Page 52 of Velvet Corruption

“Hey, you said no unnecessary questions. This is all necessary.”

The nurse gave us both an awkward smile, clearly not sure what to make of the exchange. “Right this way.”

Ruby huffed but turned to follow the nurse, muttering under her breath. I followed her through the door, trying not to let the tension show on my face.

The nurse led us down a short hallway lined with exam rooms. The walls were painted a pale beige, the kind of sterile, lifeless color meant to be calming but only made the place feel more depressing. Ruby’s shoulders were stiff as we walked, and I could see how hard she was working to keep her composure.

The nurse gestured toward an open door. “In here.”

Ruby stepped inside, and I followed, ignoring the way she shot me another glare. The room was small, with an exam table, a rolling stool, and a countertop cluttered with medical supplies. Ruby sank carefully onto the exam table, cradling her injured hand against her stomach. I leaned against the wall, watching her closely.

The nurse grabbed a clipboard and turned back to us. “Okay, Ruby, I’m just going to take some vitals and get a little more information. Can I see your hand?”

Ruby hesitated for a moment before holding out her hand. The makeshift gauze wrap Kieran had done earlier was stained deep red, stuck to her skin. The nurse frowned as she gently unwrapped it, revealing the gash across her palm. It was deep, the edges jagged where the glass had cut into her. Dried bloodcaked her fingers, and fresh blood began to pool again as soon as the gauze was removed.

The nurse made a sympathetic sound. “Looks nasty. You got cut on glass?”

Ruby nodded stiffly. “Halogen light bulb.”

“Those shatter like crazy,” the nurse said, grabbing antiseptic wipes. “You probably still have shards in there. We’ll clean it and check for any fragments under the skin. Wait. Are youtheRuby Marquez? Running for DA?”

“Yeah,” Ruby replied.

“Oh my goodness,” the nurse said. “I can’t wait to vote for you. Trust me, as someone who sees everything the mob does to our city—all the violence, all the addiction, all the stabbings—I can’t wait for someone to clean up our streets. I’m so sorry this happened. I hope it cheers you up that you have a vote here, though!”

Ruby swallowed, her eyes flickering to me for a second. “Yes,” she said, her voice shaky as her gaze darted away from my face. “I’m, uh, glad to hear it.”

Ruby winced as the nurse gently cleaned the wound. I watched her carefully, noting the way her face paled but didn’t betray any pain beyond a tight jaw.

The nurse jotted something down. "We’ll also flag a full antibody screening, just precautionary."

Ruby’s shoulders stiffened, her gaze flicking toward the window for half a second before she masked it.

"Standard procedure, right?" she said lightly, too lightly.

"Yeah," the nurse replied, distracted.

I watched Ruby out of the corner of my eye, filing that reaction away. The way she froze, the way her breath hitched just slightly before she masked it.

I caught that. The shift. The tension. It wasn’t just about the injury.

It was something she didn’t want me to notice.

And now, I wasn’t just curious. Ineededto know.

Ruby nodded. “Yeah. I had the Rh complications flagged during my pregnancy.”

My ears perked at that. Complications.

The nurse moved on quickly, checking Ruby’s blood pressure and heart rate. “Everything’s a bit elevated, which is to be expected with the pain and stress. We’ll get the doctor in soon to numb your hand and clean the wound properly. Do you want some painkillers in the meantime?”

Ruby shook her head. “No. I’m fine.”

The nurse raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it. “Alright, hang tight. I’ll be back shortly.” She gave us a polite smile and left the room, closing the door behind her.

The silence that followed was thick, like the air had been sucked out of the room. Ruby flexed her injured hand slightly, wincing before resting it carefully on her lap.

“You don’t have to act tough, you know,” I said after a moment.

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