Okay. This is getting ridiculous now. We’re in a hospital, not the Four Seasons. ‘You’ve been very kind, but we can slum it for a few days.’

Brendan closes the gap between us in a few easy strides and looms over me, putting his hands on my upper arms. I stare up at him.

‘It’s not up for debate. She’s ill and you’re exhausted. You know full well you need good-quality rest and nutrition if you want to survive this. Don’t argue.’

‘Thank you,’ I mutter again.

‘I’m going to head back to the hotel and shower,’ Athena announces. ‘It’s no fun being thrashed at cards by a clever little monkey. You coming, Brendan?’

He sticks his hands in his pockets. ‘I think I’ll hang around for a bit, if that’s okay with Marlowe and Tabby. Nice to have a change of scene from the hotel.’

‘Of course,’ I murmur, but I can’t quite work out what his game is. I suppose, if he’s sticking around all week, then he doesn’t intend to hide out in his hotel the entire time, but I can’t imagine it’ll be fun for him to hang out in a hospital room for hours on end.

Athena takes her leave after a big hug from me and Tabs and saunters off. Brendan sits himself down next to Tabby’s bed, crossing one ankle over its opposite knee.

‘A lot of machines,’ he comments. ‘Do you know what they all do?’

She looks puzzled, like she’s not quite sure what he wants from her. ‘Some of them?’

‘How about this one?’ He points to the oximeter on her left index finger. ‘What’s that one for?’

‘That’s an oximeter,’ she tells him shyly. ‘It measures my sats.’

‘SATs? Aren’t they the tests you take in school?’

She giggles. ‘They’re different SATs, silly! These ones are my oxygen sat-ur-a-tion levels.’

‘And what are those when they’re at home?’

‘They are how much oxygen is in my blood.’

‘Ahh, I see. Wow, that’s clever.’ He’s acting as though this is a fascinating revelation. ‘And is ninety-nine per cent good?’ he asks with a straight face.

‘It’s brilliant! That’s why Nurse Shondra gave me a star.’ She points to her chest. She’s still in a surgical robe for easy access to her heart electrodes.

‘So you’re top of the class, just like your mother.’ He glances up at me, and something soft in his blue eyes makes me feel a bit fluttery inside. Damn him and his sexy eye contact and his dangerous knowledge of my praise kink. Silently, I pull another chair up so I can sit on the other side of Tabby’s bed. ‘And how are you feeling? You’ve had a pretty busy few days.’

She sighs. ‘I’m a bit bored and a bit tired.’