Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 590(@200wpm)___ 472(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
A lightning bolt of absolute hate shot through me.
Victor.
Fuck, I wanted to murder him all over again.
Rolling onto his side, Henri stiffened as he noticed my tears.
For a second, his grey gaze flared with hunger. I waited for him to drink those tears. To pounce on me like he always had. But then he pinched the bridge of his nose, grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and held it out to me. “If you’re crying because of the state of my back, don’t. It doesn’t hurt. I’m okay.”
Taking the tissue, I blew my nose and forced a smile. “I didn’t realise how deep the scar tissue went. You always wear a t-shirt to bed.”
“To prevent you from seeing it.” Shuffling upright, he rested against the pillows. “I didn’t want it to turn you off.”
“Turn me off?” My mouth hung open. “Henri…how could you think—”
Someone’s fist pounded on the door, cutting me off.
He scowled and dropped his stare to my nakedness. “Just a sec!”
Launching out of bed, he shrugged into a t-shirt and black pyjama bottoms, then threw me a spare grey shirt from the freshly laundered pile. “Here.”
Slipping out of bed, I yanked it on just as he went to open the door.
Q stood on the threshold. Freshly showered, his dark suit immaculately tailored. He smiled at Henri, then stiffened as his gaze fell on my bare thigh.
His eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared.
I looked down at my leg then slapped a hand over the blue H scribed into my skin. Henri followed his brother’s stare, wincing at the memories of that day. The sapphire dust he’d rubbed into a fresh cut. Blue mingling with red.
A visceral punch of hot desire cut right through my middle.
I’d been out of my mind with lust.
I’d come so hard I’d—
I blushed.
Q sniffed and backed away. “I won’t ask. None of my business.”
“Agreed. None of your business.” Henri stepped in front of me, crossing his arms. “Why the early morning visit?”
Looking down the corridor, he narrowed his eyes as Tess appeared. Scratching his five o’clock shadow, he shifted uncomfortably. “Eh…”
I frowned and moved to Henri’s side. I’d not known his brother long but seeing him tongue-tied didn’t fit with his usual rather snappy, prickly personality. “Everything okay?”
Tess came toward us, a charcoal woollen dress framing her curves. “We just got a call. From the hospital.”
Q glanced at her and paced away to look out the window. “You tell them. I feel like I keep fucking everything up.”
“Tell us what?” Henri asked, a trace of suspicion in his cool tone.
Catching my stare, Tess winced. “Well…you know how we had some jewels healing here but the worst cases—the ones too damaged—” She flung her arms up. “Dammit, I can’t. Just…we need to show you something.”
Henri flicked me a look. “The last time Q showed me something, I found out Ily hadn’t died…only to watch her die a few weeks later.”
“Yes well, we promise no one is going to die this time.” Tess grinned with a guilty shrug. “We hope.”
“Meet us downstairs. There’s a car waiting.” Q stalked away. Snatching Tess’s wrist, he dragged her with him.
Closing the door, Henri scowled. “Any idea what’s got up his ass?”
“Nope.” I flung myself into his arms and kissed him. “But he’s not patient so I suggest we go find out.”
* * * * *
My nose wrinkled at the scents of bleach and dying.
I’d always hated hospitals.
Despite being found at one and my father working in one every day, I’d never been able to get over the stench or the energy of the place. The energy of hope and loss, fear and prayer.
Henri held my hand as we followed Tess and Q.
We’d flown here.
By a private helicopter.
I knew Henri’s brother was loaded but until that moment when he shoved us into a helicopter with a sparrow logo on its tail and threw a headset at us, I hadn’t truly understood.
France had unravelled like a children’s story book as we flew to the roof of a hospital only to land and be immediately greeted by a doctor in a blinding white coat.
That doctor led our procession.
He hadn’t said a word, just nodded at Q and started walking.
Nerves popped in my stomach the longer we walked through a labyrinth of white, stark corridors. Nurses raised an eyebrow as we cut through their station then turned left and continued all the way to the end.
There, the doctor rested his hand on the doorknob and gave us a look. “I must apologise for the mix-up. We should’ve tried harder to confirm identities despite the patient being uncommunicative until this time. I’m not sure how such paperwork wasn’t thoroughly—”
“Just open the door,” Q barked. Stepping aside, he arched his chin at Tess to join him and added, “You two go in. We’ll stay out here.”
Nerves exploded into full-blown panic. “What’s going on?”