All along my pussy had been in such agony, but I wasn’t game enough to tell anyone. It was embarrassing as he spread my legs apart and then dabbed on the cream.

I screamed—loudly!

Okay, maybe it was a dumb reaction, but it was as if he was using the roughest food grater he could find or pouring acid on me. I couldn’t help it. Tears ran down my sore cheeks and I wanted to clamp my legs together while keeping them apart.

“Hold on, the anesthetic should kick in any moment.”

I thought it had been hurting before, but this was almost unbearable. My legs were shaking and the pain wasn’t going away fast enough for my liking. Then, maybe a minute later, the terrible agony began to ease off. Finally, it was numb and I blew a huge breath out through my mouth.

“All done. We’re sending you upstairs to a room. Try and get some sleep.”

Yeah, right. As if that was going to happen.

He pulled back the curtains and spoke with the others, telling them I was going to a ward and they’d have to leave. Naturally, John refused.

“Anabelle has been attacked, yes, her kidnappers are dead, but as a representative of the police, I am not leaving her alone.”

“Well, you’ll have to take that up with the staff on the ward.”

“I want her in a private room for her safety.”

“She will be.”

“Fine.”

I’d never heard such authority in John’s voice. It was even more forceful than when we played. There was no way anyone would go against his wishes. Becky and Cass said goodbye, promising to see me in the daylight. Charlie and Justin left as well, with Charlie telling me he’d have everything running fine at the boutique. I watched them walk out and turned to John.

“I’m not in any danger anymore, am I?” I asked, a little afraid.

“No,” he whispered and winked. “But they don’t know that.”

A porter came and wheeled me off after the nurse unhooked all the gadgets. She walked beside the bed as we went through the hospital and into a small quiet room. Another nurse came in and they spoke quietly as one handed over my treatment notes to the other. After hooking me up again, the first nurse and the porter left. John came back to my side.

“You’ll have to leave, sir.”

“No. Miss Rowley was the victim of a vicious crime and I am in charge of her well-being. I will not be leaving.”

There goes that voice again.

The nurse smiled as if she was prepared to have his baby then she whispered, “Oh. Um … okay.”

Obviously, she wasn’t sure how to deal with him but left the room. A few moments later, she was back with a glass of water and some pills.

“The doctor asked if you would take these. They’re sleeping tablets. You need to get some rest and these will help you deal with the pain, but unfortunately, we’ll have to wake you a few times.”

“Why?”

“Because of the blow to your head, we have to make sure your brain function is normal. Hits to the head can cause amnesia, vomiting, or damage.”

“I wouldn’t mind a little amnesia, but unfortunately I can remember everything,” I told the nurse unhappily, my mind immediately flooded with images of Scarface and Mr. Knife.

I shuddered and tried hard not to scream or cry. Still, I took the tablets. I would have swallowed a whole bottle full if they meant the pain would go. As I gratefully took them, I managed to drink the water without spilling too much. She took myobs, asked the same silly questions, and then wrote on my chart and left the room, turning out the light as she went. John pulled a hospital recliner over to my side and settled in for the remainder of the night. He took my hand and kissed each fingertip softly, gently.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart, I’ll be here.”

“I will, but I want to know things. I want to know how come you were there, I want—”

He put a finger lightly to my tender lips. “Not now. Tomorrow, I’ll answer all your questions I promise. Just sleep now.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, everything. I told you months ago I would never keep anything from you.”

“Okay.”

“Good, now close your eyes and sleep.”

As my eyes were already half closed from my beating, it wasn’t hard to do. I hadn’t seen what I looked like, but judging from the reaction from people I knew, it couldn’t be flattering. I gave a little grunt and tried to settle. The last thing I remembered hearing was John’s voice.

“I love you, beautiful lady,mybeautiful woman.”