Page 37 of Betrothed
He grunted. “Will do. What floor should the crew arrive?”
“Five. There are two who might be staying in the hospital for longer. Let them live.”
“Yes, boss. Will do.”
I tossed the phone, taking a deep breath. The injury hurt like a son of a bitch.
When the call was complete, her entire face held the same tension I felt.
“You’re going to need to have your bandage changed daily and in truth, I can’t promise you that your muscle wasn’t shredded. If so, you’ll need much more intensive care than I can provide here.”
“Understood.”
“I hope you do, Kirill, if that’s even your name because if you develop an infection, you could lose use of your arm. Who are you?”
Her question was to be expected. “Straight and to the point. I admire that about you.”
“You give me no choice. You took me hostage. Now, answer the question.”
“My guess is someone you would have preferred not meeting on your flight from Rome.”
She yanked a package from a box, ripping it open with as much anger as I sensed she was finished with hiding. “That’s not an answer. The man I met on the flight was a gentleman, kind and nurturing, treating a terrified woman with grace.”
“What makes you think I’m not that man?”
“Because I know your type.” She placed the gauze on the wound, pressing gently before grabbing a roll of medical tape.
“And what type is that?”
“A man who inflicts pain on everyone he meets.”
My laugh was followed by another painful wince. “Maybe you’re right. A function of my job description.”
“As a very bad man?”
“Put simply. Yes.”
When she was finished, she leaned back, still staring at my shoulder while her mind was spinning with possibilities. “Then I guess this is where I say I don’t want to have anything further to do with you.”
“You would be right, only that can’t happen.”
Now she jerked back as if I’d hit her. “Meaning what? You are not serious about taking me with you. I can and will keep my mouth shut.”
When I struggled to get to my feet, she did the same, taking a few steps away. “And as you might imagine, I can’t risk that. Which is why you’re coming with me.”
“Like hell I am. I have responsibilities here at the hospital, including likely cleaning up after your mess.”
“Don’t worry. I already have a team coming to do that.”
She laughed as if I’d been on Comedy Central and gathered the items from the floor. “So thoughtful.”
“I do try.” I moved toward the shelves, searching them.
“What are you looking for?”
“Something to wear that won’t draw as much attention as my bloodstained white shirt.”
When she didn’t say anything, I tipped my head over my shoulder. She was staring at my back, her chest rising and falling. With a roll of her eyes, she dumped the items in the trashcan in the room before moving toward where I was standing. She grabbed two items, her anger evident. “Here are some scrubs used by the orderlies. I suppose you also take what you want.”
