Chapter 86 Alaric Tends to Cecilia's Wound
After Cecilia arranged Anna's departure, she returned to the room with Alaric.
As soon as they entered, her poised facade crumbled. She collapsed onto Alaric's bed, exhaustion palpable in her every movement. "Go find a servant to check the whip wounds on my back," she instructed, her voice tinged with pain. "Your dad really didn't hold back at all."
"Now you realize it hurts?" Alaric teased, approaching her with a smirk.
Cecilia rolled her eyes, choosing not to dignify his taunt with a response. All she wanted was to get her wounds treated.
Alaric, sensing her distress, didn’t banter further and turned to leave. Assuming he had gone to fetch a servant, Cecilia shut her eyes, seeking a moment's respite.
Moments later, she felt hands deftly undressing her. Startled, she glanced back to find Alaric.
"What are you doing? Ah!" Her sharp exclamation pulled at her injured skin, tears springing to her eyes.
Alaric’s brows knitted in concern. "Don't move," he instructed, his voice uncharacteristically serious.
"I told you to get a servant, not do it yourself," Cecilia snapped, frustration mingling with the pain. Was Alaric determined to drive her mad?
Ignoring her protests, Alaric picked up a pair of scissors, intent on cutting away her blood-stained clothes.
"Alaric..."
"If you move again, I'll cut your flesh," he warned, dangling the shiny scissors in front of her eyes.
Seething inwardly, Cecilia clamped her mouth shut. 'Alaric, you'd better never need my help!' she thought darkly.
As the cool metal of the scissors met her back, she felt her clothes being methodically snipped away. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she tried to comfort herself with the thought of being seen by a dog, albeit a very persistent one.Alaric worked with intense focus, his eyes lingering too long on her marred skin. She could feel his gaze burning into her, and it was driving her mad. "Alaric!" she barked, her patience fraying.
Before meeting Alaric, she had prided herself on her control. Even when Dominic had stabbed her, she had endured in silence. But after Alaric entered her life, control seemed a distant memory.
"Does it hurt?" Alaric's tone shifted, his voice tinged with unexpected warmth and concern.
Her anger dissipated under his gentle query. Biting her lip, she confessed softly, "A little... Ah." Her breath hitched as she felt a pair of soft lips press a kiss near her wound, lingering with unexpected tenderness.
Her face flamed, the heat spreading from her ears to her neck, engulfing her entire body in a blush. How could a simple touch evoke such a tempest of emotions?
Alaric's lips left her back, and he chuckled as he noticed her deepening blush. With a deft motion, he unhooked her bra, his motions precise and unhurried.
Cecilia's body tensed up noticeably.
"Relax," Alaric teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No matter how bad I am, I won’t take advantage of you now. Besides, if I were to take advantage, I'd wait until you’re healed."
Jerk!
Cecilia cursed silently.
Alaric focused all his attention on the bloody lash marks marring Cecilia’s back. He had experienced such pain before, and the memory was still vivid. However, the defiance with which Cecilia endured it distressed him deeply.
He took out a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and gently warned, "Bear with it."
As soon as he began, Cecilia felt a searing pain that made her back convulse. She bit her lip, refusing to make a sound.Sensing her agony, Alaric's movements were painstakingly delicate as he carefully disinfected her wounds bit by bit. The room descended into an uneasy silence.
Cecilia's brow was slick with sweat from the effort of enduring the pain, and Alaric, focused intently on not exacerbating her suffering, found his own forehead damp with perspiration. Time seemed to crawl.Once the wound was thoroughly disinfected, Alaric applied a special ointment.
"It's so cold," Cecilia murmured, shivering slightly at the chill.
"The coolness will subside soon," Alaric assured her gently. The warmth in his voice seemed to seep into Cecilia, offering a modicum of comfort.
And then she felt it—a warm hand gently stroking her back.
"Alaric!" Cecilia gritted her teeth in frustration.
"I'm afraid you'll catch a cold, so I give you some warmth."
Were it not for the fear of aggravating her injuries, Cecilia might have leaped up and throttled him. Instead, she lay still, her anger bubbling just below the surface.Alaric’s gentle chuckle filled the room as his hand left her back. She couldn’t help but feel a peculiar pang of loss at its departure, though she said nothing.
After applying the ointment, he carefully bandaged her wounds. Once done, Alaric covered her with a blanket. "For now, don’t wear any clothes, especially not a bra. I’ll reapply the ointment tonight, and we’ll see about wearing clothes tomorrow."
Cecilia realized that she would have to spend the day and night partially undressed in his bed.
"I'm not interested in a woman who can't move in bed," Alaric teased, earning a glare that could have scorched the earth. Then, Cecilia closed her eyes, hoping to banish the infuriating sight of him.
Alaric chuckled lightly again as he tidied up the medical kit. He then lay down on the sofa next to her, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. No words were spoken. He didn't even play with his phone, simply lay there, keeping her company.
When Cecilia reopened her eyes, she saw Alaric’s tall frame awkwardly sprawled on the small sofa. Despite herself, she almost felt a pang of sympathy—but quickly suppressed it. She was injured in his house, so he should take some responsibility.
"Is this why you moved out of the Whitaker mansion?" Cecilia suddenly asked.
Alaric turned his head, meeting her gaze.
"Because you knew Emily liked you, so you moved out," she continued. Finally, Cecilia began to understand why Alaric was so notably cold to Emily, who was otherwise spoiled by the entire family.
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