Page 57 of Malicious Marriage
Her eyes snap up to mine. “Y–Yeah. How did you…?”
“I make it my business to find out these things.” I want to hug her. I want to draw her against me and hold her until her tears dry and calmness overtakes her, but she doesn’t reach out to me so I resist. “After his gala appearance, I wanted to see if he was connected to anyone I ran into.” A white lie. “So I looked him up.”
She squints up at me. “Is that why he thinks someone is trying to kill him?”
I scoff dryly. “Hardly. Something like that is not worth my time.” Did I do this? My men who were sent to take care of him were killed and he made a beeline for Clover. This is definitely my fault. “I’m sorry, Clover.”
She shakes her head again. “It’s not your fault. He s–slammed me against the car and I hurt my lip, and then he was yelling and saying all these terrible things and then he—” Her eyes widen. “He stepped back and I thought he was going to kill me or something, and then he got run over.”
My brow twitches. “Excuse me?”
“It was Bobby. I’d left him behind because I thought this would be a quick trip but he caught up to me, and he just did what he does. He reacted and he ran him over. God, it wasawful.”
This time when the tears well up, I can’t hold myself back. Sliding onto the bed, I wrap one arm around Clover’s shoulders and hold her close while she sobs softly against my chest.
“His body was all twisted and contorted and then Bobby crashed into the wall. He climbed out and I thought he was okay, but then he got faint and he collapsed and I don’t know if he’s okay!”
Poor Bobby. Words of scolding rise at Clover because how dare she leave her home without protection? In our world, it’s a death sentence. But given how upset she is about all this, I remain quiet. She’s clearly punishing herself enough. “I will find out what’s happening with Bobby. Has the doctor been back to see you?”
Clover lifts her head from my shoulder and shakes it. “No.”
“When they do, I want you to get a full checkup.”
“I’m fine, it’s really not that?—”
“No. You need to. Car accidents, even minor ones, can often mask injuries. I’ll station Jack at the door and I’ll be back, okay?”
Clover suddenly clutches at my wrist as I stand. I caress her face with my other hand and focus on the small cut on her lip. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “Thank you.” She buries her face back into her tissues as I exit the room. One glance at Jack is all heneeds to take up residence outside her door while I head down to the nurse's station.
“Good evening. My name is Dean Savoy.” That gets the tired nurse's attention immediately. “My fiancée is in room 216. Can you ensure that the doctor who tends to her gives her a full workup?”
“Of course, Mr. Savoy.” The nurse nods quickly and scribbles something hastily on the chart in front of him. “I’ll get right on that.”
“Actually, first could you show me to the room of the man she came in with? I’d like to check how he’s doing.”
The nurse gives me a faintly confused look but nods all the same. “Of course, right this way.” He slips out from beside the desk and leads me down a long, quiet corridor to a room at the far end. Opening the door, he walks inside and extends an arm for me to follow. “Here you are.”
“Thank you, I…” Catching sight of the man in the bed, my heart clenches as if caught in a fist. This isn’t Bobby’s room. This is Ryan’s. I’m about to correct the nurse about who I wanted to see but the words don’t come, and after a few long seconds of silence, the nurse excuses himself and leaves.
Ryan.
Twice now he’s had his hands on my girl, and while he hasn’t walked away unscathed, it’s an insult that he still breathes. He appears to be sleeping or perhaps unconscious. One leg is strapped up in a cast and several bandages wrap around his bruised, bare chest. Countless wires and lines spin off from his body and the neck brace he wears shifts subtly with every slow, careful breath.
I hate him, this man I have barely met and only spoken a handful of words to. Everything that happened tonight is my own fault for letting him walk away from the gala. I should have killed him the second he said such nasty things about Clover. Itry to pride myself on being a better man and not rising to the comments of those who are beneath me, but I can’t let this slide. He’s a stain on this earth and Clover deserves better.
I approach his bedside, studying his bruised face and making a mental note to praise Bobby on his aim.
Suddenly, Ryan’s eyes snap open and two pain-filled pupils lock onto mine and then widen in fear. His lips part but as soon as a sound gurgles out of his mouth, my hand slams over his lips and silences him.
“Do you remember me?” I growl, putting my weight behind my hand as I slowly lean down.
Ryan nods as his heart rate skyrockets on the machine.
“The woman you attacked tonight is my fiancée and I don’t take kindly to bullshit like that. I’m a quiet, possessive man and you harmed somethingverydear to me. And more than that…” My fingertips dig hard into his jaw while calmness sweeps through me as Ryan’s eyes water. “You killed my men. My mistake for not coming to kill youmyself.”
Ryan tries to speak, but other than the warmth of his restrained breath against my palm, no sound escapes. He begins to thrash in the bed as I hold him down with one hand over his nose and mouth while my other arm wraps around his entire head and holds him down. I lean down on him with my full bulk and as my arm rests against his chest, I apply pressure with my elbow to keep him down.
