Chapter 149: perfect timing

Tom looked quietly at Josie in awe as she smoothed her outfit back into place.

A moment ago she had been on the desk, moaning and completely broken out of composure. Now she was pulling down her clothes with careful hands, fixing the outer image of herself one motion at a time until the woman in front of him looked closer to a CEO again than to the one he had just taken apart. The contrast seemed kind of surreal.

When she noticed him staring, she cleared her throat.

"Uhn... Hi?" She cocked her head, demanding silently that he said whatever he had in mind. Tom let out a small chuckle and shook his head. Josie shrugged slightly and went back to her thing.

Tom kept the smile on his face as he zipped his trousers, afterwards he bent to gather the used condoms. He found the waste bin near the side of the desk and was about to drop them in when Josie shook her head at once.

"No. Not here. That would be like broadcasting to everyone that I just did that kind of thing in my office." she said.

Tom’s mouth curved in amusement. "Understood. I’ll dispose of them properly." he assured her.

Josie nodded, now, her hands were in her hair, smoothing it in place even though they weren’t disturbed by the way.

"I should get back to my room and rest," he added with a naughty wink, "Doctor’s orders."

Josie let out a small breath of amusement. "Yeah. You should do that."

"I’ll keep in touch." he said.

She nodded firmly.

Tom sealed the used condoms into their packaging as best he could, pushed them into his pocket with the unused strip, and gave her office one last glance before walking out. He could see the desk still carried the memory of what had happened there and he was certain that Josie would definitely ensure it was rid of every evidence before she left the room.

He smiled at that attitude of hers as he walked away.

~~~~~~~~~

When Tom returned to his hospital room, he found Sienna and Bree already waiting. They were both standing, waiting... Sienna was standing by the window while Bree was standing

The sight stopped him for half a second in the doorway. He had not expected either of them this soon.

"How did you know?" he asked.

Bree answered first;

"It was posted on social media. Someone filmed the scene."

Tom shook his head in part wonder, part annoyance, and stepped fully inside. "People film everything these days."

Sienna had not spoken yet. She was simply looking at him, her eyes moving over his face and body as if confirming it was really him and not his ghost. The shock in her expression was open enough that she made no attempt to hide it. Whatever she had seen in that video had clearly dealt a blow on her emotions than a distant news item.

Meanwhile, Bree looked at him and studied him well...

"You look alright. Do you feel okay?" she asked.

"I’m fine in every sense," Tom said. "It was mostly shock and panic. The doctor only wanted to make sure I stabilized." Tom replied.

Bree nodded, accepting the medical summary with the same efficiency she brought to schedules and club reports. After the short exchange, Tom’s attention shifted fully to Sienna.

"Hi," he said.

Sienna looked up at the sound of his voice, then walked straight to him and did the unexpected...

She pulled him into a hug. The contact was sudden and tight. She locked her arms around him with none of the careful distance she usually maintained in public, rested her head on his check and for a moment Tom stood still, caught off guard by the force of it.

"I was so scared when I saw the video," Sienna said against him quietly. "It could have been worse. It could have been worse...oh God."

The words carried real fear. It didn’t look like a contract performance arranged for an audience. It was exactly like the reaction panic of someone who had watched a trailer fill a screen and imagined the ending going the other way.

Tom did not know what to do with the hug at first. Then, gradually, his body settled into it. He lifted a hand to her back and, over her shoulder, he signaled Bree to give them the room.

Bree understood immediately and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

The moment they were alone, Tom lowered his voice.

"You can drop the acting now," he said quietly. "Nobody’s watching."

Sienna stiffened in his arms.

She pulled back at once and looked up at him, the softness of the hug already hardening into a sharper expression. The glare that followed was immediate. Her teeth pressed together as if the accusation itself had struck a nerve too close to the truth she did not want examined.

But before she could say anything in response, the door opened again.

Stella walked in elegantly, looking elegant from head to heel, making the hospital corridor seeming to fall into order around her presence alone.

Sienna’s frown deepened the moment she saw her. She looked from Stella to Tom, searched his face for something she did not name, then drew in a heavy breath. Without another word, she walked out of the room.

Stella watched her leave in silence. Only when the door settled shut again did she turn fully to Tom.

"Was I interrupting anything?" she asked.

Tom shook his head. "No. You weren’t interrupting anything."

Stella’s eyes moved over him once, assessing, residual concern still present beneath the elegance. "How are you feeling?"

"Perfect."

"Good." A small measure of relief eased through her expression. "I’m here to take you home."

Tom looked at her for a second, the day arranging itself again around the woman who had sent the rescue that kept him alive.

"Perfect timing. I needed you." he said bluntly.

Surprise flickered across Stella’s face first. Then a knowing happiness spread under the surprise, it wasn’t that obvious but it was there, as if those three words had reached further than the hospital room around them.