Page 9 of Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy 3)
“Like I’ve been fucking shot and sewn up.”
“I can have the nurse increase your pain meds. You won’t feel anything then.”
He backs away toward the door, and I stop him.
“No. You already gave me too much. I don’t want anything else. I want to feel it. Every single fucking bit of it. I’m not letting you knock me out again.”
“Lachlan—” Keira’s voice is low, and her squeeze of my hand is tight. When I squeeze back, she goes silent.
“Make sure Ms. Kilgore has all the pain meds and everything else she needs, but leave my shit alone. Tell V to get in here when you leave.”
The doctor nods and turns to retreat, his stare sweeping across our joined hands.
“Breathe a word of what happened tonight, and—”
“I wouldn’t dare, sir. Hit the call button if either of you need anything at all. We’re at your service for as long as you need.”
As soon as he leaves the room, Keira jerks her hand out of mine. I want to snatch it back, but she’s too busy wagging a finger in my face.
“Don’t you try to tough out the pain like a stubborn ass. Take the drugs.”
I turn toward her, my body protesting against the movement, but I need to see her face so she understands exactly why I refused them.
“If I’m under, I can’t protect you, and that’s not an option. You’re tied to me. Your safety—your life—is in my hands, and that’s not something I’m willing to risk just to save myself a few hours of pain.”
“A few hours?” She scoffs. “You were shot. It’s not like it was a freaking paper cut.”
“It wasn’t the first time. Probably won’t be the last.”
Keira growls, and it’s clear that any fear she used to have of me, even well-masked fear, is gone completely. “Don’t you dare get shot again.”
“I can’t promise you that.”
“Then lie to me. Give me something.”
A rough laugh rumbles up from deep inside me. One of a kind. I knew it before, and she’s proven it every day since.
Lies. They’ve always fallen so easily from my lips. Second nature. First choice. But in this instance, I can’t do it.
“No more lies. Not between us. Not anymore.”
Keira’s head jerks back, shock flashing across her features. “Does that mean you’re going to tell me all your secrets if I ask?”
I glance toward the ceiling. Of course she would go there. She wouldn’t be the partner I never knew I wanted—never knew I needed—if she didn’t.
I release a long breath, a large part of me not believing what I’m about to do. But like I realized earlier, everything has changed.
“What do you want to know?”
Keira
No. Freaking. Way.
He’s not giving me carte blanche to ask him any question and be told the truth, is he? But the sincerity in his dark gaze can’t be denied. Then again, neither can the fatigue lining his features.
Before, I would have jumped at the chance to give this man the third degree and get the answers to all the questions I’ve been storing up, but right now, I can’t do it. Instead, I focus on him, and getting him well.
Because Lachlan’s health and safety shot to the top of my priority list the moment I watched them drag him away from me in the street.
