Page 53 of The Prince Falls First
He paused by the Kaurs before stepping out. “It seems Miss Ruffin wasn’t properly seen by a doctor. I’m going to arrange it now. My chief of staff, Corrado, is here; don’t hesitate to let him know if you need anything before I return.”
Mrs. Kaur stood and went to Genevieve. “Of course. Genevieve, are you not well? Why didn’t you say? After everything you did for our Samira…” She started crying again and Mr. Kaur gently led her back to a seat.
The administrator was still nearby so he arranged for a private room and a doctor to exam Genevieve. The doctor confirmed x-rays would be needed and Gabriel stayed by her side throughout.
Though the doctor gave her a clean bill of health internally, he believed she was in some shock and had minor injuries externally. They would need to keep watch over the next few days in case delayed injuries made themselves known.
After the doctor left and they were alone in the room, Gabriel sat beside her and put an arm around her. She didn’t fight him, and simply put her tender head against his shoulder.
“You’ll be all right, my dear.”
“Will I? If Sam doesn’t make it…”
He gently brushed a hand over her hair, then rubbed soft circles on her back. He’d never faced a situation like this, never stayed worried in the hospital while his loved one was on the brink of survival. His grandparents had passed when he was younger at different times, but it had not been like this. His father had gone to the hospital, then arranged state funerals.He’d been almost a bystander to grief. Oh, he’d loved his grandparents, but they’d not really been part of his life.
“Your Highness.”
Gabriel looked up as Corrado entered. He knew by the look on his face what was coming.
Gabriel turned more towards Genevieve and cupped her face, tilting it up to meet his. “My dear…”
“What?” she whispered, then caught sight of Corrado. She sprang off the bed, Gabriel keeping a hand on her back to steady her. “Is it Sam? Is she awake?”
Corrado glanced at Gabriel, who nodded. Corrado nodded once and began. “I’m very sorry, Miss Ruffin, but Miss Kaur passed away.”
She stood completely still, bruised and exhausted, clutching the two purses so tightly her fingers paled. It was as if she were frozen…perhaps frozen in a nightmare.
“My dear…”
She started shaking her head. “No. No, it’s not true. She wouldn’t leave me. I told her not to leave me.”
Gabriel gestured to the door, and Corrado handed him a piece of paper; Gabriel glanced at it, seeing a preliminary report of the driver, and folded it away in his pocket.
After Corrado left, Gabriel focused on Genevieve again. “Genevieve.”
She was pacing now, clutching those purses even tighter. He could see her knuckles turning white with the force of it, her fingers digging into the leather and suede.
“She wouldn’t leave me. She promised! She can’t leave me. I’ll be all alone. I don’t want to be alone.”
His heart broke for her. He reached out and his fingers had barely grazed her arm when she whirled on him. “This is all your fault.”
He kept his expression neutral. He knew she was lashing out and he knew it wasn’t true.
She poked one finger in his chest. “It’s. All. Your. Fault. We were only out tonight because of you. Because you’re so…infuriating and we had to talk about it!” She clutched her hair for a moment then let go.
He didn’t mind her trying to hurt him, but he did mind her hurting herself.
He grasped both of her wrists and brought them to his chest, and the slim purses made a soft thwack as they hit his shirt.
She looked up at him, her eyes wet with anger and frustration and sadness and pain. He wasn’t sure what the right thing to say was. He was a prince trained to know what to do, but he didn’t, not in this situation. So he decided to lead with his heart. “She loved you very much.”
Her lips pursed into a frown, the kind you have when you’re trying not to cry. “No. She’s not gone. She’s not gone!”
“Shall we go see her parents? Give them our condolences? Or should we wait? You know them best. What should we do for them?”
Several expressions crossed her face before eventually her body slumped, as if all the fight she had left her. “I-I don’t know. It’s my fault. They probably don’t want to see me.”
He let go of her wrists and hugged her, tucking her head under his chin. “It’s not your fault, my dear.”
