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“Unconventional?” Rayne scoffs. “Is that short for stalking and kidnapping?”
Elijah glares at his brother-in-law. “Yes.”
Before Rayne has a chance to respond, the door to the bedroom opens and Doc strolls out, his tattered medical bag looking more than a little worse for wear. The handle is worn and discolored, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the thing disintegrated before it makes it to the front door.
I’m out of my seat before I make the decision to approach him. His tattooed arms are covered to his wrist by a tight black shirt, and even at my very respectable six foot two, he towers over me. How tall is this motherfucker?
“How is she?” I ask.
He gives me a once-over, the same way he did when he walked in and immediately started fussing over Emerson and Mia. Rayne told me not to take it personally, that he hates people, with the exception of a few select people. “She’s not hurt from the explosion, apart from a bruise on one of her knees. I’ve taken some blood and I will have the results to you in the next twenty-four hours. Mia has granted permission for you to receive these results. I would like to get her in for some X-rays and perhaps an MRI. There seems to be a few old injuries that were not treated at the time, and it will help with a treatment plan if I can gauge how bad these injuries were.”
Each word out of his mouth has bile climbing up my throat. Unhealed injuries? Test results? All things I can’t fix for her. Pain I can’t take away. And I fucking hate it.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“I’m used to it. This asshole calls me every second night with questions about Emerson’s pregnancy.” He gestures to Rayne, but there’s a small smirk playing on his lips. He obviously finds his antics amusing despite the surly exterior he shows them.
“Does he call more or less than Everett when Wynter was pregnant?” Elijah cajoles.
Doc turns his intense eyes on him and smirks. “I’m sure neither will be anything compared to when Snow finds out she’s pregnant.”
“Oh Jesus.” Emerson rolls her eyes as she strolls back into the room with Mia on her heels. “You’re never going to sleep again if the Saint James and Russo families keep procreating.”
“Don’t remind me. I’m thinking it might be time to fake my own death and disappear off the face of the earth.” He chuckles, and I’m so stunned by the display that I don’t know what to say. I’ve met Doc a few times, and each time he’s been more distant than the last. Perhaps all the times he’s had to tend to the women of that family are softening him.
“It might be time. What happens if all four of them knock us up at the same time?” Her eyes widen in mock horror.
“Sweet girl,” Rayne warns.
She smirks and walks into his arms, wrapping herself around her husband. “You know I’m teasing. We’re Doc’s favorite patients.”
“Only because you always shower, and I can’t say the same for the assholes I normally have to dig bullets out of.”
Mia watches the exchange like she’s watching a tennis match, her eyes flitting from one person to the other, but she doesn’t seem afraid. No, if anything she’s amused by the bickering. I’ve tried not to think too much about the company she’s kept since she was taken from me, but I can’t imagine it was anything like this.
She wraps her arms around her middle, but it’s not a defensive gesture like it has been the last few days, it’s just a place to put her arms, and I’m relieved by it. Maybe this is what she needs. She needs people. She needs to laugh. She needs to feel normal.
And I’m going to give her everything she needs, no matter what.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
MIA
Iyawn and snuggle deeper into the cushion I’m wrapped around on the couch. Jesus, this thing is comfortable.
Ace types furiously on his computer, the steady clicking lulling me in and out of sleep. After everyone left, I curled up on the couch, and I haven’t moved since. It’s probably the small amount of soup I allowed my stomach to sustain me for another few days. The cramps I was rewarded with were less than pleasant, but I managed to keep them to myself and avoid Ace fussing over me.
He's seemed more settled since Doc checked me over. As if having a doctor confirm I’m not about to drop dead has allowed him some semblance of peace.
And if I’m honest, it had the same effect on me. Even if Doc did comment on my need to put on weight. I suspect the blood tests will return the same conclusion, but that’s a bridge I’ll have to cross when I come to it.
A phone ringing breaks through the quiet apartment, and Ace quickly silences it. “Everett,” he answers coldly and listens for the response before cursing under his breath.
“Are you sure?”
Another beat of silence before he sighs.
“Thanks. Let me know if you find anything else.”
