Mia shook her head, already pushing herself upright again. “I’m fine,” she insisted, even as a sharp ache pulsed behind her eyes and her knee buckled in protest.
Hazel grabbed her shoulders and pressed her gently but firmly back onto the bed.
“Stop making this harder,” Hazel said, her voice tight with worry. “I’ll get a wheelchair, and then you can go see him.”
Before Mia could argue, sharp, heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Magnus walked in, his stride rigid, his expression dark. The moment his eyes landed on Mia, his jaw tightened.
“You need to go see Alexander right now,” he said flatly. “He’s causing trouble.”
Hazel frowned. “She’s injured—”
Magnus cut her off, his anger snapping straight at Mia. “He put his life on the line foryou!” he snapped. “I know he upset you, but the least you can do is go see him. He has a deep gash in hisleg, injured all over, and yet that madman is demanding to be discharged right now. He shouldn’t even be standing!”
Mia shoved Hazel’s hands away and stood again.
Pain shot up her leg, stars bursting behind her eyes, but she ignored it. Fear drowned everything else.
Hazel gasped. “Mia—!”
But Mia was already moving, following Magnus out of the room, her steps uneven but quick. Her fingers brushed the wall for balance as she hurried down the corridor.
Chapter 14 Snitching To Mom
Magnus walked ahead, his pace brisk. Mia forced herself to keep up until he finally stopped in front of a VIP room.
He stiffened, lifted a hand, and pointed at the door. “He’s inside.”
Mia reached for the handle, her hand trembling. She pushed the door open and stepped in, closing it softly behind her.
Alexander was on his feet.
His hospital shirt lay discarded on the floor as he dragged his clothes on, movements sharp and restless. One hand trembled slightly as he fumbled with the buttons—injured, stiff—but he ignored it entirely, forcing his fingers to obey through sheer will.
“What the fuck is wrong with this hospital?” he barked, yanking his sleeve down with unnecessary force. “Who allowed you to come in without—”
He turned toward the door.
The moment he saw Mia, the words died in his throat.
The anger on his face froze, then slowly rearranged itself into something harder, sharper, unreadable. Without saying a word,he turned his back to her. His jaw clenched so tightly she could see the muscle jumping beneath his skin.
His movements grew rougher, more frantic. He shoved his arms into his shirt, buttoning it crookedly with his injured hand, as if pain meant nothing to him.
“Mr. Graves,” Mia said softly, taking a cautious step toward him.
He didn’t respond.
She moved closer, each step careful, until she stood right beside him.
“Alexander?” she tried again.
Silence.
Her hand lifted on instinct and closed around his.
His movements stopped instantly.
