Thirty-Six
RYDER
“Fuck,” I growl as the nurse jabs another needle into my arm. I’m starting to think this woman enjoys torturing me.
“Hush, you overgrown baby,” she scolds, her eyes narrowing. “I’ve seen toddlers handle shots better than you.”
I glare at her, my voice dripping with sarcasm when I say, “I thought nurses were supposed to be compassionate.”
She lets out a bark of laughter, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Oh honey, this is me being compassionate. You don’t want to see me when I’m not.”
I shift in the hospital bed, my muscles protesting every movement. The antiseptic smell is making my head spin. “How long have I been in this five-star resort?”
“Four days,” she replies, continuing her examination with the gentleness of a bulldozer.
A groan escapes my lips. Four days lost.Where’s Cora? Is she okay? The thought of her worrying about me for three days makes my chest tighten.
“I need a phone.”
The nurse raises an eyebrow. “I’ll see what I can do. How are you feeling?”
Terrible. Like my organs have turned to rubber and my bones to jelly. “I’m ready to get out of here.”
She shakes her head, a wry smile on her face. “Not so fast, Pretty Boy. You need to recover a bit more. We’ve informed Mr. Mercer that you’re awake. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear about your escape plans.”
I close my eyes, suppressing a groan. Fuck. I know I owe Mercer my life, but I also know there’s a price that comes with that. And I’m not ready to deal with him right now. Dealing with Mercer requires being at two hundred percent, and right now, I’m hovering at twenty.
“Great.”
“I’m sure he’ll let your beautiful girl know,” the nurse adds, a knowing glint in her eye.
I try to sit up at the mention of Cora, but fall back with a loud groan. “Fuck. Did someone replace my muscles with overcooked spaghetti while I was out?”
“Careful,” she warns, placing a hand on my arm. Her touch is gentler now, almost maternal. “I know it’s hard for you to be here. It’s always like this with you guys, always in a hurry, like something’s chasing you. But you need to give your body a chance to heal. If you push yourself too hard, it’ll only take longer to recover. And I don’t think either of us wants you here any longer than necessary.”
I eye her. “Wait. How do you know about Cora? How do you know I have someone?”
“Miss Valeur, right?”
I nod, my heart rate picking up at the mention of Cora’s name.
“She was here. Mr. Mercer brought her for a quick visit.” The nurse tilts her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. “I must say, it’s the first time he’s ever brought a visitor here. I don’t know how she convinced him... We usually don’t allow visitors in this section. That girl must have some kind of superpower.”
The thought of Cora makes my chest tighten.
“She’s something special, huh?” The nurse smiles at me, her eyes softening. “The way she talked about you... Well, let’s just say I’ve seen fewer fireworks on the Fourth of July.”
“Yeah,” I say, my lips curling into a smile despite the pain and discomfort. I picture Cora’s wide blue eyes looking at me, full of that mix of mischief and love that never fails to make my heart race. If there’s anyone who could make Mercer do something, it’s her. “I need to talk to her. She must be worried sick.”
“Aww. Well, I can’t resist that lovesick puppy look. You want to use my phone? Just don’t make me regret it, or I’ll have to get creative with your next round of meds.”
I snatch it from her hand, my fingers fumbling as I dial the number.
“Hello?” Cora’s soft voice comes through the line.
For a moment, I forget she doesn’t recognize the number. She’s okay. She sounds okay.
“Little Trouble,” I say, my voice rough with emotion.
