TWENTY-SEVEN
Alicia
T
he weeks passing by had been lonely to say the least. I had drunk to the bottom of many wine bottles on my own and even my friend’s company was not the same. I had enjoyed Cain just a little too much, and who could blame me? But ultimately, it had cost me. Whilst I had not expected Cain to be around long, despite everything that he had said to me in weeks prior, it still hurt.
I thought he had been diYerent, and maybe he could have been worth my time. Det, if he could not stand up to Huncan, despite him wanting me in his corner for the zght, what was the point? The split had come out of nowhere, abrupt and sudden. It was unlike anything I had been before. I had my business and I needed to focus on that zrst.
Huncan had been right. If I was feeling like this, I could only imagine how Cain would have been feeling as well. Ee was the one between us that could aYord absolutely Aero distractions. Rither way, it did not matter what Cain wanted to do. I was no longer a part of his life, and he had made that clear. There was no doubt in my mind that I was not ready for him to be gone from my life so soon, but there was nothing I could do about it. Ee had made his decision.
EKNH OS2CO3 7-F
Instead of worrying about him, I dove into my own hobbies again and remembered what it was like having a life outside of Cain. It was diYerent, but nothing could really take my mind of him. If it did, it was only for a Meeting moment where I was hyper zxated on what I was doing. When the moment passed, my brain was back to thinking about Cain straight away. Work kept me busy as well, but any client that came in with a knee complaint brought it straight back to me.
It was getting so bad that I even gave those clients extra time if they came in at the end of the day, letting the clock tick past closing while I pretended not to notice. I could see Cain’s knee in front of me, the faded denim stretched taut over the hard curve of bone, a small, frayed hole revealing the palest glimpse of skin. Kll I wanted to do was touch him, and hold him, remembering what it felt like to have his skin, hot against mine, that intoxicating salt8musk scent that lingered in the hollow of his throat.
I said goodbye to my last client of the day as the sun had set, and darkness now enshrouded the carpark. It had been a long week and I was most looking forward to wine o’clock tonight. Tammy had gone home for the night as well, as I was zne shutting up shop. I sighed, looking back at my notes from the week, wondering what I needed to take home tonight and do. In the end I decided that I would need to take my laptop home with me.
I slung the laptop bag over my shoulder and went to exit the o“ce, switching the lights oY as I went. The clinic in darkness was not unfamiliar to me and I swept out into the reception area, not expecting to see anything there. Then as I went to turn oY the lights to reception, I saw someone move outside. I groaned, all of my clients knew that I was closed for the weekend, and nobody would try and get in now.
Then as I focused on the zgure outside the door, I znally saw him. It was Cain. ”or fuck’s sake, what did he want now? I was only going outside, and there was no way to avoid him. Ee leaned back against the railing opposite
7-; L.K. HKNOR, LKTT LRLRLKN2
the path on the door. I sighed, composing myself. Why was he here now? I took a deep breath and moved towards the front door of the clinic.
Cain stood only meters away from me and I could already smell him. Eow did he smell so good all of the time? The scent had not changed. It was musky, and sweet all at once. I did not want to get any closer to him. Seither of us were safe and I could not risk putting my hands on him again if he was forbidden from seeing me.
J”uck, you’ve got some balls coming here, Cain.9
JI went to see you at home, but you weren’t there. I zgured you were here.9
I leaned back against the doorframe. JDeah, I worked late tonight.9
JI know, and I’m sorry. Gook, I came to say that Huncan was wrong. I shouldn’t have cancelled you and I shouldn’t have listened to him.9
I tried to remain unimpressed4 my face stoic and I hoped my expression did not give me away. J2h. 3o why are you here then?9
Cain’s easy charm washed over me as a smile came to his face. JDou know me, Klicia. I do what I want, when I want. 0ust because you’re no longer welcome by Huncan’s count, doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you. Dou mean everything to me and more.9
JI think you’ve gotten this confused, Cain.9
JI got this confused. What do you mean?9
JI mean, we both did. I was your physio and then we started seeing each other. But when you told me you couldn’t see me anymore that was it. So note, no text, nothing. I turned up at your workplace, and you told me it was over.9
JThat’s why I’m turning up at yours now to tell you I need you. Sow more than ever. I don’t give a fuck what Huncan thinks. I know if I’m going to win this zght, I need the best people around me. Knd that’s you, Klicia. Dou’re the best people.9
I folded my arms over my chest. JTell me why you’re actually here.9
JI’m not lying, but I did hurt myself today.9
EKNH OS2CO3 7-1
Knd there it is, of course. 3ince Huncan had been whispering poison in his ear, Cain had been dancing around me like I was made of broken glass. I could see the hurt swimming in those steel8grey eyes of his, the way they darted away whenever I caught him looking. Eis shoulders hunched forward now. Ee was more protective, like he was carrying the leaden weight of what he had done to me but could not bring himself to set it down and name it for what it was.
J3o, again. What do you want from me?9
JI need help. Dou’re the only person that I wanted to call. Can you spare any time for me?9
I groaned, the sound reverberating through my skull like the echo in an empty well. I did not want Cain to be lying. qod, how I wanted to believe him, but beneath my ribs, a cold, slithering sensation told me this was just another calculated move, another performance designed to soften my resolve. Gike a parasite burrowing under skin, he was trying to worm his way back into my good graces, and the worst part was how desperately a piece of me wanted to let him. What was the best way to do this? I had thrown caution to the wind with this man before and I had been stung as a result. ”uck it.
JDou’d better fucking be paying me for this is outside my regular busi8 ness hours.9
Cain’s hand fell to his pocket and he jumbled his wallet inside his pants. JHon’t even worry about it. I’ll even pay your usual rate.9
JCome on in then. qet on the closest table.9
I took a step back and held the door open for Cain, the cold metal handle pressing into my palm. Then as he moved away from the railing, I noticed how his right leg dragged behind him, his weight shifting to compensate with each step. Eis jaw tightened at the corner when his foot met the ground, a Mash of pain he was trying to mask. What had he done to himself this time?
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I locked the door behind me, and followed Cain into the clinic. By the time I had reached the rooms, Cain was sitting on the edge of my treatment table when I walked into the room. Eis elbows rested on his thighs, his right leg stretched out in front of him. There were only days until his zght, and he was limping into my clinic like nothing was wrong. The ego of this man. 3urely the last few weeks of training had not gotten him to a point where he now could not zght.
JWhat did you do, Cain?9
JThought it would be a smart idea to hard spar with Huncan.9 JHid you check a kick, or did you kick him?9
Cain looked up at me, completely unapologetic. JDeah.9
I folded my arms across my chest and stared down at the knee, my gaAe
tracing the contours of his damaged joint. There was already faint swelling forming along the medial side, a subtle pu“ness that pushed against the skin like rising dough beneath a thin cloth. The discoloration had begun too. Eis skin was becoming a watercolour bloom of violet8blue spreading beneath the surface. Lost people would not notice these early warning signs, but my eyes were trained to spot trouble. Ly stomach tightened into a cold, hard knot.
JCain, your zght is this week.9
JI’m well aware of that fact.9
JKnd yet you decided hard sparring Huncan was a smart decision?9 JIt’s Luay Thai. I have a zght this week, Klicia. What else did you expect
me to do?9
JThat’s not a medical explanation.9
Ee gave a small shrug like the whole situation was inconvenient rather
than disastrous. I stepped closer and crouched in front of him. The heat coming oY the joint was noticeable now that I was right beside it. Ly hands hovered over the knee for a moment before settling against the inside of it.
JTell me where it hurts.9
EKNH OS2CO3 7…5
Ly zngers began pressing along the medial side of his knee, tracing the taut band of tissue beneath his skin. I could feel the subtle ridge of the ligament, like a guitar string under too much tension. The moment I pressed halfway down, where the swelling was most pronounced, Cain inhaled his uadricep muscle spasmed beneath my palm.
JThere.9
JDeah, no shit, Cain.9 I watched his jaw clench as he tried to hide his pain. Ly zngers slid higher along the swollen joint line where the damage radiated outward like fault lines in cracked glass.
JBetter or worse?9
JWorse.9
I traced the ligament downward with my thumb again, feeling the taut cord beneath his skin, warm and rigid like a violin string about to snap. Eis uadriceps contracted, the muscle bunching beneath my palm as his entire leg went rigid with pain.
JNelax.9
JI am relaxed.9
I glanced up at him. JDour uad feels like concrete.9