His Promise

Callie repeated the doctor’s mantra in her head, determined not to let him affect her. Taking a few deep breaths, she finally managed to regain her composure. Her gaze settled on Elias’s injury, noting the haphazardly applied bandage. If Callie’s keen observation served her right, Elias had taken care of it himself—a crude attempt at best. Did he really think he could do this on his own, when some of his injuries were on his back? Moreover, sweat had caused the gauze to stick to the wounds. Callie furrowed her brows, gingerly gripping a corner of the gauze with a pair of tweezers, preparing to remove it. ‘This might sting a little,’ she warned. ‘I need to clean the wound thoroughly, so brace yourself for a little discomfort.’ ‘All right,’ Elias replied, his tone nonchalant. With his consent, Callie proceeded with her task. Fearful of causing him pain, she carefully unravelled the adhesive gauze, going as slowly as she could. Surprisingly, Elias didn’t find it painful. Compared to the s