Chapter 164: Raised Hand

Her chest rose and fell hard. "I am tired of being afraid of you. I am tired of everybody acting like your temper is some natural disaster we all have to plan our lives around." She pointed directly at Richard’s chest. "You come near me or my husband ever again, and I’m going to make sure the world knows the kind of husband and father you are."

"You ungrateful little—" He drew his hand back.

"You touch her, I break your fingers." Daniel’s voice cut across the room from the doorway.

Naomi turned sharply, just now noticing him.

He had arrived not long after she did, but had stayed far enough back to let her unleash years of buried anger without interfering.

Until Richard raised his hand. That was where Daniel drew the line.

"Who the fuck are you?" Richard demanded.

For all the aggression in his voice, he lowered his hand anyway.

"Naomi?" Daniel called. "Come on. Let’s go. Dorian’s awake."

That got her attention instantly.

Naomi gave Richard one final look. She saw him for what he really was: a man who needed everyone around him to be smaller so he could feel powerful. She stepped back, turned and walked out.

Diana was standing just beyond the study door.

Naomi slowed when she saw her.

There was something different about her aunt’s face.

Shock, yes.

Diana had heard everything. She looked at Naomi like she was seeing her for the first time.

Naomi didn’t have the strength to deal with that too.

Wisely, Diana said nothing.

Daniel walked behind Naomi all the way out of the house.

Neither of them spoke until they reached the driveway.

Then Daniel finally asked, "What he said... is it true?"

Naomi stopped. "What?"

"Dorian is paying you to stay married to him."

Her stomach dropped. "I can’t do this right now."

There were about a hundred questions on his face.

"Yeah, you’re right. I should not be having this discussion with you. Let’s just head back."

"You cannot tell anyone."

"That’s not what we do in this family."

"At least talk to Dorian first," Naomi said.

"Oh... I will."

Naomi already disliked the sound of that. "Daniel—"

"Because I cannot believe he plans on doing this stupid dance with the family once more. And to think we all thought you both are in love."

Naomi lowered her eyes, unlocked the Range Rover and got in without saying anything else.

Daniel remained beside his own car for a moment, waiting.

Waiting for her to turn around and say the marriage might have started one way, but somewhere along the line things had changed.

Waiting for literally anything that would make what he had just heard less ridiculous.

Naomi gave him nothing.

Daniel dragged a hand over his face. "Son of a bitch. Son of a fucking bitch," he muttered as he got into his own car. His wife was going to go berserk.

Lexie had only just accepted Naomi. She was not going to easily take this revelation.

By the time they returned to the hospital, the rest of the Heathcliffe family had already gathered inside Dorian’s room, doing what they always did when one of them got hurt.

Fussing.

Dorian was propped up against the hospital pillows. His torso had been wrapped firmly around the ribs and side where the bat had struck him. There were no open wounds, or anything that matched the horrors Naomi had imagined on the drive over.

There was some angry redness across his chest from the seat belt, and one hand looked swollen and tender.

But he was awake.

Naomi stopped in the doorway.

Dorian looked up.

Their eyes met.

He could have sworn she looked worse than he did.

Her eyes were swollen from crying. Her face was pale. Her hair looked like she had run it through a hurricane.

"Hey..." he said softly.

Naomi swallowed. "You’re okay."

Everyone suddenly found very important reasons to leave the room.

Within seconds, they were alone.

Naomi crossed the room quickly and took Dorian’s hands in hers. "I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry."

Dorian looked completely confused. "Why? What? You had nothing to do with this."

"I should have known." Naomi shook her head. "I should have known Uncle Richard wouldn’t let it go."

Dorian tried to laugh.

Pain caught him immediately, and he stopped with a sharp wince.

"Trust me, your uncle doesn’t have that kind of pull."

"What?" Naomi asked.

"I had a heads-up already," Dorian explained. "I should have been more alert, but I wasn’t. It has nothing to do with you, babe."

Her eyes widened. "Oh shit. Oh shit!"

Dorian frowned. "What?"

"I kind of chewed Uncle Richard’s head off."

Despite the pain, the corner of Dorian’s mouth lifted.

"That’s my girl. But no, this wasn’t him," Dorian continued. "I’ll find out who was behind it soon anyway."

She searched his face, trying to decide whether she believed him.

Arranging an attack like this, placing bounties on his head required connections Whitmore simply did not have. Whoever had put the bounty out had access to people who operated in a very different world.

He would deal with that later.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Sore, but I’ll live. The doctors want to keep me until this afternoon for observation, but the painkillers are quite good. I barely feel anything right now."

Naomi’s gaze moved over the bandaging around his torso. "There’s something else."

Dorian already disliked that introduction. "What?"

"Daniel knows about us." Naomi continued quickly. "About the contract. Uncle Richard said something while we were arguing, and Daniel heard him. I think he’s going to tell everyone."

Dorian closed his eyes. "Ah, fuck." He rubbed his forehead. "That was a conversation I hoped I wouldn’t have to have."

"Well, I’m not so sure your family will be quite as welcoming anymore."

"Do you always expect the worst from people?"

Naomi winced. "It’s kind of my default setting."

"Clearly."

"Sorry." She squeezed his hand gently. "I’ll work on it, I promise."