Page 40 of Reputation (Tempt)

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. If only she’d been taken to Cedars. I had some pull there since I’d donated enough money to have an entire pediatric wing with my name on it.Fuck.

The first nurse left, and another one—a more friendly looking one—took her place. I sidled up to the counter once more.

“I’m here to see Emerson Thorne.”

“Your relation?” Her monotone voice did not inspire much confidence.

“I’m her fiancé,” I blurted, immediately kicking myself. Why couldn’t I have said I was her brother? Her cousin?Anythingbut her fiancé.

She lifted her head, and when her eyes met my face, I saw them light up with recognition.Fuck.

Should’ve gone the selfie route.

“Is that so?” She stood and planted her hand on her hip, skepticism written across her face.

“Yes,” I said, knowing I was stuck now. I couldn’t back down; all I could do was sell it.

“I know who you are,” she said, wagging her finger at me. “And I haven’t heardanythingabout you being engaged.”

I could’ve laughed at that. Most of the stuff printed about me was bullshit. But that wasn’t the point. Not right now. I was lying, but I needed her to believe it.

“Also—” She peered down at her computer. “You weren’t listed as her emergency contact.”

“It only happened recently,” I said, assuming her dad was her emergency contact. But Declan was still in Aspen with the rest of her family. “I doubt she thought to change it. Besides—” I leaned in, and I could see that eager look in her eye. She was just waiting for me to share something juicy. “We wanted to keep it private as long as possible. Just enjoy being engaged a little while longer without the world knowing.”

What the fuck is wrong with you?

The lies just kept spilling out of me.

The nurse held my gaze, her eyes narrowing. Sweat trickled down my back, and I tried not to tug on the collar of my shirt. If this didn’t work, I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Emerson wasn’t answering her phone, and I needed to see her. Iwouldsee her, even if I had to donate enough to have a wing named after me at this hospital to make it happen. Hell, maybe if my star status or my money wouldn’t do the trick, I’d have Graham hack the patient database and add me as her emergency contact.

The nurse finally relented, jerking her head in the direction of the door that led to the patients’ rooms. “Room 412.”

“Thank you,” I breathed.

I rushed down the hall and entered room 412 without knocking. Emerson was lying in the bed with her eyes closed. She had on a hospital gown, an IV pole connected by a tube and some wires strapped to her.

“Emerson.” I nearly choked on her name. Her skin was so red. So puffy. Her lips and cheeks and eyes swollen to the point that it looked painful.

I reached out as if to touch her but then stopped myself, my fingers curling into a fist instead.

Her eyes fluttered open—well, open as much as they could in her current state—and she blinked a few times. For a minute, I worried she’d forgotten my name, but then she said, “Well, hello, Mr. Crawford,” in a sultry tone that went straight to my cock.

I cleared my throat. “Emerson?”

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.”

I had whiplash from her quick change of tone and my body’s reactions. “Are you okay?”

“Oh yeah.” She shifted, wiggling her feet under the blanket. “Never better.”

I furrowed my brow. “That’s…good.” I was pleased that she was awake and talking, but I remained cautious. “Brooklyn will be happy to hear that.”

I was just relieved to know my daughter was safe at home. Even if I hated that I couldn’t be there to comfort her.

“Oh.” Her expression was one of pure adoration. “I just love her. Don’t you?”

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