Page 29 of Yours on the Canvas

I swear he’d bubble-wrap me if he thought he could get away with it.

And right now, I’m pissed.

I have a doctor’s appointment– one he insisted on driving me to, so here we are; me arguing that he didn’t need to come, and him ignoring every word out of my mouth. So, I sit there, sulking in the passenger seat, shooting angry glances at him while he just drives, calm as anything, his sexy-as-hell hands on the wheel like it’s his god-given right to escort me everywhere.

Possessive fucker.

I jump out of the car, and look down at Silas. “You stay here.”

His smug smile stretches across his perfect lips. “Not a chance, Jack.”

“Argh.” I growl, slamming the door and stalking away from him. Seconds later, I hear his door shut and those heavy boots of his following me.

Ignoring him completely, I check in at reception, then march to the waiting area and drop myself into the middle seat between two strangers.

I’m sulking, and I don’t give a shit. The prick can stand.

I pull out my phone the second I sit, pretending to scroll, pretending I’m not furious, and that I don’t feel him watching me.

Two boots appear in front of me, and I hear, “Move.”

I look up, about to tell him to fuck off, but he isn’t looking at me; he’s staring at the young man sitting beside me. I glance at the guy, then back at Silas. “What the fuck, Silas.”

I turn to the kid. “You’re fine. Stay where you are.”

Silas ignores me completely, and he leans down into the young mans space, “I said move.” His voice a low growl.

The young man jumps like he’s been tasered, scrambling out of the seat and relocating to the opposite side of the waiting room without a single complaint.

Silas drops his huge frame into the newly vacated seat, crosses his ankles, and leans his head back against the wall like he owns the place.

“Better,” he says, a smug smile on his face.

I glare at him so hard my ribs twinge. He doesn’t even blink when I say, “You didn’t have to be a dick, Silas. That was unnecessary.”

He ignores me, his eyes closed as I sit there, my face red and hot with embarrassment. I glance quickly at the young man, who sits there looking at Silas, his eyes wide with fear. I give him a small smile, and mouth “Sorry,” to which he gives me a small smile and goes back to his phone.

A few moments later, I’m being called into the doctor’s office, and my groan is loud enough for everyone to hear when Silas stands to follow me.

Walking in, the doctor does a double take at Silas. I ignore them both, climbing onto the exam bed, and Silas plants himself beside me like a brick wall.

He stands there, an absolute beast of a man: white button-down stretched across his chest, black jeans, finger tattoos stark against the crisp fabric, the edge of his neck tattoos peeking from the collar and ending just beneath his chin. His hair is pulled into a bun today, his ever present backward cap on his head, and for a moment I just look at him. Look at the man who could kill with his bare hands, but who also treats me with a tenderness that makes my chest ache

And I could strangle the fuckers life out of him this very minute, I’m that angry.

The doctor clears his throat, eyes flicking between us like he’s trying to figure out whether he should be concerned.

Silas doesn’t help, he just stands there, arms folded, jaw tight, radiating that quiet, lethal protectiveness that makes people move out of his way without him saying a word. The room feels smaller with him in it, like his presence alone shifting the air.

I sit there, pretending I’m not embarrassed, acting as if I’m not relieved he’s here, that I’m not still pissed at him for bulldozing his way into the appointment.

The doctor clears his throat, his eyes snapping back to me. “Well, Jack, everything looks good. The fractures and the other injuries have healed nicely, so if you think you’re up to it, I’m happy for you to head back to work.”

I exhale, relieved. Finally. After a month of being benched, hovered over, and nagged at, I’m ready to get back to the café.

“No.”

Aaand he ruins it. Of course he does.