“What is it?” My voice held more than a little irritation. I wasn’t in the mood for Martin and his family’s theatrics.
“It’s a smoke screen.” He looked at me with concern. “Dominic Bayers is not dead. They just want us to think that.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
LOGAN
Nick walked me through the four-bedroom house. “I made sure you had a fourth bedroom. A teenager can’t be expected to share with a baby and a toddler.” He lifted a brow. “At some point, Dom’s going to want a little privacy.”
Yeah, he was not being subtle. Not that Nick ever was.
I decided to put him out of his misery. I smirked. “Stop fishing. You are well aware that Bex and I are sharing a bed.”
“Yeah, I didn’t really need to know that.” He winced and shook his head. “I just need to know all of you are happy and safe
“Nick.” He knew he crossed a line. Still, I had to reiterate that what was happening between Bex and myself was our business and we would do things at our own pace. Not at a speed her older brother thought was appropriate. “I am going to marry your sister. If everything works in our favor, we’ll adopt all three kids. This may be a safe house for now. But it will be our home one day.”
My friend nodded. For as long as I could remember, he was like a big brother to me. He was the one I went to for advice. Not girl advice, but other stuff. I knew when I left without much of a goodbye at the end of senior year, it had hurt him and the rest of his family. Especially Mason. But I had to do what Bex neededfrom me. I needed to make Dom’s adoption mean something and follow my dream to be the best ER doctor I could be.
“So, you’re really staying this time?”
“Nick. My scholarship was for Columbia.” He already knew what I was going to say but it needed to be said. “There was no way I could get the education I needed without help. Or student loans. I chose the scholarship. If USC had offered me a full ride, I would’ve stayed and commuted if I needed to. But only the East Coast was offering what I needed.”
In reality, I had applied to all the universities in California along with the Ivy Leagues. As it turned out, I only received scholarships to Columbia and Princeton. And, well, as Bex had already dumped me, it seemed I didn’t have much reason to stay in California. And then by the time I finished med school and my residency, she was engaged to that douchebag and it made more sense to stay where I was. Once she broke up with Curtis, I knew it was my chance to make my move.
As soon as I could, I applied for a job at a hospital in San Diego and handed in my resignation. As it turned out, there was a vacancy and I moved within a month. When they needed more hands at the Satellite medical center in MDF, I was more than happy to volunteer. It meant less of a commute and that I could settle in my hometown. I still took the occasional shift in San Diego. But once I was appointed as head of the ER in Marina De Ferrier, that would come to an end. Except under extreme ‘all hands-on deck’ circumstances.
Nick’s phone rang and Bex’s photo flashed across the screen. I wondered why she would be calling her brother instead of me.
I was anxious to know how Dom’s interview was going and expected to be her first call once it was finished. It was just about the time I expected her to be done and had been waiting for her call. She knew I was waiting. Which meant if she was calling her brother, something was wrong.
I went on high alert as Nick answered the phone.
“Hello” His body stiffened almost immediately. “What’s the matter?”
That made me tense up even more. “What’s going on?”
Nick held up his hand. “Breathe Bex. Where are you?” There was a long silence as Nick nodded. “You did the right thing. That’s exactly how I would’ve played it.”
Not being in the know was beginning to agitate me further. “What the fuck is going on?”
Nick gave me a glare, indicating I needed to be quiet. He blocked the ear that didn’t have his phone attached to it, as if trying to tune me out. “He’s not going to be happy. Yes, I will be with him.” More fucking nodding and no speaking. “I don’t think he’s that good of an actor, but hopefully he’ll be sufficiently pissed to pull it off. Yes. See you later. Love you, too. Bye.”
“What is going on?”
Nick pointed to the couch behind me. “Sit down.”
Fortunately, the safe house came fully furnished, even if I intended to buy it, so I had options on where to sit.
Reluctantly, I did as I was told. “What the fuck is going on?”
“First.” Nick took the armchair next to the couch. Far enough so I could not lash out at him, which was very fucking tempting in all the silence. But close enough he could stop me from bolting. Which I had a suspicion was what I needed to do.
“Okay. I’m sitting. You’re sitting. Now talk.”
“Dom’s fine. The bullet grazed his arm. And the second bullet didn’t get anywhere near him, thanks to Bex pushing him to the ground.”
“Bullet?” I breathed in deeply and then took several seconds to exhale. “You have to mean he stepped in front of a bullet in some sort of freak way. Because he was at the fucking police station. Surrounded by people whose job it is to serve and protect. How the fuck did that happen?”
