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The desire to rip apart the curtain and demand answers was close to overwhelming. Cade cursed under his breath, turned away and paced up the corridor.
Scorpion stings were not uncommon in his world, just as he’d told Angelica. The fiendish creatures tended to inhabit some of the places oil liked best—hot, dry scrubland—and they had the terrible habit of striking first and asking questions later, with the results ranging from vaguely annoying to life-threatening.
The first doctor had said Angelica’s wound fell somewhere in between, that it would make her hand and arm swell and would cause her pain but that it would not—that it would not…
“Damn!” Cade’s scowl darkened as he swung toward the examination cubicle again.
Not even the ride across the flats had seemed to take this long. He’d never felt so useless in his life, the woman in his arms moaning softly, her hand swelling dangerously despite his immediate attempt to suck out the scorpion’s poison, and all he’d been able to do was whisper to her, over and over, that she’d be fine—even though it was a promise that he’d known wasn’t really his to make.
Cade’s jaw tightened. He should never have taken her out to that damned oil field with him. She didn’t belong in the middle of a place like that, no matter what she claimed—but what choice had there been? The woman insisted on claiming that she was in charge of Gordon Oil. Until he could do something about that, she’d be mucking around places where accidents could, and did, happen with terrifying frequency.
Hell, it was just a miracle she hadn’t gotten herself injured or worse long before this—
“Mr. Landon?”
Cade swung around, his face dark. Dr. Broderick had drawn open the curtains. Scowling, he started toward her.
“Mr. Landon, I’m delighted to tell you that I agree with my colleague’s prognosis. Miss Gordon will recover—uneventfully, I’m certain, and—”
“I assume, Doctor, you explained to Miss Gordon that it would be unfortunate if she got stung again anytime in the near future?”
“Well, no. I didn’t.”
“Perhaps you should.”
Cade looked at Angelica, sitting up on the examining table. She was still pale, her skin drained of all its color by the accident. He wanted to go to her and shake her until her teeth rattled for her foolishness, take her in his arms and kiss her until color flowed back into her ivory skin.
Something knotted in his gut and turned all his worry and confusion to barely contained anger.
‘I’m not sure Miss Gordon understands the full implications of what she’s done to herself,” he said in clipped tones.
“What I did to myself?” Angelica stared at him. “What do you mean, what I did to—”
“Have you explained that the scorpion’s venom may have sensitized her, Doctor? That if she’s stung again she might well have an allergic reaction?”
“Excuse me,” Angelica said. “But—”
“She needs to have some sense put into her head. I haven’t managed it, Doctor. Maybe you will.”
Angelica stared at him in disbelief. Who had put this man in charge of her life? She’d been stung by a scorpion, not deprived of reason.
“Cade, I’m not a child! I don’t need a lecture.”
His eyes narrowed. “Whether you do or don’t is debatable.”
“Mr. Landon,” the doctor said, “Mr. Landon, if you’d please calm down—I know you’re upset, but—”
“Certainly, I’m upset,” he snapped.
Angelica glared at him. “I don’t need you to be upset on my account.”
“Who the hell said I was? I’m upset because you’re my employee. Any time you lose from work will be to my disadvantage.”
Silence greeted his outburst. Cade looked at the doctor, whose face told him just what she thought of him, and then at Angelica, who simmered with rage.
Dear God, what an incredibly stupid thing to have said! The worst of it was that he hadn’t meant it. Whether Angelica lost time from work was the last thing on his mind.
“Dr. Broderick,” Angelica said coldly, “will it be all right if I leave now?”
The doctor offered a grateful smile, one that said she was more than eager to see her do just that.
“Of course, Miss Gordon. I’ll just get those tablets for you. One every four hours, remember.”
“Yes.”
“And take things easy for the next few days.”
“I understand.”
“Is there someone at home to help you?”
Angelica’s chin lifted. “I don’t need help, thank you very much. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
“Miss Gordon, when that shot my colleague gave you wears off, your hand and arm are going to hurt like—forgive me, Miss Gordon, but they’re going to hurt like hell!”
“You said the tablets would help.”
“They will, but they’ll also make you groggy. And then there’s the problem of dressing yourself, and bathing, and—”
“Thank you for your concern, Doctor, but I’ll be fine. Now, if you’d be so good as to arrange for my discharge—oh, and if someone could phone for a taxi, I’d be—”
“Oh, for God’s sake!” Cade marched across the room and glared at Angelica. “What is this nonsense? I brought you here and I’ll take you back.”
Her mouth was a thin, tight line. “I want no help from you, Mr. Landon.”
“I’m not giving you a choice, Miss Gordon.” He swung toward the doctor. “Did you say something about getting tablets?” The doctor nodded. “Then do so, please.”
Angelica’s eyes narrowed as the physician hurried off. “Remarkable,” she said, “how efficiently you intimidate women, Mr. Landon.”
Cade smiled tightly. “Years of practice, Miss Gordon.”
“I’m sure of that.” She sat up straighter. “But it’s not going to work with me. I am leaving here in a taxi, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
He smiled again, a quick showing of white, predatory teeth.
“We disagree,” he said.
“On many things,” Angelica said coolly, “especially about my right to speak for myself.”
Cade threw up his hands. “Next you’ll be quoting passages from the Bill of Rights!”
“Precisely, Mr. Landon. This may be Texas, where men are men and women are not much more than chattel, but the law still applies. In other words,” Angelica said, swinging her legs to the floor, “I am a free pers—Oh,” she whispered, and reached for the edge of the examining table.
Cade caught her just as her knees buckled.
“You little fool,” he growled as he swung her into his arms. “Did you really think you were going to go marching out of here as if nothing had happened to you?”
“Put me down,” Angelica said, in a voice that seemed strangely not her own.
“Stop giving orders and start taking them,” Cade snarled. “Put your arm around my neck.”
She did, because there really was no other choice. He was already leaving the examination cubicle and heading down the corridor. A nurse appeared ahead of them, her eyes rounding at the sight.
“I have some medicine here,” she said, “for Miss Angelica Gordon…”
Cade snatched the vial from her hand. “Thank you.” When he reached the admitting desk, he paused and looked at the clerk. “I believe you had some questions for Miss Gordon.”
The clerk swallowed hard. “I—yes. Yes, sir, I did. About her medical insurance?”
Cade smiled coldly. “Miss Gordon works for the Gordon Oil Company, in Dallas. The company’s supposed to have coverage but I’m fairly certain you’ll find she’s permitted its policy to lapse.” He glanced at Angelica. “Isn’t that right?”
“Go to hell,” she whispered.
“Miss Gordon confirms my supposition,” Cade said. “My name is Cade Landon. Send whatever bills she’s run up to me care of Gordon Oil. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cade nodded. “Fine,” he said, and continued toward the front doors.
“I’ll pay you back,” Angelica said stiffly.
He laughed. “How? Fifty cents a week, for the next hundred years?”
“You addle-brained ape,” she said, “you are the most arrogant human being! Put me down this instant, Cade Landon! Do you hear? Put me down!”
“Don’t tempt me,” he snapped as he shouldered the doors open and made his way down the stairs to the street. “If I put you down, you’d fall on your nose and they’d carry you right back inside and put you to bed.” He gave her a chill smile as he strode toward the pickup truck parked at the curb. “Have you ever spent any time in a hospital, Angelica?”
“No. And I’m not in the habit of getting in the way of scorpions, either.”
“No,” Cade said coldly, “no, you’re just a woman who passes out at the sight of a sharp needle—which is what hospitals are full of. The vampires in white coats keep coming around to siphon out blood.” He smiled tightly. “Think what fun you’d have.”
“You’re a bastard, Cade Landon,” Angelica said weakly. “An absolute, gold-plated bastard!”
Ahead of them, Tom shot from the driver’s seat, hurried around the side of the truck and yanked open the passenger door.
“How is she?” he said worriedly, as Cade climbed inside and settled Angelica in his lap.
