Rogue Hearts

“I think you were coming out just as fast,” a familiar voice said.

She looked up to see Andrei Rusak and those penetrating blue eyes staring at her as he knelt down to help her.

“Of course it’s you,” she muttered under her breath.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t see you. Forgive me.”

Great, she thought. He has to lay the sweetness on thick so I feel like the mean one. He’s the kind prince charming. I’m the wicked witch.

“Here, let me help you up.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond. Two strong arms lifted her up from the floor as if she weighed nothing at all, until she was standing up. It was so quick and efficient that she forgot the pain in her ankle.

Until she put her weight on it.

“Ow, ow. Damn it.” She didn’t care that people were looking at her as her voice echoed. She was in pain.

“Did I hurt you?” He assisted her to a bench in the hallway and began picking up her brief case, pocketbook and scattered folders. He had literally knocked the wind out of her.

“Are you alright?”

She was staring into space trying to catch her breath. Just because she could handle hardened criminals in the courtroom didn’t mean she liked pain, and this was something that had her head spinning.

“I think I hurt my ankle,” she said.

He slid her shoe off as if he’d done it many times before. “Yeah. It looks swollen. Stay here. I’ll be back.”

Wh

ere was she going to go? She couldn’t even stand up. Just when she was trying to figure out where he went, he came back with a bag of ice, paper towels, and a bottle of water.

“Here,” he said, handing her the bottle. “Drink this.”

“Demanding aren’t we?” she asked.

“After being in that inferno courtroom, I’m sure you’re dehydrated. Drink up while I take care of your ankle.” He didn’t wait to see if she obeyed. Instead, he elevated her leg into his lap and placed the ice on her swollen ankle.

“Cold, cold.” She gasped at the shock and tried to move away, but he held her in place.

“I know, but it’ll keep the swelling down.” He took the ice off and wrapped it with the paper towel. “Is that better?”

All she could do was nod.

“Good. The ice compress should keep it from swelling more until I can get you to the hospital.”

“What?”

“I’m taking you to the ER to have it x-rayed. It might be broken.”

“No. I’m perfectly fine—”

“Sit still,” he commanded. He held her ankle gently and wouldn’t take his eyes away from it.

Victoria lost track of how long he held it. She finally opened the water and took a sip. After feeling how refreshing it was, she took a few bigger gulps until she downed half of it.

When she was done, she saw him smiling up at her.

“See? Dehydration is a silent killer.”