Chapter 74
reston’s hands wrapped tightly around Georgia’s throat, his fingers digging into the delicate skin beneath her jaw. His teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached, and slowly, deliberately, he began to tighten his grip, squeezing with a cold, calculated force. Inside his mind, a ruthless voice whispered, Just a little more pressure, and I can end this woman–this weakness that twists my emotions like a storm. If I silence her, I won’t be a slave to her influence anymore. I won’t be driven to reckless acts, like racing through the night to the hospital for her. Not even Giselle ever earned such mercy
That brutal, selfish logic consumed him, drowning out the warmth he once felt. His fingers pressed deeper against her throat as if trying to strangle away the chaos she stirred inside him.
Even in her coma, Georgia writhed in agony. Her body curled into a tight, protective ball as pain crept through her every nerve. Preston’s sharp eyes caught every bead of sweat glistening on her pale forehead, illuminated by the soft amber glow of the bedside lamp. The cold sheen on her skin made her seem all the more fragile, a living ghost bound in torment.
Suddenly, a flicker of mercy broke through the hard edge of his resolve. His fingers loosened in an instant, releasing their hold as if all his strength had been sapped away. His hands fell to the bed’s edge, trembling slightly as he took two ragged breaths, fighting to steady himself
Preston glanced back up just in time to see Georgia twisting restlessly on the mattress, her body wracked by relentless pain. Her movements were violent and desperate, each twist and turn tugging sharply at the needle embedded in the back of her hand. The IV line pulsed erratically as blood rushed backward along the tube, threatening to undo the delicate
balance of her treatment.
There was no other option.
He reached for her trembling hand, seizing it firmly and pressing his body against hers to pin her down. Trapped beneath his weight, Georgia could no longer move freely, but her lips continued to part in agonized murmurs–silent screams of suffering without a single word spoken aloud.
Her groans cut through the heavy air, full of to Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading!e never begged. She never cried out for relief.
“Wake up! Wake up!” Preston snapped, slapping her face harshly. “Hey! Wake up! How long are you going to sleep?”
Georgia’s eyelids fluttered open, glassy and unfocused. The cruel wave of pain hit her like a tidal force, sharp and unrelenting. Her teeth clenched tight, grinding against one another to hold back a scream.
“What’s wrong with you?” Preston demanded, his eyes namowing with thinly veiled irritation.
“Why am I here?” Georgia’s voice was weak but clear, laced with confusion and the raw edge of vulnerability.
Preston’s gaze sharpened as he met hers. “What do you think? What did I tell you? Don’t go back to work until you’re fully recovered. You passed out at work and caused me a lot of trouble.”
“I’m sorry,” Georgia whispered, wincing as pain radiated through her body like fire. Her eyes widened involuntarily, overwhelmed by the unbearable torment.
The agony threatened to consume her. Yet amid the crashing thunder and flashes of lightning outside, Georgia clung to her sanity. She knew Preston was still watching, still waiting.
She refused to let him see her as fragile or broken. Not like this.
But the pain in her waist twisted deeper, shooting like a white–hot dagger through her legs and gnawing at the very marrow of her bones. She had believed herself hardened to it, but now the suffering felt sharper than ever before.
Without thinking, she bit down hard on her lip until blood welled and trickled down the corner of her mouth.
Preston noticed immediately. His eyes darkened, and without warning, he pried her mouth open and shoved part of his arm inside. The sharp metallic tang of his blood flooded her mouth.
“If it hurts that much,” he murmured low and gravelly, “bite me.”
Georgia blinked, startled by the cold, unreadable expression on his face. Then, driven by a reckless surge of frustration and pain, she sank her teeth into his arm with fierce resolve.
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Preston’s brow furrowed, but he did not pull away. Instead, he stayed still, silently allowing her to do so.
She didn’t understand why she bit him. Maybe it was anger, or a desperate need to mark the only thing she could control The taste of salt and iron filled her mouth, mingling with tears she hadn’t even realized were falling
Preston’s gaze
to the moment.
softened just a fraction as he pressed his weight down on her. Georgia closed her eyes, surrendering briefly
Minutes passed like a fragile thread unspooling. At last, her taut expression slackened, pain dimming to a dull ache, Preston rose smoothly and moved to withdraw the IV needle from her hand.
“Get up.” he said with indifferent authority. “How long do you plan to stay here? Go back where you belong.”
Georgia lowered her head, gathering her strength. She pushed herself upright and swung her legs over the bed’s edge, bracing for the effort it took to stand
Preston tossed a pair of slippers at her feet. They were large–obviously his–and finely made, their soft leather a stark contrast to her worn shoes.
She looked down in confusion. “Where are my shoes?”
Preston crossed his arms and sneered, his voice sharp with disdain. “What did I tell you? You ignored your body and came to work anyway, collapsing in Charlotte’s office. The company had to call a doctor to put you on a drip.”
“But where are my shoes?” Georgia’s voice held genuine puzzlement, unaware how her question seemed so trivial to him.
“As I said, you passed out at Charlotte’s office. You didn’t think I’d carry you to my bedroom and summon a doctor, did you?”
“Was it Charlotte?”
“She was kind enough to call the doctor,” Preston said coldly. “You were getting fluids in her office, but having an employee lying there wasn’t good for her reputation. So, we brought you here. This was the better option.”
Preston surprised himself by speaking more than usual today, the words spilling out before he even realized.
“You didn’t think I took you in out of kindness, did you?” he added with a harsh edge.
Georgia knew all too well how much he resented her.
“Thank you, Mr. Hill. And I’m sorry,” she whispered, voice fragile but sincere.
Preston’s irritation flared anew at her constant apologies and gratitude. He thought bitterly, If this was Mason or Dominic, she’d be throwing herself at them by now.
That thought reignited a fire in him, a bitter jealousy that refused to die.
Without warning, Preston’s arms encircled Georgia. His hands, blazing with heat, pressed firmly against her waist.
Her eyes flew wide, stunned by the sudden intimacy.
“Georgia, tell me,” he demanded, voice low but fierce, “How did Dominic know you had a serious injury here? How did he know you didn’t have a wolf?”
Her breath caught in her throat. Preston’s words spun around her mind like a dizzying whirlwind, stealing her clarity.
“Tell me!” Preston shouted, fury breaking through his restraint.
Georgia froze, stunned and overwhelmed, caught in the storm of his wrath.
