Page 40 of The Naughty One
“Seventy-eight dead, over one-fifty serious, and more than a third of those critical. It was a bad smash,baby.”
“Merry fuckingChristmas.”
“Indeed.” He stroked her face and she leaned into his hand. “You might not feel it now because you still have morphine in your system, but honey, you’re going to have one hell of a headache when it wears off. So, bed rest. I’m going to be here the wholetime.”
Romy sighed and got back into bed, reaching up to feel the pattern of butterfly stitches on her head. “Will I at least have some awesomescars?”
Blue chuckled softly. “No, you bled a lot, but the wounds in themselves weren’t too serious. The bruising is the mainthing.”
“Can Isee?”
Blue looked at her askance then nodded. He went into the en-suite bathroom to fetch a mirror. “You were one of those kids who bragged when you skinned your knees,right?”
“Hell, yes.” She took the mirror from him. “Whoa.” Her entire forehead was an angry thundercloud of purple, black, and red, crisscrossed by the white of the stitches. “Yup, this is thelook.”
“You kind of look like that chick from that film with the roadrace.”
“PenelopePitstop?”
Blue laughed. “No, the Charlize Theron character fromMadMax.”
Romy looked impressed. “Furiosa. Yeah, baby.” She pulled Blue over to kiss him. “Now that’s some roleplay I could getinto.”
“Ahem.”
They both looked up to see a tired-looking but smiling Beau at the door. “Am Iinterrupting?”
“Not at all.” Romy smiled at him. He came into the room, winking at Blue before checking Romy’svitals.
“Good. That’s allgood.”
“So, I can go home?” Romy looked hopeful as Blue rolled hiseyes.
Beau grinned. “Not on your life. At least overnight, Dr. Sasse, your chief’s orders. Listen,” his smile faded and he pulled up a chair, “the police will want to talk to you. I’ve spoken to the hospital board; we’re going to be intensifying the security around here. There will more scrutiny on visitors, on staff. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about theattack.”
“Thanks,boss.”
Beau left them alone a little while later and Blue kissed Romy’s hand. “When they let you out, we’re going away for a few days. I’ve cleared it withBeau.”
Romy sank back onto the pillows. Her head was beginning to pound painfully now. “Okay.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then let out a distressed gasp. “God, Mom. You didn’t call her, didyou?”
“It was on the news; I had to call Stuart. He told me he would break it to hergently.”
“I don’t want them coming back and ruining theirhoneymoon.”
Blue stroked her sore head. “I think I persuaded them notto.”
“Thank God.” Romy leaned into Blue’s touch. “I think I need to sleepnow.”
“You go right ahead. Do you want somepainkillers?”
Romy nodded, wincing, and when Blue came back with the tablets, she swallowed them gratefully, draining her water glass. She felt exhausted, drained, and now that the adrenaline had left her system, the shock of the attack was getting to her. She closed her eyes before they could fill with tears and fell into an uneasysleep.
Gaius wasbeside himself with rage. “You damn fool! Do you know how many cops were at the accident? You tried and kill herthere?”
Dacre waited until Gaius had ranted himself out, then narrowed his eyes at the other man. “I didn’t intend tokillRomy, just scare the crap out of her. I promise you, itworked.”
“But you could have been seen; all the work we’ve done to get you close to her could have beenundone.”
