166

BRANDON

Reporters disperse in front of the hospital when I arrive after a call from Oliver, but I’m more anxious about Alayna’s state. What did this son of a bitch do to her? I still have no idea what happened because Ollie and Stan don’t have time to explain everything.

I break through the crowd that won’t let us pass. Some reporters ask about me, that fucker Drake, and his crime, but most are random; I can’t understand them. My mind is somewhere else to even try to fucking understand, so I couldn’t care less. I need to see my fiancée right away.

“Just keep going. I’m right behind you,” Jason instructs, then he and some security block the reporters and let me through.

“We are not answering questions for now, please. Give my family some privacy!” he yells, and his voice trails off as I go further.

Oliver is impatiently treading back and forth in front of the emergency room while on the phone. Stan, on the other hand, is sitting quietly on the bench as if in deep thought.

“Oliver. Stan.” I make notice of my arrival.

Oliver halts. “Brandon.”

“What happened to her? Where is she?” I panic, panting.

“She’s inside. They’re treating her wounds.”

“Wounds.” I shut my eyes, clenching my fist. “What did he do, Oliver?”

“Brandon, what matters the most is that we saved her, okay?”

“No, answer me. What did he do to her?”

Stan stands up. “Brandon, calm down.”

“Are you really not going to tell me then?” I demand, looking at both of them. “What. Did. He. Do?”

Oliver exhales. “We don’t know what exactly happened, but he was all over her, and she was bleeding pretty badly when we found her.”

“So you’re saying he almost killed her?”

“Brandon!” He grasps my shoulder. “I understand where you’re coming from. I saw her—” he swallows “—I saw her there myself. Believe me, I wanted to murder him, but Alayna is our priority. She wouldn’t want your hands dirty. So please, calm down.”

At the back of my mind, I know he’s right. Oliver has always been right. Alayna had always warned me about him, but I’ve been too clouded by my anger. But what else should I do? It’s frustrating not being able to do anything.

“Ah, fuck!” I rub my face down and sulk a sharp breath. “Fuck the law.”

“Don’t say that, Brandon,” Stan interjects. “The police already arrested the mayor.”

“She knows you’re here too,” Oliver adds.

I clear out my lungs to gather my wits. “Any news from Cary?”

“We haven’t heard from them,” Stan replies. “Why don’t you sit down while we wait?”

As I perch on the sitting area, still feel restless. I recall the things that happened on our engagement night. It started with my grandfather’s unpleasant remarks to her and her family. Then Pauline came. Alayna got upset, then she excused herself to the restroom. I let her leave alone.

Fuck.

I should have gone with her. I should’ve been there for her.

This is all my fault.

***

A doctor finally comes out of the ER after three hours. “The blood transfusion was successful, and we’ve already treated her injuries. However, I’d like to advise letting her rest here for three more days. After that, she’ll be fine.”

Thank God! A massive lump in my chest slowly liquefies. Oliver and Stan relax. I wouldn’t know what to do if anything else wrong had happened to her. And not even Oliver could stop me from haunting and murdering that piece of shit.

“Can we see her?” Jason asks the doctor.

“I’m so sorry,” he says. “But we have to transfer her to a special care unit first. One of our interns will inform you if it has been done.”

“That’s fine. Thank you, Dr. Miles,” Oliver says.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Katrakis.” The doctor gives a slight bow, then excuses himself. “Gentlemen.”

“Brandon, why don’t we get some coffee while we wait?” Stan suggests. “You need to relax, man. You heard the doctor. She’ll be fine.”

The last time I took my eyes off her, I almost lost her. I will never repeat that mistake. “I’m not leaving. I’ll be waiting for her here.”

“I’ll be here. You have had nothing since last night,” Jason says attentively.

“I had a sandwich on the plane this morning. I’ll be fine,” I lie, but truthfully, my stomach can’t take anything.

“Then we’ll get you something. We don’t want another patient here. You need to eat,” Oliver says. “I’ll probably make a call too. Cassius still hasn’t answered my messages.”

I nod. “I’ll be fine. Just go.”

Stan and Ollie get in their way while Jason and I remain in front of the emergency ward.

“She’s like you somehow, you know,” Jason says out of the blue.

“How can you tell?”

“She’s a survivor.” He glances at me. “Just like you. Oh, stubborn too. She’s always been like this.”

I smirk. “I’ve met my match.”

He smiles. “You two belong together.”

I cross my arms. “Are you expecting the same from Casey?” I tease.

I might not be paying attention to other things happening around me, but I know she’s been close to the Wolf lately. Of course, all I want is her happiness. If she chooses to be with him, I won’t get in her way. She’s old enough to make her own decision, but I want her to be careful as much as possible. Jason’s field of work brings danger around every corner.

“Nah.” He clicks his tongue. “I’m not even sure if she likes me.”

I snort. “Oh, come on. I’m done with complications. Cassius and Arianna’s feud is enough. I have high expectations from you and Casey.”

“Hold on.” He looks at me with a scowl. “What do you mean, Cassius and Arianna?”

“What do you mean by what—” Oh. I blink. He doesn’t know.

“No, I heard what you said.” His tone thickens. “What’s with Cassius and Ari?”

Shit. Alayna reminded me not to tell him. But doesn’t he really know? I didn’t think he could be dense.

“I…” I sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“So it’s true?”

“Well, I didn’t realize it was supposed to be a secret.”

“The last fucking thing I want is your cousin trying to get into my sister’s pants.” He grimaces.

“We don’t know what’s really happening.”

“Arianna might feel like that with our profession, and then things she did—you know what I mean. She hasn’t even been in a proper relationship before.”

I shot an eyebrow. “How do you know that?”

“I just know… And your cousin, he’s… He’s been fucking around ever since Athens. He was barely even with us.”

That. He’s right. Then I remember what happened a few days ago at the spa. I must be missing something. Cassius is behaving differently these days.

“And hey, you also know why he can’t,” he adds. “He’s probably still not over Alayna. She’s only going to hurt A. I don’t want this to become a problem in the future.”

Or maybe he’s just being overprotective. “All right. If I may give you some advice, until we’re sure what’s going with both of them, it is better to wait for your sister to open up before doing anything. The last thing you want is an angry sibling nagging at you all the time.”

He laughs. “Is Casey like that?”

I sigh. “Unfortunately.”

“I think she’s awesome,” he mumbles.

I’m about to say something else when the ER’s door abruptly opens, and then five hospital staff drag a stretcher outside. I immediately catch sight of my unconscious fiancée. My heart shatters even more when I see her state, and anger boils in me again. She has black marks around her eyes and bruises on her face. Her body is covered with bandages.