Chapter 31
Ciara was exhausted, but she continued smiling and nodding at whatever the couple in front of her was talking about. She no longer heard the words. She was intensely conscious of her shoes and the way they pinched her toes. The night’s party was almost over. More than half of the guests had already departed and all she wanted to do was kick off her heels and walk barefoot over to Falk. She’d heard whispers about an altercation with him and that weird woman earlier, but she didn’t know the details. She was pretty sure that Falk would tell her about it once they were alone. But she needed more of the guests to head out before she could politely excuse herself.
“I can’t believe how lovely you look, even after hours of socializing,” an older matron commented. “And your shoes!” Everyone looked down at Ciara’s shoes. “Where did you get them, dear?” she demanded.
Ciara laughed and bent down to examine the torture devices. “Oh, these…” she felt a sting on her upper arm, like a bee sting. But that was impossible. She was inside and, surely the bees were in their hives this late at night. Weren’t they?
She straightened up, turning her head to try to figure out why her arm hurt so badly. She noticed a small, white streak. Then slowly, as if in slow motion, the blood started seeping out through the odd-looking wound. Before Ciara could process what was happening, she was tackled. A big, heavy arm had tossed her over his shoulder and she was being carried away.
If her arm didn’t hurt so badly, she might have protested the caveman tactic. But her arm really hurt now! The sting had transformed to an intense burning. And why were her ears ringing?
She lifted her head, looking around. Everyone was screaming. The remaining guests were running? Why was everyone running? Didn’t their feet hurt just as badly hers did?
Unfortunately, the pain in her arm too intense for her to focus. Also, a part of her was wondering why a bee sting hurt so much. Yes, a sting was bad. But was it really this bad? Or was she just acting like a wimp?
Before she could answer any of those questions, she was flipped upright so that she was sitting on a chair. With her head spinning, she looked around, pushing her hair away from her face. Falk was kneeling in front of her. “Did you just…carry me out of the ballroom over your shoulder?” she asked, needing to understand the first bit of information. Before he could answer, she reached over to cover her arm. “I think I was stung by a bee,” she announced, looking around and finally understanding that her bodyguards were standing sentry by the closed door. Why were they so furious? Why were their guns out? Why were they closing the curtains?
“A…bee sting?” Falk repeated blankly. “You think you were stung by a bee?”
Was that a smile in his eyes? Was this man truly about to laugh at her pain? “I know, I’m acting silly because a bee sting shouldn’t hurt this…” she stopped because she was suddenly realizing that her arm was covered in blood. “Why am I bleeding?” she gasped.
Ramit stepped into the room, hand in hand with Maggie. The room was now full of big, bulky men with weapons aimed at every exit.
“Is she okay?”
Falk lowered his head, his shoulders shaking suspiciously. “She thinks she was stung by a bee,” he explained.
Ramit and Maggie stared at Ciara and she was starting to get uncomfortable with the amused expressions.
“But otherwise, she’s okay? She’s not hurt anywhere but her arm?” Ramit demanded.
“She appears to be unhurt except for her…bee sting,” Falk replied tightly.
Ramit sighed, pulling Maggie in close for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist, offering comfort.
Why wasn’t anyone comforting her? She was the one with the…okay, needing comfort because of a bee sting sounded silly. Even if it was bleeding this badly.
“The doctor is here,” one of the guards announced.
Ramit turned, keeping Maggie close. “Let him in,” he ordered.
Doctor Harroby stepped into the room, looking concerned as he clutched at his medical bag.
“Not him!” Ciara hissed emphatically. Then she lifted her non-wounded arm and pointed at the man. “Don’t let him near me!”
Everyone froze, including the doctor. He gave her the patronizing smile that she’d grown to hate as a child. “Your Highness, I know that you’re distraught. I’m sure your arm hurts a great deal. But if you’d just let me take a look, I can make it all better.”
She heard one of her bodyguards muttering into his microphone, but ignored him, too focused on getting away from this buffoon.
Ciara’s confusion was clearing quickly and she stood up, shaking her head. “I’d rather bleed to death than to let you touch me. You can’t know the harm that you caused me as a child by dismissing the wounds you constantly had to treat. But you’re not going to continue the damage now by telling everyone here that I’m just an overly emotional little girl. Never again! I will never let another man dismiss my emotions or concerns. So leave. Now.” Her last command was low and violently soft.
Ramit frowned in confusion, but Falk immediately stood up and, with a flick of his hand, silently ordered the doctor to be taken from the room by his bodyguards. “Make sure that he never works in medicine again!” he ordered grimly.
When the man continued to argue, Falk turned to Ramit. “Doctor Harroby had to treat your sister’s wounds after her nanny beat her too badly. He assumed the wounds were because she was clumsy.”
Ramit gritted his teeth as the doctor was physically lifted off his feet and hauled from the room. A woman wearing scrubs and carrying a medical bag stepped into the room.
“Your Highness, with your permission, I could treat your bullet wound.” She didn’t step forward, waiting for Ciara’s consent.
“Are you a doctor?” Ciara asked.
“I’m a nurse practitioner,” the woman explained. “I help the palace staff with various wounds and minor issues. I know what to do.”
Ciara hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. Thank you,” she finally replied.
The nurse rushed over to Ciara’s side and started tending to the wound. “It’s just a graze. The wound isn’t deep. I don’t think you’ll need stitches, but a doctor should make that determination.” She was moving quickly, cleaning off the blood so that she could better examine the wound. “I can give you a shot for the pain. It will numb the area, but the Novocain won’t knock you out.”
Ciara was deeply grateful for her explanation. She nodded, giving consent.
The woman pulled out a needle, filling it with something. Ciara heard a thud and looked around. One of the guards had crumpled to the floor. Apparently, the man didn’t like needles. There were a few quiet chuckles as the other guards rushed over to help the prostrate man, but the nurse didn’t take her attention away from Ciara’s arm.
The pain in her arm immediately eased. Ciara looked up at Falk, who was pacing back and forth, and smiled, trying to calm him.
“Don’t!” he snapped, pointing towards her. “You were shot at, Ciara. Don’t try to calm me down.”
The nurse had finished cleaning the wound and put some sort of ointment over the spot, then started to wrap her arm. Ciara chuckled at his exasperation. “I think you’re cute when you’re upset,” she admitted.
He turned to frown at her, his hands fisted on his hips. “You…!’ he started, only to turn away and start pacing again. Then he turned back and said, “You’re going to…!” Again, he didn’t finish his threat.
Finally, the nurse finished and stood up. “I’m going to send some antibiotics to your room, Your Highness. And I still think you should see a surgeon about possible stitches. It doesn’t look bad, but I’d feel better if you had a doctor look at it.”
“Thank you for your help,” Ciara said, shaking her hand. “You’ve been wonderful.”
“You’ll go to the hospital,” Falk announced. Ramit was nodding his agreement.
“Nope,” she replied, then tapped her arm. “I’m fine. No pain.”
“You’ll feel it in the morning once the anesthetic has worn off,” Falk warned.
She smiled and moved closer to him, sliding her hands up his chest. “Then I’ll deal with it tomorrow. But until then, I’m very tired and I’d like to retire.” She took Falk’s hand and led him towards the doorway.
“Ciara?” Ramit choked out.
She turned, looking at her brother. But she could only chuckle when her brother’s eyes moved from her face to her hand in Falk’s.
“Oh, stop it!” she snapped. “Don’t be a hypocrite. You’re going to take Maggie back to your place and do the exact same thing!” And she continued to the doorway.
However, she nearly choked with laughter when she heard her brother mutter, “Probably not exactly the same thing.”
However, she continued out to the hallway, desperate to be alone. Immediately, her guards and Falk’s surrounded them, one man muttering into his hidden microphone to ensure the hallways to Ciara’s suite were cleared of everyone, including servants.
When she entered her room, smiling her gratitude to the guards who had been stationed inside her suite after the attack, she turned and looked up at Falk.
“Are you still going to marry me?”
He growled and pulled her closer. “Hell yes!”
“Then, will you make love with me tonight?”
“Yes, but after you see a doctor,” he conditioned.
She smiled up at him. “I don’t want to see a doctor right now,” she told him, then stepped out of his arms. She turned and headed towards her bedroom, dropping one shoe, then the other. She didn’t kick them across the room as she wanted, but instead, just left a trail of them in the direction of her bedroom. Reaching behind her, she started to unzip her dress, but the pain medication hadn’t gone deep enough into her arm to fully stop the pain.
“Let me do that!” he snapped and rushed forward. Swiftly, Falk unzipped her dress, then watched as the material floated to the floor.
“Don’t pick it up,” she told him, still moving towards her bedroom. “It’s ruined anyway. Blood won’t come out of chiffon.” And she glanced over her shoulder at him before stepping through the doors. She tugged her hair over her shoulder and glanced at him. “Can you help me with my bra too?”
“We’re not having sex, Ciara! You’re wounded!” he told her gruffly. But he still followed. “You need a warm bath and…” He stopped when she slipped her panties off. She moved towards the bed and turned, waiting for him to dispense with her bra.
“Damn it, Ciara!” he hissed.
“I need help, Falk,” she whispered.
“We’re not…!”
He couldn’t speak. Not with her looking so tempting. She was completely naked except for her breasts. He was only human. But…he could do this, he told himself. Moving closer, he reached out, intending to touch only the bra. The clasp was right there. Easily accessible.
But the moment his fingertips brushed her warm back, he was lost. His hands removed the scrap of lace, tossing it to the floor. Then he wrapped his arms around her, gently cupping her breasts from behind. “Ciara,” he whispered into her ear, nibbling at her neck, her earlobe, her shoulder while his hands cupped and teased her nipples.
“Falk, please make love with me,” she begged, leaning her head back against his shoulder while her hands covered his.
Laying her down on the bed, Falk was very careful with her arm. He knew from experience that she might not hurt now, but the wound would be very painful tomorrow morning and for the next several days.
With infinite care, he kissed her everywhere, not letting her move. He wanted to give her pleasure after such a miserable night.
When he moved lower, spreading her legs, he was intoxicated by the way she smelled, the delightful sounds she made as he teased and coaxed a reaction from her. When she cried out, arching her body into his mouth, he eased back. Only then did he slide into her heat. Slowly, trying not to bounce her arm and bruise it further, he stroked her inner muscles, clenching his jaw in his effort to make sure her pleasure came first. But it was difficult because this was Ciara.
So, when she cried out, clenching around him with her inner muscles, he couldn’t hold back. He released his control and allowed both of them to experience the bliss of release.
Afterwards, he held her close, stroking her back until she fell into a deep sleep.
Only then did he slide out of bed. After a quick shower, he pulled on his clothes, ignoring the jacket and tie, then slipped out of her suite to find out who the hell had shot his woman!