Page 178 of Nobody's Girl

When the door opens, she takes a weak step forward. She holds onto the handle like it’s holding her up. “Wow, I’m dizzy and weak. This is crazy.”

I wrap my arm around her waist, making her lean against my side. “Let me help you, Alyssa,” I command as I look her over to be sure she’s really okay to leave.

She looks fine, just weak. And there’s the necklace I gave her, hanging just below her collar bone. I hold the small silver bird with sapphires for its eyes between my fingers. “Do you like it?”

“I do, thank you. It’s really beautiful. You didn’t have to do that, though,” she says as she looks up at me, making my heart break for her. Such a tiny thing, and hurt. It’s almost unbearable.

“I wanted to. Now let’s get you home,” I say as I smile down at her, then brush a stray piece of hair from her face.

A nurse comes to us with a wheelchair. “Mr. Fontaine, you go get your car and meet me at the entrance. I’ll take her down in the wheelchair. It’s hospital policy, sir.”

I place her in the chair, although I’m reluctant to walk away from her. Then I hurry out to get my car.

The sight of her in the wheelchair makes my stomach churn. I never want to see that again. Except maybe when she’s carrying our babies in her arms.

As I wait at the entrance for her, a tall, black truck barrels into the parking lot.

What must his emergency be?

I watch him jump from the entirely-too-tall vehicle and run at break-neck speed into the hospital.

I hope no one’s died!

As my eyes follow the poor distraught guy, I see the elevator doors open, and there’s my Alyssa, with her nurse pushing her out. I get out of the car to help her in.

As I walk around, opening the passenger side door I hear a man’s voice shout, “Ally!”

I turn to find the tall blonde man who rushed in picking my mate up from the wheelchair. My blood is boiling, and in an instant I’ve made it to them.

Running my arm around her waist, I pull her from him. “Alyssa!” I growl.

“Eden, this is Kyle. My Kyle. The one I told you about. Kyle, this is Eden, a friend of my parents’, in a way,” she says.

Her body leans into mine, only because she hasn’t the strength to hold it up on her own.

The nurse clears her throat. “Please sit her back down in the chair. I must wheel her all the way out to the car. It’s hospital policy.” I place her back down in the chair and send a harsh glance at the boy.

“I’m taking her home,” he says.

Like hell, he is!

I follow the nurse and say, “My car is right there. She’s going with me.”

He walks next to Alyssa as he speaks to her. “Tell him, Ally. Tell him you want to go with me.”

The pain medication has her a bit loopy. She looks ahead at my car, a faint smile on her lips. “Hmm. I’m sorry, Kyle. Do you see that badass ride? Is that a jaguar?”

Kyle looks up at the car. “Yeah, but, Al, tell him you’re coming with me.”

Stopping at my car, the nurse gives me a look that tells me to take this elsewhere. Which I plan to do, but the jackass just took my mate’s hand in his, lifting her up. And now he’s hugging her, whispering something in her ear.

She’s mine!

I want to yell it at the top of my lungs. Instead, I wrap my arm around her and pry her away from him. “Her father knows I’m taking her home. He wouldn’t be pleased if I allowed her to go with anyone else,” I say as I open the door and help her into my car. “I suggest you take it up with him if you’d like to see her once she’s home.” I strap her seat belt, then stand back up, facing the boy.

“See you at home, Kyle.” Alyssa smiles and waves. Before I turn and close the door, I hear her say, “This car smells magnificent. Is this real leather?”

I move around the car as the boy gives me an extremely confused look. “Who the hell are you, dude?” he asks.