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