Page 15 of The Beast's Obsession

“Just leave me alone,” I snarl at him.

I barely register the hurt on his face, but I feel a slight sting of remorse at it before I bury my face in my arm again.

I’m not leaving my mom’s side again.

Grayson says something else to me, and I snap. I throw myself at him in a blind rage and pummel my fists against his chest. “This is your fault! If I hand’t been with you..!” I break off on a sob, and then a nurse is shushing me as she pulls me off him. They make Grayson leave, and I feel an odd mixture of relief and panic.

But then I collapse next to my mom again and go back to stroking her hand.

I’ve never been the praying type. I don’t even know if I believe there’s a god out there, but I’m praying to every one that might here right now.

Please let my mom be okay.

Grayson

I pace outside Lily's mother's room like a caged animal, my jaw clenched so tight I can feel a muscle twitching. Every time I glance through the small window in the door, I see her hunched over the hospital bed, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. It's killing me not to go to her, but I know she needs space right now.

Couple that with the fact that I’ve been kicked out the room by the staff and am supposedly not allowed back in so I don’t upset Lily or the patient.

A nurse approaches, clipboard in hand, and I practically snarl at her. "Make sure she eats something. Anything. I don't care what it costs."

The nurse's eyes widen, but she nods. "Of course, Mr. Wolfe. We'll take care of her."

I run a hand through my hair, messing up the usually perfect style. I don't give a damn about appearances right now. All I can think about is Lily's tear-streaked face, the way she lashed out at me. Her words echo in my head: "This is your fault!"

Maybe she's right. I've been so caught up in my need to possess her, to keep her close, that I lost sight of everything else.

Another nurse walks by, and I grab her arm. "Has she eaten anything yet?"

The nurse gently extracts herself from my grip. "Sir, we're doing our best. Miss Hart is...resistant to leaving her mother's side."

I growl in frustration, running both hands over my face. This isn't a problem I can solve by throwing money at it or intimidating people into submission. For the first time in years, I feel utterly helpless.

A doctor emerges from the room, and I'm on him in an instant. "How is she? The mother?"

He looks at me warily. "I'm sorry, but I can only discuss that with family members."

"I'm paying for her care," I snap. "Tell me."

The doctor sighs. "Her condition is stable, but critical. The next 24 hours will be crucial."

I nod curtly, dismissing him. My mind races, trying to figure out what to do next. I can't leave Lily alone like this, but I'm not sure she wants me here either.

I pull out my phone, barking orders at my assistant to cancel all my meetings for the next week. Then I settle into an uncomfortable plastic chair outside the room, prepared to wait as long as it takes.

Hours pass. Nurses come and go. I hear muffled sobs from inside the room. Each time the door opens, I catch a glimpse of Lily's small form, curled up in the chair next to her mother's bed. She looks so fragile, so broken. It takes every ounce of self-control not to rush in and gather her in my arms.

As night falls, I'm still here, my suit wrinkled, my tie long since discarded. I lean forward, elbows on my knees, and scrub my hands over my face. The hospital corridor is quiet now, just the occasional squeak of nurses' shoes on linoleum.

A soft click makes my head snap up. Lily emerges from her mother's room, looking like a ghost. Her face is pale, eyes red-rimmed and vacant. She doesn't even seem to register my presence as she stumbles towards the vending machines.

I'm on my feet in an instant, reaching for her. "Lily?—"

She flinches away from my touch, wrapping her arms around herself. "Don't."

The single word is a knife to my gut. I drop my hand, watching helplessly as she fumbles with change, trying to get a bottle of water from the machine. Her hands are shaking so badly she can barely get the coins in the slot.

"Let me," I murmur, gently nudging her aside. I feed a bill into the machine, getting her water and a granola bar. When I turn to hand them to her, she's slumped against the wall, silent tears tracking down her cheeks.

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