Page 4 of Twisted Ties

“Not if you’re right by the door.”

“You’re not watching me pee,” I say again, more firmly.

The man in black ignores me and addresses the nurse. “If she shows any signs–”

“I’ll call you straight back in, of course.” She smiles at him fondly as he rises to his feet and leaves the room.

Instantly, the hook in my belly pulls and I grimace at the sensation.

“Okay?” the nurse asks, hand on my shoulder.

“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth. “You’re right, it’s not as bad as yesterday.”

“Well, let’s get you sorted quickly anyway, shall we?”

She turns to her trolley and lifts out what looks like a potty. Igroan, wishing they’d sorted my leg after all, wondering if that doctor, the one who treated Azlan like an old friend – a close, old friend – is delaying it deliberately, just to make me suffer.

“It’s very sweet. He cares about you so much,” the nurse says as she helps me.

“Sweet?” I scoff.

“And he’s so handsome. And tall and strong.”

“Hmmm,” I say. He is all those things. But he’s also a liar. A big fat liar.

When I’m done and the nurse has helped me wash a little, she calls the man in black back into the room. He comes striding through, the pain in my gut alleviating immediately.

I sigh with relief and sink back into the cushions.

“The doctor will be back here shortly, to help prep you for the procedure,” she says, wheeling her trolley back towards the door.

“Can I have something to eat?” I ask.

“Not until afterwards,” she calls, the door closing behind her and leaving us alone again. I stare at the door and not at my mate. I don’t have anything to say to him.

They putme under for the procedure, even though I tell them I can handle the pain, and I don’t emerge again until several hours later.

The electric lights glow above my head and as I pull myself out of unconsciousness, I realize it must be evening.

“How long was I under?” I ask, sensing the man in black by my side, his presence making that hook in my belly hum.

“Six hours,”

“Jeez,” I groan, my head fuzzy and my mouth dry.

“It was a complicated break. Took Lucinda a lot of work to fix it.”

Lucinda? I frown.

“You were there?” I ask.

“Yes, I wanted to make sure they did a good job.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t want a lame mate as well as a stupid one, would you?”

He’s silent, but something in the air tells me he doesn’t like what I just said.

I twist my head, even though it makes sickness swim through my stomach and find him frowning.