Forbidden Heat novel Chapter 277

“Her injuries from the fire aren’t as bad as you think. The doctors also think that she will wake up soon. She’s just suffering from shock and there shouldn’t be anything really wrong with her brain,” Zak said as he approached Natalia’s bed and stood next to it.

“I see…” Reiner murmured. He wasn’t exactly relieved.

“I know what you’re thinking and you’re right. The fire wasn’t a mere accident. Edward and I have been investigating with our teams,” Zak said solemnly.

“Arson…” Reiner whispered.

“Yup. I’m convinced that it’s arson, but I don’t have solid proof right now,” Zak said before pressing his lips into a thin line.

“I see…” Reiner said softly.

Both men stood next to each other in silence for a while as they both looked down at Natalia’s partially bandaged face. Their minds filled with their own thoughts and emotions. However, it was Reiner who spoke up first.

“Why did you send me the message?” Reiner asked.

“To save you some time. You would have come to see her sooner or later, so I thought I might as well tell you exactly where she is. Oh, I don’t need thanks,” Zak replied before smiling dazzlingly.

“What do you want, Zak?” Reiner asked, not caring for Zak’s small talk.

Zak’s turned to look straight at Reiner as his golden eyes narrowed calculatingly. As if appraising and judging the man that stood before him, Zak was silent for a few seconds before he nodded as if he had made his decision.

“I want you…to take her away with you,” Zak said simply.

“What?” Reiner exclaimed in shock.

“Can you do that? No wait, will you do that?” Zak asked, his eyes staring deep into Reiner’s.

“No, I won’t,” Reiner replied firmly after a moment of thought.

“Why not?” Zak asked, not understanding.

“Whatever life that she will have with me…won’t be a good one,” Reiner replied bluntly.

“Worst than this one?” Zak asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion before turning to look at Natalia’s unconscious body on the hospital bed.

Reiner didn’t reply as he seemed to deep in thought.

“You’re so stubborn, aren’t you?” Zak said, before chuckling softly.

Zak’s gaze lingered on Natalia’s face as he ran his fingertips along her partially bandaged arm. Reiner watched the sight of Natalia’s unconscious body from where he stood, very close to her bed.

“Her arms are so scrawny, can’t you see? Look at her face. She’s gotten so thin…” Zak said in a small and sad voice as he traced his fingers down Natalia’s arm.

“Edward told me that she hasn’t been eating well…” Reiner said flatly.

“Whose fault do you think that is?” Zak asked before he turned to stare into Reiner’s face.

“She’s the one that asked me to leave,” Reiner said defensively.

“I bet she told you why she did that with the hope that you would choose to stay…but you didn’t. How dare you betray her trust…” Zak hissed through clenched teeth.