And more importantly-
Wasn’t he supposed to be a cripple?
How the hell was he standing there like nothing was wrong?
Felix had no time to process what was happening.
A brutal kick sent him flying across the room. He crashed against the wall with a sickening thud.
Pain exploded through his body. A raw, broken scream tore from his throat before everything went black.
Collin dropped to his knees and carefully gathered Linsey into his arms.
Her hair was tangled, her clothes rumpled.
“Linsey, can you hear me?”
Regret gripped his chest like a vice as he took in her pale, battered face.
Her vision blurred, the world slipping away. But the sight of Collin’s face brought a flicker of peace.
As her body slackened, the strange heat inside her erupted-wild and uncontrollable. A sharp gasp escaped her lips. Was this real? Or just a trick of fear?
Her trembling fingers reached for Collin’s face, hesitant, as if afraid he might vanish.
“Collin…” Her voice was barely a whisper, raw and faint. “You’re finally here…”
A faint smile brushed her lips before her strength gave out. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
“Linsey!”
Panic laced Collin’s voice.
Then he felt it-the unnatural heat radiating from her skin. Her cheeks flushed, her body burning in his arms.
Collin’s eyes darkened. The truth hit him like a blow-she’d been drugged.
Without hesitation, he pulled her closer.
“Mr. Riley, how do you want us to handle him?” one of his subordinates asked, glancing at Felix’s crumpled body.
Collin turned, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
“Give him exactly what he gave Linsey,” he said, voice like ice. “But don’t let him die. Leave him breathing-make sure he knows what it feels like to beg for an end that won’t come.”
The subordinate stiffened, a chill running down his spine.
“Understood.”
Collin carried Linsey all the way, never loosening his grip.
She remained completely unresponsive. No matter how many times he called her name, she didn’t stir.
When they arrived at the hospital, he moved swiftly, cutting through the emergency wing with grim resolve.
Dominic Larson was already waiting, arms crossed in mild impatience.
“Collin, what’s the emergency? I was supposed to be on vacation. One call from you, and-“
But the words died in his throat the moment he looked up.
Collin stood beside a hospital bed, lowering Linsey onto the mattress with a tenderness that clashed with the storm burning in his eyes.
Dominic’s breath caught.
“Are you out of your mind? What if someone recognizes you?”
As one of Collin’s closest friends, Dominic knew the truth.
Collin’s so-called disability was nothing but a carefully crafted lie.
If word ever got out, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Dominic shot to his feet and rushed to the door.
He scanned the hallway, heart pounding, before confirming they were alone. Then he shut the door carefully and turned back, frustration etched across his face.
“Collin, I’ve warned you before. I can’t guarantee this hospital is free of prying eyes. What if someone sees you walking?”
His voice was edged with concern and anger, but Collin didn’t react.
Dominic froze, caught off guard by the anguish carved into Collin’s expression.
Following his gaze to the hospital bed, Dominic’s breath caught again.
A woman.
“This…” Dominic’s voice caught, shock flashing across his face. Before he could press for answers, Collin cut in, his tone sharp with urgency. “Not now. Just check Linsey. I think she’s been drugged with something serious.”
One look at Collin’s uncharacteristic panic was all it took. Dominic didn’t waste another second. Without a word, he rushed to arrange a full-body examination for Linsey.
Meanwhile, Collin was ushered into Dominic’s office to wait, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him.
The wait dragged on, stretching Collin’s patience thin. Restless energy coiled inside him as he paced the room, each passing minute tightening the knot in his chest. More than once, he nearly stormed out to check on Linsey, but Dominic’s stern warning kept him tethered, forcing him to swallow his impulses.
He couldn’t shake the image-the way Felix had pinned her down, her helpless struggle. The memory played on an endless loop, feeding the fire burning in his veins. Rage surged through him, raw and unrelenting.
This was on him. He had failed her.
If he hadn’t realized something was wrong in time… The thought alone made his stomach turn. He didn’t even want to consider how much worse it could have been.
Also, the marks left behind at the scene told a brutal story-Linsey had fought back hard. Drugged, disoriented, yet still resisting Felix with everything she had.
The thought made Collin’s breathing turn ragged.
No. He had been too slow.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.