I opened my eyes.
Standing in the doorway was a man in a charcoal suit, filling the frame with a presence that sucked the air out of the room.
Nico Thorne. George’s sworn enemy. The billionaire I had rejected three years ago to be with George. The man whose heart I broke to marry a monster.
“M-Mr. Thorne?” the doctor stammered, backing away. “What are you doing here? This is a restricted—”
“Get out,” Nico said. “Before I decide to use that shard of glass on you.”
He scrambled past Nico and ran down the hall.
Nico kicked the door shut and locked it. He looked at the IVs, the bruises, the emptiness in my eyes where my light used to be.
“Look at you,” he said softly. “I told you he was a snake, Eliza. You didn’t listen.”
I tried to turn away, shame burning through the pain. “Did you come… to gloat?”
“No.”
He reached out, his fingers brushing the tear from my cheek. His touch was warm, unlike the coldness of the room.
“I came to make a deal.”
I stared at him. “A deal?”
“George thinks you’re going to die tonight. He’s already planning the funeral. He’s already celebrating with your sister.”
The rage flared in my chest again, hot and suffocating.
“What… do you want?” I whispered.