Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88057 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Chapter Three
Ambrose
“Hercules?” The word escaped my mouth before I was fully awake. I hurt. The light was far too bright, and my mouth had never been so dry. But I was at least something approaching conscious, and my first real thought was for my dog.
I wasn’t home. That much I knew from the sterile smell, different quality of the light, and lumpy mattress under me. Scattered glimpses of what had happened slammed into me like glass shards, each memory more painful than the last. Dark night. Lots of shadows. Big men. Pain. So much pain. Angry demands. Answers I didn’t have.
Harley. Soothing Voice. Strong arms. Hercules against me, little body shaking, but he wasn’t with me now. I patted the bed beside me, arm pinching. I had an IV. Damn it. I was in a hospital bed, alone in a scratchy gown I had a vague inkling of being helped into. Woozy, I’d been so woozy. Still was a bit muddled, but less so with each blink awake.
“Hercules?” I asked again, louder and more hopefully. I needed to know he was okay. Harley had promised. I remembered that much.
“Somehow, I’m not surprised that the little monster is the first thing you’re asking for.” Cressida’s voice drew my attention to a chair near the bed. The scent of her floral perfume wafted over, comforting and familiar. She looked far more casual than usual with a ponytail, workout clothes, and little slide-on sneakers, like she’d been pulled from yoga class. “He’s fine.”
“Here?” I glanced all around the room.
“Not in here. But he’s doing fine. He’s with your rescuer.”
“Harley.” Good. I hadn’t imagined that part.
“Yes, Harley. The security guy from the shoot. So lucky he was nearby to save you. God. Ambrose. What were you thinking—”
“No lectures.” I waved the hand that didn’t have an IV. “Back to Hercules.”
“Fine.” She huffed before reaching forward to pat my blanket-covered leg. “That dog of yours is actually tolerating someone that’s not you. Hasn’t left Harley’s arms. Go figure. Anyway, Harley and I tried everything, but the ER didn’t budge on the no-pets rule. We thought they might let us bring him in now that you have a real room, but they’ve got a limited visitation and a no-pets policy here too.”
“What time is it?” The brightness of the sun, coupled with Cressida’s weary tone, had me worried I’d missed days, not hours.
“It’s Wednesday. Attack happened last night, Tuesday. And it’s around noon. I was about to go search out a coffee when you woke up from your latest snooze.”
“Noon? You were here all night? And what about filming?” Even my pain-dazed state couldn’t make me forget the week’s schedule, which I’d long since committed to memory.
“No shooting today.” She rolled her neck from side to side. “It was scheduled as a light day anyway, but it was an easy call to cancel. No one could concentrate after word of your attack got out, and I needed to be here, not on set.”
“I hate that you needed to cancel. And I hate that you had to come.”
“Well, I hate that you’re here.” She patted my leg again, tone more morose. “I never should have left early yesterday.”
“It’s not your fault.” I fumbled for her hand, giving her a squeeze.
“It is. I haven’t taken the protesters seriously enough.” Her mouth twisted, lips pale without her usual red gloss.
“You said they were harmless. And this isn’t connected.”
“You don’t know that.” Eyes narrowing, she pursed her mouth.
“I parked in the wrong lot. It was a random carjacking.”
Cressida didn’t look too convinced, but a knock sounded before she could respond. I turned, expecting a nurse, but it was Harley. My heart soared until I realized he didn’t have Hercules’s carrier bag with him, only a zip-up hoodie over his arm.
“No Hercules?” I sounded young. And whiny, but I couldn’t help the disappointment. I undoubtedly should have greeted him with my undying thanks, but my brain remained stuck on the need to see Hercules.
“Nope, no dog,” Harley said loudly as he closed the door. He put a finger to his lips, and Cressida dropped my hand, turning toward him. Her eyes went wide as he moved the arm with the jacket. Hercules’s beloved, goofy face popped into view, and I made a delighted noise.
Oops. Not supposed to speak. A laugh bubbled up nonetheless as Harley approached the bed.
“We can’t stay long, but Marta, your nurse this shift, has a brother stationed overseas. We had a nice chat right before she went on a break. Won’t be in for a few minutes.” He winked at me, doing flippy things to my insides. Had to be the lack of food that had me vaguely lightheaded gazing into his eyes which were so dark blue they almost appeared brown. “And the little fellow was going nuts without a glimpse of his person.”