“But I’m sure you’ll dig deeper eventually,” I say, giving him a sideways glance, then smirk.
Solo bumps the tip of his shoe against mine. “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.”
I smile, and am about to respond to him when the ICU’s door opens, and out walks the doctor who has been treating Cignette.
Alex and Varsha are the first to rush to him. “How is she?” the latter questions.
The doctor pushes his glasses up his nose and takes his sweet time in answering her. “Miss Adler is out of danger. In fact, she has just woken up and is bei–”
I run forward and shove the scrub-wearing asshole out of my way, ignoring his surprised yelp as I dash inside the ICU room.
35.
Isuppress a gasp, having just gotten into a seating position, when the door to the ICU room slams against the wall after being opened with brute force.
Next to me, Marianne, the nurse in charge of keeping tabs on my health, lets out a high-pitched squeal of surprise, then marches forward as Dorran walks into the room with an air of authority that could put even the hospital’s HODs to shame.
“Mr. Ledger! How many times do I have to tell you that y–”
“You…” he cuts her off, pointing a finger at her. “Shut the fuck up and leave.Now.”
She gapes at him as if he’s spoken in a language she didn’t understand. “I beg your par–”
“Ask for one someplace else, Mary, because I don’t exactly have the patience for you right now.”
“It’s Marianne,sir,” she jabs, narrowing her eyes at him.
Dorran blinks at her. “Good to know.”
The two of them stare at each other – point blank. Marianne’s tall frame matches Dorran’s, but her level of expertise when it comes to swiftly ending a life? Yeah, she can’t beat my guy inthat.
“Marianne,” I say her name softly, meaningfully.
She faces me, and her expression clears as she smiles at me. “Do you need anything?”
I shake my head, ignoring the leaden weight I feel pressing down on my skull. “Can you please leave Dorran and I alone for a little while?” I request. “I really need to talk to him.”
“You’ve been asked to rest, Miss Adler,” she reminds me.
I smile. “I know. Having Dorran here will help me relax better, though.”
She glances between me and Dorran, then sighs. “Fine, but I’ll come back to check in on you in an hour. And you…” She once again narrows her eyes at Dor. “Don’t stress her out, and donottouch any of the equipment. I’ll know right away if you have.”
“Aye-aye, Cap’n,” he muses, giving her a slanted, two-finger salute.
Marianne rolls her eyes at him, then nods my way before walking out of the room.
As soon as the door clicks shut behind her, I look up at Dorran and say, “Kiss me.”
The mattress under me rustles as he erases the distance between us and sits next to me on the bed. Cradling my jaw between his hands, he leans in and presses his lips to mine.
I sigh against him as the familiar, welcoming pressure of his mouth anchors me. I part for him when his tongue demands entrance. His callouses brush against my cheek as he moves closer to me still, inhaling every single one of my breaths. The scent of his cologne – a combination of pine and leather – mixed with the smell of his sweat hits my senses, making me grin.
Dorran calms the rushing in my brain by tugging my bottom lip between his teeth, and then sucking it once. Placing a kiss to the corner of my mouth, he lingers there for a heartbeat, then traces a line down to my chin that makes a shiver run through my arms.
“Dor…” I touch my nose to his.
“I love you,” he tells me. “So fucking much, Cigs. So goddamn much.”
