“Vince?” It came out smaller than I wanted.
He was at my side in so quickly, cupping my face like he needed proof that I existed. His thumb brushed along my jaw once. “You scared the shit out of me.”
The doctor cleared her throat. “Mr Crow, this is?—”
“She’s mine,” his voice was a low threat, it actually caused me to shiver. “If you’re examining her, I stay.”
The wordminehit harder than the monitor beeps.
My brain stalled long enough that the doctor’s next move surprised me. She just nodded. So much for privacy.
“Vince,” my cheeks burning, “you can’t be here. If someone sees?—”
“No one is seeing anything.” He gently stroked my cheek. “This is a Crow facility. Staff don’t gossip unless they want their funding to vanish. Your family’s too busy praising that asshole in the waiting room for playing hero to notice anything else.”
“Fate isn’t an asshole,” I muttered on reflex.
“He touched you. He qualifies.”
“Mr Crow,” the doctor said carefully, “we still require the patient’s consent.”
He glanced at me, all that feral worry suddenly edged with restraint. “Let her decide,” he said quietly. “But if she agrees, I’m staying.”
Every part of me wanted to crawl into the wall and never come out. Internal exam, dynasty doctor, Vince right there. What god above enjoyed my humiliation.
“I hate this,” I whispered.
His hand slid to my shoulder. “I know, baby, I know.”
The doctor waited, eyes on me. No judgement there, just focus.
“Fine,” I sighed, looking away from both of them. “Just… make it quick.”
The pure humiliation should’ve killed me. It didn’t. My heart kept beeping, traitor that it was.
The doctor pulled a curtain across halfway for courtesy’s sake. I shifted under the blanket, arranged myself like she asked.
Vince caught my hand immediately, fingers lacing through mine. His other hand stroked my hair back from my face.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered.
He kissed my forehead. “You’re not alone, baby.”
The doctor’s instructions stayed measured and neutral. I stared up and, counted the ceiling tiles.
Vince leaned closer to my ear. “I’ve got you. Breathe with me.”
“Are you sure she won’t say anything?” I turned to look at him.
“She won’t. Not if she wants this hospital to keep its syndicate budget and dynasty contracts.” He kissed my knuckles.
It didn’t last long. When the doctor said everything was fine. Vince exhaled at the same time, like he’d been holding his breath the entire exam.
“Good to know your dick didn’t break me,” I muttered.
His mouth twitched, but the fear in his eyes hadn’t drained yet.
The doctor hesitated, checking something on the screen. “Madeline, may I ask you something of a personal nature?”
