| |
The pillow beneath her head was cool and smooth. There was a dull ache between her eyes and her arm and shoulder throbbed a little.
“Signorina? Are you awake?”
“I ...”
“Signorina, you need to drink some water.”
The voice was low, sonorous, warm. The accent almost unplaceable ... a mix of many worlds, places, experiences.
A vague memory of the crash hovered behind her eyes. Then, instantly, it sharpened. She saw herself falling. The scooter sliding off into the bushes.
Her heart hammering, she sat suddenly upright, fully awake. Was she in the hospital? What time was it? What had happened? Her mind whirled. She began looking left and right.
Sitting on the edge of the bed was the man who’d looked into her eyes before she lost consciousness. He held a glass of water in his hand, having jerked it out of the way just as she’d sat up.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” he said, with a little smile. “I was beginning to get a little worried.”
“Where ... am I?”
“Villa Marino,” he said pleasantly. “Which is to say: safe.”
“We’re at ... your house?” she asked incredulously. The thought that this man, whoever he was, had brought her back to his home made her uncomfortable.
And yet ... the sight of the soft white curtains fluttering lightly before the windows calmed her, somehow. As did the gorgeous antique dresser which stood at one end of the room, so too the ornate armoire in dark wood on the opposite side.
Whoever this man was, he was obviously wealthy. And he had very good taste.
Still, she felt herself drawing away from him, unsure.
“This is my family’s villa,” he said calmly, sensing her hesitation. “I wanted to take you to the main hospital on the island after your fall, but you kept shaking your head, saying I shouldn’t. I insisted we go, but you insisted harder, even though you were still not fully conscious. It seems you had your reasons, so I chose to respect them. You wouldn’t tell me where you were staying on the island, either. That’s why I brought you back here. I had no choice, really. Do you remember any of it?”
Lana shook her head vaguely. “No ... I ...” she said. “I don’t seem to remember very much at all. Just the accident. Nothing much afterward.”
“That’s alright,” he said, with a reassuring smile, handing her the glass of water. “Drink some. It’s still late. You should get some rest. Hopefully, everything will be clearer in the morning. If you feel ill, nauseous, or your head hurts any worse, let me know immediately. You may have a more serious concussion than we think. And you should still see a doctor.”
She felt the color start to rise in her cheeks. “You’re offering to allow me to stay here for the night?” she asked.
“Of course,” he said. “It is no time to be out there, alone.”
“I don’t even ... I don’t know your name,” she said.
“Ah.” He smiled. “Alessandro Marino. I forgot. You can call me Alex.”
She nodded. “Alex.”
“And you are Lana Davis,” he continued.
She felt a sharp little twinge in her chest. “How did you know ...?”
“I thought I’d have to give the hospital a name when I checked you in, so I looked at your credit card. But then you started shouting no hospitals,” he gave a light chuckle. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh ... Uh. No. It’s alright.” Then, suddenly, she remembered. Where was her purse? The bag with her few measly clothes? She began to look around.
“All your personal things are over there, beside the dresser,” said Alex reassuringly, as though he knew exactly what she was looking for. “I saved them from the scooter.” He gave a small bow before leaving the room. “Anyhow. Goodnight. As I say, please let me know if you feel any worse. Nauseous. Blurred vision. Things like that. Concussions can be serious things. Hopefully, all you’ve got is a very mild one.” And with that, he rose from the bed and stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Dazed, Lana lay back on the cool white sheets. She was a little bruised. A little scraped. And, yes, maybe just a little concussed. But she was alright.
And now, she thought, looking around, she was here. In ... a villa? A gorgeous, grand villa?
She let her head and heart settle for a few moments then rose from the bed and walked to the window, looking out on the ocean. Lights glittered on the water like jewels.
Where are you? She wondered. And who was that man? The man who ... saved you?