Page 30 of Viral Affair

I rushed to the bathroom and then right into the first cubicle where I could hear Veronica. She was still throwing up. Grabbing some tissues, I handed them to her once she’d lifted herself up off the toilet and turned to get to the sink.

“You’re right. You can’t go see the prince in this state. I need to get you home to bed,” I gently grabbed her chin, so she couldn't avoiding looking at me. “How did you get here in the first place?”

“Tube, as I said. I was fine until like two hours ago, and then the vomiting started.” She turned the tap on and washed her mouth.

“Why didn’t you call? You didn’t have to come in,” I said, suddenly angry that she was willing to be stuck in the crowded train with other people. I felt fucking guilty that I’d overreacted on Sunday. We weren’t together, but from now on I needed to make sure she had a driver available all the time.

“I took some pills and I felt all right, but when I got off the Tube the nausea came back.” She breathed through her nose. “I feel so bad. I bet the prince will be pissed that I can't make it."

“Don’t worry about the club. I’m certain that Matthews will find the right replacement for the prince. We need to get you home, and you may be infectious,” I said, already thinking of calling my own doctor, but for that I needed to bring her home first. I figured she’d refuse, so I needed to play this by ear.

She touched her head and looked like she was going to pass out, so I grabbed her by the waist.

“Wow, steady yourself, sunshine,” I said, touching her forehead. “You’re burning up. Come on, we’re leaving.”

I picked her up and carried her through the corridor.

“Hey, hold on. What are you doing? You don’t need to carry me. I am perfectly capable of walking!”

“You nearly passed out. I don’t want you to fall and smash your head,” I muttered.

Rowan was still by the bar, and he hung up the phone just as I walked out carrying Veronica in my arms.

“What’s going on?”

“She’s feverish, so I’m taking her home. Did you find someone?” I asked him.

Veronica managed to wiggle out of my arms, but I had one around her waist.

“Working on it. Don’t worry, I think I may have someone perfect for tonight,” Rowan said, clearing his throat when the red-haired demon glared at him. “You should listen to Rupert. You are clearly not well, and I really don’t need another stomach bug. Let him take you home.”

“Gee, thanks, Matthews. It’s not like I’m an adult and can make my own decisions,” she hissed and then walked away from me but stumbled.

I caught her before she fainted. She didn’t even realise how weak she was.

“Stop fighting this. You can barely walk, sunshine,” I whispered into her ear, while I texted my driver to meet me outside the club.

Veronica insisted she wasn’t going to be carried, so I wrapped my hand around her waist until we stepped outside.

“You don’t have to be nice to me because I’m ill. Let me get to the Tube, Rupert. Laura is home, so she’ll take care of me,” she said, instantly raising my blood pressure.

There was no fucking way I would allow her to take the Tube. She could get sicker. Yes, I’d been acting like an arsehole lately, but I was ready to make up for it.

“Stop wasting your energy on talking and let me help you?” I growled, then a minute later, Chris, the driver, pulled up outside the club. “I apologise if that came out as a question, but the car is here and I’m giving you a lift home.”

“Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Chris opened the door for us, and we got inside. Veronica needed to be taken care of. She had vomit on her clothes, so she needed to have a nice relaxing bath. Putting her head against the window, she closed her eyes while I texted Doctor Johnson.

He replied immediately, then we texted back and forth. He told me to stop worrying for now and advised that I needed to monitor her over the next twenty-four hours. I was a little pissed that he thought it wasn’t necessary for him to come, but he was right in a way. I had to fucking calm down. Veronica might simply have a stomach bug.

London traffic on Friday evening was a bitch, so by the time we arrived it was pretty late. Veronica must have drifted off for a bit because I had to nudge her a few times to wake her up.

“Where are we? I thought you said you were taking me home?”

“Change of plans. You’re going to stay with me tonight. I’ll take you home tomorrow,” I said, not wanting to explain why I’d made this decision.

Chris had said there was a major accident on the way to Camden, so it would have taken us another hour to get to Veronica’s apartment.

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