Page 33 of Heart Thief

The lights don’t respond, but their private cook appears bearing plates of food.

James’ nurse quietly sits next to him, holding several small bowls of pureed foods on a plate.

“Let me feed him.” Zane takes the plate from the nurse. “Take a break, I can do it.”

“Zane, that’s good of you, but that’s why we have a nurse.” Debra stops the nurse from leaving.

“I want to do it.”

Zane doesn’t wait for Debra’s permission. He begins to spoon-feed his father, moving slowly, wiping his chin with a napkin in between mouthfuls.

Debra nods at the nurse, and she quietly exits the room. I see why Zane calls her the queen mother. She truly rules over her domain.

Debra and I begin to eat our dinner, while we watch Zane feed his father. There’s so much tension in the room, my stomach starts to hurt. Zane completely ignores Debra and concentrates on his father.

Debra chews her food slowly, her eyes burning holes in the walls. Every few moments, she remarks on the food.

“The asparagus is delicious.”

“The chicken is so tender.”

“The homemade rolls are divine.”

I nod and smile, agreeing with each comment. Mostly, I keep my head down and eat my dinner.

“Thank you for taking such good care of Ryker’s penthouse, Mila. You know how much that place means to him. It’s his pride and joy.”

“Yes, it is.” He isn’tfallingin love with it, heisin love with it. Hmmmm, that was a bitter thought.

“Thank goodness, you have so much time on your hands.”

That grabs Zane’s attention. “Mila’s very busy and works hard. Just because she practices at home doesn’t mean she has time on her hands.”

Whoa. I like Zane as my great defender. Go team Mila and Zane.

Debra smooths her perfect hair. “I simply meant it’s really... nice of her.”

“I know what you meant,” Zane says, his tone firm.

That’s when I notice the tears dripping down James’ cheeks. Zane gently wipes them away with a napkin without commenting.

Is his emotion about seeing Zane or his inability to communicate properly? Or because he can hear the thinly veiled venom in his wife’s words?

Either way, James Martel is feeling and comprehending more than we realize.

Even though I want Zane to have time with his father, I’m relieved when the nurse comes to take James upstairs to rest. He’s nearly falling asleep while sitting up. The poor man can’t keep his eyes open, even though he’s fighting it as hard as he can.

Zane stares down at his plate, his forearms resting on the edge of the table. He doesn’t take a bite. “He hasn’t improved. Is he still undergoing therapy?”

“Every day. I take good care of him, I assure you. Some of us have been here the entire time and have never left him.”

Zane stills. “I couldn’t stay. The Army doesn’t look too kindly on their soldiers going AWOL.”

Another tidbit Ryker and Debra fail to mention when they speak of Zane.

“Of course not. Don’t worry about it. Ryker’s been here the entire time. He visits nearly every day. He’s a devoted son. Your father hasn’t been alone.”

The look on Zane’s face nearly kills me. His expression is the very definition of devastation.

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