Page 62 of Steel Queen

Relief slowly spread through me. Brian was going to be okay. He wasn’t dying.

“When can we see him?” Corey asked.

“Not tonight, I’m afraid,” said Dr. Hall. “We’ll watch him for twenty-four hours and assess the situation. Even after pulling through, he’s going to be very tired.”

He paused for a moment. “Mr. Amhurst can have visitors tomorrow but I must insist that all conversations be kept light. He’ll be at risk from another stroke for a while, so you have to make sure he’s not stressed or angered.”

“Can we do anything to help?” asked Noah. The whites of his eyes were covered in thin red veins. Had he been crying all this time?

The thought left me feeling uneasy. Noah Amhurst never showed any emotion. I couldn’t understand what was causing such an upheaval in him.

“I’ll suggest you all return home for the night,” said Dr. Hall. “Mr. Amhurst will be safe in our care. I’m sure he’ll be ready to see you by tomorrow afternoon.”

Dr. Hall walked away and went inside a room further down the corridor.

I looked up at Corey, Caleb, and Noah. They all looked visibly relieved.

“We’re of no use here,” said Corey. “Let’s go home.”

“What if something goes wrong?” Noah murmured.

“Even then, it’s the docs he’ll need,” said Corey. “We’re of no help here. Come on, big guy. Let’s get you home.” Wrapping his arm over Noah’s shoulder, Corey steered him down the hallway.

Caleb stayed back with me.

“Corey hasn’t been that nice to Noah in ages,” Caleb said in a low voice. “I guess Dad needed to have a stroke for him to forgive Noah.”

“Why wouldn’t he forgive Noah?”

“He blamed Noah for everything when you disappeared,” said Caleb. “Noah hasn’t known a moment of peace since you left. We all gave him a hard time.”

He exhaled a heavy breath and looked down at me. “Try being kinder to him, Milla. He can be cold and cruel, but if you give him a chance, he’ll show you a different side to him.”

“Is there a different side to him?”

“If you look really closely, you’ll see it.”

He laid a hand on my head and caressed my hair gently. It was a soothing gesture and I automatically melted against him.

“I was so scared for Brian,” I whispered into his chest as he continued to stroke my hair. “This place reminded me of the day I landed up here and found Mom dead.”

“He’s going to be okay,” Caleb said in a deep, gentle voice that reverberated through me. “We’ll come back tomorrow and see him when he’s better.

“Yeah.” I was reluctant to let go and had to force myself to step away from him. At once, I missed his warmth.

“Come on. Let’s go home.”

I knew he was talking about his home, the place I’d hated since taking my first step there. This time, however, it felt different.

This time, the Amhurst brothers were extending an invitation to me willingly.

What changed?

I was truly going to take over Amhurst Co. and they all knew about it. Why were they still treating me with so much care and gentleness?

16

Noah

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