Chapter Three #2
“A c-cop came to the house. A f-friend told him,” I mutter.
“Myra. What’s wrong? What did he do, sweetie?” he asks, hearing how weak I am.
“H-He hurt me,” I whisper. “I didn’t do this, Dom. I p-promise. I tried to s-stop the b-bleeding. I don’t wanna die, Dom.”
“Fuck. I’m coming, okay? I’m coming as fast as I can. Where are you?”
“In the hall bath,” I mumble. “I need you, Dom.”
“I’m right here, sweetie. I promise I’m coming. Is he in the house?”
“I don’t think so,” I say weakly. “The d-door is…”
My voice trails off as I lose energy. I am so tired, and my body feels light. “Matt, call an ambulance. Now. Look at the address on my phone.”
“Who’s M-Matt?” I ask, almost whispering. “B-Boyfriend?” I hear a man laugh, and it makes me smile.
“No, not my boyfriend, silly girl. My best friend and his wife are with me. Natalie is a doctor. Okay?”
“I’m glad you have friends,” I say, relaxing into the blood-covered towel. “You were my only friend.”
“I’m still here, Myra. I need you to hang in there, okay? I’m close. I need you to keep talking to me,” he urges.
“I’m so tired,” I sigh. “I just want to sleep.”
“No. No sleeping. Not yet, okay? I need to hear your voice, Myra,” he says louder. I have the phone balanced on the side of my face, so I don’t have to hold it. I’m saving energy this way.
“I f-fucked up, Dom. I told him you were a man,” I force out. “He thinks I’m cheating… I don’t wanna die.”
“You’re not going to die, honey. I promise,” he says. Something in his voice changes. He sounds sad now.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I ask.
“Yes. You can tell me anything,” he says.
“I’m in love with you,” I confess. “It’s not suicide. I promise. I did…”
The phone slides off my face and hits the tile. I try to move to grab it, but I’m too tired. I can hear him screaming something at me, but I can’t focus on his words. It’s comforting to know that he is still there. I don’t want to die, but at least, for once, I won’t be alone.
The world darkens but comes back in choppy flashes. The next thing I know, there are warm hands on my face as someone cradles my body. My wrists hurt. Someone else is here.
“Dom?” I choke out.
“I’m here, Myra. I’ve got you,” Dominic says softly. I can hear tears in his voice.
“You’re here,” I sigh, relaxing in his arms.
“I’m here,” he says, gently squeezing me.
“Am I going to die?” I ask.
“No, you’re going to be okay,” he says. “We are going to get you to the hospital, and Natalie is going to stitch up your wrists.”
“Where’s your boyfriend?” I mutter. A man laughs again, and I smile. “There he is.”
“I like her,” the man chuckles.
“Where is he?” I ask.
“I don’t know. We brought you to my truck,” he says. “No cars in the driveway.”
“He tried to kill me,” I say.
“But he didn’t. You’re safe now, okay?”
“And homeless. And jobless. And almost bloodless,” I mutter bitterly.
“Okay,” a woman says. “The ambulance is going to be a while, so I told them to cancel the call. We just need to take her.”
“Okay,” Dominic says. “Thank you, guys.”
“It’s not a problem. I wanted to meet her anyway,” Matt says.
“You talk about me?” I ask, opening his eyes to look at me.
“I do,” he says, stroking his thumb across my cheek.
“Ow,” I flinch. “That’s going to look bad.”
“Yes, but it will heal,” he says, searching my face.
“You are trying to distract me so that I don’t ask why you talk about me with your boyfriend,” I say, making him smile.
“I do talk about you with them. I trust Matt,” he says.
“You should. He’s your boyfriend,” I say, closing my eyes again.
“Good to see blood loss didn’t make you any less of a brat, Myra,” he chuckles.
“You can’t call me that,” I say.
“Mmm. I think I just did,” he laughs.
“Dom the Dom,” I laugh weakly. “I pictured you more of the submissive type.”
“You’re getting into dangerous territory, Myra,” he says, stroking my hair.
“I’m your patient. I can do what I want,” I say.
“You aren’t my patient anymore, Myra,” he says. I open my eyes, and tears immediately start to well up.
“Is it because I said… I don’t know why…”
“Hey, hey, hey. Relax,” he says, cupping my cheek and gently wiping away a fallen tear. “I’ll explain more later, but I’m going to have you come stay with me. You cannot officially be my patient if you live in my home.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Why what?”
“Why are you having me stay with you?” I ask. “I can go to…”
“To where, Myra? Your father’s house? To a homeless shelter?” he asks.
“I have nothing, Dom. No clothes. No job. No money. Nothing,” I say weakly. It’s taking so much energy to talk.
“Myra, we can discuss it later, okay? I need you to just rest for now,” he says, not giving me any room to argue.
“Fine,” I frown, closing my eyes. “I could just leave without you noticing.”
“The fact you think he’s going to leave you alone right now is comical,” Matt laughs.
I feel relaxed lying in Dominic’s lap as we drive. He is gently stroking my hair as I am snuggled against him. Natalie has my wrists wrapped well, so they’re not bleeding anymore. I’m finally comfortable enough to fall asleep, and for the first time, that doesn’t scare me.