tic. The blinding glare of a penlight being shone into her p
me? Squeeze my finger
ike it was filled with wet san
voice said. "Nurse, push ano
iandra blinked, her vision slowly focusing on the face of Dr. Alistair Finch. He was an older man, with kind eye
red, her throat feeling like i
ombined with a displacement of your spinal fixation hardware due to external physica
yes. The grip on her shoulder. The blinding, white-hot pain. S
s chart. "No one, and I mean no one, gets in without my explicit permission. Not your
ear slipping down her chee
ses were gentle, their movements quiet and efficient. Brenda checked on her every
move her legs, the motion sending dull aches through her healing bones but proving that the feeling was st
rmer wa
he air of arrogant authority was even more pronounced than before. He looked im
red with anger. "Sir, you cannot be
r. "I've already spoken to the hospital administrat
, Diandra. I've arranged for you to be transferred to the best rehabilit
hing else. A profound, disorienting confusion. She looked at his face, at the dark hair, the sharp jaw,
th
treet. The only thing her body remembered was the pain he had
you?" s
in the air, s
was the only sound. Holt's expression froze, the impatience dr
he asked, his voic
er leaving his. "I said, who ar
le. A dark flush crept up his neck. "Amnesia?" he scoffed, a cruel smile
reaching out, his fingers flexing wi
, the sheer, blinding agony of his last touch, flashed through her nervous system like
g the hard plastic of the red emergency button on
ed from the speaker above her
in mid-air, his eyes widening
uniforms rushed into the room, followed close
?" Dr. Finch demanded, stepp
essions grim. "Ma'am," one of them said, looking at
er voice shaking but clear. "I don't know who
he guard began, but D
doctor snarled. "He's endang
's hospital room!" Holt roared, his co
into the doorway. Detective Mark Coulson, from the local police precinct. He
the detective asked, his vo
said, her voice gaining strength. "I
gh. "She's my wife. She's
of them, his eyes narrowing. "I'll need
bedside table with a frustrated thud. A nurse handed Dian
n. He studied the photo pages, then looked up at Diandra, his
sports side by side. "According to these documen
nkly from the glossy photo, a face she barely recognized. Then she looke
sb
e was married to him. She belonged to him. The realization hit her like a physical b
gally and irrevoc
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