Page 42 of Asylum
“No!” She shouts. My eyes widen, and she immediately looks remorseful. “I’m sorry. I can handle this. Please tell me.”
Reaching for her hand, she allows me to intertwine our fingers. “I’m estranged from my family. I didn’t have a happy childhood, and I chose to walk away once I was of age.” There’s sympathy in her eyes, and I continue. “You’re an only child. Your mom passed away when you were little, and you lost your father two years ago.”
“How?” She chokes out.
Fuck. She’s full of questions. I’m glad I had all this planned out in my head.
“Your mother was hit head on by a drunk driver. Your father passed away from cancer.”
She squeezes my fingers, and I shift further up the bed, taking her into my arms. “Shhh, little doll. They both loved you very much.”
She pulls away, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She’s so fucking beautiful when she cries, it makes my cock twitch.
Now is definitely not the time.
“You’re all I have in this world,” she states, and I kiss the top of her head.
That’s what loving husbands do, right?
“And I’m all you’ll ever need.”
She gazes at me like I’m her only lifeline, which is the one sliver of truth in this entire situation. After a few moments, she lays her head on my chest. “I’m so lost.”
“You’re not lost, little doll. I found you the day I walked into that coffee shop five years ago, and I’m never letting you go. We’ll get through this.”
“Why do you call me little doll?”
Running my fingers through her hair, I give her a tiny truth. “Your pale skin reminds me of a porcelain doll. You’re so beautiful.”
She pulls away as if I’ve made her uncomfortable, and I let her go. “I think I’ll rest now.”
“Of course.” I say as I rise from the bed. “I’ll have dinner ready when you wake up.”
“Thank you,” she whispers as I leave the room.
It’s been a week since I woke up to my new life.
Andrew and I are coexisting well as we navigate through this mess. He told me he put in vacation time to be with me until he’s confident I’m alright. We spend our days getting to know each other again. He tells me I’m still the same woman I’ve always been, my personality and my beauty still everything he wants. When he says those things, I can’t help but feel close to him. But every time those feelings surface, the fact I can’tremember my past overshadows any glimmer of happiness for my future.
He told me before the accident I worked at his law office. I’d taken courses to become a paralegal, and he insisted I work with him. I jokingly asked if we ever got tired of each other, but he didn’t find humor in it. His eyes darkened dangerously, and he reiterated over and over how he’d be with me twenty-four hours a day if he could.
My instincts screamed that my husband is an intense and protective man, but his words also made me feel safe and loved. He hasn’t touched me since the day he told me how we met, and about my family. I’m not sure why, but I did pull away from him before he left the room. While his touch soothed me, helping me through the shock of having my life told to me by a stranger, I was overwhelmed, and needed some space. He hasn’t tried again.
It’s obvious to me why I fell in love with Andrew, and why I married him. He’s a beautiful man with a kind heart, and the patience of a saint. He cares for me like I’m a fragile little doll. The thought makes me smile, wondering if that’s the true meaning for the endearment.
“Lilly.” His voice startles me, and I spin around from the laundry I’m folding on the bed.
A shiver runs down my spine as I take him in. My breath catches as my eyes wander his bare chest, and down his torso, catching every dip and ridge of his muscular form. Gray sweatpants hang low on his hips, deep muscles disappearing beneath the material.
He’s truly male perfection.
“Lilly.” His voice deepens, and our gazes clash as he begins moving closer. He doesn’t stop until he’s directly in front of me, our bodies a mere inch apart.
My body comes alive, desperately craving his touch, and I bite my bottom lip to stifle a whimper. His pupils dilate, and I gasp as he leans in, our lips almost touching. “I think you grabbed some of my laundry, little doll.”
My mouth is suddenly dry, and I swallow slowly. “I’m s-sorry.”
He smirks. “No need, sweetheart. I just need a shirt.”