Chapter 29 Then What Am I to You?
Danica adjusted the oversized shirt and then turned back to glance at Wayne.
His phone kept ringing on the nightstand. The soft melody filled the room over and over, but he didn’t move. Nor did he look at the screen.
He was ignoring Jennifer’s call, probably for the first time ever.
Wayne stood, tall and composed, and began unbuttoning his black suit jacket.
As he slipped it off, Danica caught the crimson stain blooming through. the back of his white shirt. She immediately thought of the lash Emelia had struck across his back earlier.
That blow had broken the skin, deep enough to bleed. But of course, Wayne had acted like it was nothing, not even a wince to betray the pain.
She spoke gently, “Let me get the med kit. That wound needs to be cleaned or it’s going to get infected.”
Wayne glanced at her, the corner of his mouth tilting into a rare, teasing smile. “Weren’t you ignoring me just now?”
“I just didn’t want Emelia to worry,” she replied, bending down to retrieve the box.
He sat at the edge of the bed as she said, “Take off your shirt.”
He complied, and for the first time, Danica saw him shirtless.
His lean figure was sculpted, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, not with gym–showoff abs, but with quiet, refined strength. Six–toned
Chapter 29 Then What Am 11o You?
abdominal lines disappeared into sleek black trousers, secured by a high- end belt that glinted coolly under the light.
For a second, Danica’s face flared red, her eyes darting away.
She didn’t know where to look.
Wayne’s voice broke the silence, low and amused. “I guess we’re even
now
“What?” she blinked.
“I saw you, and you saw me. We’re even,” he said.
“I didn’t!” she snapped, embarrassed.
“Then why are you blushing?” he asked, cocking a brow.
Danica groaned internally, “Why did I even offer to help?”
She dipped a cotton swab into an antiseptic and leaned closer to clean the wound. The lash had landed deep.
His flesh was torn open and inflamed.
She winced as she worked, keeping her touch as light as possible.
Wayne spoke again, voice quieter this time. “This whole mess was Jennifer’s fault. I’m sorry, on her behalf.”
Her hand froze midair. She thought, “He is apologizing for Jennifer? He really sees her as his.”
Danica’s lashes fluttered, her heart tightening. “Is this how you always clean up after her? She played the family like chess pieces and even dragged Emelia into it. Who knows what she’ll pull next? You’ve spoiled her, Wayne. You’ve made her this reckless.”
Chapter 29 Then When Amin Y
Wayne’s expression shifted, darkening. “She wasn’t always like this.”
Danica’s hand stilled again. “Then what was she like?”
A faint smile ghosted across his lips. “She used to be sweet. Someone I cared about a lot.”
Danica’s throat tightened as she thought, “Someone he cared about. Then what am I?”
She wanted to ask and wanted to scream, “What was I? What were we?”
His mind was so full of Jennifer that he didn’t even remember Danica.
Suddenly, her hand jabbed the cotton straight into the wound.
Wayne sucked in a breath, hissing through clenched teeth. “Danica! That was on purpose.”
“Does it hurt?” she said, deadpan. “Good. I hope it kills you.”
Wayne gave her a look of utter disbelief.
“What did I do now?” he thought. “She’s insane.”
Danica wrapped the bandage with a final tug, but her satisfaction didn’t last long. Wayne’s untreated injury had already begun to fester. By the time he lay down to sleep, he was burning with fever.
He kept shivering, even after she turned off the air–conditioner and piled. three blankets over him. Cold sweat rolled down his forehead, and his lips had turned pale.
She stood there watching, arms crossed, thinking, “Serves him right.” He’d been so busy playing a knight for Jennifer that he hadn’t even bothered to treat his own wounds.
She gave him a fever shot, but that was all she could do. Now, it was up
Chapter 29 Then What Am 1 to You?
to his body to fight it off.
He would be fine when the fever went down.
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Danica hesitated and then lifted the blanket and climbed in beside him.
His skin was ice.
She bit her lip. She couldn’t just leave him like this.
So she pressed her body gently against his back, careful to avoid the injury, and wrapped her arms around him from behind.
Wayne stirred slightly, feeling her soft warmth press into him. The thin layers of fabric separated her skin from his.
Then her hand slid across his abdomen, pausing at his abs.
Her fingers, warm and hesitant, traced along the taut lines with shy precision.
Wayne’s voice came out hoarse. “Danica, I’m sick.”
She knew. That was why she was doing this to warm him up.
It was primitive and ridiculous. But it was all she could think to do.
Still, she wasn’t Jennifer. She didn’t know if it would even work.
She said nothing. Her fingers moved upward, brushing over his firm
chest.
“God,” she thought, “this man really is sculpted.”
Wayne could feel her getting bolder by the minute. Her wandering hand was setting him on fire, tormenting him even while he was sick.
He grabbed her wrist tightly, his throat working with tension. “Danica,
29 Then what Am to YouT
stop touching me.”
Their bodies were flush now, and she could feel the change in him. His muscles went rigid, and his skin heated up beneath her palms.
Danica’s cheeks flushed pink as she whispered, “Wayne, are you sure you feel nothing for me?”
Wayne stilled. He didn’t want to admit that he had a reaction to her.
But even sick, even feverish, his body had come alive with just a few light
touches.
He rolled over to face her, jaw tight, eyes glinting. “You’re infuriating.”
First, she kissed him in the shower when he was drugged.
Now, he tempted him while he was barely coherent.
Wayne told himself it wasn’t his fault. What man could resist someone
like her?
Danica felt his body burning against hers and knew she’d accomplished what she had come for. She pulled the blanket up, curled beside him, and closed her eyes. “Just sleep.”
Wayne stared at her.
Was she seriously just going to leave him like this?
But eventually, the fever pulled him under. And he had a dream.
In the dream, he was back in that forest years ago. After a mission gone wrong, betrayed by a comrade, he’d fallen from a plane, wounded and bleeding out under the trees.
He’d thought he would die there.
Chapter 29 Than Vitut Amil 15 You?
But then, from the shadows, a little girl appeared, clutching a worn–out
doll in her arms.
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