Page 40 of Knot Innocent
Knowing my tendency to go overboard, I draw inward and drop my eyes to my lap. “I sucked you into one of my stings, didn’t I?”
Bastien snickers, but there’s no humor in the sound. “No. This little experiment was my idea. I thought I could role-play and get Mercan to confess to me. It would’ve worked, too. I almost had him, but then someone came after you.”
Bringing a hand to my face. I squeeze my temples. “I was still hoping I was crazy, but this means the guy in the blue car is real.”
“Looks that way,” Bastien confirms.
“So, what now?”
“Well, that volunteer bodyguard assignment you didn’t like is now non-negotiable.”
Funny. I was under the impression that it never was. Before I can point that out, a knock at the door precedes a nurse coming in with a wheelchair. “It’s time to get you out of here. Our orderlies are backed up, so you’ll taste freedom faster if your friend wheels you out.”
The woman removes the IV and has me sign some papers. Bastien steps into the hall for me to dress, and the nurse helps me into the wheelchair. Then she’s gone, and Bastien reenters the room. Without a word, he steps behind me and pushes the wheelchair toward the elevator.
The situation is so unbelievable; I can’t help but laugh. Laugh to keep from crying. “I can’t imagine what’s so funny,” Bastien says.
I fight to reign in my crazy reaction to the absolute insanity of the day. “I’m glad I’m in the hospital instead of some dirtbag’s trunk. At the same time, I hate that I’m in a hospital because Knot threatened to kill you if I ended up here. And I’m hungry.”
At the elevator lobby, I push out of the chair and roll the thing to an empty corner. Bastien’s face pinches like he wants to argue about me being stubborn, but wisely, he keeps his mouth shut. I’d sure hate to have to remind him of the tree incident. He wasn’t exactly a shining example of level-headedness that day.
I don’t speak to Bastien during the drive to my house, not even when he stops at a drive-through to pick up some food. Though I started out scared and angry when I woke up, now, I’m just embarrassed.
Something like this wouldn’t have happened to Sadie or Chelsea. Poor Bastien. He’s saddled with little Miss Naïve, who couldn’t defend herself against an overzealous bunny rabbit.
As I munch on a curly fry, the clock in Knot’s Escalade reads eleven forty p.m. I’ve lost half a day’s memories because of a drug I was given. That’s unbelievable, not to mention infuriating. I know I spent the day with Bastien, but I don’t know what we did. What we talked about. For all I know, he could have confessed his undying love and suggested we run off to Vegas to get married, but then changed his mind when I let myself get nearly kidnapped.
The only things I know about the evening were conveyed to me by other people. Bastien and Jackson Bennet reported that I’d complained about someone running into me at the park. Because I’d called out in pain, the doctor cleared the room of everyone except a nurse and searched every inch of my skin until he found what he’d been looking for. A puncture wound on my left thigh indicated where I’d been injected with the ketamine.
Eventually, the doctor determined that the amount in my system was below the danger threshold. The news was both good and bad. It wasn’t attempted murder. At least I won’t have to worry about multiple attempts on my life. On the flip side, the doctor’s conclusion confirmed my biggest fear. The goal was kidnap. I’m having a little trouble processing that information.
Lost in my thoughts, I’m startled when Bastien knocks on my window. I hadn’t even noticed that we’d arrived at my house. Releasing the seatbelt, I move to get out but pause, sensing Bastien has something to say. When he finds his voice, my insides tighten at his words. “I didn’t argue with Knot at the hospital about bringing you home, but now that we’re here, I can’t stomach the thought of you being alone.”
Before my stupid mouth suggests something completely crazy—that he stay with me—I rush to say, “I won’t be. Well, not for long, anyway. I plan to be here just long enough to pack up some stuff and go stay in the dorm at work. I’m hoping the police can ID the guy and pick him up within the next few days.”
Bastien trains his eyes down the street. “And if they don’t?” he asks without looking at me.
What if, indeed? “One day at a time, Bastien. That’s all I can focus on right now.”
With a nod, he says, “Well, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to stick around and see that you get to the compound okay.”
“That would make me feel a lot better. Thanks.”
My easy concession does nothing to ease the worry weighing down Bastien’s brow. His face is still drawn and his shoulders still tense. Sensing he has more to say, I remain seated. Bastien doesn’t make me wait long. “You know. It’s late. I could stay. Keep watch. Then you could get some sleep tonight and do all this in the morning.”
My heart pounds at his suggestion. I’m reading too much into his offer because I want it to mean something. Whispering to hide just how affected I am, I say, “Okay. Thanks.”
Bastien nods, takes my hand, and leads me inside. Then, as I’m finally walking toward my bedroom, he says, “I’m sorry about today. I should’ve… I didn’t think… I’m sorry.”
Dropping my purse, I rush over and place both hands on his shoulders, pulling him down to my eye level. “It wasn’t your fault, Bastien. Neither one of us can see the future. Even the great Dillan Knot didn’t see this coming, and I just found out that he’s known about my hobby for years. Besides, while I may not remember, and despite what you said, I know we wouldn’t have been there unless I had asked.”
Without responding, Bastien backs out of my grip. He spins toward the living room, leaving me watching his back as he walks away, taking my breath with him.
I don’t understand. Bastien’s sudden coldness confuses me. After confessing my darkest sin, he held me all night in my bed. No, there wasn’t some great declaration of love, but I thought it meant something. But now, after being drugged and almost kidnapped… nothing.
Knot could have said something to make him back off. Or it could be that Bastien never had a personal interest. Only by chance was he there to scare off Tom, after all. That scenario, I refuse to accept. There’s no way he’d have stayed the night if he felt nothing.
In any case, agonizing over it isn’t helping. It’s been a hell of a day, and I should get some rest. Picking up my discarded purse, I step inside my room and pause. There is one more possibility—and this is wishful thinking here. Maybe Bastien is only being careful with me because I went through a traumatizing event. That’s more plausible. He’s just looking out for me again, not wanting to push or overstep. It’s completely unnecessary, and I intend to tell him just that.