Page 84 of The Doctor

And it was me suffering for it.

Now, I couldn’t even think without him complaining.

“How is Chaya?” Paulo asked, as if he sensed the tension between us and was trying to shift the focus.

“She’s getting better. The antibiotics are starting to work. She’s going longer between her doses of fever reducer and is starting to eat again.”

“Good.” Paulo eyed Zeno, but he didn’t say anything as the man stared out the window, ignoring me like he’d done so much the past two days. “And Sarah and Arik?”

Zeno didn’t respond to that either, so once again, I answered. “Better. They’re both well rested now.” Zee let out a loud huff. “They said they can handle it from here. Arik even got back to work this morning.”

I tried not to take offense when Zee grumbled under his breath. That was my fault, too, apparently. It was me who offered to stay overnight and help. Me who offered to come back a second night. I thought it would help Arik and Sarah and show Zee that I could be responsible and take my duties seriously. I’d even left him at home yesterday while I went to all my classes like a good little student.

All that seemed to remind him of was my age.

I swallowed hard, turning my gaze toward Zee, only to find him glaring back at me. He grabbed my hand, yanking it from my chest and wiping the blood from the scratch on my breastbone off my fingers with a tissue. “Did you take your pill this morning?”

Throat tightening, I tried to swallow again, only for him to dab at the blood on my chest like I was nothing but a child. “You gave it to me, didn’t you?”

His blue eyes locked on mine, and all I wanted was for him to tell me he loved me. For him to stop with… whatever this was.

The world had different plans, it seemed. Zee’s phone rang for the first time in days, and he jumped on it like he was grateful for the escape.

“This is Zee.” As he listened, his brow pulled down and the corners of his lips tilted toward the floor. “Of course. Send me the address and I’ll be right there.”

“What’s going on?” I rose when he did, and it took everything in me to not fall back to my seat when he turned his attention to me.

“I’ve got to go. Jet’s got an issue and he needs my help.”

“Can I come?”

“No!” The sharp snap in his voice knocked me back into my seat. He cleared his throat and roughed his hand through his hair. “No. This isn’t just a doctor’s visit, Clara. It’s not safe for you there.”

“Is everything alright?” Paulo rose from the couch.

“It will be. It’s… Santini.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Lyndsey and Laney were abducted, and Nan was shot. Nan’s on her way to the hospital—she’ll be fine—and the guys are tracking Lyndsey’s phone, but they want me there in case things go wrong.”

“Then I won’t keep you.” Paulo shook Zee’s hand, and they both looked at me.

“Take care of her.”

Like I was a child.

Like I was incapable of taking care of myself.

“Of course.” Paulo squeezed Zeno’s shoulder. “Let me know if you need anything at all.”

“Will do.” Zee nodded my way, then, without so much as a goodbye or an I love you, he was gone.

Heat prickled at the corners of my eyes. I wanted to go home. To bury myself in my bed and curl around my little cloud pillow, to disappear into the nothingness I could feel myself becoming.

“Is everything okay, Clara?” Nadia was sitting on the couch beside me, my hands clasped between hers and a worried look in her face.

That same smile I gave Zee earlier was suddenly plastered to my face. “Everything’s great!”

I couldn’t deny the fakeness in my voice. Judging by her pained expression, Nadia heard it too.

“How would you like to go out to dinner with us?” Paulo asked. “You can tell us about your studies, how things are going with school.”