Chapter 12

• “Ugh!” Ivy winced, pain shooting through her body and dragging a groan from her lips. Her eyes snapped open. Something didn’t feel right—no, everything felt wrong. And then—“AAAH!”
• “I’m sorry, Miss Kim!” came a startled voice.
• “Who are you?!” Ivy shot up, her instinct kicking in fast. Her hands fumbled for the blanket, pulling it tight over her chest like armor. What the hell—how had someone gotten into her room?
• “I’m Dr. Lee. Mr. Miller asked me to come and treat your injuries,” the man said calmly. “Your wounds are quite—”
• “No, thank you—” Ivy cut him off, her voice sharp and her body inching backward, eyeing him like a cornered animal.
• “Sit down,” Josh's voice sliced through the tension, calm but with a steel edge. “Just do your job, Dr. Lee.”
• Ivy’s head whipped toward him. He was sitting near the bed, legs crossed, looking deceptively relaxed—except for his eyes. His eyes were anything but calm.
• “How long have you been there?” she snapped.
• “Can we let the doctor finish first?” Josh countered coolly. “Your back still needs to be treated.”
• Ivy eyes widened. “My... back?”
• “Yes,” Josh ground out, jaw clenched. “What the hell were you doing to end up with bruises all over your back, Ivy?”
• That made her freeze. Only now did she notice the sting across her skin, the dull throb pulsing beneath the bandages. Her left arm was wrapped, and there were gauze patches she hadn’t even felt before. Even her clothes had changed—she was in different sleepwear now.
• Her gaze shot at Josh. Did he... change my clothes?
• Dr. Lee, trying to remain professional, gently prompted, “Miss Kim, please sit. I still need to treat your back.”
• “I don’t—”
• “Can you stop arguing for once?” Josh snapped, his tone sharp with frustration.
• “What does it have to do with you?” Ivy snapped back, fuming. “I can take care of myself.”
• “Oh, really?” Josh stood now, fully fed up. “You think I just left you for hours? I barely stepped away, Ivy—and when I came back, you were in the middle of a damn brawl!”
• She scowled, clearly not in the mood to be lectured, especially while in pain.
• Josh folded his arms. “Would you rather I drag you to the hospital?”
• Ivy met his gaze, stubborn and unyielding.
• “Sit. Now,” Josh commanded, his voice dropping low and lethal.
• “No.” Ivy refused to back down.
• But Josh was never the type to take no for an answer. He rose from his seat, closing the distance between them with long, determined strides, making Ivy’s eyes widen in disbelief.
• “Josh.” She instinctively stepped back. “Listen, I appreciate your concern, but this is just... weird.” She motioned toward the doctor. “Why is there a private doctor in my room?”
• Josh said nothing.
• “And Danny,” she continued, “he said you assigned him to watch over me. Why? I’m perfectly capable of grocery shopping by myself.”
• She knew Josh was stubborn, but this? This bordered on obsession. And yet, he didn’t stop. He kept moving forward, forcing Ivy to retreat further and further until—
• “Oh, and don’t get me started on the staff waiting when we got back. Not one or two—four of them!”
• Ugh! Her back hit the wall behind her with a painful jolt. She winced, instinctively clutching her shoulder as the bruises protested the impact.
• “And what’s so wrong with any of that?” Josh’s voice was low and unwavering. His arms shot up, trapping Ivy between them, his palms pressing against the wall on either side of her head. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t look anywhere but straight into his eyes.
• “Wait—Josh—” Ivy tried to put some distance between their bodies, to push him back even just a little. But he didn’t budge. He leaned closer.
• “JOSH!”
• “What?” His voice was flat, void of its usual teasing warmth. “Tell me what’s wrong with caring about you.” He dipped his head until his forehead rested against her shoulder, his chest flushed with hers. Ivy froze.
• “Fine!” she snapped, frustrated beyond reason. “You win! Damn it, you win!” Her voice was tight, exhausted. “That doctor can treat me. But you and I—we’re not done!”
• “Then let’s finish this now,” Josh murmured, his lips curving into a grin before he tilted his head and brushed a kiss against her neck.
• “Josh!” Ivy twisted, trying to escape. “I already gave in—now let me go!”
• “No.” His arms tightened around her. One hand slid beneath the edge of her pajama top, making her flinch. She hissed in discomfort just as—
• “JOSH! YOU’RE CRAZY! THAT HURTS!”
• He’d pressed directly on the bruises along her back. And he didn’t even flinch—he just smiled.
• “It hurts, doesn’t it? So why won’t you let anyone treat it?” he asked, pushing again, drawing another gasp from her.
• Ivy couldn’t believe it—beyond stubborn, this man was unhinged. “Josh! Please...”
• “Do what I say, Ivy,” he said simply.
• And then, as if she were weighing nothing, Josh scooped her up into his arms. Ivy gasped, clutching his shoulders for balance.
• “My request is simple,” he said, holding her close. “Every injury on your body needs to be treated. And if you’ve got something to say, I’ll make time to listen.”
• Josh gently guided Ivy to sit on the edge of the bed. His hand moved slowly to brush her cheek, calming her, coaxing her fear to subside. His eyes didn’t stray—not even for a second—from the woman sitting in front of him. He didn’t move until he was sure she was steady enough to hear him.
• “Let Dr. Lee finish treating you,” he said softly. “After that, whatever you want to ask, I’ll answer.”
• Ivy let out a long breath. “Even about who you really are?”
• “Yes.” Josh gave a faint smile. “I’ll tell you everything.” He glanced over at Dr. Lee, who had been silently watching the entire exchange.
• Frankly, if Dr. Lee were the type to speak his mind, he would’ve asked whether Joshua Miller had recently suffered a head injury that affected his sanity.
• There was no way this half-Korean, half-German billionaire was doting over a woman like this. Normally? Let’s not even go there. Perhaps he should bring this up with Dylan—Josh’s personal assistant was bound to know far more about this Ivy woman than anyone else.
• “Get on with it,” Josh said casually. “My bunny doesn’t like slow workers.”