Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My heart slammed against my chest like it wanted to break free. The man in the dark hoodie stood right beside my bed, the syringe glinting under the faint light from the machines. I could smell something sour on him, like old sweat and danger. Fear choked me, but I forced my voice out.

“Get away from me!” I shouted, my words cracking. My broken leg made it impossible to move fast, but I grabbed the call button and jammed my thumb on it over and over. The alarm blared through the room.

The intruder lunged forward, trying to jab the needle into my IV line. I swung my arm wildly and knocked his hand away. The syringe flew across the floor. He cursed and grabbed my wrist hard, his fingers digging into my soft flesh.

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be,” he growled.

Pain shot through my ribs as I twisted, trying to fight him off. My thick body felt heavy and slow from the meds and the cast, but adrenaline pumped through me. I screamed louder, “Help! Somebody help!”

The door burst open with a loud bang.

Ethan stormed in like a storm, his face twisted with rage. In one quick move, he grabbed the intruder by the back of the neck and yanked him away from me. The two men crashed into the side table, sending a tray of medicines flying. Ethan was bigger, stronger. He pinned the man against the wall with his forearm pressed to his throat.

“Who the hell sent you?” Ethan snarled, his voice low and deadly. I had never seen him like this — not the calm surgeon, but something darker, more protective.

The intruder struggled, gasping for air, but Ethan didn’t let up. Nurses and security finally rushed in, pulling them apart. The man got dragged out in handcuffs, still shouting threats I couldn’t make out clearly.

Ethan turned to me immediately. His blue eyes scanned my body, checking for new injuries. “Lila, are you okay? Did he touch you?”

I was shaking. Tears burned my eyes as I nodded. “He tried… with a syringe. Said you couldn’t protect me forever.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched tight. He sat on the bed and pulled me into his arms carefully, mindful of my injuries. His strong chest felt warm and solid against my cheek. I buried my face there, breathing in his scent. For the first time since the crash, I felt truly safe.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered against my hair. One of his hands rubbed slow circles on my back, sliding down to rest on the curve of my waist. “He won’t come near you again. I promise.”

His touch was gentle but possessive. Even through the fear, my body noticed everything — the way his fingers pressed into the softness of my side, how my heavy breasts pressed against him, the thickness of my thigh resting near his leg. I should have felt embarrassed, but with Ethan, it felt different. Like he liked all of it.

After the nurses checked my vitals and the police took statements, the room finally cleared. Ethan stayed. He locked the door again and dimmed the lights a little.

“You’re trembling,” he said softly. He helped me lie back down, then climbed onto the bed beside me, careful not to hurt my leg. “Come here.”

I didn’t argue. I shifted closer, letting him wrap his arms around me. His hand moved slowly over my hospital gown, tracing the outline of my hip, then up to the side of my breast. Not rushing. Just touching. Like he needed to feel I was really okay.

“You’re so soft, Lila,” he murmured. His voice had that hungry edge again. “Every curve of you… it drives me crazy. Even now, after all this chaos, I can’t stop wanting to explore you.”

Heat bloomed between my legs. I turned my face to his neck, kissing the skin there lightly. “This is insane. I’m your patient. And someone just tried to kill me.”

“I know.” His fingers slipped under the edge of the gown, brushing bare skin on my belly. He groaned quietly. “Your body feels perfect under my hands. Full. Warm. Real.” He squeezed the soft flesh gently, like he couldn’t get enough. “I want to worship every inch once you’re stronger. Kiss these thick thighs. Suck on these heavy breasts until you’re moaning my name.”

My breath hitched. I was getting wet just from his words and light touches. No man had ever made me feel desired like this. My exes always wanted me to hide parts of myself. Ethan wanted to uncover them.

We stayed like that for a while, talking quietly. He told me a little about the hit-and-run investigation. The police thought it might be connected to something bigger at the hospital. Maybe corruption. Maybe someone didn’t want me to remember details from the crash.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said firmly. His hand rested possessively on my wide hip. “You’re mine to protect now, Lila.”

I wanted to believe him. But doubt still whispered in the back of my mind. How long would a man like him want a woman like me?

Hours passed. Ethan eventually had to leave for a quick check on other patients, but he promised to return before morning. I drifted into a light sleep, exhausted from everything.

A new noise woke me just before dawn. Not the door this time. It was my phone on the bedside table buzzing loudly. I reached for it, wincing at the pain in my ribs.

Unknown number.

I answered with a shaky voice. “Hello?”

A distorted voice came through. “Stop digging into the accident, Lila Monroe. Or next time, the syringe won’t miss. And tell your precious doctor he can’t save you from everything.”

The line went dead.

My blood ran cold. I dropped the phone, staring at the door, waiting for Ethan to come back.

But what if he couldn’t protect me? What if this was just the beginning of something much worse?