The second the words were out of her mouth, she realized how mad she was at this man for thinking such a thing. Of course, she understood why he was asking these questions, and he meant well, but she refused to let anyone think Saxon was like the monster who snapped her arm in two. He deserved so much better, and she cared about him too much to allow it to continue.
“A fall didn't cause this break,” the doctor said. “The bruise on your temple—”
“Please let him back in.”
The doctor hesitated and glanced at the nurse. “Ms—”
“Saxon didnotdo this. Let him back in.”
The doctor’s shoulders slumped, and the nurse walked over to open the door. Elyse glared at them as she tried not to look at her X-ray again.
“You can come in,” the nurse said crisply to Saxon.
Saxon’s step slowed when he entered the room. Tension permeated the air, and the set of Elyse’s jaw alerted him something had happened. “What’s wrong?” he inquired.
Elyse thought maybe he’d heard their conversation, but she suspected he’d walked away or purposely tuned them out to give her privacy.
“They’re afraid I’m not in a safe environment.” The confusion on his face made it clear he didn’t understand what she meant. “They thinkyoubroke my arm.”
The doctor and nurse stared disapprovingly at her before glancing nervously at Saxon. They already considered him violent, and he was rather large, so they weren’t exactly thrilled she’d revealed this tidbit of information to him. If they knew the truth of what he was, they’d run screaming from here.
“Oh,” he said and then, as her words sank in, anger clouded his face and he turned toward the doctor and nurse. They fidgeted under the disapproving stare he gave them. “No more questions; fix her arm.”
The blank expressions that came over their faces alerted her Saxon was using his ability on them.
“We can schedule her for surgery for tomorrow,” the doctor said.
“Surgery?” Elyse croaked.
“Yes,” the doctor said. “That’s the only way to repair the break.”
“But….” But what? Had she really believed they could slap a cast on it and call it done? Her arm was inpieces. “How long will I have to stay in the hospital?”
“The surgery will probably take a few hours, but I see no reason why you can’t go home tomorrow afternoon, if everything goes well.”
She recalled the cameras at the front desk and shuddered at the idea of the Savages locating them. She’d rather walk around with her arm in pieces than risk falling into the hands of the Savages again. “We can’t stay here that long.”
The doctor frowned at her, and if they weren’t under Saxon’s control, they probably would have called the police by now.
“The two of you go outside and wait by the door,” Saxon said.
He followed them to the door and closed it behind them before returning to her. He clasped her good hand in his while he brushed a strand of hair back from her face. Exhaustion etched her features as she stared at him from under the fringe of her thick, black lashes.
“I know you said no before, but if you take some of my blood, it will help you heal,” he said.
“No.”
“Elyse—”
“I’m not having this discussion again, Saxon. We’ll go, and maybe, when things settle down, I can get my arm fixed.” If she were still alive. “Until then, I’ll take some pain killers, and maybe they can splint it or cast it enough that it won’t hurt so much. I’m not taking your blood.”
His teeth ground together as his fangs slid free before retracting again. It took all he had not to punch the wall. Not only could he not take away her discomfort, but he couldn’t claim his mate.
And what if she continued to deny him? What if, in the end, she decided she didn’t want him as her mate?
After everything the Savages put her through, she might decide she couldn’t be a vampire, and he could do nothing more than step aside and let her go. No matter how much it would destroy him to watch her walk away, he could never force his life on her.
The more twisted part of his vampire nature whispered hecouldforce it on her. Once she was a vampire, she would have to accept him and his life; as his mate, she’d have no other choice.
