More Than Forever (Providence Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

her trust fund.” He stopped talking for a minute and then put his fingers under my chin and tilted my face up to look at him. “I swear, nothing ever happened between us. Nothing,” he stressed firmly, never losing eye contact with me. 
    I was struggling to process what he’d told me. I understood his plan and what he’d been trying to achieve, but again what it seemed he was saying was that I meant that little to him that he would continue with the charade even after we’d got together.
     
    He’d promised me that he wouldn’t ever hurt me again, he’d also lied to me when he went to meet her to attend functions.
     
    “You promised,” I whispered.
     
    “Baby, that was the last event that I met her for. I told her that the deal was off and that I wouldn’t be meeting her for any more public appearances. She wasn't happy, but I made it clear I was done.”
    The image of a photograph of that last event came into my head and I almost fell trying to get off his lap as quickly as I could, trying not to pull the IV out of the back of my hand at the same time.  
     
    “The last function? The one at the Bombere Release? Is that the one you’re talking about?” I couldn’t move far from the bed, but I put as much distance between us as the damn tube attached to the needle in the back of my hand would let me. “The one where you’re kissing? Is that it?” 
    “No!” The vehemence in his voice shocked the hell out of me. “I wasn’t kissing her. She went to kiss me, and the photograph was taken just as I realized how close she was to me and pulled back. I swear to God.” He closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling and I took in how tired he looked. Letting out his breath, he lowered his head back down and opened his eyes. “Isla, I swear to God that I didn’t touch her, nor would I ever have. I love you .” 
    He looked so vulnerable and exhausted at that moment that I couldn’t help backing down from the fight, for now. That is if he was even sticking around. 
    “You need to sleep, Luke. And have you seen a doctor to make sure that you’re okay and haven’t over done it?” I changed the subject, needing time to think over what he was saying. Kendal had described everything in such graphic detail that I wasn’t sure who was telling the truth, and, well, photographs don't lie. On that thought, I remembered the photographs that that psychotic bitch and her friends had made and showed us in Piersville; okay, so sometimes photographs lied. These were official press photographs of events, though, so they couldn’t lie. I also knew that I couldn’t fully trust him. Twice I’d given him a chance and twice he’d broken my heart, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever open myself to him again. 
    “Being with you is what I need,” he grumbled, as he rubbed his temples. Taking in how his mouth was pinched, I knew he was in more pain than he’d admit to. “Either you go to your hotel or I call a doctor in Luke, the choice is yours!” 
    Locked in a standoff and a test of wills as we glared at each other, neither of us realized that we had company until the nurse Jennifer cleared her throat. 
    “Well, Miss. Banks, Dr. Ng has agreed that you can be released under the care of your private physician. He’s organized for you to be visited at your hotel twice a day to monitor your ketone levels and assess the nausea. The IV will stay in for a further twenty-four hours and a nurse will come to check on it in between visits from the physician. Here are your discharge notes and some anti-nausea pills that we suggest you take regularly to make sure that we keep on top of the vomiting,” she reeled off more instructions as she handed a bag with my medications and pre-natal vitamins in it to Luke and then placed a folder onto the bed. “Give that to the physician; it’s your notes.” 
    “But you said I had to stay in for a couple of days?” I was confused why they were suddenly letting me go. “Is it