Big Guy

Silence filled the apartment. Aria stood torn between two impossible choices. As a doctor she knew how serious his injuries could become and how badly he needed proper hospital care. At the same time she could not dismiss the warning in his words.

If someone truly wanted him dead, any public place would place a target on his back the moment he appeared.

“Please,” he said quietly. “Right now I cannot trust anyone except you.”

The statement unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. She remained silent, turning the options over in her mind.

“You are a doctor,” he added. “I know you will not let me die.”

Aria had no answer. She could not decide. What if his condition grew worse? Was the risk worth taking?

Her thoughts raced. Then her gaze fell on an old scar near his collarbone and she went still. It looked like the mark of a knife. Another scar on his left shoulder caught her attention next. That one was the clear trail of a bullet graze.

Ordinary men did not carry scars like those.

Who are you? The question sank deeper into her hesitation.

“So what is your decision?” he asked. “Are you going to keep me here?”

She still could not choose. Every instinct warned her that danger surrounded this man and that keeping him close might pull her into it. Yet he was injured and claimed to remember nothing of his past. In this vulnerable state, could she truly turn him out?

“Please. Help me. You will not abandon me, will you?”

The helpless look on his face stole the last of her resolve.

“Fine. Only for a few days.”

Relief softened his features. “Thank you.”

“If your condition worsens, you will not stop me from taking you to the hospital.”

The brief smile faded. He nodded once, serious. “Agreed.”

She gave him a wary look. Until the injuries heal, she told herself. After that I will send him away, whether he remembers his name or not.

She closed the first-aid kit. “You can rest in the guest room.”

She led him down the short hallway. “I will bring you dry clothes.”

He nodded. The moment she walked away his eyes sharpened. They were far too alert for a man who had seemed barely conscious earlier. He showed no sign of the splitting headache he had claimed. He moved to the window, stood behind the curtain, and studied the street below.

Heavy rain still fell. The road looked empty. No one lingered. No suspicious movement.

He released a quiet breath and the tension in his shoulders eased.

In the next room Aria opened her closet. At the back she found a neatly folded shirt and a pair of trousers she had bought for Julian. Resentment and anger rose at once, twisting through her. She had planned to throw away everything that reminded her of the man who had betrayed her. Now those clothes had a use.

“These should fit him.”

She took the clothes, returned to the guest room, and knocked. A moment later the door opened. He stood there tall and imposing, filling the entire frame. He wore only a towel wrapped low around his hips.

Aria’s breath caught. He was clearly injured, yet the sight of him was almost unfair.

She stared, half dazed and half suspicious.

“Are you finished looking?”

“I…” She turned her face away, heat rushing to her cheeks. “Here. Fresh clothes.”

She held them out.

He took them, but his gaze stayed on her face as if he were measuring something.

“I bought them for my ex-boyfriend,” she said. “He never wore them. You can keep them.”

She managed a tight smile.

Their eyes met for a brief second and her heart skipped despite every warning she gave herself.

“Thank you.” His voice pulled her back to the present.

“Call me if you feel dizzy or sick. I will be in the next room.”

“Good night,” he said, and closed the door.

Aria remained in the hallway, mouth slightly open. A frown settled on her brow. Is something wrong with this man?

She shook the thought away. “I should rest as well.” She returned to her own room.

The hallway fell quiet again. Inside the guest room the door opened a crack. Sharp eyes followed her figure until she disappeared. Only then did the door close without a sound.

When Aria lay down, sleep refused to come. She kept seeing the hard lines of his torso, the solid feel of his chest under her hands, the ridges of muscle she had cleaned earlier.

“He is far too handsome,” she whispered, biting her lower lip.

The next morning she woke early and prepared breakfast. She was nearly finished when the guest room door opened and he stepped out.

“Good morning,” she said with a small smile. “You woke at the right time. I made congee. Come and eat.”

She carried a steaming bowl to the table and set it down.

“How do you feel? Any pain?”

He rubbed his temples. “Dull headache. My body aches everywhere.” His voice was rough from sleep and discomfort.

“Eat first. Then I will give you medicine. The surface wounds should heal in a few days, but the head injury still needs proper checks.” She paused and looked at him directly. “I still think you should go to the hospital. I can make sure you stay safe.”

He did not answer. He simply sat across from her, took the bowl, and began to eat. “Thank you for the advice. I will listen if the pain becomes too much.”

“Good.”

That will not be necessary, he thought to himself, and continued eating. The congee tasted better than expected. He finished spoonful after spoonful without pause.

A small smile curved her lips as she watched him. She returned to the kitchen for her own plate of scrambled eggs and a glass of milk.

“Thank you for letting me stay,” he said. “And for saving me and treating my wounds. I want to repay the favor.”

Aria laughed softly as she sat down. “How do you plan to repay anything? You remember nothing. You do not even know your own name.”

She began to eat, the smile still lingering.

“I will work for you,” he said.

“Work?” She blinked, surprised.

“I can clean, run errands, cook.” He attempted a small smile. “I can drive you or stand as your bodyguard. I will make myself useful.”

The image of him standing outside her office like a private guard was so absurd she almost laughed aloud. The female staff would lose their minds.

She laughed again at the thought.

Seeing her smile, he seemed to take it as agreement. “I will not give you a reason to complain.”

She rolled her eyes lightly. She did not entirely dislike the idea of having him around. After the recent betrayal, the thought of being alone felt heavier than usual. Company, even temporary, was welcome.

“Fine. As long as you stay here, you work for me.” She kept her tone indifferent even while she smiled inside. “But I do not need a bodyguard.”

“You might,” he murmured under his breath.

Aria shook her head. “What should I call you? I cannot keep saying ‘hey, you.’” She let out a soft laugh.

He shrugged. “I do not know. You decide.” He watched her, waiting.

“Then…” She searched her mind for something fitting. Her eyes moved over his broad shoulders and solid frame.

He looked large and powerful.

“I will call you Big Guy for now.”

He nearly choked. No one had ever given him a name like that.

“Why that?” he asked, curiosity clear.

“You are tall. Heavy. I almost broke my back dragging you here.”

For a brief second amusement flickered in his eyes. “Is that so?”

“Yes.” She drank her milk without quite meeting his gaze. “Until you remember your real name, Big Guy it is.”

He curved his lips slightly. No one had ever called him that before. Surprisingly, the name did not anger him. “All right. I like it.”

The quiet way he said it made her heart stumble.

“I am finished. I need to leave for work.”

She pushed a box of medicine toward him. “Take these on time. Rest. I am going now.”

She grabbed her bag and hurried out.

The moment the door closed behind her, every trace of softness left his eyes. He took a phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

“She is gone. You can come up.”