Chapter 64

Kayla collapsed against Jeremy's chest, utterly drained,her head barely moving as she tried to signal she wNas all right.

The commotion upstairs sent Jeremy's bodyguards storming in. Before the server could bolt,they had him pinned.

Jeremy's voice sliced through the chaos, cold and absolute. "Keep him here. Bring the car around. We're heading to the hospital, now!"

Hearing the word "hospital" sent a jolt of panic through Kayla. If she set foot in a hospital, her pregnancy wouldn't stay secret for long.

Clutching Jeremy's sleeve in desperation, she begged,"Jeremy, please, don't take me to the hospital!"

For a moment, the hard line of Jeremy's jaw softened at the sight of her tear-filled eyes. "You're injured. Let a doctor take care of it."

"I'm begging you, no hospital!" Kayla clung to his arm,her grip desperate, leaving no room for argument.

Jeremy's resistance finally cracked. He gave a sharp nod to his guards, who hurried off to retrieve the first -aid kit.

Jeremy pulled open the kit and set to work. Kayla, refusing to let him fuss over her, caught his hand."I can do it myself."

Jeremy brushed her hand aside. "You saved me. Let me return the favor-stop pretending you're made of steel."

A flush crept across Kayla's cheeks as Jeremy steadily wrapped her wound, a gentle warmth stirring deep within her heart.

His fingertips brushed her skin, and as he leaned in,the heat of his breath danced against her jaw, making her heart skip and her muscles lock in anticipation.

She pressed her lips together, every limb taut and unmoving, caught in the charged silence stretching between them.

The soft, unblemished glow of her skin only sharpened the dryness in his throat-a pulse of longing he struggled to contain.

Lifting his gaze, Jeremy asked, "Why are you so tense?"

Kayla's blush deepened. She ducked her head,withdrawing slightly as she mumbled, "I can handle it myself."

"Don't move," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for protest.

He fought the urge to linger, steeling himself as he finished bandaging her, every second dragging out his restraint. Kayla's pulse thundered in her ears, her spine rigid,counting down the moments until he finally released her.

"You're good now. Just stay put for a bit," Jeremy said and straightened before popping open the top buttons of his shirt and heading for the door.

Only after he'd stepped away did the heavy air dissipate,letting Kayla breathe again.

Her eyes lingered on her bandaged arm, her nerves still buzzing. The image of that man lunging for Jeremy replayed in her mind-she hadn't hesitated for a second before throwing herself in the way.

Maybe it was because Jeremy had rescued her more than once; she felt bound by an unspoken debt.

Meanwhile, Jeremy strode into the empty guest room,where the server was kneeling on the floor, wrists tightly bound and twNo guards flanking him.

Jeremy stopped in front of the man, voice edged with ice. "Look at me."

When the server kept his gaze glued to the floor, one of the guards seized his chin and forced him to meet Jeremy's eyes.

Jeremy leaned down, studying every line etched into the server's weathered face. "Who sent you?"

The server, a grizzled, stubborn man in his fifties,qlared back with unflinching defiance. "I'm here because you ruined my daughter's life!"

Jeremy's brow tightened. "Your daughter? What are you talking about?"

The server lunged, only to be shoved back down by the guards. His voice cracked with outrage. "Don't act.clueless, Dewitt Nicolson! My daughter's just a college girl, but you destroyed her future! Your dirty money doesn't scare decent people like us!"

A cold chill swept through Jeremy as he pieced it together. Without missing a beat, he pulled out his phone and dialed Dewitt.

Dewitt's voice answered on speaker, nearly drowned out by the pulsing bass and rowdy laughter in the background. "Jeremy! What's up?"

Jeremy's voice carried the weight of absolute seriousness. "Dewitt, find a quiet spot. Now."

Dewitt ducked out the door,laughing under his breath."What's up, man? Miss me already? Heard you checked into a hotel with some woman tonight. Did she wear you out?"

Ignoring the quips, Jeremy dove right into the matter at hand. "Just get over here. Kayla got hurt, and it's on you."

Dewitt's laughter died in his throat."What?"

Jeremy offered no explanation; he simply ended the call. After ordering his men to keep the suspect under tight watch, Jeremy returned to Kayla's room. She lay across the bed, eyes dull and skin ghost-pale.

As soon as she spotted him, Kayla shot upright."Was that guy sent by one of your rivals?"

Jeremy shook his head, then reached over and peeled the blanket from her grip. "Enough. We're going to the hospital."

Kayla snatched the blanket back and flopped facedown, refusing to look at him. "Not a chance. I'm already patched up. There's no reason to drag me to a hospital."

Her stubbornness was clear as day-she wasn't budging, no matter what he said.