Chapter 3

[Madelyn]

I finally sit down behind my plate of pasta. Finally. I breathe out and dip down my fork in the heavenly smelling food. I bring up the fork to my mouth and close my eyes as the taste makes its way to my tastebuds.

Three knocks on the door. I curse under my breath. Who the heck is knocking this late? It's like twelve Pm. Nick is on lunch with his boss and I can't think of anyone else who would like to see me. Maybe Katie but she's in Spain for the weekend.

Maybe if I ignore it the person will go away. Yeah. The other side of the door is silent. Yes. Three more knocks. What the fuck do they want. North-Ocean gets up from her on the chair next to me and hurried away to the door. She begins scratching the door and meowing. Really? Now?

I take a sip of my water and get up. "North-Ocean, come back here honey." I say in a happy tone while making kiss-noises. She doesn't come back.

"Nickolas you either open this door or I kick it down you-" a stern voice is heard outside. I recognize the voice. It's- I search deep inside my memory. It's Nicks boss. What does he want with Nick? Nobody calls him Nickolas. Weren't they supposed to go on dinner together? North-Ocean runs between my legs back to the kitchen. I walk towards the door and unlock it.

I'm instantly pushed against a wall and my back hits the painting I got on my wedding. The painting falls down with a loud thud and the frame shatters into pieces as soon as it touches the floor. A pain is My feet aren't touching the ground anymore. Strong, big arms are holding me in place by my shoulders and I gasp. Loudly. I'm scared to breathe. That gasp is the last bit of air I dare to take. I look up at the furious man holding me. His eyes soften when he realizes it's me and he drops me. I fall on the ground on my knees with a loud thud. I still can't breathe.

"Fuck-." He crouches down to me on the floor and places a hand on my back. I flinch and he removes his hand. "Shit you are bleeding-" he puts his hand back on my back again and I let him this time. My knees hurt. The glass of the picture frame has fallen onto the floor and cut both my knees with its broken pieces. He's breathing heavily, and I'm trying not to cry.

"I'm fine." I say and am about to put my foot up but he stops me.

"Do not move, you will get glass into your feet. It will cut through your socks." He places his hands under my arms and lifts me up. If I wasn't cut open I would probably be embarrassed for how I look. My hair is put up in a stress-bun and I'm wearing one of the nightgowns I bought for myself. It's dark blue with a lace pattern on the outline of the neck. It came with a set of shorts but the top is long enough for me to decide to go without the shorts. Now I kinda wish I would have taken them on anyway.

He is holding me like that all the way to the bathroom like I don't weigh more than a plate. He's walking with big steps. Holding me firmly while moving so quickly. My back hurts, my knees are burning with pain and my heart is hammering in my chest. I think I started breathing a few seconds ago. I'm not sure. I hear Nick's boss cursing in a distant voice. I'm still not processing everything. Did he think I was Nick? Is that why he pushed me? What if I was Nick...would he still let me go?

He places me next to the sink in the bathroom. I shiver when the cold stone disc touches my butt. My knees are hanging on the edge of the counter while he begins rummaging through the cabinets looking for the first aid kit. He grabs the red bag and opens the zipper.

"This will sting a little." He speaks, his eyes on mine the whole time. He wets a cotton pad with alcohol and begins dabbing it gently on my knees. Ouch, that hurts. I bite my lip and close my eyes tight. "There is a piece of-...glass in your knee. I have to remove it." I keep myself from gaging.

"H-how far in?" I say, my voice breaking. I gulp I don't really want to know. I don't know why I asked. I just wanted to see if I still had my voice. Don't ask.

"It is...deep." I open my eyes and lean my head forward. "Do not look." He puts his warm hand over my eyes blocking my view. "We need to keep you distracted. Talk about something." I nod and lean my head back as soon as I feel his hands on my knee.

"I-I don't know-" I feel a fiery pain in my leg and exhale. "I- I bought a cat! A couple of days ago-"

"What is the cats name?" His voice comes out soft and soothing. Calm enough to calm my nerves.

"I-I haven't decided her name yet. I want- I want to call her- FUCK." I yell the last part and he stops pulling the glass out of my leg. "S-sorry- uh, I want to call her-" he continues to extract the glass. "North or Ocean but I haven't decided yet so right now I'm just calling her-" a tear rolls down my face and I gasp. "Uhm. North...North-Ocean." I exhale. The glass is out of my leg and cold air is filling inside the empty spot the glass once was.

"You named your cat North-Ocean?" He almost sounds amused. I nod and a slight giggle escapes my mouth as a few more tears leave my eyes. What is wrong with me.

"Yeah, yeah I did." I smile. Well as much as you can when you are in pain. He dabs with some more alcohol before putting bandages over my bloody knees. It could have been worse. That's what I hear him whisper to himself a few times.

"Okay, I need you to turn around for me so I can take a look at your back." I nod and let him lift me to a better position for him to see my back. He puts me down and his grip around my waist loosens.

"I- I need you to take off your dress so I can take a look at the cut. It is on your lower back I think." He speaks, still calmly. I nod and put each arm around the hem of my dress and pull it slightly up. Revealing my gray Nike boxers. "Higher, love." I blush a little and do as he says. I pull it up higher. "That is good."  The nightgown is sitting under my bra. Only revealing my boxers for the moment. "It looks like a small cut. It will not take too long to fully heal but we still have to disinfect the cut and put a bandage around the wound."

I hear him take a new pad and pour some more alcohol before moving closer to me. I can feel his hot breaths on my neck while he's dabbing the alcohol and I almost don't feel the pain this time. He is good at distracting me from the pain.