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TWENTY

Valerie

The police packYuri up and I play the part of the teary, scared psychologist attacked by a patient. They look at his gun, my head, and then I’m shepherded over to paramedics. Dr. Leigha stays by my side as the paramedics check out my head.

“I’d say something about you treating your fiancée and him being in your room, but with everything ...” Leigha shakes her head.

“I’ve been treating him and he’s a very reserved, high-profile person. He doesn’t trust easily,” I say before whining as something’s poured over my head.

“You’re going to need a few stitches, miss,” the paramedic says.

“Won’t bandages work?” I ask.

“No, but it will be a quick visit to the hospital,” he assures me.

“Am I in trouble?” I ask Leigha.

“No. You’re absolutely not. You took him down and protected the rest of the building. Just don’t allow your patients to stay after their session,” she says, giving me a sharp look.

I nod. Obviously, I can’t explain everything, so I’ll take her implying that we were being naughty - which we were. Hunter’s still being questioned by the police when I’m pulled into the ambulance, but Lief bullies his way in.

He looks at me, looks at the bruise on my leg from where I broke Yuri’s arm and sighs. “Viper, you’re as capable as ever.”

“Just had to wait for him to get worked up and distracted. Your training taught me that,” I say, trying to blink away the headache.

Lief rubs my hand. I lace our fingers together and switch to Russian. The paramedics don’t get wind of things. “Hunter recorded the session with Yuri. Make sure Chase gets that, and it’s removed from the office records.”

“I will,” he says, assuring me.

I still hear a ringing in my ear and shake my head slightly. “Yuri was on the police force. Possibly not working alone.”

“Hey,” Lief moves closer to me. “I don’t care about business right now. I care about you.”

I sniff as the events catch up with me. I don’t know when I got so good at faking being fine, at pretending to be strong. I volunteered as bait. I knew Hunter was there. And I knew the desk must have some extra features considering my men gave it to me, but.

“I’m going to faint,” I warn Lief.

He nods. “You’re safe. Pass out.”

“What? Don’t tell her that!” A paramedic yells.

But then I’m out.

When I wake up, Chase is holding my hand tight and Lief is standing at the foot of my bed, glowering at a doctor. I’ve done that. I’ve bullied doctors for my men. I groan. My body feels like it weighs double and my vision is weird. Chase moves and strokes my hair from my face.

“There you are, baby doll.”

“I’m fine. Just knocked around,” I mumble.

“You can hear okay?” He asks.

I nod. “One ear is kind of faint.”

“The shot damaged your ear drum. You got four stitches and your jaw is pretty bruised from the hit. You have a concussion too,” Lief informs me.

“Two hits. That’s all he got,” I sigh.

Chase shakes his head. “Now we have to postpone engagement photos.”

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