Chapter 135

Catherine POV

I woke slowly, coming back to consciousness like I was emerging from a long dark tunnel.

But I woke up.

That meant I was alive.

Which meant that my trust in the rogue assassin had been well placed. She really was as good as she claimed to be.

It also meant my plan was moving along perfectly.

By now the footage of my dive into Nathan’s arms, taking the bullet intended for him, would be all over the news.

With any luck, the entire realm would be buzzing about my sacrifice.

And Nathan would be well on his way to realizing exactly who he was supposed to be with.

And who he wasn’t.

I shifted in bed, wincing as a burning pain rippled through me, radiating from my back and chest.

While I’d known getting shot wasn’t going to be easy, I was still surprised by just how much it hurt!

But it didn’t matter. In fact, feeling this pain was a good thing.

I wouldn’t have to fake the help I’d need while Nathan nursed me back to health.

While thinking about all the time Nathan and I were going to have together, and enjoying the idea of how much attention he’d be giving me, I felt a warm hand slip into mine and squeeze it.

Thinking it was Nathan’s hand, I squeezed back weakly.

But when I opened my eyes, it wasn’t Nathan peering down at me.

It was Claire.

Rage flashed inside of me, but I buried it quickly. I needed to figure out what was going on first.

“What - ” I licked my dry lips and cleared my throat. “What happened?”

“You’ve been shot,” Claire said to me. “But you’re going to be alright.

“You were lucky that the bullet didn’t do serious damage to any of your major organs.”

Lucky?

Ha!

I knew very well that luck didn’t have anything to do with it.

A skilled assassin was all it took, one who knew how to shoot someone in a way that looked like a sure death sentence.

Hiding my smirk, I pretended to wake up slowly.

In truth I was now wide awake, and aware that Nathan was sitting in a chair next to the bed.

Burying the irritation that it wasn’t him standing there holding my hand, I acted like I was only slowly piecing together the events.

“Shot??” I said, keeping my voice soft and hoarse. “But I don’t…I don’t remember…”

I trailed off, as if letting images play in my mind.

“There was screaming, and then…people were running. And - wait! - where’s Nathan??”

It wasn’t hard to put a real need in my voice at that moment. I really did want to see Nathan.

I needed him beside me.

Nathan rose out of the chair and hurried to my other side, taking my hand.

“I’m here, Catherine,” he said. “It’s alright.”

I choked out a sob. “Oh god, I remember now. Someone was shooting! People were running and screaming and -

“And I was so afraid that you were going to be hurt!” I finished, holding his hand to my cheek, letting him feel the tears there.

Crying wasn’t too difficult either. All I had to do was think about how annoying it was to have Claire there in the room with us.

Tears of frustration came quite easily after that.

“But what happened after that?” I asked. “I don’t remember. Are you still in danger??”

“The gunman still hasn’t been found,” Nathan said. “But we’re safe now. You’re at the Iron Claw clinic.

“Claire’s been making sure you get the best care possible.”

I struggled not to sneer at that, instead thanking her as nicely as I could manage.

Then I looked back at Nathan, ignoring my cousin again.

“And you - are you alright?”

He smiled down at me. “I am, thanks to you. You saved my life last night, Catherine. I can’t thank you enough.”

I closed my eyes as if relieved. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“And I’m glad you’re going to be okay as well. But in the meantime, while you recover, I insist you stay at my house, where my servants can look after you.”

Victory leapt into my heart at his words.

Stay at his house??

It was more than I could have hoped for.

And it was absolutely everything I deserved.

But before I could answer, stupid Claire had to interrupt.

“She could stay in her suite at the palace,” she said to Nathan. “Both Dr. Baldwin and I would be available to administer more healing sessions as needed.”

I scrambled to think of something to say, some excuse not to go, but Nathan was already shaking his head.

“No, it’s the least I can do for the person that saved my life. Like I said,” he glanced down at me with a small smile. “I insist.”

He excused himself and left the room, pulling out his phone to begin making arrangements for our travel back to Silverfang territory.

Back to his house.

The house Claire had walked away from months ago.

It took everything I had not to shout with joy.

Everything Claire had left behind without a backward glance was about to be mine.

Unable to resist, I couldn’t help but send Claire a smug look of triumph.

Nathan was, indeed, going to be mine.

Nathan POV

I paced the hallway as I spoke into my phone, feeling my limbs nearly trembling with exhaustion.

The fear and worry from the night was catching up to me.

Placing a call to Beta Evan, I instructed him to arrange for transport for both Catherine and me as soon as she was able to be discharged from the clinic.

Then I called home, speaking with both the butler and the head of the servants, telling them to make a room ready for Catherine’s stay.

I wasn’t sure how long she’d be there, but I wanted to make sure she was as comfortable as we could make her.

It really was the least I could do for someone who’d taken a bullet for me.

A flash of the night’s events hit me, and for a moment all I could see was that red laser dot playing over my body, seeking the center of my chest.

And then Catherine, running toward me with her arms outstretched and a look of fear on her face.

All night, while I waited for Claire and the other doctors to take care of her, I’d replayed those final moments on the stage.

Catherine, running, jumping.

And then landing in my arms, boneless and pale.

Like she was already dead.

I knew that image, among all of the ones I carried from last night, was going to haunt me for a very long time.

Even though I’d showered and changed my clothes, I felt like I could still smell her blood on my hands.

I finished making arrangements and hung up the phone, then simply slid down into a chair.

Elbows on my knees, head hanging, I let the exhaustion wash over me.

This wasn’t how I wanted the night to go.

I’d planned on speaking with Claire after the event, knowing that as a Royal she’d be in attendance.

My goal had been to steal at least a few minutes alone with her.

To apologize.

To tell her how I felt and what I wanted.

But, as always, my sense of duty outweighed my desires.

Catherine had saved my life, and I owed it to her to take care of her while she recovered from her injuries.

A discussion with Claire, and an attempt to repair our relationship, was just going to have to wait.