Page 14 of The Billionaire's Bride

"It still means he won’t have anyone to take care of him," she replies.

"I’ll hire him a nurse. Hell, I’ll make sure he has round-the-clock attention," I snap.

"It’s not the same as someone you know looking after you." Her forehead furrows. "You understand that, right?"

No, I don’t.I set my jaw. "If you’re alone with him, he’ll take advantage of you."

Edward’s expression sours. "I’m not the one who moved in on my friend’s woman while her boyfriend’s back was turned."

"Boyfriend?" I growl, "You were nothing to her; you barely knew her."

"Like you’ve spent all that long with her?" He sits up. "You tosser, and after everything I did for you, this is how you repay me?"

"Finally," I bare my teeth, "now you show your true colors. Keeping track of everything I owe you, eh? You did what you had to do, out of some twisted guilty conscience, you—"

A piercing whistle blows through the space. I whip my head around, and so does Edward.

Ava lowers her fingers from her lips, her cheeks flushed, her eyes blazing. "The two of you are incorrigible. Here I am, trying my best to figure out how to move things forward, and all you two can do, is fight like you are ten.

She stares between us. "You know what?" She plants her hands on both of her hips, “You guys can figure this out. I have had it with both of you.” She marches to the door.

"Where are you going?" I scowl.

"Some of us need to work for a living," she snaps back, “and I am already running late for my first class."

"I’ll take you." I take a step forward and she turns on me.

"Don’t you dare come near me." She points a finger in my direction. "In fact, don’t leave this room, until you two sort out whatever it is that has the two of you at such loggerheads."

"So, am I moving in with you?" Edward ventures.

"No," I snap.

"Why not?" He frowns. "I thought we’d just settled it?"

"No, we haven’t."

"I am sooo out of here." Ava turns to the door, then looks back and adds, "When you two have a plan figured out, call me, or... You know what?" She pauses. "Don’t. If I don’t hear from either of you, I’ll be happy." She marches out of the door.

Silence descends. I glare at Edward, who glowers back at me.

"Well, that went well," I drawl.

He seems like he is about to respond, then slouches back against the pillows. "Shit, we really pissed her off, didn’t we?"

"What did you expect?" I walk over and slump into a chair. "The two of us can barely look each other in the eye when we speak, let alone try to work out what is clearly a sticky situation for all of us."

"Not my fault," he mutters.

"Edward, seriously, man." I rub the back of my neck "What the hell happened to you out there? You seem to be coming apart at the seams."

He draws in a breath, then shoves off his covers. "What didyouexpect? I’ve been cooped up in here for the last three days. Of course, I am going out of my head."

"Is that what it is?"

"What else can it be?" He frowns.

"When are they going to discharge you?"