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She nods to the coffee table and the piece of paper sitting on top of it. “I put as much as I can think of.”
I kiss her temple, needing to feel close to her. “I will arrange to have that stuff brought here. If you need anything else, we can send out for it.”
I twist around as Gemma steps into the foyer area of the apartment. My cousin looks pissed, and I don’t blame her. This is beneath her. Mary could have prescribed birth control pills and she could have seen to Sariah’s injuries too.
“Somebody better be dying,” Gemma says. “I had to leave work for this. I can’t keep coming up with family emergencies as a reason.”
I should feel guilty for infringing on her life, but I don’t. We all have our roles to play, Gemma included.
I kiss Sariah’s head again and push up from the sofa. As I approach Gemma, I grab her arm and yank her away from where Sariah can hear us. “Have you finished being a bitch?”
It’s the wrong thing to say, because her eyes flame with anger. “Maybe if you didn’t treat me like one.” It’s a fair point. But I don’t have time or the inclination to argue with her.
“I need you to take a look at her.” I indicate Sariah behind me.
Gemma peers around me to look at my wife before she snaps her eyes back to mine. “I don’t see any blood and all her limbs are intact. Please don’t tell me you called me away from work for nothing.”
I squeeze her arm enough to inject warning into the gesture. Her eyes cloud with pain for a moment before I loosen up my hold. “You are a member of this family, and you will do what is required of you.”
Gemma shrinks back a little, even as she tries to steel herself against my anger. I respect her show of strength, even though it’s standing between me and getting what I need.
“That woman over there is to be treated with fucking respect. She has some old injuries I need checked out to make sure they’re not going to be a problem, and you need to sort out birth control.”
“I’m a trauma doctor, Lucas, not a family fucking physician.”
“You are whatever I say you fucking are. We all play our part, Gemma. You are not exempt just because you’re trying to live a fucking civilian life. You will always be a Fraser.”
She grits her teeth and tears free of my grasp. When she raises her eyes to me I can see the anger in them. “Fine. Whatever you need.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in her words. “Where am I doing this?”
“The guest room at the bottom of the corridor.” Clutching her doctor’s bag, she storms past me.
I go back to Sariah, who is watching me intently. “She didn’t seem very happy.”
“My cousin Gemma. She has a penchant for melodrama. She’ll take care of you though. Don’t tell her who you are.”
“Why not?”
“The less people who know you’re here, the better.”
I wish I could sit in with her, but I think Sariah needs some air to breathe, and she deserves privacy. I get the impression that isn’t something she’s had a lot of. I put on a fresh pot of coffee and wait while it brews. Once it’s done, I pour a cup and sit at the breakfast bar, waiting. I send the list to Talia, my father’s assistant. She will know what to get. I’ve nearly drained the entire mug when the bedroom door opens and Gemma steps out with Sariah on her heels. I don’t hear what she says to my wife, but Gemma gives me a glare before she makes her way to the lift. Sariah comes to me.
As soon as she gets close, I pull her against me, turning so she’s stood between my legs. My hands rest on her hips, and I feel relief at having her back in my arms again. “Well?” I ask.
“My ribs are bruised, but not cracked or broken. She needs to come back with a prescription for birth control. She doesn’t carry it. She seemed a little annoyed at the expectation that she would have. “
“Ignore her. You are not an imposition to anyone.”
“We’ll still have to use condoms. We have to wait a while before having unprotected…” She looks a little embarrassed before she says, “sex.”
I pull her up to kiss her mouth. “Whatever you need,” I say.
My phone pings again, telling me I have a visitor. I opened my phone and see that it’s my sister. “Aurelia is here.”
Sariah looks a little nervous at the prospect of meeting my sister properly this time.
“She won’t bite. She is your age, so you should have a lot in common.”
“I’ll take care of her, I promise. I don’t know what you have planned, but I just want you to focus on staying safe and coming home.”
