1 week later
“Turn around,” I ordered softly. Ayla did as she was told and gave me her back.
“Is the water too hot?” I asked, soaping up her spine.
“No,” she replied quietly.
I smiled at her answer and continued to wash her. I rubbed down her legs and then turned her around. Squeezing some shampoo in my palm, I massaged her hair.
She closed her eyes and leaned toward me. I chuckled and quickly rinsed her off. “There you go. All done.”
Ayla opened her eyes and stared at me, her eyes void of any emotion. “Thank you.”
I kissed her lips and helped her out of the shower. After wrapping towels around us both, I dried her hair.
She sighed almost dreamily before leaning against my chest. “Does that feel good?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
“Do you want me to brush your hair?”
She nodded again. “Please.”
We walked into the bedroom, and she settled on the bed. I climbed behind her and started to comb her hair until it was smooth and shiny.
“All done,” I muttered, kissing her shoulder. “You look beautiful, Angel.”
I saw a small hint of a smile on her lips. It made me giddy, seeing our progress.
“The most beautiful.” The corner of her lips tilted up in a ghost smile. “What about me?” I teased.
I got off the bed and stood in front of her. Ayla stared up at me, her mouth open. I knew I was pushing it. Ayla didn’t speak more than a few words.
Yes. No. Okay. Please. Thank you.
Sometimes she would speak a sentence if it was something she really wanted to say. But that was rarely.
If she spoke, it was only to me.
It drove Maddie crazy that Ayla wouldn’t speak to her.
Ayla was mostly quiet and observant.
If she showed any emotions, it was because I did something that reminded her of the past. She still hadn’t played a song on the piano.
But I knew being in that room brought her peace. Just like the creek. She always wore a serene look on her face whenever she was there.
Her eyes would twinkle in the slightest way, showing the little bits of happiness she was feeling in those moments.
Ayla cleared her throat, snapping me out of my thoughts. She bit down on her lips nervously and looked down at her lap.
“It’s okay,” I quickly amended.
Holding her chin, I smiled. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to.”
Giving her a kiss on the forehead, I pulled away. “I need to go change.”
“You are beautiful.”
My mouth fell open, and I quickly snapped it shut. I almost choked on my breath and had to swallow several times.
She had said it so quick, and now she was avoiding my eyes.
I smiled. She was so precious.
I couldn’t help but smirk when I answered. “Thank you, Angel. Although I wouldn’t have minded if you called me sinfully, deliciously sexy. It would have done great wonders for my already big ego.”
She sucked in a surprised breath, her eyes widening. “You remember that too?” I muttered.
When she didn’t answer, I kissed her lips and pulled away. “I need to take care of some things. You can nap, and we will go to the piano room when I get back.”
Ayla nodded mutely, and I went into the closet. After dressing, I walked out to see Ayla already in bed.
Giving her a final glance, I walked out.
I met Viktor in the gym. “Ayla spoke for the first time when she saw me hurt,” I started.
Viktor stared at me in surprise and then smirked before busting into laughter. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
“Fuck you,” I growled, landing a punch on the punching bag. My knuckles were bare, and I knew they would be bleeding soon.
“Sorry, not interested. I love wet pussies better,” Viktor laughed, rolling his sleeves up.
I landed more furious punches against the bag, my knuckles already raw and the skin bleeding.
“So how badly do you want me to fuck you up?” he asked, moving closer.
“I thought you said you were interested in pussies?”
“Can I use your spiral knife?”
“No,” I snapped.
Viktor huffed. “Fine.”
I didn’t have time to block his punch. It landed painfully in my ribcage, and I groaned. I bellowed, “You have a death wish.”
“You asked for it.”
“Shit. She only needs to see me hurt a little! Just to trigger her memories.”
“Oops, okay. You should have said that before.” Viktor shrugged.
I glared at him and kicked at his knee. He went down. “You crazy fucker!”
It was my turn to shrug. “Lesson one. Always be on your guard.”
We fought for hours. It turned out that it was more than just trying to make Ayla feel. We fought out our anger and self-loathing.
Our anger toward the men that had hurt Ayla was taken out on each other. Phoenix and Nikolay soon joined us.
“I can’t breathe. I think I broke something,” Viktor wheezed.
“Pussy,” Phoenix breathed through his pain.
“You went down before all of us,” Nikolay reminded Phoenix.
I shook my head and limped out of the gym. I was time to get to my Angel.
I opened the door and saw Ayla sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the wall. Her eyes snapped toward mine. I stayed hidden in the shadows.
“I’ll wait for you in the piano room.”
Without a second glance, I left the room and went next door. Settling in my chair, I waited for her.
The door opened, and I heard a gasp. “Alessio,” she breathed.
I closed my eyes at her voice. The sound of my name coming from her lips was heaven. For so long, I waited for this. For her to say my name.
Opening my eyes again, I saw Ayla coming toward me. She knelt down between my legs. “What…ha…ppened?”
Her voice was soft. But it was her eyes that got to me. She looked at me as if she was in pain.
“You are hurt,” she whispered, looking down at my bloodied hands.
She was feeling my pain.
Ayla searched my face, and she winced when she saw the bruises there. “I was sparring. It’s nothing.”
“But you are hurt,” Ayla said, taking my hands in hers. She bit on her lips nervously before looking around the room.
I knew what she was looking for.
“The first aid box is in our room. First drawer in the closet,” I muttered. Ayla stared at me for a second. Recognition flashed in her eyes before she nodded.
She got up and left the room.
I closed my eyes with a sigh. I was so fucking proud of her.
When she came back, I opened my eyes and saw her kneeling between my legs again. Ayla went through the first aid box, and I helped her pick the antiseptic wipes and bandages.
She stared at my hands for a second, her eyebrows furrowed. Her gaze went up to mine before moving to my hands again.
And then Ayla slowly cleaned my knuckles. Gently and with care. She cleaned the blood off and blew softly over my ripped skin.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Was she feeling this connection too? Did this moment mean something to her?
When she was done, she wrapped the bandages around my hands.
“Thank you, Angel.”
She nodded mutely, still staring at my bandaged hands, confused.
“Does this seem familiar?” I finally asked.
Ayla gave me a sharp nod. “You’ve done this before. In this same room. And just like today, you were hurting for me.”
Her fingers caressed my bandaged knuckles. “You might have forgotten me, but I still remember you. I still remember us. You used to play the piano for me every night. You would read while sitting on my lap. I would play with your hair while working. Sometimes we would go to the creek. You would play in the water. I was always scared that you would fall and get hurt,” I explained, my voice rough with emotion.
She moved closer to me and laid her head on my thigh.
“Your favorite flower is the white peony. But you love the pink one too. You love reading. You don’t know how to dance. I don’t know either. But we danced together. I love your hair down, so you would always leave it down for me. Your favorite food is pasta. You like chocolate, especially white chocolate. You hate dark chocolate—it’s too bitter for you. You would get mad if I didn’t wake you up in the morning when I was leaving. I would get mad if you didn’t kiss me good morning.”
Ayla closed her eyes as I caressed her cheek. “You said I was your peace. Your anchor and your savior. You are my Angel. We are one. I just need you to remember.”
Ayla stayed silent, but I could see the calm look on her face. After a few minutes of silence, I spoke.
“Play for me, Angel.”
Ayla sat up and stared at me. Our eyes making contact. Green to blue.
She let out a resigned sigh. I knew it was harder for her to remember. “Give it a try.”
She got up and went to the piano. When Ayla settled on the bench, I stood up and went to her. Standing behind her, I placed my hand over her round stomach.
When a hard kick pressed against my palm, I smiled. “The little fighter is feisty. He is cheering you on too.”
Ayla placed her fingers on the keyboard, and I waited. She pressed a key. A note played. And then another key.
Two notes and she stopped. Her shoulder dropped in defeat.
When I couldn’t bear the dejected look on her face any longer, I leaned forward. “It’s okay, Angel. We have all the time. You can try when you are ready. I won’t push you.”
Ayla stayed quiet, and I kissed her cheek before moving my lips to her ear.
And then I whispered the one thing I had been desperate to say for a long time.
She stiffened, and I saw her hands shaking.
My lips turned up in a smile.
When I saw a single tear trail down her cheek, I kissed it away and whispered the words again.
“I love you, my Angel.”