Page 61 of Point Proven
She laughed, placing a hand on her chest. “Oh, that’s a good joke.”
“It’s not afuckingjoke.” His shift in tone threw her off guard, her face paling. “Get me a goddamn discharge.”
“Mr. Graves, Istronglyrecommend?—”
“AndIstrongly recommend you get me a fucking discharge. I would hate to have tomakeyou do so. So, be a doll, and get it done. I’ve lost enough time as it is.”
Matt hid his chuckle with a cough, but it was me who whistled. “Fuck. I’m hard.”
“Jesus, Oren. Can’t you gooneminute without a cock joke?”
“Aw, not my fault yours is tiny.”
It was the nurse’s turn to stutter, interlocking her fingers as she stepped back. “I-I’ll take care of it, Mr. Graves.”
“You have ten minutes before I get out of this bed and come find you myself.”
As if a gun were pointed at her head, she scurried off, the door slamming with her exit. While Matt and Simon resumed their chip debacle, I leaned into the man who held my heart completely.
“You might be stubborn, but I’ve got your back. Always.”
Craning to look at me, he planted a soft kiss against my forehead. “We’ll see if you regret this decision, Oren Graves. Because if you think I’m stepping into that compound with any intention of taking it easy, then you’re sorely mistaken.”
“You? Take the easy route? You wouldn’t be my fiancé if you did.” Snuggling into the crook of his side, I relished the few moments before we descended into madness.
It was finally time to get Liam back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
LIAM
Panes of gray greeted me, cement walls acting as my newfound cage.
Shifting to sit up, I was halted as a sharp spike of pain roared up my leg. It steadied as it reached my knee, my gaze landing on the black cast that ran from my ankle to my upper thigh.
I shoved the sheets down further, spotting two large squares of gauze where my stitched wounds were. Trailing my fingers over them, I winced at the sudden sensitivity, my entire lower half aching with the recollection of what had happened.
With my hands positioned behind the back of my leg, I lifted them with an attempt to scoot upright, a whimper rolling from me. It was clear that Stefan had his puppets cater to me, but the lack of pain medication flowing through my system successfully rendered me useless, every minor adjustment near unbearable.
“A-Ah… shit…”
“I’m not allowed to give you anything to help manage your pain, but I left some water on that table right there for you. Oh, and I would stop moving unless youwantto hurt yourself.”
Lifting my chin, my glower settled on the woman standing just beyond the bars I was locked behind. “Really helpful.Thanks,” I snarled, swallowing every derogatory word I wished to throw at her.
“I could’ve left you with nothing but a thin sheet to stave off not only the cold, but?—”
“If you’re here to be a bitch on his behalf, you can excuse yourself. I don’t have the fucking energy to deal with any of you, let alone your snarky andcuntyfucking commentary.”
“Oh, I’m a bitch, that’s for sure. Buthis? Fuck no.” She crossed her arms over her chest, craning her head to the side to study me. “I’ve been here twenty years, and not once have I ever delighted in this place. I’m surviving, just like you are.”
Lifting my brows, my glower narrowed. “Yeah? Well, you smell just like him, so I’m sure that’s going well.”
Taking an exaggerated whiff of herself, she grinned. “Smells like lavender. Complete opposite of hisashenscent, Liam.”
I rolled my eyes, turning my attention away from her. Examining my arm instead, I focused on the array of wires and tubes connected to me, their endpoints indecipherable. The numerous machines around me made the task even more unlikely, their sharp chimes offsetting one another in a rhythm that pissed me off. With the pad of my finger bouncing against the scratchy sheet to stave off my wrath, I continued distracting myself with anything other than the woman who’d served as my rude awakening.
“If you don’t mind my asking, howdidyou escape the first time, and for so long? I made it three days.”
