'I Do' For Revenge
Chapter 194: Bait Henry
CHAPTER 194: BAIT HENRY
~LAYLA~
The amount of relief that flooded my bloodstream made me hold on to something for support. "I’m on my way," I choked out.
I hung up and looked at Tye. "Axel?"
"He’s awake," I said, a sob breaking through the steel armour I’d been wearing for twenty-four hours. "Tye, he’s awake."
Tye actually smil ed a real, relieved sm ile that transformed his scarred face. "Then let’s go get the boss."
—
The drive back to the hospital felt like it too k three seco nds and a hundred years all at once.
Tye handed Helena off to a tact ical team in a black SUV halfway there, and then we tore through traffic, ignoring speed limits a nd red lights.
When we hit the hospital floor, I didn’t wait for Tye. I ran to wards the elevator, frantically pus hing the buttons.
As I burst th rough the ICU doors, the nurses didn’t stop me this time; they probably saw the desperation in my eyes and stepp ed asid e.
The room was quietm and the terrifying rhythm of the ventilator was gone.
Axel was lying on his side, his body wa s supported by pillows to keep his spine straight. He looked pale, his face drawn and bruised, dark circles under his eyes contrasting sharply with the white sheets. But his eyes were open.
They w ere hazy with pain medication, slow to track movement, but they were him.
"Layla," he rasped. His voice sounded weak and dry.
"Axel."
I rushed to th e side of the bed, grabbing his hand where it re sted on the sheet. It squeezed back... weakly, but he squeezed.
I collapsed into t he chair, burying m y face in the edge of the mattress near his shoulder, terrified to touch him anywh ere else for fear of hurting him. I breathed in the scent of antiseptic and... Axel.
"You’re okay," I sobbed, the words muffled against the linen. "You’re okay."
"Are you hurt?" he whispered in a barel y audible v oice. "Did the blast... did it get you?"
" I’m f ine," I said, lifting my head to lo ok at him . "I’m perfectly fine. You shielded me, remember? You threw yourself over me and took all of it. Yo u idiot."
"Good," he bre ath ed out. "That’s good."
"Good? A xel, you have a fractured spine. You could have di ed."
"But you’re fine," he said simply, as if that expl ained everyt hing. "So it was worth it."
I let out a sound that was half-laugh , half-sob. "Now is not the time for jokes. I was scared, Axel. I tho ught I’d lost you."
"I... heard you," he whispered, his thumb twitching against my knuckles. "In the dark. You said... you held the line."
I pulled back, wiping my face with my palms, trying to compose myself. "I did. I tried. But God, Axel... it’s been a nightmare. The b uil ding... the Board..."
Axel tried to shift, a grimace of p ain twisting his features. He stopped, breathing through his teeth. "Tell me. Is the company...?"
"Don’t," I said, put ting a gentle hand on h is arm to stop him. "Don’t worry about the company. You just woke up, Axel. You need to focus on breath in g. You need to focus on staying with me."
"Layla," he pr essed, his eyes struggling to focus o n mine. "Henry. Wh er e is... Henry?"
The name made my blood ru n cold, but I forced a smile ont o my face.
"Handled," I lied soft ly. "Everything is being handled. Tye is securing the assets. The Board is under co ntrol."
He studied me. Even drugged and broken, he knew me. He saw the tension in my jaw, the shadow behind my eyes.
"You’re... plotting," he murmured, his eyelids d rooping. "I know that look. You have... your war paint on."
I let out a wet laugh, stroking his hair back from his f orehead. "I learned from the best."
"Be careful," he whispered, his grip on my hand fading as exhaustion pulled him back under. "Don’t let them break you."
"They won’t," I promised, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Sleep, Axel. Just sleep. When you wake up again, the storm will be over."
I watched him for another min ute until h is breathing evened ou t a nd the monitor showed a steady, restful heart rate.
Then, I stood up.
Th e softness left my body the moment I tur ned aw ay from the bed. I walked out of the ICU and closed the door behind me with a quie t click.
Tye was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked at my face and straight ened up immediately.
" How is he?"
"Weak," I sa id. "But he’s in there. He’s f ighting."
I looked at the hard drive Tye was holdi ng. The evidence of ninety million dollars stolen. The evidence that would end Henry Porter and Ch arles’ life a s he knew it.
"H e’s safe for now," I said. "Which means I can go to work."
"What’s the play, b oss?" Tye asked.
I pulled out my phone. It was time to set the stage.
"I’m going to call Henry," I s aid. "And I’m going to invite him for a meeting."
Tye raised an eyebrow. "A meeting?"
"I’m going to tell him I’m done. That I’m scared. That I want to sign everything over to him to handle while I focus on getting Axel back on his feet. Maybe Switzerland for treatment. Something that sounds desperate and defeated."
Tye’s eyes narrowed as he caught on. "You’re baiting him."
"I’ m giving him exactly what he wants," I said. "Or what h e think s he wants. He’s been circling like a vulture, waiting for me to crack. So I’m going to c rack. I’m go ing to fall apart right in fro nt of him."
"And then?"
"And then," I said, reaching into my pocket for my phone. "I’m going to invite the other party."
"Marco," Tye real ized.
"Marc o wants his money," I said . "So I’m going to put them in the same room, lock t he door, and let them figure out who owes who."
Tye let out a low whistle. "That’s dangerous. Marco doesn’t negotiate when he’s been cro ssed. He exec utes."
"I know, " I said calmly. "That’s the point."
"When?"
"Tonight," I said.