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“Shut it. You’ve said worse.” She twisted in her seat to face me. ”My point is you’re the strongest person I know.”

“What if I fall?”

“You’re going to. That’s a given.”

“Gee, thanks.” I shot her a seething look.

“Do you want the truth or a sugar-coated lie?”

“The truth, always.”

“I’ll tell you the same thing I tell my patients. You have to fall with humility before you can walk with confidence.”

“When did you become so philosophical?”

“It came with my doctorate degree.” She winked.

“Love you, Daria.”

“Love you too. Now go kick ass.”

Zakhar

Watching Pru take her first few steps on her new prosthetic leg was an exercise in patience. Every time she wobbled, I had to hold myself back from rushing to her side. Initially, Jeff had her walk between parallel bars for added balance and support, before he switched her to the walker. She was doing fantastic, but after thirty minutes, her movements became a little more jerky, as if each step was taking more effort. Pru was tired. It was obvious to everyone except my stubborn girl. Then it happened. She lost her balance and wasn’t able to recover before she toppled to the floor.

“Don’t.” Daria’s hand locked around my wrist when I moved to help. “She needs to learn how to get up on her own.”

“Well, shit,” Pru huffed, and glared at the walker, as if the device had somehow wronged her. What she didn’t do was give up. Using the handles, she pulled herself to a standing position. Her triumphant smile lit up the room and had my cock lengthening behind my zipper.

The prosthetist pushed the wheelchair to her side, indicating for her to sit. “That’s enough for today.”

“What? No. I can keep going.”

“Ms. Turner, remember what I said. Short intervals at first. Let your body get used to wearing it. Have you scheduled follow up appointments with a physical therapist?”

“Yes, I have a session tomorrow.”

“Excellent.”

Jeff wheeled Pru into his office to go over proper maintenance care and to schedule her follow-up appointment, leaving Daria and me in the waiting room. I tapped out a message to my brothers in our group chat.

Me: Remember dinner is at six tonight.

It was Lennon’s interview. Unless we all ended up with food poisoning, the job at Quantum was hers. The dinner was merely a formality.

Kas: Sorry. I’ve got plans.

Me: That wasn’t a request.

Kas: {middle finger emoji}

Mak: Why are we doing this again?

Me: Because she won’t take the job otherwise.

Kas: Something’s not right with this chick. Mak, you ran her background, right?

Mak: Of course I did.