Page 7 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3

Who is this person?“Someone called you Robert Hunter? I’m guessing you two are related somehow.” I gestured back and forth between him and James.

He laughed again but it sounded forced. “Very funny. If you’re getting me back for all the times I’ve messed with you…”

“This isn’t a joke, Rob,” the woman hissed. “She doesn’t remember us. She doesn’t even remember James.”

Rob looked at James and shook his head. “That can’t be true. She’s just…that’s not true. Tell them, Penny.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just shrugged my shoulders.

“This isn’t funny,” he said. “My jokes are at least funny. Cut it out.”

“We’re just going to take a minute.” The woman pulled Rob toward the door. “We’ll be back.” They disappeared into the hall.

I looked over at James. “Are you related to him?”

“He’s my little brother.”

“He’s…loud.”

James smiled. “He is.”

“Are him and I supposed to be close? He seemed pretty upset.”

“The two of you are really good friends.” James left his perch against the wall and walked over to me. “My family and friends became yours.”

My heart started racing. What was he about to do?

He eyed the machine that was monitoring my heart rate and smiled. “Everyone you’ve seen today loves you. But no one on this earth loves you as much as I do.” He slowly reached out his hand and brushed his fingers against my cheek.

I flinched and he immediately pulled away.

The look of hurt on his face was palpable. I hadn’t flinched when his brother had repeatedly hugged me. Why had I flinched from his touch? I needed to change the subject. I needed to wipe away that look of pain.

“Who are Scarlett and Liam?” I asked.

The hurt seemed to grow tenfold. His Adam’s apple rose and fell as he stared at me.

“Two people I should know I guess?” I said.

Tears formed in the corners of his eyes. If I hadn’t been staring at him, I would have missed it, because he immediately blinked them away.

He cleared his throat. “If you’ll excuse me for one second. I just…I need a minute.” He hurried away from me, like he couldn’t stand being next to me for another second.

I was left alone in the hospital room. I breathed a sigh of relief. I rather liked being alone.