Page 74 of Born in Ruin

Mayukhi could feel herself being loaded into a car.

“Go now,” calm yet enraged voice said. “Take care of her. I’ll handle things here.”

And then the car doors shut with a slam that made her brain rattle painfully. She snuggled into the chest and closed her blurry eyes, the dark interior of the car making it all better.

“Hang in there, Kraken,” he murmured. “We’re going to get help.”

“Don’t call me that,” she mumbled. “Only he can. No one else.”

She felt him take a shuddering breath at that and then something wet hit her cheek. She frowned. She was crying again? She raised a heavy hand to her cheek but no, she wasn’t crying. This was someone else crying. Over her? On top of her? She was still puzzling that out when the darkness claimed her.

When she woke the next time, it was to sudden, shocking clarity. Panic slammed through her as she sat up, her body cooperating this time. All around her machines started to beep. A nurse came running into the room, gently pushing her back down on the bed.

Hospital. She was in a hospital. A second later, the door opened and Amay walked in, his serious expression taking her in.

“Hey there,” he said. “You gave us quite a scare.”

“Us?” she said, forcing a calming breath through her lungs. “I sure as hell scared myself.”

“You’re going to be fine,” he said reassuringly. “Whatever they injected you with is already out of your system. You have a few cuts and bruises that have been cleaned and dressed. All your blood work came back clean. We’ll keep you overnightfor observation and if all is still well tomorrow, we’ll send you home.”

Her heart thudded in her chest as she looked at him. “Did they-“ Words failed her as she stared helplessly at him.

“We found no evidence of sexual assault. Other than drugging you and kidnapping you, they didn’t do anything else. I promise.”

She nodded, her heartrate slowing as his calm competence sank in.

“We’ve informed your parents,” he said now, his gaze scanning her face as he spoke. “They’re on their way. Dhrithi’s coming too. Virat’s with her.”

“You should get her security,” she said, her voice hoarse with disuse.

“On it,” he said quietly. “I’m going to let you rest now, okay? The more you sleep, the faster you’ll heal from this.”

“Is that your medical opinion, Doctor?”

“It’s my opinion both as your doctor and your friend,” he said gently. “Get some rest okay?”

“Where is he?”

Her question stopped him before he yanked the door open to leave. Amay hesitated for a second before meeting her gaze.

“Outside,” he said, quietly.

“He won’t come in?”

Amay shook his head. “But he won’t go home either. He just sits there like a catatonic bodyguard.”

Her heart shook a little but she ignored it.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He nodded once, giving her another stare that seemed to see right into her soul. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised. And then he was gone, leaving her to her muddled thoughts.

After a moment, she pushed herself to her feet, grabbed her IV pole and shuffled towards the door. If he wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to him.

She pulled the door open and peeked out. He was right there, like Amay said, sitting on a hard metal bench right outside her door. She shuffled over and sat down beside him. She saw his shoulders slump, his head fall forward as she landed on the bench beside him with a hard thump.

They sat in silence for several minutes before he took her hand with a shaky one of his own, lifting it to his mouth and kissing it. He would have let go immediately but Mayukhi wouldn’t let him. She wrapped her fingers around his and held on.

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