“No, I don’t think so.” I made a face as I tried to sort out the words. “The guy who strangled me is Congressman Bennett.”
The room fell into silence except for the quiet hum of the pulse oximeter clipped to my finger.
“He was at my gallery showing.”
“Yeah. I gave my card to one of his aides.”
Silas broke eye contact, turning down to look at my hand laying on the bed. He took it in his, encasing it. “I know you don’t like me telling you what to do, so I’m asking. Please don’t go back to the club.”
I took a deep breath. “I won’t.”
Startled relief rushed through his expression. He’d probably expected me to fight him on this. “Okay, good. Now tell me you’ll come stay with me or I can stay at your place until this blows over.”
“Yes.” I didn’t even need to think about it.
He leaned over, brushing his lips tentatively against mine. A sweet, disarming kiss. “What kind of drugs do they have you on? You’re so agreeable.”
A tight laugh came from my chest. “Just some heavy ibuprofen. They didn’t even have to use a needle.”
“Well, that’s something. Do you need anything?”
I shook my head. “I’m okay.” I was so much better now that he was here.
We had to wait a long time for the CT results. Silas took the chair that Shane had vacated and dragged it bedside. We flipped through the TV stations, settling on some mindless rerun of a sitcom. It was four a.m., so our options were limited.
We both dozed off, and I woke before he did when the door slid open and a doctor rounded the curtain. Only this wasn’t my doctor.
“God, are you all right?” Matt said. He stood with his hands on his hips, the medical coat pushed back, his ID badge clipped to his pale blue scrubs. Of course the guard outside had let the chief resident in.
?
??I’m okay.” I was sure my face said otherwise. Although the bruising on my neck was surprisingly minimal, my bloodshot eyes were not.
“I told you that place was dangerous.” He didn’t say it scolding, but it had my blood boiling anyway.
“Spare me the lecture, I’m not in the mood.” My focus was on Matt, but I caught Silas stirring awake in my side vision. My voice was direct. “What do you need?”
Matt’s face twisted into displeasure. “I needed to see if you were okay. You think I don’t still care about you after two years?” He moved closer and I sat up straighter. I didn’t like his proximity. He’d lost that privilege after what he’d done.
“I told you,” I snapped. “I’m fine.”
“After you’re cleared, let me take you home. You think you don’t need anyone, but I can stay with you, make sure you don’t have any respiratory distress.”
I laughed sarcastically. “Can’t imagine the blonde you’re screwing would like that.”
“Look, I know I made a huge mistake sleeping with her, and then an even bigger one when I let you go. Honestly, the girl meant nothing, and I’d take it back in a fucking heartbeat if I could.”
Silas chose this moment to stand from his chair and cross his arms over his chest. It was clear his sizeable form was intimidating to Matt.
His gaze swung back to me and his eyes pleaded. “Let me in. We were so good together.”
Was he kidding?
“Come on,” he insisted. “You shouldn’t be alone after what happened.”
“Who the fuck says I’m alone?” I gestured to Silas.
“You know what I mean. Not with some agent, but with someone who cares about you—”