“Mr. Mercer? Never seen him here as a patient. But sometimes, some of his men are brought here.” She moves to check Ryder’s vitals, her movements efficient but gentle. She fluffs his pillow with a practiced hand. “I’ll give you some time alone with him.”
I settle into the chair beside Ryder’s bed, anda sharp pain shoots through my ribs, reminding me of my own ordeal. I shift, trying to find a comfortable position.
I take Ryder’s hand in mine, shocked by how cold it is. It’s like holding carved marble, not the warm, strong hand I know so well.
“We make quite the pair right now. You’re out cold, and I look like I went ten rounds with a heavyweight champ.”
There’s no response, not even a flicker of his eyelids. “Can you hear me? God, I hope you can. It’s your Little Trouble.” I try to smile, but it’s more like a grimace. “I’m here. I’m okay. You saved me. Now it’s time to save yourself.”
I wait, watching his heart monitor with desperate intensity, but there’s no change. I don’t know if my words are reachinghim, but I can’t stop talking. It’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
“I love you, Ryder. You’re the one for me. I can’t live without you.” Tears blur my vision as I continue. “Dad will have to understand. He’ll accept you, or he’ll lose me.” I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. As long as it’s beating, there’s hope. I cling to that like a lifeline.
“You’re always so careful,” I muse, lifting my head to study his face. Even unconscious, lines of tension mar his forehead. I long to smooth them away. “How did someone get to you? How did they hurt you?”
I sit up straight, anger cutting through my grief. “Zane thinks it was Richard from the competing company. He thinks Richard hired these people.” The words pour out of me, a torrent I can’t stop.
“I still can’t believe he’d go that far, that he’d be willing to kill me.” I’m rambling, but I can’t bear the silence broken only by the rhythmic beeping of machines. “Everything that happened was my fault. You wouldn’t be here now if they weren’t trying to get you out of the picture because of me.”
I pause, taking a deep breath. My fingers trace the outline of a particularly nasty bruise on my wrist, the skin mottled purple.
The heaviness in the room is suffocating, and Ryder wouldn’t want me to drown in despair. I force a small smile, trying to inject some lightness into my voice.
“This isn’t how I pictured our next date,” I say, attempting a joke. “I mean, the private room is nice, but the décor leaves something to be desired. And you’re being a terrible conversationalist, by the way. I’m doing all the heavy lifting here.”
I squeeze his hand. “Come on, Ryder. You can’t leave mehanging like this. Who’s going to roll their eyes at my terrible jokes? Who’s going to punish me when I’m being a pain in the ass?”
Despite my attempts at humor, tears threaten again. I blink them back, determined to stay strong.
“Seriously, though, you need to wake up. We have so many plans, remember? You promised to continue teaching me self-defense, although I’m realizing that was just an excuse to get your hands on me. Not that I’m complaining.”
My phone beeps. I glance at the message.
Anonymous
Your two hours are up.
Zane. Has it been two hours already? It feels like I’ve only been here for minutes. I grimace and stand, my legs shaky beneath me.
“If you don’t wake up, I’ll never forgive myself,” I say, my voice thick with unshed tears. “I won’t forgive Dad either because he’s the reason you weren’t with me when this happened.” I lean down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Come back to me, you hear? You have to.”
The weight of everything—the attack, the revelations about Stone, and now seeing Ryder like this—threatens to crush me. But I straighten my shoulders, drawing on a strength I didn’t know I possessed.
“I’ll be back,” I promise, my hand on the doorknob. “And when I do, you better be awake and ready with some smartass comment about how I can’t stay out of trouble for five minutes without you. Because let’s face it, you’re probably right.”
I take one last look at him, memorizing every detail of his face. “I love you, Ryder West. Don’t you dare forget that.”
Thirty-Five
CORA
Istare at the imposing gates of the Valeur estate, my heart pounding in my chest. The car idles, waiting for security to grant us access. The last time I passed through these gates, I was Daddy’s little girl. Now, I’m a woman fighting for her love, for her future.
The massive Victorian-style mansion looms before us, its windows gleaming like judgmental eyes.
I thought I’d distanced myself from this wealth, but Dad’s right. I live in a home he bought for me. I used his money to start my business. I use the Valeur name when it suits me. And my business, while successful, is nowhere near the scale that would allow for this lifestyle I’m accustomed to.
I square my shoulders and step out, Enzo before me. The gravel crunches under my feet, each step bringing me closer to a confrontation I both dread and need. I pause at the bottom of the grand staircase leading to the main entrance, taking amoment to compose myself.
