Chapter 5

ELEANOR'S POV

The noisy corridor fell silent.

I couldn't lift my head, but I didn't need to. I could feel every camera swing toward Dominic.

I could also hear Vivian's heartbeat, which gave one wild, joyful leap.

"Dom... thank you," she whispered.

"Silly girl. What are you thanking me for?"

His voice was a low murmur. From where I lay against the wall, through the blood and the haze, I saw him raise a hand toward her tear-wet face. As if to brush the tears away. Then his fingers paused an inch from her skin, and he ruffled her hair instead.

Vivian's smile tightened, just a little, and then she dipped her head in shy embarrassment.

The reporters lifted their cameras again and began filming frantically.

And in a corner where no one else was looking, I saw something that made the hair on my arms stand up.

The little boy, Henry, took a white handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped the tears off his cheeks with calm, practiced movements. like a small butler tidying himself. Then he slipped sideways, out from under his mother's hands. Which she had clasped so dramatically over his ears.

There was not one trace of fear on his face.

I blinked hard. The floor was tilting under me.

"What's going on here? Get out! All of you!"

Hospital security finally came pounding down the hall. The reporters scattered like startled birds, stuffing away cameras as they fled.

Dominic's knotted brows loosened. The grim set of his face relaxed. He held Vivian with his left arm and took Henry's hand with his right.

"Let's go while no one's paying attention."

"Okay."

Vivian nodded, pulled a pair of black sunglasses from her bag, and slid them on. She nestled against him, and they hurried away.

I pushed myself up against the white wall. My hands shook. Blood kept pouring from my forehead. It stinged my eyes, soaking the front of the white gauze skirt I had worn that morning until it turned red.

My head swam. My ears rang. Through the red haze, I kept my eyes on the man sheltering Vivian and her son as they walked away.

Somewhere behind me, people were shouting for a doctor.

Far down the hall, Dominic's footsteps slowed, and then stopped. I heard him draw a breath as if something had tugged at him from behind. For one small, stupid moment, I thought he had sensed me. I thought he would turn around.

"Dom? What's wrong?"

"I..."

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Vivian's coughing echoed down the corridor.

"Vivi? What's wrong? Are you unwell?"

His voice changed instantly. I heard him pat her back.

"I'm fine, Dom, really. It must be the colder weather. I just need some hot water."

"Are you sure? We should see a doctor."

"No, I'm used to it. Overseas I'd just take medicine whenever I got sick. And those reporters are probably still outside. We can't go back yet."

There was the soft rustle of her fingers closing around his hand.

His breath quickened. I heard him hesitate. Then, slowly, his hand slid out of hers, and I heard him flex his fingers as if the warmth clung to them.

"All right," he said. "I'll take you home."

His footsteps started again. They grew fainter. They never came back.

My legs gave out. The world went black.

"Doctor! Someone's collapsed over here!"

"My God, her head is covered in blood!"

The same people who had been gawking at the scene moments earlier rushed toward me, calling out in alarm.

…

I woke to the smell of disinfectant.

I opened my eyes a crack against the glaring white light, then shut them again. After a few seconds I tried once more, and this time my eyes adjusted. I lay there staring at the pale ceiling, piecing together what had happened.

My phone began to ring.

I reached for it on the bedside table, and pulled at the wound on my forehead, and sucked in a sharp breath of pain. The ringtone kept shrieking in the silent ward. I drew a steadying breath, shifted my body, caught the phone, and answered.

"Ellie, why did it take you so long to pick up? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Dominic. His voice had a faint edge of reproach.

"Where are you? Hurry and come to Callum's bar. It opens tonight. You didn't forget, did you?"

I lay on the hospital bed with my lips pressed together. My face was as cold as ice.

"Ellie? Are you listening?"

He heard the silence. I could hear his heart skip, and his tongue run across his lips. Guilt crept into his voice.

"What happened at the hospital wasn't my fault. Come over, and I'll explain everything in person. Okay?"

My left hand lay flat against my lower abdomen. For some reason, I had been resting there since I woke up. Now it clenched the white blanket into a fist.

I took a deep breath. I swallowed the tide rising in my chest, and my voice came out hoarse.

"Hang up."

…

After I was discharged, I went home and changed out of my bloody clothes. I picked up the gift I had prepared for Callum's opening and took a cab to The Gilded Fang.

Half an hour later I stood at the door in a white tracksuit, carrying a blue paper bag.

Callum had been waiting outside for a long time. When he saw me, he flicked his half-smoked cigarette onto the ground. He crushed it under his heel, and hurried over.

"Ellie, you came!"

He stopped, taking in the tracksuit. His brown eyes flashed with surprise.

"You changed your style today? Sportswear? Hey, not that it matters. You look good in whatever you wear. Come on, let's go in."

He turned and led me toward the private lounge.

At the door, he leaned in and peeked through the frosted glass. Then he dropped his voice.

"Ellie, you know I'm opening tonight. It's a happy day. So I'm begging you, don't..."

"Miss Ashmoor, you're finally here!"

The door swung open from inside before he could finish. Vivian stood on the threshold in a black slip dress, her makeup flawless, smiling sweetly up at me.