The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168

Emma’s POV:

Quinn’s hand hovered near my elbow, not quite touching.

“Come on,” he said quietly. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

I didn’t want food. But Quinn was already steering me toward the elevator, his expression gentle but firm.

The hospital cafeteria was nearly empty at five-thirty on a Friday evening. Quinn guided me to a corner table and returned moments later with a tray: turkey sandwich, apple slices, and hot chocolate in a paper cup.

You need to eat something,” he said, sliding into the seat across from me. “Dr. Prescott would kill me if I let you sit here on an empty stomach for the next four hours.”

My fingers wrapped around the hot chocolate, seeking warmth I didn’t really feel.

I bit into the sandwich mechanically. It tasted like cardboard, or maybe that was just my mouth. My eyes kept drifting to the ceiling, as if I could somehow see through the floors to the operating room above.

“Dr. Prescott has been through situations like this before,” Quinn said carefully. “More times than I can count, honestly. We’re in cardiac surgery -we get the worst cases. The ones nobody else wants to touch.”

He paused. “Family members losing control… it happens. Especially when they’re terrified.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice. My knuckles were white around the paper cup.

“Don’t worry,” Quinn continued, leaning forward slightly, “he really is used to it. I know that doesn’t make it okay, but-

He stopped himself, glancing at my pale face. “Just… please don’t tell him I told you all this. If he knew you were this upset because of what I said, he’d have my head.

“I won’t,” I managed. The

words

out thinner than I meant them to.

Quinn’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then back at me. “I need to check on something in the ICU, Will you be okay here for a few minutes?

“Of course.”

forced what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Go.”

The moment he left, the smile fell away. I stared at the half-eaten sandwich, at the cooling chocolate, at my reflection in the dark window

My chest ached.

I pulled out my phone, checking the time, six-fifteen.

Daniel, standing the

Chapter 168

The image wouldn’t leave my mind. He’d need clean clothes after the surgery. Something comfortable. Something that wasn’t stained and ruined.

I could do something useful instead of just sitting here, drowning in worry.

The Uber ride back to Beacon Hill took twenty minutes.

The house was dark when I arrived. I opened Daniel’s closet. His clothes hung in neat rows, organized by color and season.

Everything about this space was orderly, controlled, just like him.

Except when he was with me. Then sometimes that control slipped, just a little.

I selected a light blue shirt. Soft, broken-in cotton that would be comfortable after hours in surgical scrubs. A pair of dark gray dress pants. His black cashmere overcoat.

The drive back to Mass General took longer than the trip home had. Traffic had thickened, and I found myself tapping my fingers against my

thigh, impatient with every red light.

Quinn was waiting in the surgical wing lobby when I approached him. His eyes widened when he saw the garment bag.

“You went home?”

“He’ll need clean clothes,” I said simply.

Something shifted in Quinn’s expression-surprise giving way to understanding. He called over a young resident, a tired-looking man with kind eyes, and handed him the bag.

“Take this to the surgical locker room,” Quinn instructed. “Make sure it gets to Dr. Prescott’s locker.”

“Yes, Dr. Chen.”

I watched the resident disappear down the corridor, then turned to Quinn.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. “For telling me everything. Daniel never really talks about…about the difficult parts of his work.”

Quinn’s ears turned slightly pink. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I probably said too much,” he admitted. “But I just-” He paused, meeting my eyes. “As long as you two are okay. That’s what matters.”

The sincerity in his voice made my throat tight. “We will be,” I said softly.

He nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer. “His office is unlocked. You can wait there if you want. I’ll text you when the surgery finishing up.”

The Forbidden Throb