surfaced, all the needles and bloodwork, all the nights trying to sleep while hooked up to wires and electrodes, strangers watching and recording her every breath, every brain wave…No way. Never again.
“Unhand the Armani,” Rio said sternly, staring her down until she complied. “Look, I know you don’t want to be here, but concussions are no joke. You’ll need someone with you to monitor you all night long.”
Greer started to panic a little. She knew he was right. Logically, sure, it made sense to stay here. She lived alone, wasn’t terribly close to any of her neighbors, and had no family she could call on for help. If something went wrong, she’d probably die on her couch because there was no one there to call 911. But the thought of staying here all night made her pulse do some sort of crazy Riverdance.
Rio must’ve noticed the desperation in her eyes because he sighed (hard) and said, “Fine. I’ll have them get started on your discharge—your AMA discharge, mind you—and I’ll stay with you.”
Pure, unadulterated relief coursed through her veins, and she got ready to tell him so, but another voice stopped her in her tracks.
“No. I’ll stay with her.”
And with that, Killian Morgan marched into the room like he owned it.
Hell, Killian marched into every room, everywhere, like he owned it.
Big dick energy. That’s what it was. No matter where he was, no matter who he was talking to, Killian gave off the distinct impression that he had the biggest, swinging cock in the room.
Well, not this time. Big dick energy doesn’t work on me, pal.
Rio looked pretty relieved to be off the hook until Greer said, “Nuh-uh. I’m not going back to your place. I want to go home.”
Killian clapped Rio on the shoulder in a congenial, dude-like gesture that made Greer wonder just how chummy the two of them might’ve gotten while she was unconscious. Killian tipped his chin toward the doctor and said, “You heard the lady. She wants to go home.”
The doctor frowned severely (even more severely than he had been when she work up), but didn’t argue as he left, presumably to start her discharge paperwork. When he was gone, Killian sat down beside her on the hospital mattress and leaned in a little, resting his hands on either side of her head.
He looked awful, she realized. Well, awful for him. He still looked like a Greek God compared to normal people, but for him, he looked pretty rough.
Killian’s hair stood up in about a million directions, looking like he’d been raking his hands through it all night. He was a good twelve hours past a 5-o’clock shadow, and his jaw was visibly clenched. His eyes looked bloodshot, too, like he hadn’t slept in a month.
He still smelled amazing, though. Greer’s body immediately took note of that little fun fact. And heat rolled off his skin in waves, making her want to curl her poor, battered self against his great-smelling chest and use him like a full-body heating pad.
“You,” he said in that low, gravelly tone of his, “scared the ever lovin’ shite out of me tonight, Freckles.”
He trailed his knuckles so lightly over her bruised cheek that she could barely feel it, but that one touch was still powerful enough to raise goosebumps all over skin.
She sucked in a shaky breath and swallowed hard. “How did you even know I was here, Killian?”
“Tony monitors a police scanner ‘round the clock,” he said.
His accent was deeper than usual, she noticed. Did that happen when he was tired, maybe? Upset? Whatever the reason, she liked it. She liked it way too much.
“I’m fine,” she replied. “You didn’t have to come.”
Rio snorted. “Good thing he did. The press would’ve been all over you if he hadn’t sent them away. And I’m pretty sure he bribed everyone in this place to conveniently forget they ever saw you here. We owe him huge.”
“You would’ve done the same, mate,” Killian said, keeping his eyes on Greer. “If I hadn’t shown up, I’m sure you would’ve handled it just fine.”
“I mean, yeah, but you did it in about half the time it would’ve taken me.”
Rio sounded like a smitten teenager. Greer wondered idly if she sounded like that when she was talking to Killian.
How embarrassing would that be?
“Thank you,” she whispered.
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’ll bet that hurt like a bitch to say, didn’t it?”
She wanted to roll her eyes, but her face hurt way too much for