My CEO, My Temptation

Tyler

I let Dale and Bruce deal with Kayleigh. She was alive, crazy, but alive. Unfortunately. I would lock her up for good myself if I could, but I know Jessica would feel guilty when she found out the real reason why Kayleigh did it.

It was a sickness, a deranged twisted sickness.

Going through her phone, I called her doctor friend Rebecca while Jessica was still staring at the blank TV screen sitting on the sofa with a blanket draped over her body.

“Hello, Rebecca? this is Tyler’s Jessica’s boyfriend… yeah, we need you here right now, bring your doctor kit. I’ll explain everything later… no, just superficial wounds. I know she doesn’t like going to the hospital… and I might need your opinion should she have other bruises… good, thank you. I’ll text you my address.”

The kettle was boiling and I was back to my simple task of making her some tea. I decided to change her before her doctor friend arrived, she didn’t resist and let me get her into her clean clothes. I decided to bathe her later after she’s being treated and know more about her wounds.

“Jessica, it’s Rebecca, honey, Tyler called me… why don’t you let me take a look at your wounds?”

She put her tea down and hugged Rebecca, whispering something in her ear while all I could do was watch them, trying my best not to interrupt and let Rebecca do her work.

The examination didn’t take long, she leave Jessica some ointment for her bruises and told me to put ice packs on her cheeks every couple of hours.

“Jessica is resting.” Rebecca opened the conversation as she was out of the bedroom and meet in the living room to discuss about Jess.

“… she’s physically okay, her hands would probably need some extra care. But she needs to see Dr. Sheridan soon, she needs to understand the situation with Kayleigh.”

“Yeah, I’ll set it up for tomorrow morning. She’s… Kayleigh has DID, she killed her mom, Jess saw the old woman she kept her body, I’d say days almost a week I don’t even wanna know. Kayleigh was blaming Jess for Troy’s abuse…”

Rebecca sighed, she looked worried but kept on listening to me. We talked for another half an hour before she excused herself and let me take care of Jessica.

*****

It was almost seven when there was a buzz on my door.

“Mom?”

I was surprised when she came by my apartment with her signature comfort food. She doesn’t usually cook, but when she does you’ll know that she means it.

“Tyler honey, Ralph called me and told me about Jessica. I’m not going to bother her, just leaving both of you with some food. She needs to eat, oh honey, I’m so sorry that this happened.”

She hugged me, and I didn’t realize that I was desperately needing it. It felt like a significant weight had been lifted off my shoulder.

“Thank you for the food mom, she’s resting now. But I’ll make sure she eats before she goes to sleep.” I hugged my mom, telling her that I’m going to marry Jessica.

“I know son, from the way you look at her, I know. I just want to make sure she has the best of you. She deserves the best.” She hugged me back tighter then caressed my back lovingly.

“I love you, Tyler. I know you’ll make her happy. Now, you just have to find the right moment to ask her.” She patted my cheek and leave me with a table full of food.

Jessica was still under the cover, but she open her eyes when she heard me open the bedroom door.

“Tyler,”

“That was my mom, she brought us some food. She didn’t stay, saying that you need your rest. Do you want to try her chicken casserole? I thought that you should have dinner first before I help you with your bath.”

“Your mom knows?”

“Ralph told her, she wanted you to get better soon. She doesn’t cook for anyone you know, so she definitely likes you.” I kissed her temple while she pulled me down to lay by her side.

“Ralph also liked you, he’s the one who actually had his witch friend to find you. It was a long shot but Dale convinced me to get off my ass and follow the witch’s direction.”

Jessica smiled at me and told me she wants to try my mom’s cooking.

“Witch friend huh?” she asked as she took a spoon of the casserole dinner.

“Yeah, I didn’t ask any questions, I was desperate,” I took her hand and kissed her bruised knuckles. She must’ve been banging on the cupboard door pretty hard, and from my talk with Rebecca, I learned that she has a fear of small dark confined spaces.

“Thank Ralph and his friend for me?”

“I will, and I had set you an appointment with Dr. Sheridan for tomorrow. I talked to her, I hope you don’t mind me going over your phone?”

She sighed and nodded, and smile when I kissed her cheek softly.

“Come on finish up your meal while I set up your bath, okay?” I get up, whispered my words then kissed her hair softly while putting my empty plate in the sink.

Jessica tugged her lip and took another bite of her meal. She looked pale and tired, but I know she’s strong and I know I will be there for her to help her get better.

She was in my embrace an hour later, falling asleep, all fragile and beautiful squeezing my heart making me fall for her deeper if it was even possible.

The clock indicates that it was well after midnight when I woke up from my sleep. Jessica was in deep sleep when I decided to have a drink and calm my nerves. I have never met a person with so much bad luck in her lifetime. It seemed that they kept on finding her, confronting her in every corner of her life.

I was back to my bad habit, needing to clear my head, sitting on the balcony drinking my Scotch and puffing my cigar. It didn’t take long for me to call Bruce after seeing his texts and miscalls. He informed me that Kayleigh was detained in her hospital room, she has two guards waiting in her room. Her mother was in the morgue, she will undergo an autopsy to determine her cause of death.

“Tyler? I didn’t know you smoke.”

“I don’t, it’s one of those days. Why are you up? are you hurting?”

She shook her head shyly telling me that I wasn’t by her side. I put out my cigar and finish my Scotch, I was about to come inside when she joined to my side in the outdoor sofa.

“It’s beautiful here, I’m sorry that I’m making you smoke again.”

“Baby, I should’ve stopped. It’s not your fault.” I draped my arm around her shoulder and rest her head to my chest.

“I talked to Bruce just now, he updated me on Kayleigh’s situation.”

She tensed, but I know she would want to know so I kept on talking, telling her about what Bruce had told me earlier. She wrapped her arm to my chest and snuggled in closer to my body.

We talked for another hour until she slowly falls asleep and I carry her back to the bedroom.

That night I was back to keeping her close, thinking of the best time and place to propose to her. After Kayleigh, I know I needed to wait though I didn’t want to, I know she needed to heal before she could make her life-changing decision.

I don’t want to rush her. I will wait. I will do anything for her.

“I love you,” I whispered and kissed her temple and drifted back to sleep next to her.