Trying Not To Love You

Part Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"Shit," Martha rushed over to the broken man. "What the hell happened?"

Sonny's head rolled towards her, and she could just see a sliver of his left eye, the right one was closed, both were purple, he tried to offer a smile, but failed, blood was dry and caked to his jaw, and there was a deep cut over his right eye that seemed to still be bleeding. His breathing was erratic and the only sound he emitted was a low pitched moan.

"I'm going to call an ambulance!" She reached in her pocket for her phone, but with a grimace he lifted an arm and stopped her silently. She glared at him, "no? Really?" He gave a slight nod and she rolled her eyes. "Well then you're coming into the house. Can you make it that far? I have to keep an eye on you, there's no way I'm leaving you out here. Not like this. What the fucking hell has happened?"

He didn't answer, and she could swear that he closed his eyes, the little that was opened. Instead he hissed, his hands grasping for his ribs as she tried to help him to sit, she'd not even thought about standing and he was in agony.

"Is this too much for you? Let me go get some painkillers, Aunt Lucy has some ridiculously strong ones that she had after her hip replacement...I'm waffling." She sighed, "stay here..." She propped pillows and the duvet behind him to keep him as upright as he was, "I'll get the meds then help you up to the house. Ok?"

She thought she saw a twitch of the lips that may have indicated a smile, but then she wasn't presuming anything. And her rush down the stairs and through the coach house into the feed room then the utility room and kitchen took longer than it ever had.

All she could think about was the distorted damaged face, the bruises, the wounds. She'd been horrible to him, brushed him off with disgust, then there'd been that scene that morning. What had happened since then? Had he gone to avenge Oldbury? This was something he was more than capable, he'd been furious when he'd seen her bruises, she'd begged him not to, but would that mean anything. Was this HER fault?

In the kitchen cupboard she found the packet, along with some over the counter drugs. Then she grabbed a small bottle of water from the fridge and ran the repeat journey as quickly as she could. Admittedly Sonny didn't look as bad as he had when she first walked in, or was it just that she knew what to expect when she entered the room a second time?

She handed him two of the stronger meds and several compatible pills from the other packets, then offered him the water to wash them down. He had difficulty opening his jaw and she wondered how many bones were broken and whether she should call the doctor...or an ambulance.

"I'm ok." He hissed through lips caked in dry blood, reading her mind. "Just give me a second."

She stared at him for a moment a knowing look on her face and he tried to smile, "I'll help you to the house, whatever you think of me, however much you hate me 'interfering', tough luck. I'm keeping an eye on you." Instead of protesting, he placed an arm around her shoulder and allowed her to help him to the stairs.

It was stop-start, he grimaced in pain constantly, even cried out on occasion, an arm constantly hugging his ribs, his feet slow to follow hers, but to see the warm house, then the comfy looking bed that she managed to lead him to, made it all worthwhile. Sonny slumped down to the mattress, then groaned as Martha started on his shoes. He couldn't have her undress him, he was far too proud for that, but as he tried to lean forward with the intention of swiping her fingers away, the room started to sway and he lulled back against the pillows.

"Will you just let me help? Get over that male bloody ego."

He wanted to protest, but he was too tired, everything hurt.