Chapter 7
She felt as if she was floating.
For the first time in days, she almost felt warm. She definitely felt cosy, and it was wonderful.
The hard, unforgiving slabs she”d been bedding on seemed so soft and comfortable today. Maybe she was just dreaming. If she was, she hoped she didn”t wake up. She just wanted to stay right here and drift along, snug and comfortable and almost warm.
Even her cramping stomach didn”t seem too bad right now. She wiggled her toes reflexively and thought she felt water. She frowned and lifted them slightly, making a little splash. Perhaps she really was dreaming. The water was a comfortable temperature, not like the freezing cold, miserable rain of the past few days. She wondered if she should look, but she didn”t want the dream to end just yet, it was just so nice.
Then the water started to feel a little warmer. Mmm, that was nice, too. It took away a little bit more of the chill she was still feeling inside her little cocoon of cosiness. She was aware of a noise like water pouring. Was it a waterfall? Was that where she was in her dream? Some sunny, hidden pool with soft, warm sand and a waterfall.
Yes, she should stay right here and enjoy it while she could, because somewhere on the edges of her memory was something black and evil and scary, and she didn”t want to go there at all. Better to stay here and make the most of this little oasis she had found.
Micah poureda little more of the hot water into the foot bath he had rigged up and noticed that the girl was starting to wake up.
He didn”t need his psychology training to know that he needed to tread carefully now. She was going to be bewildered and disoriented, and with the abuse she had sustained, there was no telling how that would spur her reaction.
In his mind, he could still hear the chilling howl she had uttered before she”d passed out in the yard, and it was enough to turn even his strong stomach.
Besides that, he was a big, muscly guy, and he knew his sheer bulk might appear intimidating to someone who didn”t know him.
He moved over to the far corner of the room and sat on the other side of the table, in order to put some strategic items of furniture between them, giving her a sense of safety and making himself appear less intimidating, more at her level rather than towering over her.
He sat quietly and waited for her to acknowledge her surroundings, stifling the urge to speak to her before she noticed him.
She blinked several times, and he wondered if she was having trouble focusing or if the light was just too bright for her.
Wiggling her feet, she sloshed water out of the bowl, and Micah was glad he”d had the forethought to protect the carpet with a plastic sheet and a towel.
She groaned as she sat forward to look at her feet, and he could tell she was taking stock of the way she was bundled into a mishmash of soft subbie blankets, towels, a thick quilt and a silver space blanket to regulate her body temperature.
He also noted the moment she realised she was naked, since she sat bolt upright, grabbed at the coverings in front of her and peered beneath them.
A little whimper was torn from her dry lips, and it was then that her gaze started darting around the room, her eyes wide, resting for a moment on the door before finally realising he was there.
Her gaze settled only for the barest moment. Before he had time to react, despite the fact that he”d been prepared for her reaction, she was struggling to her feet in a futile attempt to escape.
”Please don”t be afraid.” Micah kept his voice soft and easy. ”I”m not going to hurt you.”
His plea fell on deaf ears; she was too panicked. Any minute now, she was going to upend the bowl of water and undo all of the good work that had gone into trying to warm and stabilise her.
When he stood up, Micah hated the way she cowered as he removed the distance between them, but he didn”t miss the way she dipped her head in immediate deference, even while she tried to get away from him.
It was instinct which had him calling, ”Stop. Sit still!” in his best ”Dom voice”.
It worked. The girl immediately collapsed back into the sofa, drawing the blankets protectively around her and keeping her face obediently averted, even though she was shaking like a leaf and biting her ravaged lips to avoid making any noise.
While he tried not to make any sudden moves and spook her further, Micah carefully grabbed a dining chair and placed it in front of her, not too close, but right where she could see him.
He sat down, softened his voice, and started over, now that he had her attention. ”I know you don”t know me and have no reason to believe what I”m saying right now, but I don”t want to hurt you.”
The girl peered cautiously up at him beneath lowered lashes without so much as raising her head.
Micah retained his relaxed pose and continued. ”My name is Micah, and I only want to help you, okay? I understand that might be a big ask, and I promise that you can leave at any time, but if you feel the need to do so, at least let me or someone else take you to a hospital or a health care centre, or even some kind of refuge, so you”re not back on the streets.”
He drew in a cautious breath. She hadn”t made another dive for the door yet at least.
”Otherwise, I hope you”ll let me take care of you, even if it”s just for a few days. I”ve had a doctor come in to look at you and he says you”re suffering from hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, and malnutrition. You”ve also sprained your ankle badly. It”s really important that you stay off your feet, and we need to warm them gradually to treat the frostbite. He”s left some medication for you. It”s right there by the glass of water I”ve left next to you, I”ve added a glucose tablet to that to build up your strength.” He gestured to the packets he”d left in plain sight on the side table next to her.
She said nothing, and she stayed statue still as if weighing both his words and her actions. It was unnerving if he was honest with himself.
Micah stayed quiet, too, now that he”d said his piece. He knew he needed to give her the time to come to her own conclusions and the worst thing he could do right now was to pressure her.
But then he decided to take it just one small step further.
”I”ll leave you to consider everything I”ve said, and I”ll leave the door open, so you know you”re not being locked in. Just, please, keep your feet in the bowl. There”s a kettle next to you. If it starts feeling cool, you need to add just enough to take the chill off.”
With that, Micah took his own leap of faith and hoped he hadn”t read her wrong as he left the room and headed for his office.