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Tobin or Mr. Graham… For God’s sake, what do I call this man? He raised his hands in front of his swimmer’s body, opening his mouth to speak.
Athena got her words out first. “Dr. Johnston, what is going on here? Do I need to call—”
“NO!” the rest of us chorused, all knowing where she was going with that.
“Okay.” Athena slumped down in her chair, timidly.
“I told you to leave,” Malaysia verbalized in an indoor voice, thankfully.
He shook his head, violently. “I’m not here to make sure your gags are still in place. I’m truly here to get help.”
“How does the other guy feel about you being here?” I croaked.
He turned his palms up in ‘I don’t know’ fashion and began spitting words out in a hurry. “I haven’t seen my ex-boss, Shane, in fifteen years. I’ve been in the military. My being here is completely coincidental. I didn’t know you, Cherise… ah, Dr. Johnston. I didn’t know your last name was, well, Johnston. I do know you don’t need to worry about anyone coming after you two anymore. Shane doesn’t even know you’re here. He’d have been here already. His hands are full with the authorities investigating my brother’s murder and his illegal business dealings. Those will get Shane about thirty to life. I’m sorry I haven’t tracked you both down to ease your worries about that night. Truthfully, I had my own situation to handle. I’m so sorry about what happened that night.”
Okay, it was Mr. Graham then since he was here legitimately. We weren’t on Shane’s or Mr. Graham’s radar anymore.
“Thank God.” Relief dropped heavily on my chest. The release of the fear I’d learn to live with left me dizzy. Experiencing too many emotions at once, I made my way to the nearest padded folding chair, collapsing into one. Many of them ringed the waiting area’s tan walls. Malaysia had gotten her way in here.
She flopped down in the seat to the right of me, wearily. “I didn’t know how much I needed to hear that man was not still after us until now. I feel like I’ve been walking around on hyper-alert for years but didn’t know it… until now.”
I patted her arm in comfort. “We both lived like that, subconsciously scared and waiting to hear we were safe. I’d have told you that to make you feel better, but it wouldn’t have meant much coming from me.” Now, I just had a stalker to worry about finding me. So, my fear and stress levels had only dropped a notch or two. Better than the levels they were at.
Malaysia waited a beat then twisted at the waist to scowl at me. “I don’t know whether to hug you for not lying to me, or slap you for not lying and telling me what I needed to hear. I could have gotten over what happened fifteen years ago that much faster.”
“You’d have known I was lying. We were in the same boat, remember? Who you heard the words from is who you needed to hear them from.” I pointed at Mr. Graham, who looked as if he was about to bolt right back out the door.
He had the grace to look apologetic, which looked pretty damn good on him. “Glad I could do some good for both you ladies. I apologize for me and Shane causing you stress and fear of any kind. I know it’s not much. Please understand I was just getting it how I lived that night we met and all the ones before that.” I understood, wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth either. Though I had suspected long ago that Shane was the real threat between the two, Malaysia might not care.
She had refined holding grudges in her teens. “Well,” she began, slapping her thighs and getting up. “I need a drink after meeting you that night and today. Being freed from my stress and fear is just as stressful as living with it below the surface. Luckily, I had a psychiatrist on tap all these years, and I’m going to need an appointment soon, Cherise. If ever some shit needed to be talked about, this is it.”
She stood up to he
r full height, which left her a few inches shy of getting eye to eye with Mr. Graham. That didn’t mean she didn’t try. “As for you, Tobin, it’s nice to know your name too. If it was up to me, I’d throw you right back out that door. I don’t trust you, but I know this one sitting behind me. She’ll take every client she can get to make a success of this business. She’s stubborn that way. So that leaves this…”
She walked even closer to him, breathing in his carbon dioxide as he breathed it out. “If anything happens to her, if she’s broken a nail or tells me she’s coughed too loud when she gets home tonight, the cops knocking at your door will be the least of your concerns.”
Tobin… Dammit! Mr. Graham sniggered quietly at the danger I was sure she did not pose for him. He was trained in combat. A big guy looming over her who topped over six feet in heels. Malaysia would be like a fly to him, irritating until he swatted her a good one. Athena had gotten a large Styrofoam cup and Ziploc bag of cookies from somewhere. She was munching away in wide-eyed fascination from her front-row seat to the drama.
Hoping to avert more threats from Malaysia, I hopped up. “Malaysia, berating my client is not the way to make a success of my business. I’m sorry about that, Tob… ah, Mr. Graham. I hope you can understand why she felt the need to say all that to you. You can come with me to my office, and we can get started. If you still want to, that is.” I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. Malaysia would pay dearly for it.
He nodded once. “It would be for the best if I did stay, Che… Dr. Johnston. Lead the way. By the way, I heard you loud and clear, Malaysia,” Mr. Graham added with a lopsided tilt to his lips.
Evidently, he found her attempt at threatening him funny. She did not have one inkling of remorse for doing it. I directed her to the door with a discrete bow of my head.
Only then did she move aside to let him by. “Call me right after he’s gone, Cherise, or I’ll be back. I know how long your introduction sessions last.” That was as ominous as the warning Shane had given us. I swore that man had rubbed off on her.
“Fine, mama,” I snarked. “I’ll check-in.”
“Yes, you will.” She threw eye-daggers at Tobin on her way out the door.
I stretched an arm out, motioning for him to enter the doorway of my office. “This way, Mr. Graham.”
“Thank you.” He made tracks inside with me doing my damndest not to ogle his backside.
My damndest was not sufficient. I could tell his ass was solid and firm just from looking. Exactly what I shouldn’t have been doing. Maybe Eva had rubbed off on me. I absolutely ogled my patient the way she did Chad Lowell. Shake it off, Cherise.
I cleared my throat of the carnal hunger, climbing it while shutting the soundproof door. “You may have a seat on the couch or chair at my desk, Mr. Graham. Either place is fine with me. Both are comfortable.” I tried for a business-like tone but came off all breathy. Not good at all.
