Heartthrob (The Bennett Brothers 3)

Kelly glances up at me with tears shining brightly. “She’s okay?”

“I’m going to do a thorough exam now.”

“Would you like me to do that for you, Dr. Bennett?” The offer comes from a voice I don’t recognize, and I glimpse over my shoulder to find an ER nurse.

“I’ll handle it.” My voice is harsher than intended, but she nods in understanding.

“She’s filthy, I need a change of clothes.” From our brief conversation before the phone cut off earlier, I know what she went through with Carlos before being transported. There’s evidence of his illness on her scrubs.

“Grabbed her bags before we left.” Jay drops them in the chair.

“I need some privacy.”

Kelly and Mitch look unhappy but step away without argument.

“I promise to call you when I’m done.”

After the room clears, I carefully begin to undress her, inspecting every inch of flesh as I go. When I get to her top, it’s easier to rip it open than pull over her head. Besides a purple bruise forming on her hip, there’s nothing visibly wrong with her.

“Cold,” she shivers, wrapping her arms around her chest.

I pull the blanket from the bottom of the bed to cover her, crawling in and folding her to me. “Wake up, beautiful.”

Her eyes flutter open, taking in our surroundings. “Why are we in a hospital bed?”

“You collapsed.”

“Where are my clothes?”

“I had to check you for injuries.”

She tilts her face to mine, her hand sliding between us to cup my jaw. “I’m okay. No one hurt me.”

“I needed to see for myself.”

“Do you know what happened? Why he took me?”

“I didn’t at first, but the pieces came together. Carlos Martinez is a sick young man.”

“Stefan was driven by desperation and love.”

“Are you defending him?”

“No, I’m… I’m… I don’t know what I’m doing,” she ends on a whisper.

“Stefano Martinez is a high leader in the Latin Kings. He’s a madman.”

She bites her bottom lip, her eyes clouding with confusion. “I knew he was wealthy, powerful, and had an evil side, but I didn’t know that.”

“Did he touch you, baby?”

“No. Once I met Carlos, our entire focus was on his care.”

There’s a surge of relief that washes through me knowing he didn’t violate her.

“Are you okay?” Her thumb skims across my jawline. “You’re trembling.”

“Losing you was a living hell that rocked me in a way that is going to take time to recover. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”