Cristiane Serruya - Trust: Betrayed

“Alistair Connor.” She managed to grimace. “I hate it when you are so reasonable.”

“Do you really?” He looked at her, content that she had stop crying. “I would have done the same thing, if I’d been in Gabriel’s place. I-”

A knock on the door interrupted Alistair. “Come in,” he ordered and looked over his shoulder to see his brother accompanied by a short, plump, blonde woman casually dressed.

“Sophia, this is my friend, Doctor Evelyne Richardson. She’s a psychiatrist. I explained to her what happened. I think it would be advisable if you talk to her a bit. Would you?”

Sophia instantly took a liking to the gentle woman, “Yes.”

As they moved into the bedroom, Evelyne took a seat in one of the armchairs by the enormous four poster bed. “Hmm. This is what I call dramatic surroundings. Good for a seducing vampire.”

Sophia’s little chuckle tinkled in the room mingling with Tavish’s low laughter.

Such imagination these women have. Alistair rolled his eyes heavenward as they walked out to wait in the adjoining sitting room.

10.34 p.m.

Evelyne rose from the armchair and looked at Alistair, “Please, don’t forget to give her the anti-inflammatory.”

“Be careful tomorrow in the bath. Her stitches can’t get wet. You can wake me up if she needs anything. And, lass,” Tavish turned to Sophia and kissed her on the forehead, “I want you to rest. Have a lie in till lunchtime. In the afternoon I’ll take you to get your X-ray and MRI.”

Sophia’s lips curled up at the other domineering brother and she gave him a military salute, “Yes, sir.”

Tavish smiled at her and accompanied Evelyne out of the room.

Alistair fluffed the pillow that supported her arm and adjusted another to make her more comfortable.

“Feeling better?” he asked as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Yes,” Sophia gave him half a smile that lifted his heart.

“Good. I’ll be right back, mo chridhe. Don’t move from here.” Alistair kissed the top of her head and left his bedroom, closing the door softly behind him.

Sophia sighed and looked at the black and gold canopy. She was already feeling relieved. Lighter. She didn’t know if it were the drugs or the talk she’d had with Evelyne. Tavish’s friend was an accomplished psychoanalyst and had greatly eased Sophia’s burden.

“You, Tavish, of all people, should understand how this is not an easy task,” Evelyne frowned at Tavish.

Tavish hung his head, squeezing his eyes in pain, “I know, Evelyne. But unless she let it go, she won’t be able to rebuild her life. You know this better than I do.”

The doctor sighed and put a hand on Tavish’s shoulder. “I do, Tavish, believe me. But I also know how much it hurts and how long it takes to overcome something like what she has been through.”

Evelyne turned to look at Alistair as he came out of the room. “I strongly advise that she calls her therapist as soon as she can.”

“I’ll make sure she does,” he agreed.

“This is absolutely amazing, Sophia. Look,” Alistair’s green eyes were fixed on the rough sea darkened by the thunderous weather. The breaking waves were crashing on the rocks below the road with such force that the water splashed up and soaked the asphalt.

Sophia looked up from her iPhone and gasped. She scooted to the edge of the seat and pushed the intercom to order her driver, “Antônio. Not this way.”

Again and again she repeated the command. But it was useless. The car kept going and the salty sea water started to rise and flood the road.

Sophia pressed down a button and the glass partition came down silently. “Antônio. Turn back, please. You know I don’t like taking this road.”

Sophia screamed soundlessly.

There were two dark-red men on the front seat, wearing all black. Their left hands were missing their ring fingers and they were laughing madly. Although their bodies stiffly faced forwards, their heads gyrated on their necks. Both had the face of the only kidnapper that wasn’t killed. Their eyes were completely black and horns protruded from their foreheads. In unison, they opened their mouths full of sharp teeth and said, “I’ve come back for you, you husband-killer.”

Sophia closed her eyes as they lifted theirs guns. They shot at her four times, but she felt no pain.

She opened her eyes.

The men were smiling happily, gazing at the seat next to her.

Sophia looked too.

Alistair’s green eyes were wide open and his mouth was slack. From four open wounds on his chest, a viscous dark blood poured out like lava from an eruption.

This time, Sophia’s scream came out, loud.

Saturday, April 3^rd, 2010.

6.33 a.m.

“Alistair!” Sophia screamed and thrashed in his arms. “NO! NO!”

“Jesus Christ!” Alistair tightened his arms around her, waking up startled. “Easy, easy. You’re safe, Sophia. Everything’s alright; everything’s alright.”

His deep voice entered the haze of pain that was tearing her heart apart and Sophia blinked away the red acrid fog from her eyes, taking in Alistair’s black and golden bedroom as he turned on the bedside lamp. She heaved for air and threw her healthy arm around his neck, hugging him tightly. She buried her face on his chest as her tears soaked his T-shirt and she sobbed, “Oh, Alistair. Oh, Alistair, thank God.”

“Christ, mo chridhe.” He sat on the bed with her in his arms, dipping his face in her hair. Roses and oranges and vanilla. He wished he could stay there forever.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said as she hiccuped softly. She wiped her face. “I’m not like this.”

Alistair smoothed his hand over her hair. “You had a fright. A nice, hot bath will make you feel better. Wait here.”

“Let’s get you out of those clothes,” Alistair said, coming out of the bathroom. “Your bath is ready.”

Alistair helped her out of her nightie and underwear. “Come on, sweetheart.” Alistair stood up with her in his arms and carried her into the bathroom, setting her gently down into the steaming water.

She hissed as the water hit her tense body.

Fuck. “I’m sorry, mo chridhe,” he whispered. “It’ll get better.”

“No, it’s okay. You were right. This is wonderful.” She gingerly leaned back and closed her eyes.

“Do you hurt?” Alistair knelt beside the tub.

“All over,” Sophia said wryly as she rubbed her right hand over her heart.

“Scoot forward. Let me wash your back,” Alistair murmured, while she pined her hair on top of her head.

Let go, Sophia. Gabriel won’t come back. There’s nothing you can do. Sophia bit her bottom lip for a second and then drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. “I must say, you make a wonderful nurse.”

His lips curled up, “I never thought a woman would say that to me.”

“Alistair Connor...” Sophia sighed. “I don’t want this to ruin Alice’s birthday.”

“For Christ’s sake, Sophia!” He reined in his impatience. Fuck, Sophia, be a bit selfish.

“No. I mean it.” She raised her head, but couldn’t turn it from the stiffness in her muscles. “Please? Promise me you aren’t going to stay with me in your bedroom all day.”

“We’ll see,” he muttered. “Lean back. Careful...” He placed a towel on the edge of the tub, making her rest her head on it and grabbed the sponge again. “Now, let me finish this.”

Oh. No. That’s enough. “No way, nurse MacCraig. Out with you.” She shooed him away with an elegant flick of her hand. “I’ll finish this. Give me five minutes. I’ll call if I need you.”

He smiled amazed at her blushing cheeks. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”

I am. She blushed and threw drops of water on him. “Out. Before I splash you.”

Stubborn woman. He stifled an aggravated grunt and walked to the dressing room, taking off his pajamas and returning to the bathroom.

Sophia’s eyes were closed, her head resting against the towel on the rim of the tub. She seemed so small and fragile to him that his irritation ebbed away. He silently stepped into the tub.

Sophia gasped and opened her eyes as a shallow wave of water washed over her breasts. She gapped at Alistair, “What-”

He sank down into the water and picked her up in his arms, gently swirling her around and settling her between his strong legs, her back against his chest. “If you don’t see me, you won’t be shy. I want to take care of you, sweetheart.”

His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm under her back, while his hands affectionately roamed over her body, cleaning her, washing away her shyness.

With her head on his shoulder, she stated, more than asked, “Nurse MacCraig, do you always have your way?”

Lovingly, he smiled at her and whispered, “Always, Beauty. Always.”

Sunday, April 4^th, 2010.

1.30 p.m.

Above Sophia’s head, on a branch of one of the ancient oaks that graced the backyard of Ells Hall, a bird chirped and flew to the ground. She kept very still on the bench and it came closer eating small crumbs of bread Gabriela and Ariadne were throwing.

Alistair’s arrival scared it and the bird fluttered away.

“My favorite lasses,” he grinned and dropped to his haunches to kiss Gabriela and Ariadne on the cheek and sat next to Sophia, kissing her lips. “Girls, Maria is going to take you riding later. Your mother can’t go today, Gabriela.”

“That’s okay.”

Ariadne jumped down from the bench, “Let’s call Michael to come play.”