Page 46 of His to Possess
He frowned, his eyes scanning my face. "Are you sure? You look terrible."
"Thanks," I muttered sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'll make up for the lost work. I really am sorry for messing up your schedule."
I watched Rex's expression harden, his cold mask sliding back into place. The detached man I had come to know returned full force. He got up and left, closing the door softly behind him. This was what I was used to—what was comfortable for both of us.
I closed my eyes once more, curling myself into a ball. But before I could fall back asleep, I heard the door open again. Rex returned with a glass of water and some pills.
"This will help with the pain." His voice was gruff but not unkind.
He helped me sit up a little so I could swallow, then gently fluffed my pillow before lowering my head back down.
Suddenly, he said, "I don't care about work. You should have told me you were feeling unwell. I believed it was just a headache last night and would be over by now. Why didn't you say you were feeling even worse this morning?"
I was taken aback by his outburst. At first, I didn't know how to respond, but then I sighed and admitted, "You don't have to worry about me. It's not in our agreement. Besides, I can take care of myself. I've been alone through worse than this."
"I'm not a monster, Laurel. I want you well. I do mean that."
I closed my eyes, feeling exhausted by this conversation. "No, you're not a monster. You just made your expectations of me very clear. And it's fine. I agreed to it after all."
I thought he would leave, but he remained by my side. I forced myself to open my eyes again and saw him looming over me, his gaze intense and unwavering. I sighed.
"You said this has happened to you before," he stated, his tone demanding an explanation.
I hesitated. I didn't want to explain myself, to tell him that it was probably high stress and the return of Alain that triggered it. The mere thought of Alain made my stomach churn. Instead, I opted for a partial truth.
"It happened once several months ago," I said. That wasn't a lie, either. "But after a good night's sleep, I was better."
He didn't seem convinced. His brow furrowed, and I could almost see the gears turning in his head as he tried to piece together the puzzle I had presented. Part of me wanted to tell him everything—about Alain, about Paris, about the weight of it all crushing down on me. But I couldn't bring myself to be that vulnerable, not with him.
As I looked up at him, fatigue pulled at me more and more. My eyelids felt heavy, and the temptation of sleep became overwhelming. For once, I was glad for the escape it offered. I closed my eyes again, letting the darkness envelop me.
"Laurel." His voice came from somewhere above me, but it sounded distant now.
I wanted to respond, to assure him that I would be fine, but sleep was already claiming me. As I drifted off, I felt a gentle touch on my forehead, so light I might have imagined it. In that moment, just before consciousness slipped away entirely, I found myself wondering about the man sitting beside me. Who was Rex Compton really, beneath all his control and cold exterior?
But then sleep took me, and all thoughts faded away.
Chapter 17
Laurel
I woke up feeling surprisingly human again. After the last twenty-four hours of misery, my body finally seemed to be cooperating. There was still a lingering headache and some soreness, but I was functional. I took a much-needed shower, relishing the hot water on my aching muscles.
As I stepped out, I noticed Rex hadn't laid out an outfit for me. It was a slight relief. I chose a simple navy blue pantsuit with a white blouse and sensible heels, not trusting my balance just yet. If it were in my wardrobe, it must be Rex-approved.
Assuming Rex had already left for work, I grabbed my bag and headed for the front door. To my surprise, it didn't budge. I checked if it was locked and tried to dial my security code, but it was denied. I tried again with the same result.
"Shit," I muttered, attempting once more and now the keypad turned red. I was tempted to punch it to see if that would open the door, but I knew that was stupid.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rex's voice startled me from behind as he walked from the hallway.
I turned, trying to match his usual detached tone. "I'm going to work. At the institute. Unlock the door."
Rex slid his hands into his pockets, shaking his head. "No."
"No?" I repeated, incredulous. "What do you mean, no? I have work to do."
"You're not going anywhere today," he said firmly. "You're still recovering."
