Page 70 of The Stalking King

My chest tightens. “Yeah?”

“Something bad happened. Here, inside the hospital. Somebody was giving him medication they shouldn’t have. I think they were trying to kill him.”

“What?”

“You need to take a look. I know you’re sick, but can you get here, please?”

“Uh—I think so. Maybe.”

Crap!

I hang up, then quickly get dressed. Just like with the townhouse, Maksim’s people have already transferred my belongings. I text Maksim.

Lia: I need to go to the hospital. There’s something fishy going on.

He replies right away.

Maksim: That’s out of the question.

Lia: I’m not your prisoner!

I leave the mansion, walking across the ample grounds of the estate. I didn’t have time to take it all in yesterday. Long green lawns. A glittering fountain. Tall trees. A tennis court.

At the main gate, a tall, hard-faced man approaches me. “Ma’am?” he says.

“I need somebody to take me into the city.”

He frowns. “Mr. Volkov has given strict instructions.”

I think of that poor boy, his freckles, how much he looked like Evan.

Turning away, I take out my phone to call Maksim. But then I spot Nikolai striding across the lawn with purposeful steps. From this distance, he looks similar to his brother. It’s only up close, when I see the tattoos and the lighter hair, that he seems more baby-faced.

“What’s going on?” he demands.

I tell him quickly.

Nikolai frowns over my shoulder at the man. “This is clearly important to her, Sergei,” he grunts. “And Maksim has given me discretion on estate security.”

“He has?”

Nikolai narrows his eyes, then slowly approaches the man. “Did you just question my authority?”

Sergei swallows. “No, sir.”

“I’ll take her myself,” Nikolai says. “Come on, Lia.”

I rush to his side, not letting myself think too deeply about it. All I know is that I need to get to the hospital and figure out what Joel’s talking about. I can’t imagine who would dare to harm a patient. I can’t think how they’d even do it without being caught. I need to get to the bottom of this.

In the car, I sit in the passenger seat, my arms crossed over my middle. Nikolai pulls up to the gate and lowers the window. “Open that,” he snaps.

“We need to arrange security,” Sergei says defensively.

“Who do you think I am?” Nikolai snaps, and I imagine him as my future brother-in-law for one fleeting moment. He’s behaving protectively, urgently, advocating for me and what I want. I appreciate it. “My own men are waiting in the woods for me. Don’t question me again.”

I take out my phone, texting Maksim.

Lia: I know you said I had to stay, but Nikolai is here and he said it’s safe for me to go. He’s taking me into the city. He’s not going to let anything happen to me.