Page 21 of Scars of Silk

“No. Don’t smile.” She reaches forward and dabs at my lip with her finger, pulling away and showing me a bead of blood. “You will split your lips.”

We lapse into silence and I take another sip of soup. This time, thankfully, I don’t respond by wanting to hurl all over my private nurse.

“So, what work?”

She sighs, worrying her lips between her teeth again. “I’m trying to find evidence to help Faith’s case. The prosecution has dropped it because of a witness that’s come forward.”

With my limited movement, I nod, knowing this already. Unfortunately, I was there for that bombshell.

“She thought it was her dad. She thought it was payback for the fact she inherited half of my shop,” I say, cringing under the green gaze. I’m talking about Faith, the girl I’ve always been in love with, while maintaining a half-decent semi-slacker erection for the woman on the edge of my bed.

“I’m trying to find any evidence, from anyone else, that Aiden might have done the same to others.”

I try to sit a little higher. “But I thought he only victimised Faith because she was there under his roof?”

She nods and a little pounding kicks up in my chest. “Possibly. That’s a definite possibility; but I won’t accept that as the case until a lack of evidence convinces me otherwise.”

“You think you might still get him to trial?”

The hot chick holding my cup of soup nods slightly. “Think you can manage not to get yourself killed and help me?”

I meet her gaze, my semi-slacker growing by the moment. So much so, she drops her gaze and glances at the sheet. Fuck.

“I can try.”

Her gaze is warm when it comes back to mine. “That’s a start.”

Six

Sienna

Of all the stupid ideas I’ve had in the last few years, I think agreeing to stay in the house of a manic-depressive on a suicide mission is one of the dumbest.

Especially one with a hard-on that big.

Hell, it got me a bit hot; which is so many levels of wrong, I can’t even contemplate. Especially, considering the rest of his body is spectacularly broken.

There is something about him. Intriguing? Maybe. Stupid? Definitely. Maybe I just feel sorry for him. Maybe I want to heal him like that puppy I once had. Maybe I can’t.

I stand in his kitchen and stare around, unable to see a single thing that moved or changed since I was here days ago. I wasn’t doing a white glove test when I last rushed through and left him that note, but I’d expect at least a couple of dirty plates, a mug even.

The doctor is upstairs looking him over. I told him just to send the bill to Melissa. She handles my invoices and accounting. And everything else. Life in general. Speaking of which, I pull my phone out and check the battery. It hasn’t been charged since the drive down yesterday evening. Was it only Friday yesterday? It seems like days ago. It was a long night. I scrub at my face, my skin dragging under my touch as I assess if I have enough battery to make the call.

“It’s me,” I say when Melissa answers.

“Where are you?”

“Brighton. Elijah needs me to wheedle out some sources out here.”

“What’s going on, Sienna? He’s in a mood like I’ve never seen.” Melissa has been Eli’s receptionist and personal assistant since he came to the Bar. I’m lucky she does my expenses and diary for me for free… or maybe he pays her… I don’t know. I should probably check that out.

“Problems with Faith. I’m sure they can work it out.”

“Have you seen all the scandal about her in the papers?”

“Don’t believe it all, Melissa. I know you love trashy gossip, but she’s a good woman.”

Melissa sighs. “Maybe I’m just jealous he’s not in love with me.”