Page 129 of Forbidden Romeo

“McDreamy.” Lous looks up at Jack and gestures to the side. “Bring that station over here.”

I watch as Lous prods around my skin and wipes away some of the dirt. “You better have a damn good explanation for this.”

“My brother,” I say quickly. “What did he want?”

“Did he do this to you?” Lous asks.

“No! It was… well…”

Jack pulls up a chair and sits next to me. “There are certain things that I think Aimee wouldn’t want you to feel incriminated by,” he says, trying to gauge Dr. Lous’ reaction. “What’s your stance on doctor-patient confidentiality?”

Dr. Lous stares at Jack, and her lips form a thin line. “I need to know if my employee is in danger.”

“Probably,” I admit. “But not from my brother. Or him.” I nod toward Jack with a smile. “Dr. Lous, this is my fiance.”

“Mazel Tov,” she replies dryly, just as Aisha returns.

Jack reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently as the physicians flutter around my wound, poking and prodding it until we finally hear thetingof shrapnel landing in the metal dish.

“Aisha, please return to work and make sure people know I’m tied up right now,” Dr. Lous says once she puts down her tongs and begins work on the stitches.

Jack, however, stands up and blocks her way. Aisha looks up at him, challenge written all over her face.

“No one can know we’re here,” Jack says to her sternly.

Aisha narrows her eyes but glances at me for confirmation.

“It’s safer for everyone,” I answer her quietly. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

“If people find out, it won’t be because of me,” Aisha replies, raising an eyebrow at Jack, who lets her pass without another word.

Dr. Lous watches her leave before sighing loudly. “I suppose you want my silence as well?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I can’t tell you everything, but it’s better for everyone if you pretend you don’t know anything,” I say as earnestly as I can.

The attending physician chuckles to herself. “Your brother offered me half a million for any information I had on you. I could retire on that kind of money.”

“You didn’t, did you?” I say, my heart beating at record-breaking speeds.

“Of course not; he was being too pushy about it,” Dr. Lous said. “Besides, I didn’tknowanything, did I? You disappeared. Your sister thinks you’re back in LA right now.”

The wave of guilt washes through me like a tidal wave. “She what?”

“She said you stopped answering her calls weeks ago. Shethought something bad might have happened, and she asked me to file a missing persons report.”

Jack returns to my side and touches my arm gently, a reminder that he’s here with me. I shoot him a grateful look.

“So why does she think I’m in LA?”

“Your brother’s friend said he’d heard a rumor you’d been scared off. So I mentioned it to her - we thought it might have something to do with that stalker you had,” Dr. Lous explains as she pulls through the last stitch.

“So Roisin thinks I abandoned her?” I whisper, more to myself than the others.

I feel like an idiot. I never answered Roisin’s calls because I didn’t trust myself to be able to lie to her. I didn’t want her to worry. Now she likely hates me for leaving without saying goodbye.

Jack, however, ducks down to press his lips against my good arm. “She doesn’t hate you,” he says as if reading my thoughts.

“How am I going to explain any of this to her?” I say a little hysterically.

---