Page 75 of Ruthless King

My heart flutters at the thought of Nico. “Where is he?”

“I’m not sure. Just get some rest, ok?” She pats my arm, then leaves the room.

I rest for a while, staring at the ceiling, wondering what exactly happened. Why did Nico leave me down there to die, then save me? I guess it’s his punishment.

Andrew steps into the room. The sound of my heart monitor picks up its rhythm.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Nico is arrested for the murder of your father. Thought you should know.”

“He told me he didn’t do it.”

Andrew tilts his head to the side in a mocking gesture. “And you believed him? You have no one anymore, Aurora.” He sidles up to my bed, and the beeping of my monitor goes off the charts. “You have no one anymore. No one to save you. No power. You thought you could get one up on the great Nico Mancini. Well, you didn’t.Idid. And now, you’re going to die for it.”

He picks up a pillow at the end of my bed and brings it down on my face.

Chapter

Eighteen

AURORA

Ijerk to the side before Andrew can suffocate me. He grabs my arms and tries to pin me down, but I buck and struggle against him. There’s no way I’m going to let myself get killed after what I went through.

“Help!” I scream.

He slams his hand over my mouth. “Be quiet.” He presses the pillow down onto my face, and instantly, I can’t breathe. My hands scrabble at his arms, but Andrew doesn’t let up. My heart monitor is going crazy.

I cannot die.

I will not die.

My leg kicks up and lands a hit to Andrew’s body, making him grunt. Using that momentum, I push him off me and jerk to the side, ripping my IV out of my arm and standing up on shaky legs.

Andrew grabs me around the waist and flings me back onto the bed.

“Help!” I scream once again.

A nurse runs into the room, pauses, then presses a button on the wall. Andrew stares at her for a moment before racing out of the room, leaving me be.

In the hallway, I see two security guards run after Andrew. Good riddance.

“Are you ok?” the nurse asks, helping me sit back down. “What happened?”

“That man attacked me.”

“Ok. I’ll call the police. Let me get your IV back in. You need more fluids in you.”

I let the nurse tend to my IV, and slowly, my heart monitor slows its beeping. She gives me a smile, then leaves the room to call the police presumably.

I’m too wired to fall back asleep. Andrew could try to hurt me again.

After about an hour, Detectives Chase and Morgan arrive in my room.

Of course, it would be them. Nothing can ever go my way.

“Want to tell us what happened?” Chase asks in a tone that makes it sound like I’m wasting his time.

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