It's My Life (Filming Rhiannon. Book 1) (22 page)

"Finally," he snarls, "I will have you, then my debt will be cleared." he says as he puts his hands on my breasts, and lowers his mouth to mine.

I am panting, trying to scream but no sounds come out. I'm thrashing about, and suddenly I'm being shaken with some force.

As my eyes fly open, I manage to get a piercing scream out from my heaving lungs.

"Rhiannon," the voice is saying.

Still thrashing about and heaving, I see Kaleb stood above me with fear in his eyes.

The first thing I do is flinch from his touch. He backs of a little, till I manage to calm myself. Once I am back in the world of reality, I realize it was just a dream.

“Rhiannon, listen to me.” Kaleb sternly demands, as my eyes dart around the room, “You are safe.” he continues as he comes closer slowly.

“I'm scared.” I admit as the tears falls.

“I know you are. Its written all over your face. That is why we have to do this.” he patiently explains. “We can’t let this happen to other individuals.” he finishes.

“I just want it over.” I sob as he comes closer and folds me in his arms. I fear it won’t ever be over. Len is seeking revenge, and if tonight’s man doesn’t succeed, I know Len will try other ways.

“It will be soon; I promise.” he says as he rocks me in a comforting manner. He can’t make promises like that, because he doesn’t know anything, and I can’t let him to find out.

“Will you stay here with me?” I beg him.

“I'm not going anywhere.” he automatically answers, like he knew I would ask.

He climbs on the bed, and with me still in his arms, he lays us both back down.

“Go back to sleep, I'll be here when you wake up.” he whispers as he pulls my back closer to his chest. For some unknown reason I feel safer with him here. I have never feared him, just being intimidated by him, and pissed off with him, but having him here instead of being on my own is comforting.

As I’m falling asleep, I hear Kaleb tapping away on his phone.

“What are you doing?” I ask groggily. His tap, tap, tapping is keeping me awake.

“Just texting Liam, he should find this man.” he answers.

I don’t want him to do that, he will possibly find out about my past. I try persuading him not too, “Please don’t.”

“Look, he hurt you, I can’t and won’t let him get away with it Rhiannon.”

“Kaleb please leave it to the police.” I plead with him.

“I can’t do that Rhiannon; I have to protect you.”

“Don’t do it this way Kaleb. I won’t stop you protecting me, but please don’t take this in your own hands.” Len is dangerous, and nobody will get in his way. I fear he might hurt Kaleb, or Kaleb will find out what I did. I live in shame and fear every day, I can’t have Kaleb hating me, or pitying me.

“Okay.” he says giving up, but I know that’s not the end. He gave in far too easily. Tonight though, I just do not have the energy to argue with him about it. Tomorrow is a different day though, and I will try my damn hardest to protect Kaleb.

Finally, I slowly drift off back to sleep, hoping my sleep isn’t cruelly invaded again.

*****

All too soon, I am awoken again.

This time though, it’s by the nurse who is coming to put me on my drip.

“I need to do this.” she tells me as she holds up the tray of equipment up, but her eyes are not on me, they are on a sleeping Kaleb beside me.

“Please don’t make him move. When I woke with a nightmare earlier, I was so scared.” I tell her as I recall my dream, and shiver at the memory.

“I asked him to sleep up here. I haven’t had a bad dream with him here.” I inform her, hoping I have touched her sensitive side.

“He shouldn’t be in there with you, but it might be better if you don’t have nightmares with your drip in. We don’t want you pulling it out. I can give you a light sedative to help you if you like.”

“No please,” I plead with her, “having him in here helps me.”

“Okay, but this once only.” she holds up one finger.

“I only plan on been here one night.”

“Okay, let’s get this done so you can sleep.” she says pulling the tray closer.

“This might sting,” she says as I hand her my arm. “We need to draw bloods too; I’ll do that first.”

She proceeds to find a vein, and once she thinks she has one I feel the sharp sting of the needle.

I wince a little as it pierces my skin. She messes with the needle while its buried in my arm. After pushing it in further she comes to the conclusion she hasn’t hit a vein.

“Okay, I will try once more in this arm and try your other arm. Your veins don’t want to be found.” she says as she puts the needle through my skin once again.

“I'm sorry, this arm isn’t working.” she says apologetic. I hold out my other arm, and she proceeds all over again.

“Damn it.” she curses after the second attempt on my other arm. “I will have to try the back of your hand, but I'm afraid to say if that doesn’t work, we will have to try your feet.” she says making me cringe.

She turns her attention back to my first arm, and inspects it. “This one should work first time.” she says as she rubs her finger across my hand. Again she pierces my skin with the needle, but still doesn’t hit the vein.

“Your veins are not easy to access. Have you always had this problem?” she asks.

“Yes, when I have bloods taken I have to come to the hospital instead of the doctors’ surgery because no one at the surgery can find them.” I explain.

“I'll try once more, but if it doesn’t work I will have to try your feet. We don’t like to do the feet because it is painful, more so then the hand, and sometimes if the needle has to stay in, you’re bed bound, so it’s our last resort, because they do want to draw more bloods in the morning to check your alcohol levels.”

“Okay,” I say just wanting to sleep, and get more than half hour sleep at a time.

She sticks the needle in one more time, and it stings so much I flinch.

“Got it.” she says happily.

About bloody time I think.

Once she has finished messing about, putting the little tube over the needle, removing the needle, she adds a little tube while it fills with my blood. She fills two of them, before she puts a little screw cap on the end of the tube.

With the bloods collected, she starts with the drip. After its put it on the stand, so its higher up, she gets a little syringe, and flushes the tube clean, before she attaches the drip.

She explains to me when it will be removed.

“You will have it for about six hours, it’s just saline water to hydrate you. Once it’s done and we have checked you over for any delayed injuries you should be good to go. I will put on your chart you’re on a six-hour drip, so you shouldn’t be disturbed till it’s time to remove it. That way, a different nurse won’t demand him to leave. It’s against protocol, but in this instance, I think it’s in your better interests to let him stay. I suggest you get some sleep.” she says as she checks my bag of fluids again.

With that she leaves the room, leaving me to sleep.

“You are one awkward woman.” Kaleb says as I lay back down to sleep.

“Why?” I ask shocked. I thought he was asleep.

“It has just taken her six attempts to get a vein. I cringed just thinking about it” he says with humor.

“I'm used to it.” I say, “I'm always anemic, so my iron levels are tested every three months.”

“And you go through that every time?” he asks shocked.

“Just about, yes.”

“Have they ever had to take it from your feet? That sounds painful. I’m a man, and obviously I’m a strong man, but even that thought scares me.”

“Twice yes, and it hurts so damn much.”

“Why didn’t you put on your notes at work you’re anemic? Couldn’t that affect your work?” he asks confused.

“Yes, but that’s only if I don’t take my tablets, but I take them every day, so it doesn’t affect my work. I don’t want to be treated different at work, and right now, I don’t want to talk about work.”

“Okay, but we will have to come back to it.” he says.

Just as I’m about to reply, he continues taking.

“Well don’t have anything to drink, you will sprinkle like a watering can with all them holes.” he laughs at me.

“I thought you were asleep anyway.”

“Nope. I can’t sleep. You keep thrashing about and I have never been one for hospital beds.” he says.

Great now I feel even more guilty.

“I'm sorry, you can go home.” I say.

“I don’t want to leave you; I’ll be fine.” he says as he pulls me closer again.

“I don’t want to keep you awake.”

“I can manage on little to no sleep. It’s you who needs sleep.” he says.

“That’s true, so I am going to sleep now.” I say past a yawn. He chuckles at me but doesn’t say anything else.

“I would stay up all night to make sure you're safe. Don’t ever doubt my feelings for you, please.” I think I hear him say, followed by a soft kiss on my hair, but in my state I am guessing it’s my dream, which beats my other one.

*****

I wake up the following morning, by a new nurse coming to remove my drip. It doesn’t feel like I’ve had six hours of sleep, but I was up most of the night, so I am still exhausted.

She doesn’t remove the drip just yet as Kaleb is asleep, and I’m still not awake. She just removes the bag, caps of my drip, so air isn’t getting in to my veins and leaves us both to sleep again. I’m surprised she didn’t say anything about Kaleb sharing my bed, but I’m glad she didn’t.

“About time,” Kaleb mumbles. “Every time you moved that bloody stand moved with you.” he stays with his eyes still closed.

“Stop moaning.” I say back wanting to go back to sleep.

He just chuckles, and pulls me closer.

*****

When I finally wake up later, I am feeling miles better. No hang over, which I suspect is down to the saline drip, and I am finally feeling rested. I rub my eyes to rid them of sleep, and I suspect I grab Kaleb’s attention.

“Are you finally awake?” he asks me.

“Yeah,” I murmur back.

“Thank heavens, I need the bathroom.” he says sitting up.

“Well why didn’t you go earlier, stupid.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you, but I will get you back for that comment.” he threatens as he rises of the bed.

I laugh at his response as he walks to the private bathroom that’s adjourned to my hospital room.

Once he is done, he walks back in with a smile.

Well he is cheery for having very little sleep.

“How are you feeling?” he asks me.

“I'm feeling loads better actually.” I say happily. I’m trying to forget yesterday happened, although I doubt he will let me forget it as easily as I’m wishing.

“That’s good. Now what did you call me?” he asks as he jumps on the bed.

“I do believe it was 'stupid' why, do you have a problem with that?” I say laughing at him as he hovers above me.

“Too damn right I do.” he says as he starts to tickle my ribs.

I’m screaming and wiggling beneath him.

“Kaleb don’t do that; I haven’t been to the bathroom yet.” I say through my laughter. “Kaleb.” I shout as he continues the torture.

“What do you say?” he says as he continues.

I don’t respond, I can’t get anything through my laughter now.

He slows his torture so I can even out my breathing, “Rhi, I do believe you insulted me, if you don’t apologize I will continue tickling you.” he says as his fingers go to my ribs again.

“Okay okay, I’m sorry please stop.” I beg him.

His fingers finally release me, and he helps me to my feet. I slowly walk to the bathroom and empty my bladder.

Once I have washed my hands, and face I walk back to the room, and Kaleb is sat against the bed with his hands behind his head.

“Comfy?” I ask him.

“I sure am.” he says with a big smile. He looks at me, and pats the bed beside him.

“Join me?” he asks me.

I climb on the bed beside him.

“How did you sleep in the end?” I ask him.

“Great, once they unhooked you. You don’t half fidget in your sleep.” he says trying to be serious, but his smile gives him away.

“Stop complaining, I didn’t have to let you share my bed.” I say as I rest my head on his shoulder.

Just at that moment my door opens, and in walks Jase, an angry looking Jase, who sees me with Kaleb, and I think he heard our conversation. He is raging mad.

“Jase,” I say as he walks in the room, and shuts the door behind him.

“Kaleb,” Jase greets him, “What are you doing here?” he questions him. It’s okay, it’s not like I’m here.

“Rhiannon needed me.” he says as he steps off the bed and walks over to Jase.

“Rhiannon.” he finally acknowledges me.

“Hello Jase.” I say.

“Why have I just walked in to this and heard what I heard?”

“Jase not here.” Kaleb says.

“Yes here.”

“Jase please.” I say trying to plead with him.

“No Rhiannon, why did he sleep with you?” he demands.

“It’s not what you think.” I say defensively.

“Right so I walk in to you saying you let him sleep with you, but it’s not what I think?” he asks angry.