Page 137 of Mine to Ruin

“Take care of my fiancée, you won’t even notice I am here.”

A doctor comes in, scowling at Kian snapping at everyone. The nurse takes my blood pressure, and the doctor introduces himself. He does a full physical examination and orders a few tests in a firm tone. I stiffen when the needle goes in my vein. Kian pushes off the wall and takes my other hand, squeezes it, and I don’t feel the needle poking me. We also go through my medical history.

My results come back, and he takes a seat next to me.

“Your blood tests are fine. What you experienced is a panic attack. Have you been under a lot of stress lately?”

“A little.” That would be the understatement of my life. I feel the walls suddenly grabbing my attention.

“I prescribed you anti-anxiety medicine. But if it happens again, I would like you to come in and discuss therapy.” He leaves us, and I get up and change.

Kian paces around, head in his hands, his eyes never leaving mine. I almost believe he cares.

We walk down the hallway with his arm over my shoulder, tucking me to his side. He buckles me in and says, “Let’s eat some crap you like.”

“A burger and fries, and a milkshake, and a donut.” Crappy food goes best with a broken heart.

“Whatever you want.” His lips tip into a small smile, and for a few seconds, it stops hurting.

At the drive-through, he orders what I want, and he drives to a location that is very familiar. We stop when we reach the Valley of Fire, and I climb out of the car. He places the food on the hood, and I hop on it, nibbling on a fry and he leans back on his elbows.

“You scared me back there.”

“Why didn’t you trust me?”

“I know the pictures were made up, but you still fucked my brother... ” Would it have made a difference if I told him? It doesn’t matter, anyway.

I stare into nothingness and whisper.

“You ruined us.”

“No, Ellia, I didn’t, it was you,” he says into the night.

“Where is Melanie?”

“I fired her.” I blink at him, and disbelief must be written on my face, and he adds, “She betrayed me.”

“And me?”

“I am marrying you.”

“Why?”

“So I can prove once more that nothing can bring me down.”

“How do you imagine our marriage? On paper only?” I bite down my lower lip, the civil conversation between us urging me to ask.

He cocks his head, arching a brow. “Why? Would you like more? I thought he was better than me. And even someone like me at times needs to feel desired.”

“Kian... stop. It hurts.”

He cups my neck and rests his forehead on mine. “Does it? Is it deep, like a knife pushing into every layer of skin, and cutting every vital organ in your body? Is your pain as if your hurt refuses to respond to anything else than the one who causes the most excruciating pain? Is it the kind of pain when you would do anything to erase that person, but nothing works?”

“Yes.”

Our chests heave and he pushes himself off me with a string of curses.

Chapter 49

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