Chapter 43

Serena's POV

The doctor's footsteps faded down the hallway, leaving behind a heavy silence in the private hospital room. The steady beep of the heart monitor provided an oddly comforting rhythm in the dim light.

Lucas lay there, his usually commanding presence diminished by the stark blue hospital gown. A bandage wrapped around his torso peeked out from beneath the fabric, and smaller ones dotted his arms. His jaw was clenched tight, those perfect features drawn with pain he was trying to hide. Something twisted in my chest at the sight.

"Does it hurt?" I asked softly.

His grey eyes opened, fixing on me with an intensity that made my breath catch. "Yes," he admitted simply.

The raw honesty in that single word shattered something inside me. "Why would you do something so reckless?" I demanded, anger seeping into my concern. "You could have been killed! What were you thinking, rushing in like that?"

"It would hurt more," he said, his deep voice roughened by pain, "if you had been the one getting hit."

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. The words hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning I wasn't sure I was ready to face. A question bubbled up before I could stop it: "Do you say that to everyone?"

"Only you." His gaze never wavered, steady and sure in a way that made my knees weak.

"That's..." I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how close I was standing to his bed. "That's quite special treatment, isn't it?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to take them back. What right did I have to question his personal life? "Never mind. We should focus on your recovery. I heard you came because-"

"Because I heard you were heading to the factory," he finished, wincing slightly as he shifted position.

The reminder of the factory incident snapped me back to reality. "This was my father's doing," I said, my voice hardening. "Lawrence has been trying to force me out of StarRiver. He probably thought sending me to inspect that facility would scare me into submission." A bitter laugh escaped me. "He didn't count on you showing up."

"Let me help," Lucas offered, attempting to sit up straighter. "I have resources-"

"No." a mix of gentlness and firm in my tone. "This is my battle to fight. I'll handle my father and anyone else who thinks they can push me around." My fingers curled into the fabric of his hospital gown. "I promise you'll get your explanation, but right now, you need to rest."

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out to see Vincent's name on the screen. "What's the status?" I answered, stepping away from the bed.

"The attacker is in custody, Ms. Sinclair. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Good. Have Cassius Swift meet me there. We'll make sure he confesses." I ended the call, my stomach choosing that moment to remind me I hadn't eaten all day with a sharp pang.

"You should go," Lucas said quietly. "You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

I turned back to him, startled. "How did you-"

"You keep touching your stomach when you think no one's watching." A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Go eat something."

I hesitated, torn between the mountain of work waiting for me and the man lying injured in this hospital bed. The man who had taken a beating meant for me. "The work can wait," I found myself saying. "And I'm not particularly hungry."

His smile widened just slightly. "Liar."

"Maybe." I settled into the chair beside his bed, pulling out my phone. "But I'm staying anyway. Try to get some sleep."

I watched Lucas's furrowed brow finally smooth out as he drifted off to sleep. The hospital room was quiet except for the soft beeping of monitors and his now-steady breathing.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Looking at the screen, I saw Lawrence's name and quickly silenced it. The last thing I wanted was to disturb Lucas's much-needed rest. After a moment's hesitation, I powered off the phone entirely. If he was calling about the assault incident escalating-which I suspected he was-I had no interest in being his source of information.

"Ms. Sinclair?" Miles's quiet voice drew my attention. He stood in the doorway, holding a tray. "Mr. Harrington arranged for the kitchen to prepare a special dish. He mentioned you might be hungry."

I stared at the tray, something tightening in my chest. Even in this state, he had thought to make sure I was taken care of. The gesture was so thoughtful, so... Lucas.

But I couldn't let myself be moved by these small kindnesses. People like Lucas and people like me-we came from different worlds. After everything that had happened with Ian, I couldn't risk trusting someone so completely again, no matter how genuine they seemed.

I'd been so swamped with work lately that I hadn't had a proper night's sleep in ages. As soon as I finished eating, drowsiness washed over me, and I ended up dozing off right there on the sofa.

The next thing I knew, Lucas's deep voice startled me awake.

"Sleep well?"

I jerked upright, mortified to find a blanket had been draped over me. "I... how long was I asleep?"

"About three hours." His voice held a hint of amusement.

I was supposed to be taking care of him, and instead, I'd slept more soundly than he had. As I tried to collect myself, I noticed him shifting uncomfortably.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" The question slipped out before I could stop myself, making an already awkward situation worse.

"Yes, actually."

"I mean..." I fumbled for words.

"I can stand," he said matter-of-factly. "Just help me up."

"The doctor said you need bed rest," I protested. "Maybe I should call a nurse-"

"You can support me. I'm not that heavy."

That wasn't the point! But before I could argue further, he was already trying to sit up. Stubborn man.

Getting him to the bathroom was a challenge. Despite his claims, Lucas was solid muscle, and I nearly stumbled under his weight as he leaned against me. Once inside, I turned to leave, but his quiet "I might fall" stopped me in my tracks.

"I'll be quick," he promised.

I turned to face the wall, hyper-aware of his warm presence at my back. The sound of... well, everything... seemed magnified in the small space. My face grew increasingly hot as seconds stretched into minutes.

So much for "quick."

"Done?" I finally asked, my voice higher than usual.

"Sorry for the wait," he said, sounding genuinely apologetic. Then added, with what I swore was a smirk in his voice, "Though they say good kidney function is a sign of health."