Page 121 of The Bad Girl

Chapter 42

Maxwell

After being detained by the police for three hours, I’m finally released, but only after my lawyers heavily pressured everyone involved.

Eric’s medical bills will be paid for. More importantly, he’s not going to want to take me to court. Sitting in front of a jury and confessing to cheating on your pregnant fiancé and refusing to give up the other woman isn’t a good look, and with the advent of social media and social shaming, he’d become a pariah.

The entire time I was being questioned, my mind never left Nadine, making it difficult for me to concentrate. Before I was taken in, I left Harry with strict instructions regarding her care. Only the best doctors, and fly in whatever specialist the situation calls for.

At one point, I was so out of sorts the investigators asked me to submit to a drug test, which I consented to, figuring I had nothing to hide.

I step out of the hospital elevator onto the fifth floor, where Nadine is being treated and approach the nurse’s station.

“Nadine Winters?” I say to a pert blonde with bold lipstick and ‘come hither so I can eat you’ gaze.

“Nadine-Nadine-Nadine,” she says, scanning a clipboard.

“Maxwell,” Harry interrupts. “They kicked us from the room so they could do some scans, but for some reason, they were canceled, and Nadine is being ridiculous and has now quarantined herself.”

“Quarantined?”

“She doesn’t want to be bothered,” the bubbly nurse says, “but I’m open to it,” she says with a wink.

“Go to the waiting area,” I instruct Harry.

I’m a highly recognizable man who’s just been splashed all over the media due to the hostage situation, so this isn’t at all surprising, and of course, I exploit the situation to my advantage masterfully.

I lean down to whisper to the nurse. “Well, Candace, is it?”

“Uh-huh,” she says with a nod of her head.”

“You see, Ms. Winters is an employee of mine, and she’s very recently been involved in a few unfortunate situations. The last thing I need is a lawsuit on my hands, so I was hoping I could go into her room and speak with her privately. If I could, you’d be my hero.”

It’s clear by her star-struck eyes that if I had asked her to go to their drug stash and give me all their opioids, she’d obey.

“Follow me,” she says with a mischievous waggle of her brow. “Priscilla, watch the desk!”

I follow her down to the end of the hall and take a left, stopping in front of door 518.

She turns, pressing her hands against the lapels of my blazer and snaking them towards my neck. “Now, why don’t you tell Nurse Candace what—”

“You’ve served your purpose,” I say, gently scooting her aside. “Now run on back to your station.”

She blinks in confusion. “You asshole!”

I open the door to Nadine’s room and see her seated on the bed, her head held in place by a cervical collar.

Oh no!

“I’m-I’m so sorry,” I say, hoping it’s not as serious as it looks. “I had no idea you’d be—”

But before I can get another word out, she says, “I’m pregnant.”

?

Nadine

It comes out before I can stop myself, two words that I’ve been repeating in my mind for the past thirty minutes.