My Champagne Problems

21: Blanc de Noirs

'Everything has a past'

"Why don't you have shoes on?" Enrique asks slowly, while the rest stress over my bruised state.

"'Cause I went running in them," I mumble under my breath, shrugging one shoulder.

I hear mum sigh. "Come on honey, let's get you cleaned up," she says making her way toward me.

"That's fine, I'll help her," Kayden replies curtly reaching by my side before she can. I frown.

"Don't talk to her like that," I reprimand softly, but loud enough only for him to hear. "And I'm fine, just a few cuts and bruises," I dismiss with a wave of my hand.

"You've got blood on your arm," Kayden deadpans, I shrug.

"I'm fine," I argue.

"Get your injuries tended to, we'll talk more about the events that led up to this once you're done," Ryan remarks, his tone oozing authority.

"I'm fine," I grumble under my breath.

"Rachel," Ryan nods in her direction earning a firm nod from her in return. "Call off the search and get security detail back to their previous posts," he adds directing his words to the guard who borough me here.

"Right away Mr. Ashford." The guard nods before leaving.

"Come on Liv, let's go," mum announces motioning towards the stairs. I sigh but give in a do as I'm told anyway.

Kayden follows us upstairs, while Wesley and Enrique accompany Ryan making their way in the opposite direction.

"Does it hurt?" Kayden randomly asks as we enter 'my' room. Mum immediately guides me to the bathroom before pulling out the first-aid from under the sink.

I shrug in response to him. He rolls his eyes. "Words?" He prompts. I shrug. He sighs. This causes a small smile to curve my lips. He rolls his eyes, but a faint smile appears on his face as well.

"Liv can you sit on the counter?" Mum asks breaking us out of our wordless conversation.

I nod at her and try to jump up but hiss in pain as soon as my scrapped palms come in contact with the cold granite top of the counter. Before I can say anything else Kayden wordlessly picks me up--earning a gasp of surprise from me--and places me on the counter effortlessly.

"Thanks," I grumble under my breath, right as mum gets out the cotton ball coated in antiseptic. I inwardly whine at this.

She takes a hold of my hand turning it to have my palm face upward, she brings the cotton ball towards it only to have me pull away subconsciously.

"Liv," mum warns after a good two minutes of me continuously pulling away from her hold.

"It burns," I whine out in my defense, still avoiding having any contact with the cotton ball.

"It's supposed to burn," she sighs. "Now quit whining and I'll be done in a minute," she admonishes. But that doesn't stop me from pulling away...again.

"Liv!" She snaps in frustration. Her eyes meet mine holding a mixture of emotions, but vexation dominating them all.

"Honey, just two minutes, and I'll be done, okay?" She assures in a much calmer tone when her eyes move to my side momentarily before snapping back to my own.

"Want me to hold your hand?" Kayden asks me, his tone gentle, probably catching on to the fact that I'm not pulling away voluntarily. I tentatively nod affirmatively.

His cold hand take a hold of my wrist in a gentle yet firm hold, making sure to steer clear of any damaged skin. After this, we get done with the cleaning part rather quickly, my eyes squeezing shut through it all accompanied by silent whines on occasion.