TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 99

CHAPTER 67: RAYANA’S TRADE–2

“She didn’t see them clearly, I say, which is technically true. “Wrong place, wrong time.”

Knox’s jaw tightens but he accepts this. “Dr. Patel says she needs to stay put for at least two days. I’ve arranged for around–the–clock monitoring at the resort clinic.”

“She’s staying here,” I hear myself say. “In the penthouse. Not… Not the medical wing.”

Knox’s eyes snap to mine. “Here?”

“She’s not safe in her own room. Whoever attacked her might try again. I’m using his own logic against him and we both know it. “Here she’s protected. Here we can control who has access.”

“Absolutely not.” His voice is flat, final. “She’s not recovering in our home, Ember. I’ll double the guards at

the clinic. Triple them if necessary. But she’s not staying here.”

“Knox-”

“Did she say something to you?” He takes a step toward the bed, his focus shifting to Rayana with barely

contained hostility. “Did she threaten you? Manipulate you into this?”

Rayana opens her mouth to respond but Knox is already moving, his hand reaching toward the IV stand like he’s considering ripping the tubes out himself and dragging answers from her by force.

“Knox, stop.” I grab his arm, pulling him back. “She didn’t threaten me. This was my idea.”

“Your idea.” He turns that cold fury on me now, and I have to fight not to flinch. “Two days ago you couldn’t

stand being in the same room as her. Now you want her sleeping down the hall from us? What changed?”

Everything. Nothing. I can’t explain without revealing the license plate, without admitting I made a deal

with the woman he used to love while he was busy trying to protect us both.

“The Summit ends today,” I say, grasping for anything that might land. “Tomorrow at most. And Dr. Patel

said forty–eight hours. That’s it. Two days and she’s healed enough to leave, and then she’s out of our hair for good.”

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“Two days of her in our space. In our home. Do you even understand who this woman is? After everything

she’s-”

“I know.” My voice cracks slightly. “I know, okay? But she’s hurt and she’s scared and whoever did this to

her is still out there and I just… I couldn’t leave her alone in some sterile clinic room waiting to see if they’d come back to finish the job.”

Knox stares at me like he’s trying to see through to whatever I’m not telling him. The silence stretches in the most uncomfortable ways.

“How unexpectedly tender of you, Ember,” Rayana murmurs from the bed with that sweetly rehearsed voice. “I didn’t realize you cared so deeply about my wellbeing. Perhaps we’ll become friends after all. We

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eould braid each other’s hair. Share secrets about Knox’s preferences in the bedroom. Compare notes.”

“We both turn to glare at her.

“Shut up,” I say.

“Immediately,” Knox adds.

Rayana smiles and mimes zipping her lips closed, but her eyes are dancing with amusement. Even bleeding and drugged, she can’t help herself.

Knox turns back to me, some of the sharp fury fading into exhaustion.

“Two days,” he says finally. “The second Dr. Patel clears her for travel, she’s gone. And I’m posting guards outside the door anyway.”

“Thank you,” Rayana murmurs, and even now she manages to make it sound intimate.

Knox doesn’t respond to her. He’s still looking at me with an expression I can’t quite read. Then he touches

my elbow gently.

“Can I talk to you outside?”

We step into the hallway and he closes the door most of the way behind us. The blood trail across the

marble has already been cleaned. Resort workers, probably. Efficient as always.

“Are you okay?” Knox asks quietly.

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