“It’s not all that bad,” he declares, staring down at the exposed wound. “Come look.”
He grips my hands and guides me back over to the vanity. The skin is red and angry. There are a few blisters and a considerable amount of dead white skin around the edges, but nothing like I was envisioning in my mind. All the reports I’ve ever seen regarding acid burns result in severe disfigurement, but this looks like a really bad sunburn combined with the blisters you get from a curling iron when you accidentally get your neck or ear while doing your hair.
Sebastian removes the rest of the bandages and begins the process of cleaning them for me.
The saline is cool and burns like hell when he pours it on the burn. Tears trail down my cheeks from a combination of relief of the unknown and the pain. While I have no doubt I will have some scarring, it’s nothing that will have people staring at me for the rest of my life. I won’t be scaring away small children after all, and I’m pretty sure a good foundation will have these entirely unnoticeable.
“I’m sorry,” Sebastian murmurs. “I know it hurts, but we have to keep them clean to prevent any infection. An infection will make these worse.”
All in all, the whole process takes only five or six minutes, but it hurts like hell. I’m glad Sebastian had the thought to take the pain medication beforehand, because by the time I climb into bed, I can already feel it start kicking in.
Sebastian tucks the comforter around me before climbing in on his side. “Are you all right?”
“I am. I kept picturing all these terrifying images in my head from that poor woman who was attacked in England a few years back. Her entire face was disfigured. I know everyone said it wasn’t too bad, but it’s a freaking acid burn, Sebastian. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.”
“You were extremely lucky. Crystal could have very well done some serious damage. Thankfully, she didn’t, and Madison was there with her quick thinking. But even if she did succeed in whatever sick plan she concocted, I would have loved you anyway. It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
I don’t bother to point out that he can’t know that. I have no doubt he is sincere in his claim, so instead I choose to slide over and tuck myself into his side as the pain meds start to really kick in.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me, Sebastian.”
Wrapping his arm around me, he kisses the top of my head. “For as long as you’ll let me, I’ll take the best care of you as possible. I love you.”
My eyes droop and begin to close, but I make sure I get the words out before the darkness wins out. “I love you too.”
