“If the doctor says you should stay, you’re staying,” I state, leaving no room for an argument.
“She already said I could go home,” Chloe says, and I hear a chuckle from either the doctor or “Alex the Nurse” and ignore it.
“Maybe we should get a second opinion,” I grumble under my breath.
“Nolan, that’s ridiculous,” she states, rolling her eyes.
I begin to wonder if she hasn’t really hurt herself. I can’t remember Chloe ever being so defiant.
“She just told you I’m okay. If anything changes, I can come back.”
“Okay,” I say and then look at the doctor. “I’ll need the number for an at-home nurse.
“Nolan,” Chloe chimes in.
“No,” I assert, swinging my head in her direction. “If you’re coming home, we’re doing it my way.”
She must understand from my tone that this is not something I will budge on, because she instantly jerks her head in an up-and-down motion.
“Now, if that’s everything, she needs her rest until you release her,” I bark, looking from Chloe, to her doctor, and then to Alex.
I know it makes no sense to be angry, and I’m not mad at Chloe—I’m mad at this situation. Being who I am, I’m used to having control, and this situation is completely out of my hands. I know I won’t be able to rest easy until I find out who tried to hurt my angel.
“I will be back to bring you your discharge papers. If things look good when I get back, I’ll sign you out.”
“Thank you,” Chloe says. Then she looks at me and raises an eyebrow, causing me to press my lips together. “Nolan,” she whispers and elbows me in the ribs.
I look at the doctor and mutter a quick, “Thank you,” before watching her and Nurse Alex leave the room.
The moment they are out of sight, Chloe looks at me.
“What?” I ask, putting her feet up on the bed.
“You were so rude,” she huffs, flopping back onto the pillow.
“Careful,” I bark, and her eyes go wide, causing me to flinch. “You were drugged. Your face is bruised and you have been unconscious for the last twenty-four hours, so don’t look at me like you’re surprised I’m reacting this way.”
“I know,” she sighs, and my eyes meet hers, “but I’m okay.”
Her hand comes up to run along my jaw. My hand covers hers and I turn my head to kiss her palm. I know she’s right, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I nod and finish tucking her into bed before kissing her forehead and going out into the hall to talk to Ricket.
“Sir,” Ricket says as soon as he sees me walk out of Chloe’s room.
“Where’s Bernard?”
“He—”
“I’m here,” Bernard announces, walking around the corner.
“Any news?”
“Not yet.” He shakes his head, looking towards Chloe’s room. “How’s she doing?”
“Better,” I tell him, running a hand down the back of my neck.
“So, no news on who the guy was either?”
“When I spoke to him outside, he said he was Chloe’s boyfriend from high school.”
“Why the fuck is he showing up here now?”
“Said he got a call from someone saying she was in the hospital. He told me he and Chloe have kept in contact over the years and he has always thought of her as his girl, so he wanted to make sure she was okay.”
The words “his girl” ring in my ears and I try to steady my breathing as my hands clench into fists.
“I want you to find out everything on him down to what he ate for breakfast this morning, and I don’t want him anywhere near Chloe. I don’t even want him to catch a glimpse of her.”
“My men will be keeping a close eye on him.”
“Make sure,” I growl before turning on my heel and heading back to Chloe. I know it’s not my men’s fault that this happened, but fear of the unknown has me lashing out. I just need some answers sooner rather than later.
Chapter 3
“What are you doing?” I bark, walking into the bathroom, where Chloe is submerged in the tub with her eyes closed and mounds of white bubbles surrounding her.
“Taking a bath,” she answers, not even opening her eyes.
“You could drown,” I tell her, walking to her and picking her up out of the water, not caring when my clothes become soaked by doing so.
“Put me down, Nolan.”
“No. You’re going to bed,” I say, ignoring her struggles as I grab a towel with one hand before leaving the bathroom and carrying her to the bed, where she was supposed to be while I went to make a few phone calls.
“You are being ridiculous. First, you carry me around like a doll, and now, I can’t take a bath?” she cries, glaring at me.
“It was safer for me to carry you.” I shrug and start to dry her off, but she pulls the towel from my hand and starts whipping it at me, causing me to dodge her while trying to take it from her without hurting her in the process. “Chloe, stop. You’ll hurt yourself,” I say, finally getting the towel from her hands.
She reaches down to the end of the bed and grabs the blanket, pulling it over herself before crossing her arms over her chest and letting out a long huff.
“You’re supposed to be resting.”
“I was resting.” She rolls her eyes, suddenly getting out of bed.