“Good. He loves you, too,” Lidiya says with a smile. “It’s in the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that.”
“Ms. Murphy, before we get started I need to ask a sensitive question,” the doctor says to me, taking my attention away from Ivan’s sister.
“What is it?” I ask him.
“Do I need to also conduct an exam for sexual assault?” he asks.
“I don’t think so,” I say with a sigh. “I was knocked out and woke up with bruises and cuts in that basement. Patrick grabbed me roughly on my breasts and tried to kiss me. I managed to kick him in his groin, and he stopped.” I notice that Lidiya gives me a smile and nod of approval.
“Okay,” the doctor says as he begins his exam.
Thirty minutes later, the doctor wraps up his exam and lets Ivan back into the bedroom.
“Ms. Murphy, be sure to rest and take those meds I gave you. You should be fine in a few days,” the doctor instructs. Ivan shakes his hand before kicking his sister and Mrs. Ivanova out of the room and closing the door.
“Are you okay,lyubimaya?” Ivan asks me as he crawls onto the bed beside me. He gently puts his arms around me and rests his head on my lap.
“I’m fine, Ivan. The doctor says there’s some cuts and bruises, but they’ll heal,” I answer him.
“Did they hurt you?” Ivan asks, full of anger and anxiety at my possible answer. “If they hurt you, I will end them all tonight.”
“I’ll be fine, Ivan,” I reassure him. There will be time later to tell him the whole story. Ivan lets out a uneasy sigh.
“I’m still going to end them,” he says. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“Not right now,” I say. “I want to take a shower and wash off this whole experience.”
“You stay here. I’ll take care of it,” Ivan replies. He gives me a kiss before pushing off the bed and retreating to the bathroom.
I hear him turn the water on in the shower before he comes back to the bed to carry me into the bathroom.
“Ivan! I’m not a complete invalid. I can walk just fine,” I tell him as he scoops me up from the bed.
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to,” Ivan replies. He puts me down next to the counter and helps me out of my dirty clothing. “We will burn these clothes tomorrow.”
Ivan reaches for his belt, but I place my hand on his to stop him. He looks at me with confusion.
“I need to do this on my own, Ivan,” I say gently. “Please. Let me do this on my own.”
Ivan nods and then leads me to the steaming shower, helping me inside before closing the shower door. As soon as the hot water hits my body, I let out a deep moan. The heat feels amazing on my sore muscles, and I just want to stand under the spray forever.
I wash my body and hair, taking my time to wash everything at least twice. When I’m done, Ivan is waiting outside the shower door with a fluffy towel. I may not have let him wash me, but I do let him dry me off and wrap me in his arms. He leads me back to the bed and helps me into some pajamas before tucking me under the covers and laying down next to me.
“I was scared I’d never see you again,” I tell him quietly.
“Nothing could keep me away. I’m sorry it took so long to get to you,” Ivan replies. “Two days is too long when it should have never happened at all.”
“I’m here and I’m safe,” I remind him, running my hands over his upper arms.
“I need to keep you safer. It’s not over with Callaghan.”
“Can I ask you something?” I ask him.
“You can ask me anything,lyubimaya,”Ivan answers.
“How bad does it get, working in the mafia?” I ask.
Ivan sighs heavily before answering me. He looks like he doesn’t want to have this conversation, but I need answers.
