst ignoring the voice in my head saying that I want to. I grab my bag from the table as I leave the bar as quickly as I can. I need to get out of here before he even has the chance to get here. The cold night air feels like a punch to my face, making me stagger back slightly. I suddenly stiffen as I feel arms wrapping around me and I turn around slowly to see a strange pair of dark eyes staring back at me. Claustrophobia hits me as I feel the panic take control of me and I desperately try to escape the unknown mans grasp but arms just tighten around me. "Hey girl, just relax." he whispers in my ear and I can smell stale alcohol from his breathe, making me feel so sick. "What's the rush, girl? We're going to have a good time together." His lips twitch into a grotesque smile.

"No.” I plead. I start to feel the man's grasp weaken as starts to move his hands down my arms and I take this opportunity to send my knee up his groin. As the contact is made I burst out of his grasp and his knees buckle, making him fall to the floor clutching his groin area. I turn around to make my swift getaway, but I'm met by familiar green eyes. Aaron runs to me and pulls me to his chest. I sag against him, burying my head into his neck. "It's okay, baby. I'm here." he murmurs into my ear and this sends a tear falling down my cheek. He pulls my face up towards his and my eyes immediately make their deep connection with his. I feel the soft pad of his thumb wipe the tear away, but his eyes do not leave mine. "Fucking bitch!" the sound of the unnamed man's voice sends my heart frantically pounding again and I feel Aaron's muscles stiffen in reaction. Aaron kisses me softly on the forehead before letting me go before he storming over towards him. I see Aaron draw his fist back and punching the man straight in the face, hard. I don't know what I plan on doing as I run over to get to Aaron. Blood is pouring from the man's nose and its obviously broken, but that doesn't stop Aaron from sending another fist into the guys face again. I place my hand on Aarons shoulder "Please let's go," I begin but I'm knocked to the floor as the unnamed man turns pushes my away. I hear the thud as my knees hit the concrete floor first. Aaron next to me in an instant and look over to see three bouncers have restrained the sickening man. "Baby are you okay?" the concern in his voice mirrors the look in his eyes. The muscle in his jaws is twitching, telling me is would happily go and finish the fight if he wasn't so concerned about me. I try to stand up but I'm met with a blinding pain radiating from my knee, causing me to whimper. Aaron lifts me into his arms instantly and he starts to carry me back to his car. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No, no, that's really not necessary." I protest, ignoring the pain in my leg telling me it really is.

"Alexandra, will you please just let me do this for you?"

"Okay." I whisper, leaning into him. He places me into the passenger seat of his car. Oh my head feels so fuzzy... As I try to focus my eyes on Aaron I see he swiftly removing his tie. I must look confused as he begins to explain, "I'm need to stop the bleeding." I can hear worry laced in his voice. Bleeding? Looking down at my leg I see blood streaming from a nasty gash  across my knee. So that's what is causing me all this pain. As he wraps his black tie tightly around my knee his fingers caress across my bare skin on my leg and the connection sends a rush of heat through me. He kisses my knee as he gets up before closing my door and takes his place in the driver's seat.  

*

"You're so beautiful." my eyes flutter open and Aarons green eyes are intensely fixed on mine. I must have fallen asleep because as I look out the car window we have already arrived at the hospital. He holds his hand out for me to take but I hesitate, should I really be staying away from him because I can't let myself fall for him. But there is something about this man that won't let me let him go. I place my small hand in his and I watch as his long fingers curl around mine, making my heart flutter. He lifts me from the car, being careful not to touch the gash on my leg. I let my head rest on the strong muscles in his arms. I could get used to this, I feel a unexpected comfort being wrapped in his arms. We enter the Accident and Emergency department at the hospital, Aaron setting me down in one of the plastic chairs and then he walks just far enough so I can't hear him while he makes a phone call. Oh my, the man can wear a suit... "Excuse me, Miss?" the voice breaks me from my reverie. "Have you been seen to?" I'm just about to tell her I haven't when Aaron returns.

 "My friend is on shift. She will be around to see you in a moment." She, did he just say she? It's not like he's my boyfriend, so why does the idea of him seeing another woman bother me so much? He sits down next to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him. This has me relaxing instantly. Why does he have such an effect on me? "This isn't how I imagined tonight to turn out." I wonder what he actually had planned?

"It wasn't exactly what I had planned either."

"I could have killed that idiot for what he did." He's clenching his fist at his side, his knuckles going white as his tries to keep control over his anger. I'm just about to tell him that he's over-reacting when a tall, slim blonde woman walks up to us. "Aaron Donavan, it's been a while since you came calling." she laughs.

"Melissa, it's good to see you again." He smiles warmly at her. Great, they defiantly have a history. He stands up but he does not let me go as he does, I'm still cradled in his arms.

"So you must be the woman that has had the notorious Aaron Donavan calling me, asking me for a favour?" she asks me. I hate that she's so nice.

"Yeah, I guess I am." she gives me a friendly smile as her eyes flick between me and Aaron as she tries to figure out our relationship status. Even if she directly asked me I couldn't even tell her if I wanted to. We follow her into her office, Aaron still refuses to put me down and let me walk until we enter her clinical, sterile office. "I believe you got yourself into a little pickle and hurt you knee. Is that right?" What has he told her?

"Yeah that's right." I confirm. She puts on a pair of glasses and pulls my leg up to straighten it, making me wince.

"Do you really have to do that? I don't want her to be in pain."

"Yes because I need to get a better look at her knee, so will you please sit back and let me do my job?" he runs his hand through his tousled hair, clearly exasperated. Melissa gently unties Aarons black tie from around my knee, revealing the nasty looking gash. It looks a lot worse under the hospitals artificial lighting. I look up to see Aaron is watching intently, a little 'V' shape has formed in-between his eyebrows emphasising his frown. "Your definitely going to need stitches, about seven of them." Great. "But first I'm going to have to clean it and get the little pieces of glass out and this is really going to sting." Shit. Aaron takes hold of my hand.

"It's going to be okay baby." I admit, I am secretly loving it when he calls me baby. Melissa removes the glass and cleans my knee with antiseptic, making me grip Aarons hand harder. I can feel his thumb smoothly rubbing over my knuckle, trying to relax me and this simple motion seems to soothe me. Melissa is applying the stitch as Aarons phone beeps, alerting him of an incoming call. "Shit! I really don't want to leave you, but I really need to take this call." he looks conflicted but he kisses me on the tip of my nose before getting up to leave.

"Well your all stitched up. I'm going to give you some crutches because I don't want you applying any pressure to your knee. You will have to come back if the swelling doesn't decrease within the next 24 hours."

"Thank you, I know you probably had more important things to be taking care of."

"No need to thank me. It was a really quite a serious cut you had." I look down at my knee.

"Yeah it is a little messed up." I let out a nervous laugh.

"He was so frantic when he called and Aaron wouldn't react like that for just anyone. I just thought you should know that." she smiles at me again and places her hand on my good knee and squeezes it reassuringly. "Listen, he's a really good man. If you're lucky enough to break through his hard exterior, please don't let him push you away because he will try, but you need to push back ten times harder and help him to feel something again." I can feel the tears gathering up in my eyes.

"I don't even know what's going on between us." I admit.

"You need to give him this chance. He has deep feelings for you, beyond a shadow of a doubt and I can tell that you feel the same, even though you won't admit it to yourself but you do. Besides he must really like you if he willingly wrapped his Armani tie around your bloody knee." The last part makes me laugh, I can only imagine how much his designer tie cost. I know that she's right I do have feelings for him, I can't believe I'm actually letting myself admit it but I do. Aaron walks back into the room and he gives me his heart-stopping smile, I need to let myself give this man a chance and I want to.