Crown Prince's Bought Bride

He hit the intercom and instructed his driver on a different destination.

‘Either way, it has nothing to do with you,’ she replied stiffly.

‘That’s where you’re wrong, Miss Myers.’

Wary eyes blinked at him. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘It means it’s my duty to ensure that nothing a member of my family does comes back to bite us when we least expect it. And now I have a better idea of what went on between you and Jules we can get down to the bottom line. But not until I find out what I’m dealing with.’

‘I... I don’t understand.’

‘I’m taking you to the hospital, Madeleine. You can protest if you wish, but know this: the earlier you deal with me, the earlier we can be rid of each other.’ He waited a beat, despite the volatile emotions churning through his bloodstream. ‘So will you come with me of your own free will?’

Green eyes flew to his and again he caught the faint alarm in the bronze-flecked depths. Her lightly glossed lips parted and she sucked in a slow breath. After a moment, she nodded. ‘Yes.’

The churning subsided a touch. ‘Good.’

Reaching over her shoulder, he drew the seat belt across her body, forcing his gaze not to linger on her breasts as he secured her in place.

* * *

‘This isn’t a hospital! This is—’

‘My private physician.’

‘At a private clinic in Harley Street?’

Remi frowned at the accusation. ‘Other than pointing out the geographical location, do you have a point?’

‘Yes. I have a point. I can’t afford a private doctor.’

Agitation charged her movements and he caught her wince as she freed herself from the seatbelt.

‘Dio, calm down before you aggravate your injury.’

‘First of all, we don’t even know if I have an injury. Secondly, please stop ordering me about.’

He took a sustaining breath and reminded himself why he was doing this. For his family.

For reasons he intended to get to the bottom of before the day was out, neither Jules nor his bodyguards had seen fit to report the incident with Maddie. Remi shuddered to imagine what the press would do if it got out.

He wasn’t out of the woods yet. He needed to play this right to prevent any possibility of a scandal further down the line.

But beyond that he knew there was another reason. The unquenchable need to make sure history didn’t repeat itself. That he didn’t spend more nights racked with guilt about someone else—even if that person was this stunningly gorgeous but aggravating blonde who looked nothing like his Celeste but who nevertheless evoked astounding, groin-stirring sensations within him.

He ruthlessly pushed the hot throb of lust aside and nodded to his driver to open the door. ‘I value my time and my privacy. I’m assured of both here. And you insult me by suggesting that I would expect you to pay for medical attention necessitated through my brother’s actions. Now, do you have any further objections?’

Plump lips he found far too tempting stayed shut for a long moment before she exited the vehicle. He followed, telling himself the tingle in his fingers wasn’t from the desire to touch her again, to place his hand on that delicate waist and guide her into the clinic.

In fact, he made sure to keep his distance from her as they were checked in and Maddie was escorted into a suite where a barrage of scans were lined up.

Fifty minutes later he stared out of the window, jaw clenched, as they were driven away from Harley Street towards his hotel.

‘You pushed for those tests and now you’re not going to say anything?’ Maddie asked testily from beside him.

He kept his gaze on the passing view. He deemed it much safer, because something about the sling around Maddie’s arm agitated his every last demon and fired a level of fury he’d never known before.

‘A hairline fracture on your ulna. Two more on your ribs. Bone-deep bruises on your left hip that will take two more weeks to heal.’ The words fell from his lips like shards of glass.

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