Page 3 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

“As long as the nurses can tend to their patient without issue, that chair folds into a flat surface for sleeping.” She pointed to a large, pleather-covered, boxy chair in the corner of the room.

“I’ll stay out of their way, I promise. Thank you, Doctor.”

She smiled and took her leave.

I closed my eyes and breathed Gio in, remembering how very different this day started out. We’d been in bed together, talking, kissing, and being playful. Sharing bagels and coffee while laughing and catching up with the little things couples usually already knew about one another when they got married. Like how his hair sticks up in every direction possible when he wakes. I swore the man went through a tornado as he slept. I wanted to go back to the peace I felt during those moments.

Now, I was on total and complete emotional burnout, and I still needed to talk to the police. Hopefully, Lee would hold them off until they could speak to Gio directly, and we could make our official statements at the same time, provided he remembered any of it.

For the next few hours, I held Gio’s hand and rested my head against the bed, watching him sleep. I must have dozed off, because I woke suddenly to fingers running through my hair soothingly. I opened my eyes, and our gazes met. Instantly, tears filled mine and started to fall.

“Hey now, none of that,” he murmured, his voice sounding like sandpaper scraped over concrete.

I sat up, clutching his hand to my chest and kissing the top of his knuckles. “How are you feeling?”

He frowned. “Groggy. Throat hurts. A little dizzy. My stomach is tight, and I’m so tired.”

“You should rest. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

He licked his dry lips, and I got up, filled up a cup of water and placed the straw in it, then brought it to him. He sipped greedily as I held the cup and straw.

“Thank you. What happened?” he asked.

“What do you remember?”

He blinked a few times and glanced at the wall behind me. “I had a conversation with Tony, my doorman. Texted you about grilling dinner.”

I nodded. “And?”

He inhaled a long slow breath. Then his eyes widened. “Bianca,” he snarled. “Bianca was in my apartment. They must have let her up. I hadn’t been home in months to tell them to take her off the list of approved visitors. Stupid,” he grated.

I held his hand and shook my head. “No, it’s not. You thought she’d moved on. Apparently not. Then what do you remember after that?”

“Pouring a glass of whiskey and telling her to leave. I think we fought, but I can’t really recall the details.” He frowned deeply. “I remember being in bed, and calling for you, but seeing her.” He shivered. “I couldn’t move.” He swallowed. “She was, she was naked…but Jules, I would never cheat on you. Not in amillion years. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know!” His voice rose along with his agitation.

I moved to sit on the bed, cupping both of his cheeks. “She drugged you. None of what happened was your fault.”

“But what if I—” He gagged but got it under control.

I shook my head. “You didn’t. I think she was trying to seduce you, but you were too drugged.” I bit down on my bottom lip.

He reached out his hand, cupped my cheek and wiped away a stray tear I didn’t realize had fallen.

“Tell me…tell me everything,” he pleaded.

I swallowed down the need to scream and took a breath. “When Lee and I arrived, she was naked and straddling you.”

He turned his head as though suddenly not able to look at me.

“But, Gio, she wanted me to see that, because she texted me to come to your apartment, and she did so from your phone.” I cupped his jaw and eased his head forward to look at me. I would not have him feeling ashamed of something he had no control over.

He clamped his jaw shut, and his nostrils flared. “How did she get into my phone?”

“I imagine she used your thumb print when you were out of it.”

“I want her punished,” he snapped angrily. “Did she get away?”

“No, honey, she didn’t. Lee’s at the station now explaining what happened. They want to talk to me, and I’m sure you, but she’s definitely being locked up for drugging you and attempted sexual assault.”

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