“I don’t think so, but I get what you mean.” If she were a shifter, she would understand that we are family now. I’m her sister’s fated mate, and that means she’s family to me too. It’s why she trusted me with her daughter. She won’t understand it though, and maybe I’ll never be able to explain it—some things are ineffable.
“Maya will be out in a minute,” Pippa says, helping Maddie into her coat. “She’s just talking to the doctor again. She’ll say no, but it would be great if you could give her a lift home and make sureshe eats something. And despite what this munchkin will tell you, Maya doesn’t have a sweet tooth. You can’t go wrong with steak, though.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, confusion and appreciation swirling inside me.
“Because Maya doesn’t let people in. But she let you drive her here, and she was happy to leave the most precious person in the world with you. Maya deserves to be happy, and my gut is telling me that you’ll be a part of that.”
I nod because I don’t want to let the emotion I’m feeling come out right now. I can’t release the happy tears that want to fall. Fates, I needed to hear that. It’s not all in my head.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Maya
I’m the last to leave the ICU, pulling off the disposable PPE gear and stuffing it in the designated bin. My head is pounding. The past few days have been so intense, and I’ve been distracted between the masked man and my constant thoughts of Ryan. I haven’t been over to my parents as much as normal. Dad doesn’t look after himself enough, and Mom gets so stressed when his numbers are off that she doesn’t know what to do.
And then this happens. He could have died.
I should have been there.
“Maya,” Ryan says as I join the group in the hallway. His brows are pinched, and his lips are set in a hard line as he observes me, taking in everything that others don’t. “Pippa and Maddie are going to stay with your mom tonight. I’m bringing you home.”
There’s nothing else we can do here tonight. The hospital staff have made it clear they will call us if anything changes, but we aren’t welcome to stay. Pippa and Mom give me hugs before heading away with Maddie. My face burns when Pippa whispers in my ear, “If you don’t climb that man like a tree, I’m going to disown you.”
I wait for them to leave before turning to Ryan, hoping he hasn’t heard Pippa. “You don’t need to take me home. I can drop you back at your car.”
“You’re in no state to drive right now. You’ve had a nasty fright, and you need to be looked after.”
“I can call a friend.”
“I’m sure you can, but will you?” he asks, and my mouth drops at how accurately he is reading me.
“Ryan, you’re my patient,” I say firmly. “It’s not your job to look after me.”
The way his face pinches at the word patient has my stomach churning with regret. Which makes no sense. Heismy patient. I’ve already gone too far beyond professional boundaries. The last thing I need to do right now is let him take me home.
“Right,” he says, looking at the ground. “I’m your patient. I can’t be the one to look after you.” Pain radiates so fiercely that I can practically smell it rolling off him.
“I’m sorry, Ryan. I crossed a line in letting you drive me here.”
“I offered.”
“And that was very kind of you,” I tell him as we walk toward the main door of the hospital. “But I’m the professional; I shouldn’t have accepted. One of us needs to maintain the boundaries of our relationship.”
Ryan lets out a huff of breath. “Stop acting like you’re taking advantage of me or something. I want to look after you. I initiated this. I pursued you. This is all on me. I’m not asking you to starta relationship with me; I’m just asking you to let me feed you and make sure you get home safe.”
I want to fight him on this. Ishouldfight him. But it’s so hard. I’m so tired and overwhelmed, and everything he is saying is exactly what I need in this moment. That voice begs me to let him care for us. Begs me to accept the bond, whatever the hell that means. But what about the masked man? The man I promised to be exclusive with. I’m pissed at him right now, but I can’t just go on a date with someone else. The guilt and shame war for prime position in my swirling emotions.
I can’t do this. Even if I could get past the ethics and was willing to risk losing my career—which I’m not—I can’t do this to him.
“I’m seeing someone,” I admit, “and I don’t think he would be very happy about me going for dinner with a man who has made advances toward me.”
“Why isn’t he here?” Ryan asks, an edge to his voice I’ve never heard.
I don’t know how to respond. How do I explain Ican’tcall this other man because he hasn’t given me his phone number? And why would I answer? It’s none of his business.
Ryan grabs my hand and pulls me back to face him. “Wouldn’t he want you safe? Wouldn’t he want you looked after?” he asks, and I don’t know how to answer that either.
“It’s just a meal,” he continues, his face softening. “It doesn't need to be complicated.” I gaze up at him, and I swear his eyes sparkle as my resolve slips. “Dinner and a lift home. Somewhere not remotely romantic.”
