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Colby watches her dreamily. “Have I mentioned how much I love that there are two of them?”
Tessa chuckles and lightly whacks him upside the head. Then, she looks over at Knox.
“Are you going to do something about this?”
He glances at where Blaire and Delaney are having an intense stare down and cocks a brow. “What? You think because she’s in love with me that means I can get her to listen? I can’t, and I don’t want a heel in my eye either.”
Everyone snickers while Savannah gets up. “I’ve got it.”
She gently grabs Delaney and starts walking her toward the door.
“But I want to hit her,” Delaney pouts as she’s pulled out.
Savannah nods. “I know, love, but you’re not very scrappy.”
“I’m not?”
“No.”
Tessa sighs, and as soon as they’re gone, she looks at Blaire. “Just tell me what I have to do.”
IT’S PAST SUNSET WHEN we’re finally done. It took hours, but we managed to come up with a plan that satisfies Blaire and her obnoxious need to control everything. Tomorrow, when Tessa is discharged, she’ll leave out a different door with Delaney and Knox. Meanwhile, I’ll go out the main door and talk to the press—telling them that Tessa is a student of mine and that she had them call me because of the trust I’ve instilled in them. It essentially paints me as some kind of hero, and Delaney was right—it makes Tessa look like a damsel in distress.
A nurse pops her head in and smiles sympathetically. “I’m sorry, guys, but visiting hours are over.”
“Can one person stay?” I ask.
She looks over at Tessa and sighs. “Just one.”
I thank her and turn to Delaney, fully expecting her to be the one that’s staying, but she shakes her head.
“She loves me, but I’m not who she wants with her tonight.”
Tessa looks around the room, anywhere but at me, and I chuckle. “Tessa?”
“I wonder how many dots are on the ceiling.”
“Tess.”
She bites her lip and finally meets my gaze.
“Do you want me to stay or go?”
Her chest heaves with a deep breath and drops with the exhale. “Stay,” she tells me, with vulnerability all over her face. “Always stay.”
“Wait, what?” Blaire squawks. “You can’t stay here. It’ll give the wrong idea.”
My head whips toward her, and I level her with a look. “No one asked you. I’m already going along with your ridiculous plan. Don’t push it. If she wants me to stay, I’m staying.”
Like a child throwing a temper tantrum, she rolls her eyes and storms out. Good riddance.
“Colby, can you take Knox and Delaney back to the penthouse?”
He nods a little too quickly, making Knox’s brows raise. He steps closer and puts a hand on Colby’s shoulder.
“Did I ever tell you I was trained to fight?”
Tessa laughs. “He’s killed people.”
