Chapter 190 A Forceful Kiss
Austin seemed to loathe the idea of the hospital, furrowing his brow, "It's just a flesh wound. Some ointment and a few days rest, and I'll be fine; no need for a hospital."
As the pair approached the elevator, Stella emerged with her friend, supporting Zachary Bailey. When paths crossed, Stella huffed arrogantly and turned her head away.
‘Barely divorced and already messing around with another man, utterly shameless. She must be doing it on purpose to make Mr. Bailey jealous,’ Stella thought.
Winona was baffled by the cold hum. Had she gone insane after not drowning in that jump into the river?
Both groups entered the elevator, and Winona hit the button for the first floor.
Stella had contemplated getting a room upstairs, but her father had advised that men dislike women who are too easy, even if nothing happened. Just being in a hotel room could give off the wrong impression.
The problem with Winona Sullivan was that she stood out too much, and although she wanted to kick them out directly, her lover looked like trouble. His hair was cropped short, his features sharp and cold, giving him that devil-may-care look of a thug, maybe even a convict just released from prison.
Reaching the lobby, Stella supported a drunken Zachary Bailey out of the elevator first, only to be stopped in their tracks by Samuel Anderson's bodyguard.
Zachary, in his inebriated state, was dead weight. Even with help, Stella had struggled to get him downstairs, and now they were being confronted. Her haughtiness as the heiress came to the fore as she barked at the bodyguard, "Are you insane? Why are you blocking our way?"
The bodyguard kept a poker face, sticking to protocol, "Mr. Anderson has given orders, no one except Mrs. Sullivan is allowed to take Mr. Bailey through these doors."
Winona Sullivan was speechless.
Did she just get saddled with this mess?
Austin, hurrying Winona along toward the exit, urged, "Let's make a quick getaway before they try to pin anything more on us."
Although Austin had driven there, he’d had some drinks and couldn't get behind the wheel now, so he handed the car keys to Winona. Just as they settled into the car, ready to take off, the rear door was yanked open.
The bodyguard propped Zachary into the back seat and buckled him in. "Mrs. Sullivan, Mr. Bailey is now your responsibility."
Without another word, he shut the car door, turned, and walked away. He didn't run, but with the long strides typical of bodyguards, he was sitting in another vehicle in the blink of an eye.
Faster than a rabbit!
Austin started to roll up his sleeves, ready to reach for the car door to toss the man out, but Winona was quicker, locking the doors firmly, "Just sit there and behave."
If she really left Zachary there and he got robbed, or worse, froze or choked to death, Anthony Lewis would sue her into a life behind bars.
She maneuvered the car out of the parking spot and onto the main street.
Austin, who was nursing injuries and couldn't lean back comfortably, felt light-headed from the drink. He sat stiffly, silently cursing his discomfort.
Yet in front of Winona, he still tried to maintain some semblance of decorum.
After driving for a bit, Austin, with his blurring vision, took a careful look at the passing streets and frowned, "Aren't we going to your place?"
He was drunk and injured; she couldn't possibly intend to send him back, could she?
Hmm, did she even know where he lived?
Winona Sullivan sighed. "Fine."
"Where to then? I'm smashed, and it'd be damn dangerous to leave me alone..."
Winona Sullivan, annoyed, replied, "Let's get a room."
"Sounds good to me. But why drag Zachary Bailey along as a third wheel? Find a crowded spot, pull over, and I'll dump him."
Silence filled the car.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of the hospital. Winona nudged the tipsy Austin, "Get out, we're here."
Austin stumbled out of the car, still hungover with thoughts of getting a room. Seeing Winona going to open the back door, he walked over and slung an arm around her shoulder, "Leave him in the car, let's crash."
Winona pushed at Zachary Bailey, who was as unresponsive as a dead pig, too heavy for her to move alone, so she headed into the E.R. for help.
Medical staff emerged, placing both men on stretchers. Austin, being loaded in, asked, "Not bad service for a hotel. What's its name?"
The doctor didn't respond.
Winona just shook her head.
While cleaning his wounds, Austin finally sobered up enough to notice the bloodstained gauze and array of forceps in the tray beside him. The pain from his back made him almost jump up, "What the hell, I thought we were booking a room. How did we end up in the hospital?"
Seated nearby, Winona replied half-heartedly, "We'll get that room after patching you up."
Twenty minutes later, Austin lay on the hospital bed, staring blankly at the floor. His back was injured; he could only lie on his stomach or side. He didn't look at Winona on the cot beside him, his voice drained of hope, "Is this what you called getting a room?"
"There's a bed and a bathroom; isn't that technically a room?"
"I'd be thrilled if it was just you and me, even in a hospital bed, but why is Zachary Bailey here?"
Before Winona could answer, Zachary Bailey in the next bed began to groan in discomfort. He had been lying flat, but now was curled up almost on his stomach, his hand pressed to his abdomen, his brows furrowed tightly.
Winona kicked Austin's hospital bed. "Your mess. You got him drunk. Go check on him."
Austin couldn't care less if Zachary suffered; he even suspected foul play, "He's faking it for sure. The bastard’s crafty. For all we know, he might outlive those centuries-old turtles in the sea."
Winona Sullivan snapped at him, "Move it, the nurse said you can't puke in bed or you'll have to pay for it."
Reluctantly, Austin dragged himself up and with a superior look, glanced over, "It's nothing, probably just dreaming about his mama. Look at him, curled up like he's back in the womb."
Zachary Bailey's lips twitched, unclear whether he was trying to speak or vomit. Winona got up and approached; she pressed the call button at the bedside before leaning in to check on him. The doctor had said he had drunk a little too much and needed constant observation.
But as she got closer, Zachary's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed intently on her.
Winona Sullivan jumped back in shock, involuntarily jerking her head back, but Zachary seized the back of her head and kissed her fiercely…
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