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The doctor immediately took charge, her skilled hands conducting a thorough check of my body as she delved into her exam. She checked my wrists and my ankles the most thoroughly, and I was pleased to see the marks from the cuffs and the rope had already begun to fade. Before, they were an angry red. Now they were a rosy pink.
“Just aches and pains, I guess. Nothing too bad,” I finally offered, attempting to downplay the lingering soreness.
Her examination continued as she listened to my heartbeat and then poked and prodded my stomach to make sure I didn’t have any injuries beneath my clothing. Honestly, it was little more than my yearly physical.
This all seemed like a bit much, but I knew if I just cooperated, it would be over sooner rather than later, so I just went along with it.
The doctor pressed further, “Any specific areas of concern?”
“No, just kind of sore all over,” I admitted.
“Have you noticed any dizziness or headaches?” she probed further.
“No, not really. Just thirsty and hungry, to be honest,” I replied, feeling a bit like a specimen under blatant scrutiny.
“Alright. We’ll make sure you get something to eat and drink. Anything else you want to mention?” the doctor asked.
“There isn’t really anything else,” I answered quickly.
“Can you stand up for me?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.
Quickly, I stood up and was relieved to find that my legs no longer wobbled from misuse.
“Good, good. I find nothing of note, Mr. Kaligaris. She needs a good meal and plenty of water, but she’s perfectly healthy otherwise, if a bit worse for wear,” the doctor proclaimed.
“I’ll see to it that she’s taken care of. I trust that Andreas noted that this visit is of the utmost discretion?” Nikolaos asked, and she nodded quickly.
“Yes, sir. He did indeed,” she replied.
“Thank you, doctor.” He bowed his head, and she took her leave. I watched her go and swiveled my gaze back to my godfather, catching what appeared to be a predatory look on his face for a fraction of a second before it disappeared.
He took several steps towards me and swept me off my feet again.
“I really can walk, you know,” I tried again.
“I know, but you don’t have to,” he answered, his gravelly voice making my abs squeeze tight. It felt odd to be cared for so thoroughly like this, so much so that I didn’t really know how to handle it.
He carried me through the house up to a guest room, which was easily big enough to be the master bedroom. A king-sized bed, draped in luxurious dark blue linens, dominated the center, inviting sleep with its plush pillows and sumptuous duvet. Large windows framed by heavy, ornate curtains offered a view of the meticulously manicured grounds surrounding the mansion.
A writing desk stood against one wall, accompanied by a velvet-upholstered chair. The room was bathed in soft, natural lighting shining in from the window.
In one corner, a sitting area featured plush armchairs and a small coffee table. A discreet door hinted at an attached en-suite bathroom, undoubtedly as lavishly appointed as the rest of the space.
“I imagine you’d like to shower?”
“Yes, that would be lovely, but you’re going to have to let me stand on my own two feet for that,” I answered.
With a soft, reluctant sigh, he put me down. “Is there anything that you’d like to eat? I can have my chef prepare whatever you want,” he offered.
“Surprise me,” I replied, my voice quiet. I watched him with cautious ease.
“Come downstairs and find the kitchen when you’re ready,” he replied, then nodded curtly and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him.
For the first time in days, I sighed in relief. I hugged my arms around my chest.
I couldn’t ignore the persistent fear in my head about my godfather. It was obvious that he was someone important and that he was far richer than I had initially thought him to be.
I told myself that didn’t mean that he was someone dangerous. Maybe he was a stockbroker, or some rich CEO of a tech company, or just a run of the mill billionaire like they featured in Business Weekly.
