“Paige is not a cow. She’s my fiancée.”
“She’s fucking fat! What the hell do you see in her? Why would you want her when you can have me? Haven’t you read all the letters I sent?” She drops her skirt, revealing thigh-highs and a lacy garter belt.
I’ve always thought nice lingerie improved a woman. But she’s an exception.
When I don’t react in the way she obviously expected, she spreads and bends her knees. The lewd gesture shows her panties—apparently made crotchless with scissors before she came inside the room—and her private parts.
Jesus, my eyes. Maybe one of the doctors here can induce strategic amnesia.
Crimson mottles her face and neck. “Why don’t you want this? Why don’t you want me? Can’t you see I’m all wet?”
Good fucking god. She’s gotta be off her meds. What the fuck is wrong with the hospital that they hired unhinged people like her? I reach for my phone. “I’m calling the cops. I’ve had enough.”
She lunges for me. “I am the Cinderella you need. I’ve waited so long for you!”
I sidestep her. High heels are not conducive for physical activity, and I’ve learned some moves from doing my own stunts in action flicks. She goes past and I open the door.
“I need security!” I yell into the hall. “Now!”
“No!” The psycho nurse comes after me, but she’s still hampered by her footwear. The cheap shoes clack on the linoleum. She hasn’t even bothered to put her clothes back on.
What a damn spectacle.
A nurse walking by gasps, her eyes wide.
“Get security,” I tell her. “Right now. Unless you want to hear from my lawyer.”
Near-Naked Nurse grabs my wrist. “Ryder! My prince!”
Yeesh. I yank my arm away. Her grip is stronger than expected, and it takes some effort to get free.
“Why are you doing this?” Tears gather in her eyes. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for you to realize the truth about us?”
“The only truth is that you need some serious help.” I stay in the hall, trying to ensure she stays here rather than wander off to other areas with young children. But she’s seriously making my skin crawl.
Her mouth pinches until the lips form a tight, ugly line. “It’s all that bitch’s fault! I’m gonna get her, you know!”
“Listen to me carefully. There is nothing between us. Nothing. If we were stranded on Mars, I wouldn’t want you. Understand?”
“You asshole! I sent you gifts!”
You and ninety-nine percent of my sociopath psycho fans.
She jumps suddenly and rams her face into my biceps. Her teeth cut into my skin, and I shove her away, palm to her forehead.
“What the hell?” I look down and see blood well in an arc.
A couple of men in dark blue uniforms show up. Thankfully they’re young and seem to be in good shape. Now they can deal with this crazy woman.
At the sight of them, she tries to latch onto me. “No! Make them go away. They’re here to take me away from you!”
She is crazy. Abso-fucking-lutely off her rocker. “Watch the teeth. This psycho bit me!” I tell the guards.
“Ryder! How can you betray me like this? It’s all her fault. That witch!”
The guards close in, and she starts running. She doesn’t get very far before they catch her.
The nurse I saw before comes over. “Are you all right?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I’ve had worse. At least the crazy nurse didn’t try to run me over with a Jeep. “Does she actually work here?”
The corners of her mouth droop. “Unfortunately, yes. I’m… I don’t even know what to say. She’s always been a big fan of yours, but none of us had any idea…” She shakes her head. “We should look at that bite.”
“It’s nothing.”
“No, it’s not. She broke the skin.” The nurse frowns, looking more closely at my arm. “Human bites can be more dangerous than dog bites. All kinds of bacteria in the mouth. At least you’re in the right place.”
I sigh. She’s right. The smart play is to get it looked at, just in case. Psycho-nurse could have rabies for all I know. “Is this going to take long? I really need to see my fiancée.”
“Oh, I meant to tell you. She’s been discharged.”
“What?” I stare at the nurse. “She doesn’t have a ride.”
The nurse gives me a professionally sympathetic look. “Might have called a taxi. I don’t really know. Why don’t you call her and ask?”
“I don’t get it. Is she safe? Shouldn’t you keep her here overnight for, I don’t know, observation or something? She almost lost her baby today.”