Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 119

Marcus feigned surprise and raised his eyebrows, a teasing curve playing at the corner of his mouth. "That actually hurt your feelings? You really are fragile, Hazel. Saying one thing but feeling another. What else are you hiding from me?"

Hazel stared at the ceiling, her gaze slightly hollow. "Maybe even I don't know."

Marcus didn't press further. The emergency room descended into silence, with only the ticking of the wall clock echoing in the space.

Hazel closed her eyes, her mind a tangled mess.

The anesthesia was slowly wearing off, and the wound began to throb in waves, feeling like a small blade slicing into her skin.

Hazel frowned, her fingers gripping the bedsheets tightly. After a long moment, she opened her eyes, resolve shining through. "Mr. Thornton, I want to be discharged."

Marcus furrowed his brows. "Are you crazy? You just got stitches, and you want to leave?"

"Julian is going to notice I'm missing very soon."

Hazel's voice was calm but laced with absolute certainty. "I can't stay here. I can't go to Professor Finch's place either, and my rented apartment isn't safe."

She braced her hands against the edge of the bed and tried to sit up, but the sharp pain made her gasp. Marcus reached out and clamped a hand down on her shoulder, pinning her in place.

"Where exactly are you planning to go?"

Hazel looked up at him. Her gaze drifted over his face, lingering on his striking eyes. She pressed her lips together, unsure if she should speak.

A flash of profound intent crossed Marcus's eyes as he narrowed them. "Hazel, don't tell me you're scheming to use me."

Hazel's eyes looked practically pleading. It was the first time she had ever shown such vulnerability. "Can I, Mr. Thornton? Just for tonight. I promise I'll figure out somewhere else to go first thing tomorrow."

Marcus looked into her watery eyes, stayed silent for two seconds, and then smirked. He reached out to help her up from the bed.

"Since a fragile woman like you is asking so nicely, and you're apparently not afraid I'll try anything, what else can I say? I suppose there's no harm in it for me."

Hazel knew he was joking. Marcus certainly wasn't desperate enough to make a move on her.

She gripped the edge of the bed and stood up, but the moment her foot touched the floor, intense pain shot up her leg, and she stumbled. Marcus caught her with lightning-fast reflexes, his brow furrowing as he let out an irritated click of his tongue.

"Such a hassle."

Before the words fully landed, he leaned down, wrapped one arm around her waist, hooked the other under her knees, and swept her right off her feet.

Hazel let out a gasp of surprise, instinctively throwing her arms around his neck and gripping his collar tightly.

Marcus looked down at her. His eyes carried a hint of resignation mixed with something entirely unreadable.

"Hold on tight. If I drop you, I'm not taking responsibility."

Hazel's face flushed with warmth, and she ducked her head, avoiding his gaze.

Marcus carried her out of the emergency room. The nurses and patients in the hallway all turned to look, and the sound of quiet whispering drifted over. Hazel buried her face even lower, the tips of her ears burning red. She had no idea why she was reacting so strongly.

Her gaze slowly swept the room before abruptly stopping.

Tucked into the corner of the sofa was a small brown teddy bear. It was no bigger than a hand, the fur slightly worn. One of its button eyes was loose, dangling crookedly against its face.

It looked as though it had been casually tossed onto the armrest and completely forgotten.

A sudden pang of sympathy hit her. Hazel's eyes lit up. Bracing herself against the armrest, she stood up and limped over, picking the bear up.

The bear had a soft belly and felt quite comforting to hold.

Why would a grown man like toys?

Her fingers paused as she pictured Marcus's perpetually cynical, careless face, contrasting it with the way he had stepped in to shield her from Sean Sutton.

The man wasn't as utterly cold-blooded as he appeared. He clearly harbored a softer side he didn't want anyone to see, which was probably why he kept his true nature masked.

So, Marcus Thornton... what kind of man was he really?

Hazel held the bear in the palm of her hand, the corners of her lips turning upward. Her lingering fears and anxieties seemed to melt away.

She glanced toward the study; there wasn't a single sound coming from it. She slowly dragged her injured leg over to the staircase and peered up.

Attempting to take a step up proved to be a massive failure. She inhaled sharply in pain and had no choice but to yell helplessly up the stairs, "Mr. Thornton!"