Page 16 of Kael

I stayed silent.

Zia sighed. “Look, I’ll see what I can do about sending someone else. But good nurses who are willing to do private, off-the-books work with no questions asked aren’t exactly lining up. Give me a couple of days.”

I rubbed my temple. “When can you come?”

“I can’t,” Zia said flatly. “I have my own patients and my own life. I already stuck my neck out by sending Lena. Don’t push it.”

She hung up before I could say anything else.

I stared at the phone for a long moment, unease crawling under my skin. Something felt off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Bria needed rest. That was what mattered.

Still…

I glanced back at the closed door to Bria’s room, then at my watch. It was almost midnight. I decided to let it go for now, but tomorrow I would see how Bria was doing, face to face.

Chapter 11

Two weeks.

It had been two full weeks of hell, and somehow I was still breathing.

The worst of the withdrawal had finally broken. The constant vomiting had stopped. The violent tremors had dulled to occasional shakes. I could keep soup down now, and I no longer felt like my bones were trying to crawl out of my skin. I felt stronger. But my mind was still a warzone.

And Lena was making it worse.

She came into the room carrying a tray with more broth and medication, her ponytail swinging like she was on a runway instead of in a prison. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, that fake-sweet smile appeared.

“You’re looking better today, Bria,” she said, setting the tray down. “Almost like a real person again.”

I sat up slowly against the headboard, watching her warily. “Where’s Kael?”

Lena’s smile sharpened. She perched on the edge of the bed like we were girlfriends having a chat.

“He’s been very busy,” she said lightly. “Important meetings. Deals. You know how men like him are. They can’t spend all day babysitting broken little things.”

My hands clenched the blanket. “I want to see him.”

“He doesn’t want to see you.” She tilted her head, studying me with open pity. “He asked me to keep youcomfortable. He trusts me with your care.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “How did you do it?”

She didn’t give me any context or let me ask what she meant before continuing. “I’ve been trying to find a way to meet him properly ever since I saw him at that party Zia and Caine threw last year. He was impossible to miss.”

She let out a soft laugh.

“I tried to get his attention that night, but he barely looked at anyone. Now here I am, in his house, taking care of you.” Her eyes dragged over me slowly, full of disdain. “Funny how life works.”

Something ugly twisted in my chest. “Why are you doing this to me? I’m here because he brought me here. Whatever is between you two is just that,” I snarled.

Lena leaned in closer. “You really think he’s going to keep you?” she whispered. “A junkie he had to chain to a bed? He’s a king, Bria. Men like him don’t build empires with weak little rabbits who can’t even stay clean. He’ll get bored. And when he does… I’ll be right here. Ready to give him what he actually needs.”

Rage exploded through me so fast I didn’t even think. I lunged at her, slapping her hard across the face. The sound cracked through the room like a whip.

“You're playing with me, you bitch!” I screamed.

Lena’s head snapped to the side. For a second, she looked stunned. Then her expression twisted into something vicious. She grabbed my wrist and yanked me forward, slapping me back so hard my lip split.

“You stupid little whore,” she hissed, climbing halfway onto the bed as we struggled. “You think you’re special? You’re just a project. A pet. I’ve seen girls like you come and go—”

I screamed and hit her again, nails raking down her arm. We tumbled sideways, knocking the tray to the floor with acrash. Soup and pills spilled everywhere. She grabbed my hair and I elbowed her in the ribs, both of us snarling like animals.