Reverence

Chapter 9

I woke up, in the comfort of the hotels soft bed. The bed felt larger than I thought, given since I was sleeping alone. My eyes fought through the brightness the crept through the curtains. As I gained body strength, I managed to sit up, to see Ray sitting on the sofa dressed, as if she were going somewhere. "Good morning." I grunted. With her legs crossed, she tapped on her phone, as if she were sending a long text message. "Look, if you're still mad-." She uncrossed her legs and stood up, grabbing her purse. "I'm going to get breakfast." She said, "Oh, well, I'll come with." She shot her hand out and stopped me. "No, I'd rather go alone." She said.

She slammed the door behind her, and I was all alone. I didn't know how to feel. Whether if I should be angry for how I acted, angry for what she said, or angry that I allowed myself to fall for someone like her.

I crawled out of the bed to brush my teeth, and to fix my hair to the best of my ability. I took time to set a shower for myself, just before stepping in, someone was knocking on my door. I kept my boxers on my hips and put a shirt and a pair of shorts on. Without a doubt, I assumed Ray walked off and left something, one being her room key. I opened the door without hesitation, "Ray, did you leave your ke-." Just as I swung the door opened, I was punched in the jaw. I fell to the ground, feeling winded and weak.

"Wha- What the fuck?!" I shout. Two men walked inside the room, one kicking me in the rib, the other kicking me the face. Blood dripping from my face, couldn't tell if it was from my nose or mouth. The pain was excruciating, but I had to fight it. I had to fight them. I struggled and stumbled to my feet. "The fuck you bitches want?" I found a chair to sit in, to keep myself propped up. My left eye was swelling quickly, my right eye was the only one giving me the identity of these two men. The one who kicked me in the rib, he was a medium-height. About 5'8 or 5'9. He had a buzz cut and a tattoo of a dragon on his neck. The other, was much taller, definitely exceeding over six feet, with a little more hair, quaffed and swooped to the side, but became disorganized to the blows. He was clean shaven, and had an anchor tattooed on his left forearm.

"The fuck you bitches want?" I say out of breath. "Courtesy from Kane. This is only the beginning for you, bitch." Dragon Boy said to me. "We'll see you soon...Bruno." The Anchorman, I nicknamed him, added. "You know, now that Ray is single, I know I'm boutta tap that ass." Dragon Boy said to the other. "Don't you fucking touch her." I grunted with pain, spitting blood on the floor. "And what're you gonna do about it little man? Imma make sure she's screaming my name. I will tear her apart, and make you watch." I spat at him, as I was disgusted at his animalistic thoughts. "You couldn't even get close to her if you tried." I said. He snickered. "No one can stop us. Even if you tried. Now, go to sleep."
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Play Music Here

I woke up to hot water smacking my face. My body felt heavy, given that I was still in my clothes as I sat in the shower. "Bruno?" I could hear, but my body couldn't respond physically, at least not right away. Ray was back in the room. "Bruno, I don't think I can do this anymore." She knocked on the bathroom door. "Bruno!" I can tell she was growing frustrated. "Ray." I struggled to say. "Bruno, why is there blood on the floor?" Her voice faded as if she were looking around the room. That's when she came into the bathroom.

I saw her silhouette walk inside and she trotted right to the shower. She opened the door and gasped at the sight. I didn't even know what I looked like. The men that came in here left me to die. I was in and out of consciousness, so my vision went black time to time, but I wanted to the keep them open for her. For Ray.

"Bruno, oh my God." She got under the shower head, get wet a little bit, and turned it off . "What happened? Who did this?" She asked. My brain was saying so much, but very little was coming out. "You know what, it doesn't matter right now, but I need to get you to the hospital." She panicked. "No." I finally formed the word. "No." I said again. "No." She repeated. "Okay." She knew what this was about. "Okay, but we need to get these wet clothes off of you. You're going to get sick." I only had a T-shirt on with shorts and of course my boxers, but everything on my body felt so heavy. I was extremely weak.

Somehow, Ray managed to get off the floor, and move me to the bed. I was slowly regaining my strength already, and it was because of her. She laid me down, and just to think, not even 24hours ago, I was preparing to seduce her for the first time, and now, she's playing doctor to secure my wounds. Before setting me down, I stood up with trembling knees, but I kept standing. She removed my bloodstained shirt, and pulled down my shorts. She took them to the bathroom where she retrieved a towel. "I'm going to have to take them off." She said. "Okay." I struggled to say. She pulled down my shorts, exposing me, completely, but she made no comment about it. She was like a true nurse in this sense. She wrapped the towel around my waist and allowed me to sit on the bed. I slowly laid back, bringing back the pain that I've endured.

She hung my clothes in the bathroom to dry and she came back out to have my attention. I have something for the bruises, she said. She went into her suitcase and pulled out this cream, which smelled like sweet buttercream. She sat on her knees on the floor at the side of the bed, gently applying the medicine. "You're lucky they didn't break a rib." She said. "You're lucky to be alive." The cold cream on my side was sensitive to the touch, just enough to get my stirring.

Her hand on me, I've never encountered someone this caring. I found the strength to run my hand across the back of her neck, moving it up to the roots of her hair. She closed her eyes, moving her head to my motion. "Bruno." She whispered. "Hands so soft, they're only for loving." She added. "And to protect you." I say. She kisses my hand and forearm, snuggling into them.

"You're going to be okay. I promise." She moved closer to me. "I know." I retort. She reached my lips and just a perfect touch, a perfect kiss. "I'm sorry. I let this happen." She said with the tip of her nose at the corner of my  mouth. I kissed it. "Things happen. Now we have to finis-."

The hotel phone rang. "I'll get it." Ray said. "No." I stop her, even though it was painful. "Let me." She pulled the phone off the hook, and handed it to me. "Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Bruno! How's it going?! I heard you were staying here in this hotel." I knew the voice, like the dna on my hand. "Hey." Was all I could say. "Aye man, you doing anything tomorrow? Let's hit the bar or something. We gotta catch up! You performing over here?" The man asked. "No just vacationing." I said. "Where and what time should we meet?" I asked. "Mmm maybe noon tomorrow at Jesse's Bar and Grill?" He suggested. "I'll see you there." I struggled to put the phone down. "Bruno, who was that?"

I took a deep breath and looked her in the face. "Xavier Kane"