Page 41 of Secrets & Desires
“They toldyouthat?”
Amber smiled. “I’m legally Nox’s next of kin. We’re each other’s, actually—comes of having no livingrelatives.”
“I see.” Liv felt a wave of exhaustion and Sandor seemed tonotice.
“Livvy, they may be hours. We can get the nurse to bring a cot in for you so youcanrest.”
“Thank you, San, but I couldn’t. I just need somecoffee.”
Amber stood. “I’ll gofindsome.”
Sandor kept his arm around Livia. “At least lean on me and try to relax some. They may be operating for awhile.”
In the end, the doctor came back after a couple of hours. He was smiling, and Livia felt some of the terror lift. “Mr. Renaud will be fine. The bullet didn’t enter the brain cavity at all. As we thought, he lost a bit of skull bone but he was incredibly lucky. The bullet glanced off of him. He’ll be missing a chunk of skin and hair for a while but we were able to close the wound. He won’t even need to see the plastics team. He’s in recovery now, and then we just need to wait for the anesthetic to wear off. He might have concussion—in fact, I’d say that’s a given, so we’ll keep him in for a coupleofdays.”
Livia felt the tears pouring down her face. “Thank you, doctor, thank yousomuch.”
He patted her hand. “Get some rest. You can see him in an hourorso.”
Alone with Sandor, Livia finally broke down and sobbed, a mix of relief and terror. Sandor held her tightly and let her cry herself out before she finally fell asleep inhisarms.
Waking an hour later,Livia felt her eyes were swollen and heavy with salt and tried to smile at Sandor. “I know I look like the Swamp Thing, but I need toseeNox.”
“Doc said we could go through to his room when youawoke.”
Livia stood, then felt a blood rush and wobbled. Sandor caught her and she leaned against his solid body. “Liv, have you eatenanything?”
“Not since lastnight.”
“We need to get some foodinsideyou.”
“I want to see himfirst.”
Sandor didn’t look happy, but he also looked resigned. “Come on then, holdontome.”
When Livia saw Nox,the tears came again. His head was bandaged and Livia could see dried blood and the beginnings of a huge bruise, red, purple, black and blue, angry and vicious, on the right side of hishead. “God.”
“Remember what the doc said. It looks worse thanitis.”
Livia bent over her lover and kissed his lips, glad to feel that they were warm. “I love you so much,” she whispered and then smiled as Nox opened his eyes and focusedonher.
“Hey, beautiful.” He gazed up at her for a few moments, a smile on his face, then his eyes closed and he fell asleepagain.
Livia gave a sigh of relief and leaned her forehead gently against his. “Thankgod,Nox.”
Sandor rubbed her back. “Come sit down before you fall down, Liv. I’ll grab you somehotfood.”
It wasnight time and Nox was still asleep. Livia stroked his curls back from his pale face and sighed. She had sent Sandor and Amber away, but she was exhausted. She got up, bending over Nox to kiss his cold lips. “Gonna go find some coffee, baby. I’ll berightback.”
She went to find a vending machine but the one on Nox’s floor was out of service. She walked down the stairs, hoping the exercise would wake her up. Now that she knew Nox was out of danger, her adrenaline had disappeared and her body felt heavy and listless. Who the hell would shoot her beloved Nox? Who had been watching them? Her flesh crawled at the thought of it. How did the evening go from one of sensuality and love, tohorror?
She tried the door to the floor below and went into the corridor. It was silent, and Livia could see that some sort of remodeling was being carried out. No one was around. To her relief, the vending machines were working and she quickly purchased a strong black coffee and a power bar. She snagged some fresh cold water from the cooler and drained theplasticcup.
A breeze blew cool against her back and she heard a door slam. Turning, the breath caught in her throat as she saw a figure in shadow standing at the end of the corridor, watching her. Livia took a shaky breath in. “Sorry if I’m not supposed to be down here, but the coffeemachineon…”
She trailed off as the figure started to walk towards her without speaking, and that’s when she saw it. The knife inhishand.
Jesus,no…
