A sharp knock at the suite door broke the heavy silence. Lucas stood up immediately, leaving Elara’s bedside to find Riven and a man in a white coat waiting in the hallway.
"Boss, the hotel doctor is here," Riven announced, though his voice trailed off as he took in Lucas’s appearance.
Lucas was already in his dark silk pajamas, the top unbuttoned at the collar and his sleeves rolled up to his forearms as if he had been ready for sleep before the chaos began. His expression was dark, his eyes sharp with a protective edge that made Riven straighten his posture.
As Lucas escorted them into Elara’s room, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Elara was still perched on the edge of the bed, wrapped in the hotel robe and the towel Lucas had draped over her. When the doctor—a man in his early thirties with sharp features and a confident air—saw her, his professional mask flickered. A look of clear, visible admiration crossed his face as he took in Elara’s flushed cheeks and the vulnerable way she sat.
Riven’s eyebrows shot up in pure surprise, his gaze darting between the mess in the bathroom and Elara’s state. But it was Lucas who moved first.
Elara was caught completely off guard. Before she could even adjust herself, Lucas stepped directly into the doctor’s line of sight, his large frame acting as a wall. Without asking, his hands reached out. His fingers were steady and deliberate as they grasped the silk ties of her robe.
He didn't just tuck them in; he pulled them tight, his knuckles brushing against her waist as he secured the bow with a firm, proprietary tug. He then meticulously adjusted the towel, tucking it high around her neck so that every inch of her skin was shielded. It was an act of quiet, overwhelming authority—a silent message to the other men in the room that she was under his absolute protection.
Elara felt her heart hammer against her ribs. Seeing Lucas so focused on her—his jaw set and his eyes hard, even in his sleepwear—made her chest tighten. To the doctor, it was a warning; to Elara, it was a dizzying reminder of the man she had stanned for years. She couldn't help but offer a small, shy smile, a detail that didn't escape Riven’s knowing smirk or the doctor’s observant gaze.
"Riven,"
Lucas said, his voice dropping into a register of ice that made Elara shiver.
"I asked for a female doctor, didn't I?"
Riven’s playful expression vanished, and he bowed his head slightly.
"There were no female doctors available on-call tonight, Boss. But we can have housekeeping come up to assist Ms. Elara if she’s uncomfortable."
The young doctor cleared his throat, maintaining a professional smile despite the coldness radiating from Lucas. "I understand the concern. Shall I examine her now?" He stepped forward, his tone polite.
"What happened, and which part is hurt?"
Elara explained the slip and pointed to her throbbing right arm. The doctor took her arm gently, beginning a lymphatic drainage massage with light, rhythmic strokes to help reduce the swelling.
As the doctor worked, Elara’s eyes squeezed shut against the sharp heat of the injury. Lucas didn't just see her pain; he felt it. Beneath his pajama sleeve, the Crimson-Gold seal began to pulse. It didn't take her injury away, but it acted as a mirror. Lucas felt a dull, "stingy" vibration that perfectly matched the rhythm of Elara’s winces.
He wasn't just watching her suffer; he was experiencing a sensory echo of her distress. Lucas leaned in, his eyes fixed on Elara’s face, tracking every flicker of pain. But as the doctor’s hands continued to move over her skin, Lucas’s gaze shifted downward, his eyes narrowing as they tracked every finger that touched her. The temperature in the room seemed to drop under the weight of his stare.
"It appears to be a soft tissue contusion," the doctor finally concluded, stepping back.
"I will prescribe a topical anti-inflammatory gel and a cold compress regimen for the hematoma on the gluteal muscle. Physical examination of that area isn't necessary if there is no sign of fracture."
The doctor wrote out the prescription and, with a friendly smile, leaned in to hand it directly to Elara. Just as her left hand reached out to take it, Lucas’s hand intercepted the paper. He snatched the prescription from the air before she could even touch it. It wasn't just a display of authority; it was a desperate need to take control of the situation and stop the ache vibrating through both of them.
From the back of the room, Riven couldn't help but shake his head, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. Lucas caught the movement and shot his assistant a sharp, warning look.
"You can escort the doctor out now," Lucas commanded.
"Thank you very much, Doc," Elara said softly.
The doctor offered one last smile.
"You're welcome. If anything else is needed, just give us a call. I'm more than glad to help you."
He nodded to Lucas and Riven, then followed Riven out of the room.
The door clicked shut, leaving Elara alone with the man in the silk pajamas who was still holding her prescription as if it were a guarded secret.