Paxton nobly walked to my side. “I can help you. What do you need?”

I shoved his hand away from mine. With all my might, I tried to move. Just rolling to my side caused excruciating pain. Pain like I had never felt in my life. At least not that I remembered.

My voice raised, yet it was faint. “I want out of this bed, I want to know what’s wrong with me, and I want you to go away. That’s what I need!” Faded words was all that I could muster. It even pained me to raise my voice. My muscles didn’t work, and the ones that did, hurt too much to move.

“Seriously? Tears? Give me a fucking break,” Paxton said, arrogant tone and all.

I wanted to tell him off, tell him to go fuck himself. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but they never formed in my mouth. The pain wouldn’t let them.

“What can we do for you, Gabriella?” Another new nurse asked. She moved around me, checking vitals and the drip in my I.V. while she spoke.

“I have to pee, and I need something for pain.”

“You have a catheter, but I can give you something for the pain. Tell me where the pain level is, one to ten.”

“Ten, more than ten. Oh, God. Give me something. Please,” I begged. My neck and shoulders hurt every time I moved my head, but I couldn’t help it. I was in unbearable pain, and nothing else was on my mind. I just wanted it to stop.

“Where’s the pain, Gabriella?”

“I don’t know. All over. My head, my neck, my back, my leg. It hurts everywhere. And it still feels like I have to pee.”

“Let me get you some Dilaudid. I’ll be right back.”

I squirmed as much as possible while I waited for relief, holding a flat hand over my face. Trying to squeeze the pain from my temples didn’t work at all.

“Shhh, I’ve got you. Just relax.” Soft words were whispered into my ear and Paxton’s warm body blanketed my chest. His hands moved around me and he held me close to him. “Stop fighting it, Gabriella. You’re only making it worse. You’re okay. I’ve got you,” he said in a quiet tone while leaving soft kisses around my neck. It’s stupid, but it did feel like it helped, like maybe some of the pain was lifted.

Tears slid down both of my eyes and he kissed them away, shushing me with soft words. Confusing emotions flooded my body while I wept in the arms of a man I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to say, what to feel, what to do, nothing. I knew nothing.

Paxton pulled away and kissed my lips with one sweet peck. His thumb brushed a tear from my eye when I settled, letting him be my rock. What else was I supposed to do? It wasn’t like I had anyone else coming to my rescue.

“That’s better. Have I not always taken care of you? Hmmm?” he asked, head tilting to the side with a smile. His fingers brushed hair across the bandage on my forehead in a carrying manner. Soft words matching the gentle touch.

I mocked his quiet tone. “Is that a trick question?”

Paxton snickered and stepped away for the nurse.

Instant relief was felt when she flipped a needle and injected it into my IV. I was loopy within a minute, feeling no pain whatsoever. Unless I moved of course. I floated on a cloud, high above the birds.

“Dr. Mirage said we could take the catheter out. We’ll use the bedpan throughout the night and then try to get you up in the morning.”

My heavy eyelids flew open and I assured her that wouldn’t be happening. “No way. Leave it in. I can’t get up.” There was no way I would be able to stand. I would fall and break the rest of my bones for sure.

The nurse filled in the report, hanging at the foot of my bed while she talked. “We’ll see where we are tomorrow. Let’s not worry about that yet. Dr. Mirage wouldn’t steer you wrong. He’s one of the best.”

I could hear her words, but they were mystique. Each word, echoing in my ears. Did she say mirage? That’s what this was. A mirage. Delusion. I was hallucinating. It was the only logical explanation.

I jerked from pain when the nurse lifted my knee. She didn’t bend the left one, but nonetheless, it hurt like mad when she moved it out. I thought my hips were crumbling into pieces. One fist squeezed the covers hard and one squeezed Paxton’s hand. I felt the foreign object being ejected from my body and a little more relief was felt.

The nice nurse patted my bare leg, explaining her plan. “Hang in there for a second, sweetie. We’ll try to put you on a bedpan. I’ll be right back.” She covered my nakedness and left me with Paxton.

For a second I thought I was hallucinating on top of hallucinating. Paxton slid my gown up my hips and trailed his fingers down my stomach. I had to be hallucinating. There was no other justification. This didn’t happen in real life.

Paxton smiled a mischievous smile, moving in and out of focus, and spoke with curvy words. “Nine days without shaving is a long time. Maybe we should take care of that,” I heard him grunt some sort of animal-like, lust noise at precisely the same moment I felt his fingers slide inside me. Seriously?

I did manage to speak without moving. “What are you doing? Stop it.” I couldn’t move. I was higher than a kite for one, and two, it hurt too much to even try. All I could do was lay there and let Paxton touch me. This guy was deranged. Something wasn’t right upstairs.

“That’s not the only thing, nine days is a long time for,” he said in a gravely tone, right on my lips. He didn’t move his fingers or stop the invasion until the two nurses came with the bedpan. I don’t know for sure if I used it or not. I crashed again. I crashed hard, trying with all my might to make it all go away. This wasn’t my life. This couldn’t be my life. Not this man. Not Paxton Pierce. Not me.

I vaguely remember asking for more pain meds during the night, and I vaguely remember Paxton taking care of me. He laid in my bed with me and held me to his body while I wretched in pain. His lips kissed my head and his hand caressed my sore ribs.

The sun was bright and shining when I woke the next time. A glare on the sparkling white floor caught my eye, and then his. He was always there. Why? Why didn’t he leave?

Our eyes locked and we held a glance while I sat myself up more. Paxton stood and moved my cup of water to my lips. I sucked on the straw, welcoming the cold liquid.

I turned my head away when I had enough and accused him of what I knew. “I know what you did. You touched me.” The memory was faint, but I knew it happened. I felt his hand between my legs. With everything in me, I knew it was real.

Paxton set the cup back to the table and laughed. Full blown gut laugh. Even his eyes lit up. I turned my head when he leaned in for a kiss, causing him to miss. He placed it on the corner of my mouth. “Like I said. I own you and I own your pussy. I touch it whenever and wherever I want. Don’t forget that.”

I stared up to him, feeling completely off. This wasn’t right. This couldn’t be right. “You’re a psycho. I’m not leaving here with you,” I said with great assurance while I tried to back away.

“We’ll talk later. I have to run by a jobsite. Get some rest,” Paxton said with a caring tone and a kiss to my forehead. I watched him leave, staring after him in I’m not sure what. Shock? Disbelief? I was terrified. This man was bad. This wasn’t right. There was absolutely no way I was married to Paxton Pierce. No way in hell.

I was brought a tray of rubbery eggs and a cup of coffee shortly after Paxton had left. I tasted the cold toast, and snarled my nose at the eggs. Gross. Just like the nurse had promised the night before, I got up. Against my will, through all the pain, I walked on crutches a few short feet to the bathroom. The length of a football field was more like it. That’s what it felt like.

“We’ve been giving you a stool softener. Are you okay to sit here for a minute while I change your bed?”

I held the cold bar with my hand, trying like hell to deal with the pain. It was mostly in my chest and my right hip, the one with the blue brace, sticking straight out in front of me.