Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Standing, I shifted toward Lucien. Whisper’s glowing golden eyes watched the doctors’ every move, his claws unsheathing on the covers as if he wanted to rake them into pieces. “When he wakes, will he be able to run?” I asked quietly.
“Run?” The blond doctor—Harry—scoffed. “What do you want him to do? Enter a triathlon?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I want him to be strong enough to escape.”
“Escape from what exactly?”
“Unfortunately,” the older doctor said with a warning glance at his colleague. “He’ll be extremely weak when he wakes. He’ll most likely have significant chest pain and definitely shouldn’t be moved in case he worsens. At this point, he needs bed rest. Possibly for up to a week.”
“A week?” My voice turned shrill. “But he has to get free tonight.” Pointing at the dark sky and twinkling stars past the window, I balled my hands. “If he doesn’t run tonight then Marcus will have him back in Cinderkeep by tomorrow.”
“The moment we’ve been released, we’ll call the police,” the older doctor said, shooting a look at the door as if the guard could hear through the wood. “They took our phones and we tried the bed and breakfast landline, but it’s been disconnected. I won’t let you suffer whatever’s going on. However, it’s safer for us and our families if we call once we’ve been dismissed.”
“You’re being too soft-hearted, Roger.” Harry huffed. “The moment we step out of that door, we should forget about all of this. They made us sign an NDA. And didn’t you just finish telling me that knowledge leads to consequences? I agree. I suddenly don’t want to know a damn thing. I just want to go home to my wife and baby daughter and forget this ever happened.”
Whisper suddenly chuffed and leapt to his feet, making the bed rock. His whiskers flared as he sniffed Lucien, sneezing from a noseful of astringent antiseptic.
“Eh, do you think you could get the cat off our patient?” Harry seethed. “If that creature is the reason our patient dies, don’t blame us. As far as sterile environments go this was terrible and that beast is making it ten times worse.”
“Whisper,” I scolded, darting around the pushed-aside furniture. “Get off him. You’re—”
“That beast will tear you—” Lucien coughed, convulsing beneath the lavender quilt. “Into pieces before you can even open the door.” He sucked in a breath and raised his head. “So I’d be nice if I were you.”
Both doctors froze and me?
I ran.
Choking on a sob, I flew across the room and flung myself onto the bed. Shoving aside the huge panther as if he were a tiny tabby, I buried my face against Lucien’s neck and wound my arms around him like a python.
He smelled all wrong.
He was cold for the first time since I’d met him.
But he felt so, so good.
“Be careful of his wound!”
I didn’t care which doctor reprimanded me. Nothing else mattered but feeling his imprisoned heart against my own, finding out for myself that he truly was alive and awake and okay.
“You’re not dead,” I mumbled into his throat, squeezing him tighter.
A guttural grunt escaped him as I hugged him as fiercely as I’d longed to do for weeks. I took full advantage of him being bedbound—unable to push me away.
His body jerked as if he wanted to stop me, but another quiet groan escaped him as I pressed a kiss to his chin before burrowing into the crux of his throat. “I’m so glad you’re not dead.”
“That could change very quickly with how badly you’re choking me.” His arm swept up unsteadily, hovering over my shoulder. “Rook...let me go.”
“I can’t.” Tears rolled, no doubt splashing onto his neck and tickling him. “Let me hold you for a little longer.”
His breath stuttered, his bandaged chest rising beneath me as if I’d hurt him all over again. The metal disc flared red as his heart quickened. Sucking in a shallow gasp, his back arched with pain.
“No.” Pulling away a little, horror filled me that even here—even away from Cinderkeep and surrounded by strangers who’d fought to save his life—no one could stop Marcus from monitoring Lucien’s heartrate or punishing him the moment it strayed over a certain line.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” I went to push off him. To climb far away and stop causing him discomfort, but his hand came down. With a gentleness that felt terrible as well as tender, he cupped the back of my head and pulled me hard against him.
My elbows gave out, collapsing me on top of him.
He groaned in fresh misery.
“I’m sorry! So sorry!” I fought his hold even as he kept me trapped. “Let me go. If your pulse stays high, he’ll keep hurting you! What the hell is he thinking punishing you when you’re on death’s door? He’s an idiot. A complete dumbass who deserves to—”