A few minutes into the hug, Jenna felt something soak her shirt.
"Something feels wet," she whispered, pulling away from the hug, only to gasp.
"Anne! You're bleeding!" Jenna widened her eyes, staring at the young man and then at his chest. She had almost forgotten he was badly injured, yet she had wrapped herself in such a tight hug just because it felt comfortable.
"I'm so sorry! I should have known better," Jenna cried, touching his chest.
Without thinking, she quickly helped him out of his shirt, seeing that the white pieces used to wrap the wound were now soaked. Jenna's eyes glistened.
"What have you done, Jenna?" she asked herself, feeling bad for the young man.
Rhane moved his eyes from Jenna's worried face to his own body. He had not felt any pain at all until now.
"Sit, sit, let me clean it up." Jenna led him to her bed. "I should have something around," she muttered to herself, one finger on her lips as she scanned her room for where she had left the box for treatment.
"Ah! Yes!" Jenna snapped her fingers when she remembered. She rushed to the corner and rummaged through the things there, throwing and scattering everything around the room.
"Not this, not this one... okay, good."
Rhane watched as his master pushed everything around in search of something. When she was done, she stood up and kicked everything to the side.
"This should do," Jenna returned with the box and pieces of cloth she found. Then she sat beside Rhane and tried to treat him, but his back was too broad, blocking the light that streamed into the room.
Jenna tried to push the curtain open to let in more light, but when she walked back and squinted, she saw nothing.
"Um," Jenna stood up, pacing. "I think you should lie down... can you?"
With no questions asked, Rhane rested his back on the bed and stared at Jenna.
"Good!" Jenna nodded. Now she could see his wound and clean it without hurting him more.
Jenna removed the stained pieces tied around Rhane's body first. Picking up a vial she used to store disinfectant, Jenna took a small towel, poured the disinfectant, and brought it closer to his chest.
She dabbed it the first time, avoiding the open wound. She cleaned around it, making sure it was spotless, then removed the pieces of material that had gotten stuck to it.
"This must have hurt so much. Why did you hug me tightly?" Jenna asked, looking so worried. She poured more disinfectant and continued cleaning, her concentration deep.
Rhane stared at her face, her lips pouting as she cleaned with all seriousness. He was so lost staring at her face that he didn't feel it when Jenna swiped her finger over the cut.
"Did it hurt?" Jenna asked, pressing her lips. "I needed to clean the surface so it doesn't get infected. I don't have much to treat you with, and taking you out will only attract attention."
Rhane only gave her a nod, then watched as she took her time to clean the wound.
Jenna was so immersed in what she was doing. She loved taking care of people, caring for them, and being good to them. It was just her luck that she had met a man who was the complete opposite.
A man who loved to inflict wounds and pain.
As Jenna cleaned, her eyes fell on the old scars on the young man's body, and she frowned. It made her think about the life he must have lived to have such scars. She was worried for him, and also for herself.
Jenna didn't want anyone who would bring trouble into her life.
"These scars look scary... they must have hurt." Jenna traced her fingers over them. She leaned closer to see the one near his neck. It was a stab wound.
How could one survive something so brutal? Jenna needed to know who she had brought home. Her eyes shifted from his neck to his head, where the injury that had caused his memory loss was.
"Why do you hurt so much?" Jenna breathed heavily, her warm breath falling on Rhane's face.
When she raised her face, she realized just how close she was to his. They now shared the same air. Rhane's hazel eyes were locked onto Jenna's worried expression.
Jenna looked down into his eyes, and she became speechless. She had never met a man with such beautiful eyes. It was as if the forest was having a meeting with birds and trees of different colors.
"You have such peaceful eyes," Jenna muttered, unable to look away. She moved her finger up to his face and brushed his hair aside.
Jenna leaned closer, careful to avoid his chest and the wounds she had just cleaned, yet her chest pressed against the young man's hand.
Rhane was also lost in looking at Jenna's eyes, the large, curious, Bambi-brown eyes.
"Is it from your mother or your father?" Jenna asked, even more curious as she rubbed her fingers over his thick eyebrows.
Feeling his hand go numb, Rhane tried to adjust slightly, but his hand pressed against Jenna's breast, and she sighed.
"Ow," Jenna blushed.
"My lady, are you in?"
Hearing Percy's voice made Jenna realize the compromising situation she was in with this man, and her face flushed, blood rushing to her cheeks.
"Oh, I'm sorry... I—" She gave herself a pinch. It had been so long since she had such closeness with any man.
"I-I—" Jenna quickly scrambled up, feeling embarrassed and ashamed of her actions.
"Stand up, Anne. Quick." She didn't want anyone to misunderstand the situation. Wrapping the pieces she had brought along, Jenna made sure the wounds were properly covered, her hands becoming sweaty as she worked.
"All done!" She nodded, then turned to the door. Before she opened it, she rubbed her hands over her face and nodded.
"Yes, Percy?" She opened the door.
Percy stood outside. "I was wondering if you saw the young ma—"
Rhane appeared beside Jenna, and Percy's face turned ashen.
"What is he doing inside your room?!" Percy screamed, his anger evident in the way he stomped his feet.
"I needed to clean his wounds," Jenna defended, folding her arms and resting her back against the wall.
"I could have done that for him! You never let anyone inside your room!" Percy cried, feeling frustrated.
"And you never even clean my wounds," he whined.
Jenna sighed. "This is not the time to act like a child, Percy. We both know Anne can't do that for himself. Now, quickly leave. Show him to his room. Leave."
Jenna waited for the two of them to leave before she quickly banged the door shut and fell to her knees. This wasn't what she had bargained for.
She had acted so needy earlier, so starved. Jenna walked back to the jar of alcohol and took a sip. She needed to be careful next time, she told herself.