Page 111 of When You Blush

“Enough!” My hands are fisted, and I’m so fucking pissed off. “Stop talking to her like that. It’s not her fault, and it’s not our fault that Oliver needs to be here. I get that you’re overwhelmed and scared, but you don’t get to abuse everyone around you. You need to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“Yes, you are,” a man says from behind me. It’s George from security, and two other guards flank him. “Police are on the way, too, Miss Harper. Come on, sir. You can’t hurt my girls up here.”

“Fuck off. That’s my baby.”

“Don’t care,” George says with a shrug. “You gotta go.”

All three guards have to forcefully remove the man from my unit, and I immediately check in with Carrie, the nurse who was on the floor.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She nods and blows out a breath. “Yeah, mostly I’m pissed. He didn’t touch me. He threw the cart, and I fell when trying to avoid getting hit by it.”

“Good. Are you okay to stay on shift, or do you need to go?”

“I’m fine,” she says, shaking her head. “Really. Not my first asshole. I’ve got this, Harper.”

I’m gladyoudo.I can feel the adrenaline wearing off and the panic rising, but I manage to swallow it down and turn to the mom.

“Can we call someone to come sit with you?” I ask her, and I can hear the shake in my voice.Hold it together, Harper. Just a few more minutes.

“I’ve already texted my sister,” she says. “I’m not with him, by the way. We’re not married. He’s Oliver’s father, but we’re not together.”

“That’s none of my business,” I reply. “But if you ever feel unsafe?—”

“I have family, and my brother’s a cop,” she says, andI can’t help but think thatmybrother is also a cop, and there’s no way in hell that Easton would allow a man like that anywhere in the vicinity of my hospital room.Noneof my family would. But like I said, none of my business. “We’re okay. But thank you.”

I nod and turn just as Amy walks up to me. She doesn’t touch me, but I know she can see that I’m going to lose it. I love this woman. She exudescalm.Like a grandma. Or a seasoned medical professional who knows her shit.

Amy knows this job inside and out. I’ve already learned so much from her.

“I need a minute,” I tell her in a low voice. My breaths are already coming fast. I keep seeing Nathan’s sneering face in my head, and I need a fucking minute to calm down without an audience.

I can’t stand the thought of breaking down where others can see me.

“Come on.” She wraps her arm around my waist and leads me into the stairwell, which is perfect because not many people use the stairs.

Oh God.Why can’t I get that asshole out of my head? Am I going to fall apart like this every fucking time someone mouths off to me?

“I’ll be right back,” Amy promises and leaves me alone.

Immediately, the panic attack sets in, and I can’t stop the tears that fall over my cheeks.

“You’re nothing. Christ, you’re lucky you have me because no one else in the world would bother with you.You’re no fun, Harper. You’re such a fucking killjoy. Do you even remember how to smile? And don’t even get me started on how pathetic you are to fuck.” Nathan paces in front of where I sit on the couch, my head down, listening to the lecture.

Shaking my hands out at my sides because they’ve gone numb, I decide to sit on the top step because my knees are rubber and rest my forehead on the wall next to me. God, I hate his voice so much. How did I listen to him for all those years?

“Go away,” I whisper. “Just fucking get out of my head.”

I hear a door downstairs but ignore it. I don’t want anyone to see me like this, but I can’t get my legs to work quite yet, so they’ll just have to judge me and go about their day.

I don’t care.

Footsteps fly up the stairs, then hands are on my face.

“Baby, what’s wrong? Christ, Harper, what’s going on?”