Page 47 of Velvet Corruption

For a moment, the weight of that simple word steadied me. Not entirely, but enough. I glanced back at Rosie, who was now curled up on her side. She looked so small, so fragile. But she was safe—for now.

I swallowed hard and forced my feet to move, turning toward the door. The pain pulsed relentlessly through my hand, making me lightheaded, but I had to push through it. I had to trust that this was enough, that leaving her here would keep her protected. Even if it felt like I was tearing away a piece of myself.

I stepped into the hallway, the door clicking softly shut behind me. For a moment, I leaned back against the wall, pressing my good hand to my forehead. The fluorescent lights overhead were too bright, making the edges of my vision blur. My hand burned with a deep, throbbing ache that refused to let up. Every second I waited made it worse.

Ihadto get to urgent care.

I called the elevator with my good hand and barely noticed the security guard telling me to have a good day as I stepped outside the building. The pain was making me shaky, and I knew I couldn't drive like this—not with one hand barely functional. I reached for my phone in my pocket, fumbling to unlock it with trembling fingers. A ride service? Maybe I could call one of Julian’s assistants again—

"What's the plan now?"

I froze, my body going rigid at the sound of that voice. I turned slowly and saw him—Kieran. He was leaning casually against my car, hands in his pockets, as if he had all the time in the world. His expression was ambivalent, but his eyes—those dark, unsettling eyes—were locked on mine, sharp and intense.

My heart sped up, a mix of anger and fear clawing at my chest. "Are you stalking me, or is this another one of your ‘coincidences’?" I demanded, striding toward him despite the pain in my hand.

"Relax," he said, his tone maddeningly calm. "Hannah drove because you can’t. I figured I’d wait and make sure you were taken care of."

“So you followed me here in your car?”

“My schedule opened up today,” he said.

“Okay, in that case, you thought you’d use your time off to stalk your ex?”

He smirked. “Ah…is that what we are? Never realized we were official.”

I scowled, but I knew it wasn’t nearly as biting as I wanted it to be; I felt like shit.

“Also, Hannah is going to need a way to get home tonight,” Kieran said. “I can leave my keys in the car…”

"I’m not worried about Hannah getting home. You’re here because you want to make sure I’m taken care of?" I echoed, incredulous. "You figured wrong. I don’t need your help."

"You’re about to call a stranger to take you to urgent care. That looks nasty. No taxi driver is going to want you in their car bleeding like this," he replied, unfazed by my glare. "I’m already here. Let me take you.”

I stared at him, the fury bubbling just beneath the surface. "You think this means I owe you something?"

He shook his head. "No. You owe me nothing."

The words stopped me cold.

Because he didn’t say it like a line. He said it like a fact. Like it didn’t matter whether I hated him or not, whether I thanked him or not. He wasn’t here to bargain.

That somehow made it worse.

I hated how sincere he sounded. How steady. How fucking right.

"You’re hurt,” he added. “That’s all that matters.”

He stepped closer, and the air between us snapped taut. I could smell him now—soap and leather and heat. Too close. Too familiar.

And I didn’t trust him…not even a little.

But I also couldn’t ignore the truth.

I was bleeding. My head was spinning. And I couldn’t get behind the wheel like this.

Against my better judgment, I found myself nodding, the fight leaving me in a slow, reluctant exhale. "Fine. But don’t act like you’re doing me a favor. I know you. I know you don’t do favors."

He cracked a smile. "Aw…Rubes. Now you’re just trying to hurt my feelings.”