Chapter 14

NEIL

I was furious. I wanted to punch something—scratch that, I wanted to punch that sick bastard in his fucking face. The only thing that was stopping me from going to the police station to beat the living daylights out of Aubert was the woman laying in my bed.

“She may suffer a mild concussion because she really hit her head hard,” Dr. Kelsey said and my jaw clenched.

I looked down at Veronica, her face pale against my dark sheets. My shirt looked impossibly large on her, swallowing her petite frame. Anger boiled in my chest again. I could still see the faint trace of blood on her arm, even after Dr. Kelsey cleaned the wound. That bastard.

“She’ll heal,” Dr. Kelsey said, her voice gentle but firm. “You’ll just need to make sure she rests. No stress.”

I nodded, forcing the lump in my throat down. Stress was an understatement. Veronica hadn’t just been hurt—she’d been terrified. And I couldn’t shake the memory of her trembling in my arms as I carried her home.

“It will heal, I’ve treated them. Hopefully, if she has good skin, the mark will fade,” Dr. Kelsey said with a smile and handed me a bottle of drugs.

“That’s for anytime she has a headache. Two tablets and a long glass of water. Then make her rest,” she said and picked up her bag. “Since that is all, I shall take my leave.”

“Thank you, doc,” I said to her in appreciation. She smiled and waved me off before walking out of my room. I sighed and looked back at Vera. Dr. Kelsey had helped me change her into one of my shirts.

“How is she?” Austin asked as he walked into the room. He had changed also changed out of his suit too.

“She has a mild concussion “ I told him and he sighed before going to sit in the arm chair at the corner of my room.

“That man is sick in the head,” he said and I scoffed.

“I want to break his neck,” I muttered and sat on the bed beside her. I had no idea why I was overprotective of her. Maybe it was because I couldn’t keep her out of my head even if I tried.

“Calm down, tiger,” Austin chuckled and I rolled my eyes. He had an annoying smirk on his lips and I had the uncontrollable urge to punch his face. “What?” he was struggling to contain his laughter.

“Say a fucking word and you’re dead,” I glared at him and he choked, coughing in the process. I rolled my eyes and stood up to go to the bathroom.

I stripped out of my shirt and slacks, deciding it was best to take a cold shower in attempt to calm my nerves down. I turned on the shower and I let out a low hiss, shuddering as the cold water hit my skin.

After spending what felt like an eternity, under the shower. Istepped out and wrapped a towel around my waist before walking out of the bathroom.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Vera was already awake. She was seated on the bed, looking around frantically until her eyes fell on me. They widened and her lips parted on instant.

My gaze fell into the shirt that was already falling down her shoulders, giving me a sneak peak of the swell of her breasts. I felt blood rush down my abdomen and I snapped my eyes shut, pinching my nose in annoyance.

“Mr. Railway! I’m in your room? Oh no, I didn’t mean to—” she stammered, her voice trembling as she tried to climb off the bed. Her movements were frantic, and I had to steady her before she hurt herself.

“Be careful. You have a concussion,” I said to her sternly, holding her shoulders so she could look at me. She raised her eyes to look at me, her lashes fluttering in the process, making the urge to kiss her so strong.

“I’m so sorry for intruding your privacy. I’m so sorry, I was just unconscious,” she rambled. I sighed.

“Vera”

“I was just trying to get away from that man. I didn’t even know it was you I called. Wait—has he been arrested? Am I going to appear in court—”

Before I could stop myself, I leaned in and captured her lips with mine, silencing her rambling.

Her eyes widened and I quickly pulled away. She blinked and I sucked in a breath, trying to process what I had done.

Fuck, her lips were soft.

“Neil,” she breathed out, her hands on my bare chest, burning my skin pleasurably.

She looked up at me and then I lost it. I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss again. She responded, bringing her hands up to cup my jaw, deepening the kiss.

Sending that she needed air, I broke the kiss. Her knees gave in and she fell towards me. Without a word, I caught her and laid her on the bed. He chest was still riding and falling heavily and her eyes were wide with an emotion I couldn’t quiet decipher.

I was high, and it wasn’t on drugs. If I stayed here for another minute, she’d have more than just a concussion. I needed a drink or two. I stood straight and cleared my throat. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled and made my way out of the room, heading to Austin’s room.

With a clouded mind, I knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for an answer.

“What the hell man? Why would you walk in like that when you’re not a hot chick?” Austin was on the bed with a controller in his hand. I rolled my eyes and made my way to his closet.

“Let’s go out,” I said and walked in. We were about the same size so sharing clothes had never been a problem between us, even though it wasn’t really my thing. But I had to make an exception tonight.

“I thought you said my clothes weren’t up to your taste,” the idiot teased as I stepped out of the closet, dressed in black slacks and a black shirt. I rolled my eyes and buttoned the shirt.

“Something happened, didn’t it?” He asked as he got out of his bed and switched off the TV and I glared at him.

“Shut the fuck up, will you?” I snarled and he laughed.

“She’s that irresistible, isn’t she? She’s got the hard shelled Neil Railway wrapped around her finger, huh?” he teased as he sauntered into the closet, just in time to dodge the pillow I hurled at him.

Annoying prick.