Page 43 of Secrets & Desires
Nox shook his head grimly, and he reached for her. She crawled into the bed with him and he wrapped his arms around her. “I don’t know, sweetheart, but I can tell you this. He won’t get near us again.” He kissed her forehead. “I know you hate the idea, but first thing in the morning I’m arranging an entire security detail.Agreed?”
And Livia could not argue with him. “Fine. Whatever you think,honey.”
Nox kissed her forehead. “Doesithurt?”
She shook her head and smiled. “Not as much as yours,I’llbet.”
“They’ve got me hopped up onmorphine.”
Livia chuckled. “Things are about togetwild.”
Nox laughed. “Actually, I’m beat. I could do with some more sleep and by the looks of it, socouldyou.”
Livia sleptin the bed with Nox, despite the disapproving glance of the nurses who came in to check his vitals. When they awoke, it was evening again. Livia kissed his mouthtenderly.
“Thank god you’re okay, Nox. I don’t know what I wouldhavedone.”
He stroked her face. “Now you know how I feel. Whatever is going down, we’ll beat it, Liv. I want my happily ever afterwithyou.”
They heard raised voices outside in the hallway. Nox and Livia looked at each other as Roan and Odelle, both looking angry and scared, came in. Odelle gave a huge sigh of relief. “Thankgod.”
Roan, who looked worse for wear, clutched his friend’s hand. “Jesus, Nox, when they said on the news you’dbeenshot…”
“It’s onthenews?”
Odelle nodded. “That’s how wefoundout.”
Livia got up. “I’m sorry, that’s my fault. I should have called you.” She wobbled and Odelle stepped forward tosteadyher.
“No,AmberandSandorshould have called us. You had this to deal with…what happened to your head? They didn’t mention you beinghurt,too.”
“This happened in the hospital. I’ll tell you about it later.” Livia glanced at Roan, who looked distraught. “Is he okay?” She lowered her voice and Odelle shookherhead.
“No, he isn’t. Look, we have to talk you, and I…let me just have a moment with Nox and we’ll go for some coffee and some hot food. You look like you could dowithsome.”
Livia nodded, and turned to kiss Nox. “I’m going to give you a moment with your friends, darling, I’ll berightback.”
She looked back and saw Nox open his arm and hug Odelle. Livia was astonished to hear the other woman crying. Odelle was so emotionless most of the time that it came as a shock to hear her upset. Livia realized how much Nox meant to Odelle then, and it warmed her even more to the otherwoman.
And Roan…there was something going on with him, something that made him look like a man who was barely hanging on. It was beyond being upset about his friendbeingshot.
Livia went to the restroom to freshen up, using one of the disposable toothbrushes to brush her teeth. She felt dirty, itchy, the scrubs she had been given were spotted with dried blood. A bruise was forming over her temple and she could now see the outline of knuckles in the wound. She gritted her teeth. She hadn’t been hallucinating or imagining the intruder comingafterher.
So why hadn’t he killed her? She pulled her top up and examined her abdomen. Nothing, not even a scratch. She was about to drop the top when something caught her eye. A small cut on the inside of her navel. A speck of dried blood. What the hell? Was it a warning, or had the man intended to carve her up slowly but got interrupted? Maybe by Sandor looking for her? It made her flesh crawl and her breath quicken to realize that if Sandor hadn’t looked for her, she could be dead right now. Lying disemboweled, her blood pooled around her, forgotten on the floor below until Nox asked where she was. The assailant had shot Nox in the head then came for her – si why didn’t he fiish the job? She had been utterlyvunerable.
Everyone you love… The warning from Pia’s murder scene hit her again. Who was he talking to? Nox? But why? What on Earth had triggered this vendetta twenty years after his family and his lover hadalldied?
Livia stared into the mirror. What the hell was going on? And why did she feel so sure—overwhelmingly sure—that Amber had something to do with it all? Amber and Roan…both of them, she felt sure, knew more than they were saying. Was Amber looking for revenge for Ariel’s death now that Nox had finally moved on and fallen in love with another woman? Or was it just that she wanted Nox forherself?
What about Roan? He looked like a man destroyed. She couldn’t quite believe it had been Roan stalking and attacking her…but then again, Roan was a passionate man. Would he have hesitated to kill her quickly and brutally, no matter who was coming? She didn’tthinkso.
Livia shook herself. “And it could be just some random psycho who killed Pia, and no more than an intruder staking out Nox’s mansion to rob it.” She spoke the words aloud to try and reassure herself, but faltered. No, it was something more insidious, she knew it in herbones.
She jumped as the restroom door slammed behind her and turned. No one. Which meant someone had been watching her? She darted to the door and looked out. Whoever it was, they were long gone. Livia gritted her teeth, but as she looked down, she saw it. A long red hair on the linoleum floor.Amber.
Livia went back to Nox’s room, hearing him speaking in a loving, tender tone. “It’s okay, Odelle, I’m fine. I’ll be out of here in a coupleofdays.”
“I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you or Livia. You’re myfamily.”
