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"It's bad enough that you have to spend the night here for observation. So don't you try to get out of it," she says resolutely while making herself comfortable on the couch on the other side of the room.
Getting myself to a sitting position, I wince a little as I feel the ghost of a pain in my skull.
"Pretty girl," I pause, thinking how to approach this. Given the danger, I don't want her anywhere around me. Especially in a hospital where anyone could attack. But I also know it won't be easy to dissuade her from staying with me. "I don't want you to spend the night here."
Her mouth falls open in shock, and in no time she's off the couch and marching towards me.
"You don't want me here?" She blinks in outrage.
"I didn't mean it like that," I put a hand up. "I don't want you where you could be in danger. And that's here, by my side."
"So I should just let you face the danger all by yourself?" Her arms crossed over her chest, she gives me a look that would kill a weaker man on the spot.
"No," I sigh. "What I'm trying to say is that I would be more at peace knowing you're at home, where we have guards and state-of-the-art security. Carlos can stay with me in case they think to attack again."
She doesn't seem convinced as she's staring at me, tapping her foot on the floor.
"Please, you know how much it stresses me out if you're in danger. I won't be able to think straight in combat either," I add, semi-guilting her into thinking it's going to make me sloppier in battle—which isn't entirely untrue.
A bit more back and forth and it seems my plan to convince her to go home is working, especially as she calls Carlos and makes him promise to stay by my side the entire night.
With that out of the way, it takes one more hour for her to finally unglue herself from my side since she takes one step away from me before coming back forone more kiss.I can't say I'm mad at it, though, because it's hard enough for me to be parted from her, too. But in this instance, her safety is all that matters.
Eventually she does leave, taking the guards with her back home. We promise to text throughout the night, but she couldn't leave without threatening Carlos that if something happened to me he'd have to deal with her.
"Your wife is funny," he comments after she leaves.
I shake my head, smiling. She is. For such a tiny thing she surely is determined. But that's just one of the many things I love about her.
Getting myself more comfortable, I grab my tablet and both Carlos and I get to work—or as much as I can do considering I'm still pretty dizzy from the accident.
Noelle and I continue texting well into the night and I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
The morning comes and after a rather lengthy medical exam, the doctor approves my discharge.
Carlos stretches his body, the small couch from my salon clearly not the best for his big frame.
"Shall we?" he asks, stifling a yawn.
"Yeah, just a second. Noelle's not answering my calls," I frown as I dial her number again. It's unlike her to not pick up the phone on the third ring. And she's not answering my texts either.
"Maybe she left her phone in another room. Don't despair."
"People are gunning for me, Carlos. If she's not answering…" I trail off, panic taking hold of me.
But I can't afford to do that. No, I need to think logically. Maybe Carlos is right.
Though I am reluctant to do this, I dial the security I'd placed around the building, asking some of them to check up on her—just in case.
In the meantime, I put on some clean clothes, ready to leave once everything is sorted with my discharge slip.
Yet the news I receive is anything but reassuring. The guards are scrambling to give me an answer, the excuses flowing out of them.
My wife isn't at home. No sign of struggle in the house.
Our spare car isn't in the parking lot. And they haven't seen her exit the apartment.
There is absolutely no sign of Noelle.
