Page 47 of Forbidden Mistress

At that moment, a doctor walks, saving me from having to respond to Liam.

“Good afternoon,” the doctor says. He has Lori’s chart in his hand, and he flips through a couple of the pages, then tucks it under his arm. “Your mother was brought to the emergency room this morning with a head injury. She had called 911, but by the time paramedics arrived, she was non-responsive. We’re running tests, but our biggest concern, at this point, is bleeding on the brain.”

A wave of nausea hits me. Brain bleed? That’s bad. Very bad.

“How was she injured?” Liam stands to face the doctor and begin questioning him like he’s negotiating a business deal, all of that previous uncertainty evaporated.

“We don’t know. The dispatcher wasn’t able to get that information from her.”

“Is she in a coma?” I ask, afraid of the answer. But there has to be a reason she’s not awake.

“It’s a medically induced coma.” The doctor turns to me. “We’re keeping her sedated until we can figure out what’s happening in her brain.”

Liam asks a few more questions which the doctor fields until, finally, Liam nods. “Thank you, doctor.”

When the doctor leaves, Liam turns to me. “You can head home, if you want. I’ll stay with Mom and keep you updated.”

I fold my arms across my chest and glare at him through narrowed eyes. “Nice try. I’m going to grab us some snacks. I’ll be right back. Call me if she wakes up.”

If I’m going to be dealing with Liam for the next couple hours, I’ll need carbs. And sugar. A piece of cake or cookies would be ideal, but I’ll have to see what they have in the vending machines. I take my time hunting out my snacks, and when I return a half hour later, Liam is deep in contemplation.

I toss him a bag of barbecue-flavored potato chips, which I know are his favorite. He flashes me a half smile and says, “Thanks.” But I can tell he’s worried and distracted.

“She’s going to be fine,” I say, sitting back in my chair beside him. “Lori is nothing if not stubborn.”

“Yeah,” he says, setting the chips aside. “I just can’t help feeling like I should have been around more.” He glances at me, his gaze biting into me. “Life is too short.”

I know the meaning behind those words. He’s referring to the sudden and very shocking loss of my dad—and his, too, really. Liam has had very little contact with his bio dad in the UK since moving here. In addition, the man was abusive so I don’t imagine that’s a relationship he really wants to repair. When Liam and his mom came to live with us, he had just turned thirteen. We got along surprisingly well in those days, considering our differences.

But things got weird not long before he decided to go off to college at Oxford, seldom returning home even for holidays. And when he was here, he was sullen, distant and quiet. The epitome of brooding. Right after finishing his university studies, he went to work for my dad’s company on the East Coast and came back even less frequently than before.

Somewhere along the line, he became a stranger to me. And by the time my dad died, he was the ruthless businessman who swooped in and took all the leavings for himself.

Regardless of those negative thoughts, as I look over at him right now, I find myself transfixed by his gaze. Heat trickles down my spine, and I have the sudden urge to lean in and inhale his scent.

What the fuck? Why? I hate this guy, right? His selfishness is next level. Who takes the fair share of a company away from someone—a family member, no less?

But, I don’t know…there must be something about our current joint trauma that makes me see him a little differently. Or remember the old days. Or hope that under that cold-blooded businessman exterior is the boy I once knew so well I considered him my best friend.

It occurs to me that a situation like this, where we are sitting quietly and just chatting, might be the perfect time to bring up my dad’s trust documents. My eyes wander to the motionless Lori lying on the bed. Given the situation, bringing up all that mess right now feels wrong. Maybe once she’s on the mend, we can talk. As easy as it would be, I can’t sink to his level. Unlike him, I’m not a horrible person, and it’s not in my nature to take advantage of a situation.

But I’m not going to play nice forever…

Chapter 20

Nostalgia

The next few days pass in a blur while Lori undergoes several tests. I’m able to peel away for a few hours to pack a bag, notify my advisor and professors about the family emergency, and inform my roommates about what’s going on. They are all amazing and supportive, arranging to have my lectures recorded and sending meals to Liam and me at the hospital.

They are the absolute best.

I also inform Hart about the reason why I vanished from his house and hadn’t been responding to his texts. His reply makes me hold my phone to my chest and almost swoon like a Victorian damsel.

Fuck. I’m so sorry. Take the next few weeks—all the time you need. I won’t be going to Obscura without you.

I’ll put Andrew at your service, driving you to and from the hospital. What else can I do for you?

I want to crawl through the phone and kiss him. What I would give to be tucked away in his penthouse right now, curled up on his bed, smelling his pillows. But there’s no way I can leave Lori’s side. Not until I’m absolutely certain she’s okay.

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