Chapter 61

As soon as the two left the hospital room, something small darted out from under the bed.

"Holy crap! What the heck was that?!"

Kevin jumped up and clung to Chloe like his life depended on it. "A rat! It's a rat!"

Rachel's lip twitched. Just a moment ago,he thought Kevin's knockout punch looked pretty slick- now he saw through all the bluff.

Chloe gave the big hand clamped on her an unimpressed pat. "So, how's it feel?"

"Super soft!"

She slapped his hand away hard. "You did that on purpose,huh?"

Honestly, Kevin really didn't mean to take advantage of her- not intentionally, anyway. Bu he sure as hell couldn't admit to being scared of a rat. In front of his crush? No way. Pride may take a hit, but being seen as chicken? Never.

He laughed awkwardly. "Why don't you take a guess?"

Blushing instantly, Chloe rolled her eyes and stepped around the unconscious guy on the floor, heading to the bed to check on Bernard. "With all this noise, how is Grandpa still not awake?"

Kevin leaned in to check his breath. "His breathing's steady. I'd bet someone gave him a sedative or something."

Chloe and Rachel nodded, the hunch making sense

Rachel then asked, "But what was Megan doing here in the first place?"

Chloe looked just as puzzled. "Not to mention that guy."

Kevin shrugged. "Tristan just said Megan was in danger... but honestly, it doesn't seem like that's the case. Guess we'll only know more once that guy wakes up."

Meanwhile, five cop cars pulled up at the hospital gates. Ryan Mitchell showed up at Room 1123 with about twenty officers.

They did a quick sweep, collected evidence, snapped photos. The syringe found on the floor got sealed in the evidence box.

Kevin pointed out the hidden camera by the curtain.Cops took it down, bagged it, and logged it for the station.

Ryan asked, "So, how did the suspect get so badly injured?"

Kevin jerked his chin toward the camera. "You'll see for yourself when you check the footage. If you wanna call us in, just text." Ryan paused- this rich kid wasn't someone he could afford to push. He let it go.

"In that case, we'll need the three of you to come to the station for statements."

At that moment, the male caretaker walked back in.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the crowd and cops inside, the laundry basin in his hands slipping and crashing to the floor. "Wh-what's going on?"

Ryan looked at him. "You're the caregiver here?"

"Y-yeah! I just went to do the laundry!"

"There was an attempted murder here. We'll need you to come with us and answer some questions."

"Okay...sure."

In a big group, the whole crew left the hospital,leaving behind two officers stationed at Bernard's door.

Inside a Maybach.

Cameron, driving, silently put up the privacy screen between the front and back seats.

Earlier, he'd followed Tristan upstairs and all the way to the hospital room.

He was ready to charge in first- until Tristan grabbed him by the collar and tossed him back. Classic boss move.

Cameron got it though. His boss just wanted to show off in front of his drama queen.

But what he didn't expect was to see Tristan straight -up kick some guy with a matching face across the room, then immediately cozy up with Megan in a whole romance scene. Yeah...he bailed fast.

Ever since Megan switched up her usual tricks, his boss had turned... kind of shameless.

So Cameron just stayed by the door, waiting for that mystery guy to crawl out so he could land another kick for good measure.

He really thought Megan was in some serious threat-turned out, nah, total false alarm.

Then, after Kevin and the others showed up, he went back downstairs.

A few minutes later, here came Tristan, hugging Megan close, sliding into the back seat like they'd just walked out of a rom-com.After putting up the partition, he sneaked a glance back, nerves tangled.

Just in case any weird noise popped out from the backseat, he needed to mentally prepare himself.

In the back-

Tristan pulled Megan over onto his firm lap like it was no big deal.

His smooth fingertips brushed against her moist lips,eyes dark. "Still daring to lie to me?"

Megan slightly pursed her lips and shook her head."Nope, never again." Yeah right.

Tristan cupped the back of her head and silenced that mouth of hers with a kiss that wasn't asking for permission.

Her hands clutched at his shirt collar, crushing it into wrinkles. Brain? Total shutdown.

When she finally couldn't breathe, eyes misting at the corners, he let her go.

"I need the truth. Now."

Still catching her breath, she replied, "I hid tiny tracking bugs in Wyatt and Molly's phones. That's how I knew they planned to target my grandpa tonight and pin it on you."

That cleared up why she went to the hospital tonight.

Ah. so that's what she was up to when she visited Benevita Hospital. Setting up spy gear-Tristan finally got the picture.

But he couldn't let her know that. Otherwise, she'd find out he secretly installed a tracker on her phone too.

He didn't have it recording her or anything-that'd be crossing a major line. But tracking? That was just safety precautions, like tonight. Totally justifiable.

Tristan chuckled lightly, "So, where'd you get that cute little bug from?"

Megan blinked her big eyes, playing innocent. "Black market."

"Oh? Didn't you say you were out shopping. for lady stuff?" "Hehe, well, I kinda picked it up on the way."

Three quick slaps sounded.

Megan froze.

"You know pain now?" Tristan narrowed his eyes "Megan, come on-l told you, I'm not just here for decoration!"

Putting on a fake guilty face, she tapped her smooth forehead. "My phone was on silent!"

"Truth."

With a bite on her lip, Megan muttered, "I just didn't want you dragged into it. They were trying to frame you-l couldn't let that happen."

"So, you left me in the banquet hall, so there'd be witnesses confirming I was there the whole time."

She didn't argue. That much was true.

Megan nodded, but then tilted her head. "But how'd you even know I was at the hospital?"

"Someone called and said you were in danger,so l came."

Tristan lied without flinching. He'd actually been told she was near Bluewater Creek.

Since the route from Bluewater Creek to the hospital was the same, the plan was clearly to lure him nearby and make it look like he came here to kill Bernard.

Megan frowned. "Weird, though. He lures you,then sends someone who looks just like you to do it? Bit much, don't you think? It's like. extra for no reason."

Tristan let out a quiet sigh. She always managed to find holes in things.

He cleared his throat. "Maybe they thought, after the murder, I'd show up, act all shocked and whatnot-try to cover it up. That way, it'd look like I was just trying to lie my way out of it."

Megan was starting to get confused, trying to piece his logic together.

Suddenly-"Ah!" She yelped.

He'd bitten her pale collarbone, hard.

"It hurts!"

Tristan cupped her chin and caught her lips in another kiss,sweet and deep.

He wasn't about to let her dig further, or she'd definitely sniff out the tracker he planted on her.