Page 42 of Saving Stella

Or maybe put her over his knee and spank her until her pretty ass turned pink.

Fuck.

Now was not the time to think about that.

* * *

It was a miracle Cliff made it to the Brisbee Town Medical Center without getting a ticket or into an accident. Razor wire wrapped around his throat as he raced in through the door, ignoring the stares of the nurses and patients around him as he practically tore up the stairs to the third floor where Stella’s room was located.

He was about to yank the door open when he stopped himself.

Calm. The fuck. Down.

Stella and her parents had been through enough. He didn’t need to charge in there like a raging bull and traumatize them. He would go in there calmly and tell them that Devon sent him here to watch over Stella until they could be sure there was no more threat.

Clearing his throat, he knocked on the door. He didn’t hear anything, but he entered anyway. The antiseptic smell of the room hit his nose, but the sweet scent of lavender and sage in the air told him Stella was definitely inside. He strode in and followed the smell—to where Stella lay in bed like a doll, looking frail and delicate, head to one side with her eyes closed.

Goddammit!

He was beside her in a second. “What the hell happened?”

“I—Cliff?” Surprise crossed her face as she opened her eyes. “What are you—” When she tried to sit up, she winced.

“Damn it, stay down,” he growled.

“I’m fine—ouch.” She clutched her side.

“I said stay down, damn it.” Stubborn woman.

“I said I’m … fine. And stop cussing at me.”

“I’m not—fuck! I mean … I’m sorry.” He reached for her. “Stella?—”

Waving his hands away, she slowly sat up. “What are you doing here? I called?—”

She gasped when his thumb touched her chin, and she resisted when he tried to make her turn her head toward him. When he insisted, he saw why—the entire left side of her face was covered in purple and blue bruises.

“Mother—who the fuck did this to you?” He could barely say the words as pure, unadulterated rage filled him.

“I don’t know,” she said in a soft whisper that broke something in him. “There were some men …”

“I—” A ringing sound and a buzzing in his pocket made him pause. Retrieving his phone, he answered the video call from his sister. “Charley?”

“Are you there?” It was Devon’s face on the screen, the anger and worry on his face evident. “Where is my sister?”

“Yeah. She’s right here.” He handed the phone to Stella, but planted himself right next to her where he could still see the screen.

“God, I was so worried … are you all right?” Devon asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine now.”

“Someone busted up the whole left side of her face,” Cliff interrupted.

“What?” Devon looked ready to explode.

Good.

“It’s nothing!” Stella turned the left side of her face away. “It’s already healing, they said.”