Page 2 of Marrying a Prince

Marianna nodded. Thankfully, a hospital volunteer approached with a wheelchair and helped the hurt man into it.

"Emergency room," Marianna said, nodding toward the hallway to the left. As they started down the hallway, she reached out and pressed her fingers on the man's neck.

He moaned and shifted. Marianna couldn't tell if it was because of the jostling from the wheelchair or her fingers. Either way, she focused in on his heart beat. It pounded against her fingertips.

"What happened to him?" she asked, glancing up at the woman in white who was chanting a prayer under her breath.

"He was out for a run and when he rounded the corner, a little boy came at him on a bike. Leo tried to avoid running into him and tripped, flipping over and hitting his head." Her voice faded as if she were reliving the event. "He was finished with his run. We were right there, waiting to pick him up. He should have never left the hotel."

Marianna glanced over at the woman. Her face had turned stony, and she made the sign of the cross.

"I think he's going to be okay," Marianna said, hoping to calm her down. They reached the emergency room desk, and Marianna nodded to Jeanine, who raised her eyebrows. "Head trauma," Marianna said.

Jeanine's gaze flicked to Leo and then back over to her. "You can have a seat," she said, nodding toward the only empty chair in the room.

The woman scoffed. "I don't think you heard her right. My son will be seen right now." The tone of her voice turned threatening, and chills raced across Marianna's skin. This woman had a strong presence.

Jeanine didn't even bat an eye. Marianna was sure she was used to overprotective parents. "Ma'am, we have to check him in," she said, readying a clipboard.

The woman scoffed. "You can call me Mrs. DeLuca. And you will see my son right now."

"Well, Mrs. DeLuca, you have to follow protocol just like everyone else."

Mrs. DeLuca glanced over at Marianna and raised her eyebrows. Marianna suddenly felt a desire to do something. She was pretty sure that it came from the fact that Mrs. DeLuca looked as if she were about to murder anyone who got in her way.

"Jeanine, I'm here. I'll just take him back and get him started," Marianna said, turning to the receptionist. Part of her didn't believe that those words had come out of her mouth. But Mrs. DeLuca looked desperate, and hopefully Samson was off today so it really wouldn't matter.

Jeanine raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"Yeah, I detected a heart murmur on our way here. It's probably best to get him looked at—like right now." Marianna was stretching the truth a bit, but working here gave her inside knowledge about what to say to speed up the wait time.

Mrs. DeLuca's face paled. The man who'd been pushing Leo stepped up to the counter. "I would suggest that you get him seen right now. For the best interest of this hospital."

Jeanine glanced over at Marianna. Marianna shot her a look that said,it's okay, I'll take care of these pushy people.

She sighed. "Fine. Take these papers and fill them out. Make sure you get them to us as soon as possible."

Mrs. DeLuca took the clipboard, murmured something about "Americans," and followed after Marianna as she pushed Leo through the emergency room doors and down the hall.

And, just her luck, Samson was standing outside a room with a chart in hand, looking like the ridiculous god that he most certainly was not. Marianna had half a mind to turn Leo around and wheel him right back out of the ER. No one was worth another run-in with Samson. Not after what he'd done—how he'd dumped her.

Trying to date had just proven to her that relationships were risky. And she was not about taking risks. At least, not again.

"Room?" she asked him as she wheeled Leo past.

Samson glanced over, and his lips tilted up into a half smile. "Mari, what are you doing here?"

She sighed, hoping her response came out cool and collected—not spastic and out-of-control like she felt. "I'm bringing a patient in," she said, nodding toward Leo.

Samson glanced down then nodded. "Ah, room seven should be good. I'll come check on him in a minute."

She didn't acknowledge him as she walked over to room seven and entered. The large stocky man helped Leo up onto the hospital bed, and Marianna started taking his vitals.

Now that Leo wasn't hunched over, she got a good look at him. He was attractive and looked vaguely familiar. She brushed his thick, wavy hair from his forehead and studied the cut. It was deep. She could see the fatty tissue that lay just beneath the skin and she was sure if she tried, she would probably see his bone.

"Leo, do you know where you are?" she asked as she hooked up the pulse oximeter on his finger.

"I—um—" His eyes widened and he glanced around the room. "I think New York."

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