He jolted like I’d socked him in the stomach. His shoulders heaved a few times, but he stayed quiet.
“Forgive me, Josephine.”
Never.
He wasn’t going to let me go, and I wasn’t a physical match to fight him. I rubbed my palms on the linen gown, then pulled the blanket back to slide into the bed.
I tucked myself into a bundle.
“Get out.” Exhaustion was clear in my voice. I squeezed my eyes shut, facing the opposite wall from the one he knelt in frontof. Part of me hated how dejected andsadhe looked. That sick, twisted part that couldn’t help but love him.
I gritted my teeth.
“Please, leave.” I’d already hit my lowest. Whatever would get him away from me, I was trying. “Please,” I begged.
He sucked in a breath. I heard shuffling, but kept my eyes closed.
“I love you, Josephine.” His quiet voice rumbled through my chest, squeezing my aching heart.
I said nothing.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of me lying in bed with my eyes closed, the door clicked shut. I rose from the bed and made sure he was gone. My shoulders slumped, and I hugged myself.
I didn’t trust him. I burrowed under the pillow and screamed into it, releasing my pent-up rage and agony. A sob escaped.
Cierra had succeeded in killing my soul.
Had Lucian put her up to it?
Every atom of my makeup rebelled at the thought. As hateful as he was, I didn’t think he’d been the one, and they hadn’t sounded like him. I would have recognized his voice.
Still, I didn’t trust him.
I’d find out for myself who those two male voices were from my attack.
3
Iwaited, curled on the bed until the sun went down. Lucian continued to hover outside the door. The only way I knew was because the nurse had come in to check on me multiple times, and he’d been propped against the wall, within view.
With each passing moment, the rage bubbled in my gut, overshadowing the pain. I clung to my anger with desperation.
Cierra would die. I’d make sure of it. And whoever those two males were who’d hit Dad’s car would also fucking die.
I didn’t care how I did it, but it would happen. But first, I had to escape that bastard who had tied me to him with a mate bond.
The door creaked open, and I met the nurse’s eyes, finally acknowledging her instead of lying here like a bag of bricks while she messed with the machines in the room. Her name was scrawled across her badge.
“Melodie?”
She tensed and strode over, trepidation on her face. She left the door slightly cracked.
“Are you okay, Luna?” she murmured. I stiffened at the sound of the title.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Sorry,” she said in a hushed tone. I licked my lips and shook my head.
“Is he still out there?” I said, much more softly.
