Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 168

He got out of bed, pulled a fresh shirt from the closet, and began buttoning it up. "Skip work today. Stay home and rest."

"I can't. Leo has a recording session today."

"I'll have Grant keep an eye on him. I guarantee he won't step out of line."

Nora frowned. "Grant? Is he up for it?"

"He used to run Starlight Entertainment. What do you think?"

"..."

She'd rather not think about it.

Hudson finished his last button and turned to her, a teasing smirk on his lips. "Besides, do you really think you can go into the office looking like that?"

Nora glanced down at the violent love bites covering her chest, then at her battered feet. She remained silent for a full two seconds.

"Fine."

...

When Hudson stepped out of the bedroom, Arthur was waiting in the hall.

"Boss, breakfast is served."

Hudson gave a curt nod, not breaking his stride. "Have someone pick up some bruising ointment. The strongest stuff they have."

Arthur blinked in confusion. "Who got hurt?"

Hudson shot him a sideways glare.

The look was completely deadpan, but Arthur immediately shut his mouth and nodded rapidly. "Right away, sir."

Nora sat in the bedroom for a long time before she gingerly pushed the covers aside.

The second her soles touched the carpet, a dull throb radiated from the top of her feet. Leaning heavily on the nightstand to steady herself, she hobbled toward the bathroom.

The reflection in the mirror was disastrous.

From her collarbones down, she was covered in dark red blotches.

Looking down, her feet were even worse. The broken blood vessels had blossomed into massive splotches of purple and blue against her fair skin.

Startled, she instinctively threw her arms around his neck, before quickly letting go and pushing against his chest.

He ignored her protests, depositing her exactly where he had just been sitting before dropping to one knee in front of her.

He uncapped a tube of ointment, squeezed a dab onto his fingertips, and gently rested her foot on his thigh.

Nora flinched.

"Hold still."

She bit her lip and stopped fighting him.

Hudson leaned forward, his medicated fingers gently tracing the bruised skin on the top of her foot.

The ointment was thick and white.

The slippery friction...

It felt exactly like last night.

Nora's toes curled involuntarily.