Taming Mr. Black

Naomi’s POV

I can’t move. I can’t even open my eyes. I can only hear background noises and a beeping sound from a heart monitor not too far from where I’m lying. I try to breathe, slowly drawing in air down my lungs.

Oh man, it hurts. It hurts to breathe. My lungs frickin’ hurt. Slowly, everything starts to come back. Me walking away from Celine because she was being a bitch like always, and then I grabbed two glasses of wine from a server. I remember gulping everything and going down to the lower deck. I remember feeling strange like I was poisoned, and that strange woman who appeared out of nowhere and pushed me.

How am I still alive? How did I get out alive?

I could swim. I am a good swimmer. But being poisoned while trying to fight for your life inside water can be hard. And who would poison me? Celine?

I know she hates me and I think she would do anything to erase me from this Earth because of Killian, but that’s just low for anyone. Why would anyone kill someone because of a love interest?

The server who was carrying the wine was a man. I mean, I’m not sure if it was a man or not, because I barely looked at this person’s face, but this person was dressed like the other male servers who were serving drinks to guests.

Did Celine put up this server to this? Did she make him poison the drink? It’s not like this person walked up to me and offered me a drink. I was the one who took the drink and he or they looked like they were just randomly giving out drinks.

It feels like a setup. It wasn’t just a coincidence. Celine didn’t just talk shit to me about my family, it’s like she knew I was gonna get mad, storm away and maybe reach for a drink. I do that a lot. I tend to just drink anything when I’m pissed, frustrated, worse, angry.

I am angry. I’m angry because I never thought I would be the target of a psychotic maniac who wants to hurt me for any reason.

I am not perfect, I know that. But one thing I know is that I would never hurt anyone because of any reason. Especially not for a man.

” Who would do this to her?” I hear a voice and it sounds familiar. It’s Raymond and the voice sounds like it’s coming from around the corner.

The beeping continues and that’s when I realize I’m in a hospital. Someone must have found me in the water and dragged me out. My lungs hurt like someone who drowned. I think I nearly drowned, and maybe I was lucky enough to be rescued before something worse happened to me.

” Do you think it’s her? That fucking bitch?” Another voice asks. It’s Killian. I know it anywhere.

” So you think she was at the party?” Raymond’s whispering now.

I’m awake, I just decide to pretend to be unconscious as I grasp what’s happening while listening to their conversation. I guess this is wrong, but if I’m going to know what’s really happening, it’s now.

” I don’t know.” Killian grits out. He sounds frustrated. ” She was talking to Celine one minute, then the next I couldn’t find her. There’s no way she’s here because every person in that yacht who attended Keith’s wedding came with an invite. Except you’re saying it’s Celine.”

” Well, you can’t be wrong. It might be Celine. For Pete’s sake, they have the same last name.”

” Celine is smart. If she wants to do something like this, she is smart not to use her last name. The last thing every killer wants is evidence pointing right at them. And why the fuck would Celine do something like this? She can be jealous when she wants to, but attempted murder?”

What exactly are they talking about? It sounds like they’re talking about this strange woman who’s sending me photos and messages. It’s like she’s been doing the same thing to Killian for a long time and I had no idea. And it looks like something else is at play here.

” It’s possible.”

” I just want her to be okay. I don’t know what I’ll do if she never wakes up or if something worse happens. Fuck!” Killian’s voice sounds like he’s going to break into sobs any minute from now.

I can’t imagine Killian crying. He’s going to look weird and a little funny. Okay, I’m being a dick. How can I still make stupid jokes when I just cheated death? I need to wake up. I hate lying here and pretending to be unconscious while I listen to the man I love break down.

” Hey, it’s okay. Naomi’s strong, she’s battling this better than a lot of people. Also, it’s good you came at the right time. I can’t begin to imagine what would have happened to her, if you were a minute late.”

” This is all my fault. If I hadn’t lived reckless these past years, maybe Naomi wouldn’t be paying for crimes that aren’t hers.”

” Seriously, man, don’t say that. It’s nobody’s fault.”

Okay, I can’t take this anymore. I need to wake up.

First, I move my fingers, wiggling them a little to send a message to my brain that it’s time to wake up.

” Did you see that?” Raymond asks at once.

I feel like I’ve been laying down here for nearly two weeks. I feel like a brick. Next, I wiggle my toes as I flutter my eyelashes that feel too heavy for some reason.

” Get the doctor, she’s waking up.” I hear Killian say.

” Sure.”

Slowly, I peel my eyes open, closing them for a second at the sudden bright light.

” Oh my God.” I mutter. My voice sounds strange, different from what I normally sound like.

” Baby.” Killian is right by my side, looking down at me.

I blink my eyes, slowly taking in my surroundings. I’m in a hospital. A private room, obviously. I look down at my body and I’m wearing a blue patient’s dress.

” God, I hate hospitals.” I mutter, turning my head to look at Killian.

” Hey, you’re gonna be okay. I’m so glad you’re okay.” Killian says as he smiles at me.

He looks like someone who hasn’t had a good night’s sleep. With light stubble adorning his face and his hair looks messy. His once gray eyes are a different color now. He looks like he’s been grieving.

” My God, you look like shit.”

Killian chuckles. ” I couldn’t leave your side.”

” She’s awake!” A voice calls from the opened door.

I turn to look at the source and I’m surprised to see Keith and Eve. Shouldn’t they be on their honeymoon? What are they doing here?

” Oh, my God.” Eve says as she rushes to my side, embracing me.

” God, you got everyone worried. I was so worried and scared, I didn’t know what to do.” Eve says.

I make an attempt to laugh but it comes out like dry heaving.

” I’m so glad you’re alive.” Keith says.

” Yeah, you don’t know the relief I feel right now to know you’re safe.” Eve says, sitting by my bedside and holding my hand.

Killian’s standing now, staring at me. I give him a small smile.

” Oh, my baby. You’re awake!” A voice says. It’s my mom as she rushes to my side and hugs me.

” Mom?”

” Luna. Don’t do this ever again. My God, you scared me. I was so worried when Killian called to tell us what happened.” My mom says into my hair, still hugging me.

Eve’s standing by her husband now. Above my mother’s shoulder, I stare at Killian and he just shrugs and gives me a small smile.

” I’m so glad you’re okay. I can’t imagine losing you too.” Mom whispers as she pulls away, wiping her tears.

” You’re not gonna lose me, mom.” I assure her with a small smile.

” Hey, champ.” Antonio says to me.

” Please, don’t call me that.” I utter.

Antonio chuckles.

” Who did you guys leave Rachel and Charlie with?”

” Grace. They’re in good hands.” Mom says.

” And Bianca?” I ask.

” She was worried sick when I told her what happened. She even wanted to come. She made me call throughout the plane ride from New York to Miami.” Antonio says.

Why am I not surprised we’re still in Miami?

” Alright, family reunion is over for now. I need alone time with the patient. Please everyone, can we step out for a bit?” A man dressed in doctor’s attire says.

Everyone starts to leave, with Killian staying back for a while.

” I’m really glad you’re okay.” Killian says.

” Yeah, me too.”

With a soft kiss on my forehead, Killian steps out too.

” Alright, Ms. Alderson. How are you feeling?” The doctor asks.

He’s a man. With blonde hair, green eyes, lean build, a little tall, and he’s kind of good looking.

” Like I swallowed acid.”

” Yeah, you nearly drowned, it’s a mystery you’re alive.” He says as he checks my vitals.

” Any other symptoms?”

” My body hurts a lot.”

” Mmm mm.”

” How am I still alive?” I mutter.

With a sigh the doctor answers. ” Well, let’s just say you’re lucky your boyfriend got there in time. It would have been worse if the boat was moving, they might not be able to have found you. Also, the drug that was used in poisoning you was supposed to last in your body for about 30 minutes before it starts to shut down your vitals and kill you from the inside. Let’s be glad you’re fine.”

” Am I?”

” Yes.” He answers, injecting some kind of drug through my vein in my arms.

” The pain you’re feeling will subside in less than 24 hours while your lungs might need a little longer than 24 hours to heal. All in all, you’ll be okay.”

” Right. I feel dizzy.”

” Yes. The drug I injected you with is supposed to knock you out while letting your body heal on its own. You’re a strong woman, Naomi.”

” Right.”

” I’ll leave you to rest and I’ll come back later to check on you.” The doctor says as he turns to leave.

” Wait, how long have I been out?”

” A week.”

” Fuck.” I mutter underneath my breath.

The doctor laughs as he leaves my room. It doesn’t take the drug a minute before I’m slipping into a world of sleep.

The next time I wake up again, Killian’s by my side, eyes heavy from lack of sleep as he stares at me.

” He refused to go to his hotel and get some rest. I think he hasn’t left your side since the first day you were admitted.” Antonio says. He’s leaning against the wall at the far end.

” I’m fine, really.” Killian mutters, rubbing his eyes. ” How are you doing?”

” I’m fine. You should get some rest, you need some.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

” I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. You’re all I care about right now.” Killian says, slowly taking my hand in his.

I smile.

” Where’s mom, Ant?”

” At the hotel. She didn’t wanna leave. I had to force her to leave with the promise that I’ll call her as soon as possible when you wake up.”

I chuckle quietly.

” I can’t believe you guys flew to New York.”

” We were worried, Luna. Get better quickly, I’m just gonna step outside and leave you two to chat.” With a nod and a glance towards Killian, Antonio steps out of the room.

I turn to Killian.

” You really need to rest.”

” I’ll rest when you’re on your feet again.”

I smile.

” Is that so?”

” Yeah.”

” Okay. Shouldn’t you be back in New York handling business?”

” I’m not leaving here without you.”

” Wow, you flatter me everyday.”

” You know I’m not flattering you, babe.”

” Mmm-mm.”

” Who did this to you?”

” I don’t know. It happened so fast.”

” What were you and Celine talking about?”

” Random stuff.”

” You should talk to me if something happened that night. If I didn’t get there on time, I…” Killian sighs as he licks his bottom lip.

” Hey, I’m okay, alright? I was mad she talked about my family. I needed a drink and this server happened to have walked by the exact time that I needed a drink. I grabbed two glasses, gulped them, went to the lower deck to get air and that was when I felt dizzy and this woman, she was wearing Celine’s dress and a mask, just appeared from nowhere and pushed me. It’s like she was waiting for me there. It’s like she knew I was gonna be there.”

” Fuck. I shoulda been there. This wouldn’t have happened if I was there by your side.”

” It’s not your fault, Kil. You have to be there for your brother also.”

” It doesn’t matter.”

” Is there more to this person who has been harassing us via emails? Do you think they did this?”

” I don’t know. For all we know, we don’t even know who’s harassing us via emails and we don’t even know their intentions. Keith’s wedding guests were given an invite. Every guest was officially invited, so it couldn’t be someone that we didn’t know. Who did this was at the party.”

” The server?”

” I arrested every one of them.”

” What? Why would you do that?”

” Because I couldn’t let this person get away scot free. Celine was questioned too, including every other guest in attendance. Celine said she had nothing to do with this. The servers too. They swore none of them poisoned the drink or even offered you a drink. Whoever this person is, they were smart. I think they escaped or they might have hid in my boat and waited till we got to shore. Fuck, how come I didn’t think of that? And Celine, she’s a person of interest now.”

I sigh.

” I’m sorry this is happening to you, babe.” Killian says as he kisses my hand. ” But would you be able to identify this server when you see them?”

” I think I can try.”

” Great. We’ll have you look at them once you’re perfectly fine.”

” What if it’s not any of the servers?” I ask.

” We’ll find this person, whoever they’re.”

” This person is still out there. It won’t be a surprise that you might know this person.”

” I had that feeling too.”

” Who did you hurt, Kil?”

” I…” Killian trails off as he sighs. ” I don’t know.”

” Sooner or later, we’re gonna do better than ‘i don’t know’ because, whoever this person is, they’re gonna strike again.”

” And I’ll make sure they don’t get a chance to strike again. I’m gonna make sure of that.”

I don’t know what to believe anymore. But right now, I’m scared shitless for my life.