Page 133 of Scandal
From now on, it will always be my top priority.
I find the room number the nurse gave me and quietly tap on the door. My chest nearly splits in two at the sound of her soft voice inviting me in.
I almost barrel in, but then I stop myself. She’s just gone through a terrible ordeal. She doesn’t need a man, even if it’s me, barging in and making unnecessary noise. So I hold back.
I take my time and go slowly.
She’s wearing a hospital gown. The skin around her neck and chest looks pink, as if it’s been freshly scrubbed, and I appreciate whoever took the time to remove the words that asshole put there. Her clothes are neatly folded on a chair in the corner. I doubt she’ll want to put them back on.
I’ll have Evie bring her some fresh ones.
“Asher,” she says in a soft, relieved voice.
My throat tightens at the sound of her voice, but I manage to keep my emotions in check…until I see the bruise on her face.
I rush to her side, seeing her eyes well with tears the moment they lock with mine. “The nurse said you weren’t harmed.”
Her fingers brush over the already black and blue spot on her cheek. “It’s just a bruise. I’m fine otherwise.”
“Just a bruise.” I let out a dark laugh, shaking my head. “I’m going to kill Mitch for this.” I knew he hated me, but I never thought….
“No,” she says suddenly, taking my hand. “You can’t.”
“What? Why?”
“Didn’t Lewis tell you?”
I gently brush my thumb over hers, savoring each touch when just hours earlier I feared I might not have another. “Tell me what, love?”
“Mitch wasn’t the one who sent the texts. It was Ian, the security guard.”
“What?” My brow furrows. “But Lewis said Mitch was there at the scene.”
“He was. But only because Ian called him,” she replies, appearing guilt-stricken. “Ian is his future brother-in-law. Mitch is marrying his sister. I think he had this delusional idea that if he ruined your life like he believed you ruined Mitch’s, it would make him some sort of hero in Mitch’s eyes.”
My tired brain is trying to keep up with this new information. “So Mitch didn’t do this?”
She shakes her head. “No, he actually tried to protect me.”
I try to remember the exact conversation I had with Lewis. All I can recall is the part where he told me Merc was safe. “Didn’t Lewis say Mitch was arrested?”
She nods. “When I tried to defend him, he just stayed silent. He didn’t defend himself. Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
“Promise?” she pleads. This woman is too damn good. Mitch is no hero, and yet here she is, fighting for him as if he were. “I know he’s done some horrible things in the past, but in that room, he fought for me, and that should count for something. He doesn’t deserve to be punished. Not for this, at least.”
Mitch had always been a part of my past I wanted to forget. He symbolized my failure to my friends and my responsibility to the band. Despite how grateful I am that Mercury was protected today, I will never forgive him for what he did to that girl. Our friendship ended years ago, but perhaps it’s time I leave the past where it belongs.
Behind me.
“Aye.” I nod. “I’ll take care of it.”
For her, I’d do anything.
Mercury is discharged a few hours later, and despite my somewhat chaotic arrival at the hospital, my presence goes mostly unnoticed, allowing us to leave through the back without much trouble.
I doubt we’ll have the same luck keeping this out of the papers in the next few days, but that’s something we can handle later. For now, I just want to lock ourselves in our suite and not come out for at least a day.
