Chapter 78

Renee

Neil fussed over me the moment Dominic left the room, like he’d been waiting for his turn. It was comforting, sure, but watching Dominic go like he'd rather be anywhere else but near me set a hollowness in my chest I could barely breathe through.

“Don’t even think about getting up,” he said, reaching for the tray to start setting up the food. “Doctor’s orders. Bed rest.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, sitting up straighter against the pillows. “I’m not an invalid, Neil. I’m fine.”

Staying in the hospital was not an option. I was too exposed, too vulnerable. Even if Vivian was in custody, her stooges weren't, and I had no desire to fuck around and find out if she had a chance to give them orders to harass me.

Besides sitting still and wallowing in my thoughts just wasn't my style.

“You passed out from exhaustion at the office, Renee.” Neil's eyes narrowed. "You need rest and food."

I crossed my arms, my voice sharpening. “That doesn’t mean I need to be coddled.”

He stilled, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. He took a slow deep breath.

“Perhaps. No one needs to be coddled, that doesn't mean you're not worthy of being cared for."

"This is coddling."

He smirked. "You're worthy of that, too."

Was I?

I set my jaw, stomping down that traitorous thought.

"And while no one in this room has any doubts about your strength, being admitted into the hospital for exhaustion means you need to rest. And I’m not going to pretend you didn’t scare the hell out of everyone. You keep pushing yourself like this, and you’re going to land yourself right back here.”

The heat in my chest flared. I hated being spoken to like I was fragile, like I couldn’t handle my own body, my own life. I opened my mouth, ready to fire back, but before I could get a word out, his mother stepped in with a gentle but firm tone that cut through me.

"Think of it as a chance to be a complete brat,” she said, giving Neil a pointed look. “A well-deserved vacation… Let’s not turn this into a full-blown argument while you're still recovering, especially when we all want the same thing.”

Neil exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he stepped back. He nodded, bobbing his head. "Right. Of course."

She smiled at me, far softer than Neil's tense posture. She set the containers on the table. Whether or not the guard felt it unnecessary to test the food, or they had already done so, I didn't know, but I found myself not really caring either.

It would be just my luck that Neil and his mother also meant me harm.

I grimaced at that thought. Where the hell had that come from? A prick of guilt cut through me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. My voice cracking. Neil stiffened, like he was barely keeping himself back.

Part of me… desperately wanted him not to. His mother pulled me into her arms and kissed my head. Her magic sparked and hummed against my skin, flowing into me and zapping what little resistance I had. I slumped into her arms, eyes burning with frustrated and confused tears.

I felt a mess, and I couldn't even begin to articulate why. This wasn't the first time I'd passed out either because I hadn't eaten enough or I'd gone too long without sleep, but it certainly felt worse than all those other times.

"There's no need to be sorry dear, you've been under a lot of stress." She rocked me slowly. "And you know you can always come over for a good rant and paint session over wine or hot chocolate, hm?"

I laughed, nodding. "I promise I'm more coordinated now."

She laughed. "Oh, please! The mess is part of the fun."

She pulled back, adjusting my bed covers. Tucking me in for lack of a better word.

“We’ll let you rest, sweetheart. But we’ll check in tomorrow.”

Before leaving, she nudged the rolling tray practically groaning from the weight of all the food containers with a conspiratorial wink. “Hospital food is terrible. I brought you some snacks—and cookies. The good kind.”

Neil shook his head, his lips twitching into a soft smile. "If that's a snack, there isn't a table big enough for a meal."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't see you or your father complaining."

I blinked, confused at that. Was… his father still seeing his mother? I thought he was married? Maybe it wasn't just my mother who'd had a three-way relationship. Maybe it was more common than anyone had ever said.

It made me wonder about Tyler's plans with Vivian, Vivian's plans in general, and a whole world of people. Had Philip been more jealous than angry? Not of the other man, but of my mother's freedom?

It would… make sense considering that all that Phillip had to offer was really only possible because of my mother.

I had to wonder what she saw in him.

Neil came over to take my hand. "Are we okay?"

My lips twitched as I looked up at him, feeling so small and uncertain.

"Are we?"

He squeezed my hand and leaned down to be at eye-level with me.

"I am if you are."

"And if I'm not?"

"Then, I'll work on it." He smiled, stroking my head. "Are we?"

My throat tightened unexpectedly at the words. I managed and small nod and he leaned forward, kissing my forehead.

"I'll check in with you soon, okay?"

I nodded again and he stepped away.

I managed a soft, grateful smile as they headed to the door.

“Thank you for coming.”

“See you soon! Get some sleep,” she said warmly before ushering Neil out of the room with her.

As the door clicked shut behind them, I curled up beneath the blanket. I didn't have the urge to eat yet, but I knew that I probably should. My forehead was still warm from Neil's kiss, the hollowness seemed to be filling with every breath. I let my head sink into the pillow, closing my eyes for a long, shaky breath.

He was right. I needed rest. And food and peace…

If only it were that simple.

I tried to sleep. I really did, before I realized it, I was slipping back into sleep.

Something woke me up. A jarring, stabbing sensation through my chest. I sat up in bed, and suddenly, the whole room seemed too small, too loud, to stongly scent. I could smell the food through the containers. My stomach growled with hunger, but my head was pounding. I looked over at the guard who stood there still. I couldn't smell him, exactly, but I felt his presence.

"Ma'am?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper, but it sounded like he was almost shouting.

I grimaced. He nodded and moved, near silently and started to pack up my things before leaning out of the room and summoning a nurse.

I got up, the world tilted a little, but I couldn’t stay there another second. The beeping monitors were as loud as sirens. The nurse came in to turn off the sound and help get me unhooked from everything, but the scent of her was irritating. Suffocating. I signed the discharge papers myself, ignoring the nurse’s disapproving looks. The bodyguard carried the food and the bag that had been brought for me as well as everything I'd been at the office with. Every step out of the hospital made my head ring, but also frustrated me more.

This shouldn't be this hard.

I wasn’t fragile. But mostly, being in the hospital was anything but restful. Besides I could still work. I had to work. If I stopped now, whatever people were still at the company under Vivian's thumb would probably snicker and whisper about how they'd managed to get rid of me. I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

I wouldn't let Dominic even have a chance to think I couldn't handle it.

As I stepped out into the cool night air, the familiar black car pulled up to the curb. The door popped open automatically. I didn’t even think before reaching for the handle, but the moment I swung it open, my stomach twisted.

Arielle was sitting inside, one leg crossed over the other, her expression unreadable under the dim interior lights. SHe looked up at me with pursed lips and a raised eyebrow.

A sense of dread and fear hit me. Was this the moment everything fell apart? I felt my pulse skitter. My mind jumped through worst-case scenarios.

Arielle patted the empty seat beside her. "Get in."

Her voice was tight and clearly irritated. I swallowed, forcing my body to move. The door shut behind me with a soft click as the car pulled away from the curb.

The silence stretched for a moment before she spoke, her voice cool and sharp like glass.

“Do you know what’s good for you, Renee?”