The Price of Gold | Fortune's Fool #1

44 | heart-to-heart

• [ h e a r t - t o - h e a r t ] •

♥ gabriel ♥

"I'D SAY A six."

"Six?"

"Actually, you're right. Let's say a five out of ten."

"Hell no. She's a strong eight."

"What? Mate, did your eyes get damaged in the attack too?" Prince said in worry as he sat in the armchair beside my bed. His hazel eyes flickered to the nurse leaving the room.

I looked at him in disbelief, "You're gonna use this to oppose anything I say for the next five years, aren't you?

"Probably." The curly eyes boy frowned a little as if contemplating the idea. His feet were kicked up against the side of my bed as he pulled at the drawstrings of his hoody. "Sounds like a pretty legit excuse."

"Great," I sarcastically mumbled under my breath as another nurse crept into my hospital room with the weak excuse of filling up the water dispenser. Apparently, the news that three attractive men were in Room 4 of the Zander Ward had spread across the hospital like wildfire.

Sighing, I shot her a swoon-worthy smile causing her mouth to fall open in shock. Blushing profusely, she rushed out the room not before almost tripping over.

My head fell back into the pillow, "Why on Earth is Arlo talking so long to get a damn croissant?"

"I swear the bakery is opposite the hospital, isn't it?" Prince commented as I looked at him dryly.

"Well, it's not as if I've had an opportunity to get out of here to stroll the street and confirm."

"Shit, sorry." He started howling in laughter, his brown curls shaking before giving me a sympathetic look. "But also, somebody's incredibly moody."

Yeah, I was.

It felt as if I'd been in this room for eternity. From my window, I could see everyone getting prepped for Christmas and here I was chained to a bloody bed. But that wasn't the only reason I felt off.

The Louisa business was still floating around in my head and I was frustrated that I still hadn't been able to speak to her about the missed calls and the article. When I'd phoned her yesterday from Prince's phone, she'd immediately cut the call.

The result? A further confused Gabriel with a bruised ego and incessant ridiculing from Prince who thought it all was hilariously funny.

"I'm sick of this place. The food's rubbish and there's nothing to do," I complained childishly, staring at the white ceiling above me. Yesterday's boredom had led to me counting every single little square on the ceiling.

841.

A wicked grin grew on Prince's face as he stood up and walked to the little fridge in the corner of the room. "In which case, it's a good idea that I brought these beauties."

He pulled open the door with an arched eyebrow to unveil a six-pack of chilled beer. My eyes widened in surprise as I blinked a couple of times to see if I was dreaming, feeling stunned.

"Prince. You are fucking legendary," I said, a huge grin growing in my face as I sat in the bed being careful now to pull at any of my wounds. "If you were a woman, I'd have you wifed up by now."

He was busy pulling open the grate but I heard his call over his shoulder, "Of course, Gabriella Al-Zahrani."

"You both are unbelievable," another voice said from the door. I turned my head towards the entrance of my room to see a platinum blonde-haired boy; armed in his hands were two paper bags with the words 'Jenny's Bakery' printed upon it as he kicked the door shut behind him.