CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
BELLA
The sound of something scraping against the floor caused Bella to stir. Her eyelids fluttered in a struggle to open.
“Welcome back, sleeping beauty,” a familiar voice whispered in the darkness.
Bella’s eyes flew open. Without moving her body, her eyes roamed the room.
I’m alive! Thank God!
Bella looked around and realized that she was in a hospital. She said a silent prayer to thank God before focusing on her unexpected visitor.
“Victoria Price,” Bella mumbled in a weary and hoarse tone. She wasn’t too weak to fuck with Victoria.
“Storm,” Victoria corrected.
“Whatever. What are you doing here? Where are the people that I actually care about?”
“Now, is that any way to talk to the woman who saved your ass?” Victoria asked, smiling down at Bella.
“Ha,” Bella scoffed. “Where were you when this hot lead went through my chest?”
“I can’t be everywhere now, can I?”
Not in the mood to entertain the witty tete-a-tete with Victoria, Bella closed her eyes and whispered, “Lucas.”
Regrettably, it was clear that Rosemary was dead. But, before she lost consciousness, Lucas was very much alive. Bella needed to see for herself that he was okay.
“Your boyfriend is in surgery. He should have had surgery yesterday when you were brought in, but he refused to go under until he knew that you were going to be okay. He’ll be fine. Your family and very large extended family is in the waiting room. The doctor said they could visit when you woke up.”
“Then, how the hell did you get in here?”
“I’m rich and over-privileged.” Victoria chuckled.
“It must be nice to have snagged a rich man.” Bella snickered.
“Yes. Yes, it is. Is it nice for you too, Bella? Because the last time I checked, Lucas Creed was the Stanford-educated, genius, millionaire CEO of Brothers’ Creed Incorporated.”
Bella chuckled and regretted it immediately. She cringed from the sharp pain in her chest. “What do you want, Victoria?” Bella grunted.
Victoria leaned over Bella’s bed. Her expression turned serious. “We need to talk.”
The change in Victoria’s demeanor caused Bella to worry. She was attempted to sit up when Victoria placed a firm, but gentle, hand on her shoulder. Having no other choice, Bella calmed and relaxed against the pillow.
“What is it, Victoria?” she asked in a frightful whisper.
“Taylor reached out to me.”
“And?”
Victoria’s eyes were filled with sadness. Bella clutched to bedrail with anxious anticipation.
“Robert,” Victoria said softly.
Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She was afraid that Victoria was about to deliver devastating news. Since she hadn’t, Bella closed her eyes. She was unwilling to grapple with Victoria about the death of her cousin. “Not now, Victoria.”
“Bella, I need you to know that I didn’t want to fight your cousin. They had my family and they were using them to make me fight. I had no choice,” Victoria explained.
