**Doctor’s Orders**

Chapter 49

YARA'S POV

The swelling went down.

Mostly.

By day three I could walk normal again. The constant ruined ache had faded into a low, filthy sensitivity that only showed up when I got wet or let my mind drift back to the way Elias had looked at me with gloves on—calm, cold, fingers spreading me open like he had every right. Technically I was fine. He had said come back if it wasn’t improving. It was improving.

I still booked the appointment.

I told myself it was just to be sure. That was the lie I repeated while I stood in front of my closet and...