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A low, deep laugh vibrated his chest. “Damn, I could have saved a lot of money.”
I lifted my eyes to meet his and let the tears roll down my face.
His world scared me. This life wasn’t always going to be easy. But as long as I was loved by this man, I could face anything.
Straight Fire Teaser
One
Shiloh
I was a list-maker. I made lists about everything. I followed the lists, and I achieved my goals. It was why I always carried a notebook and pen with me. Using technology for my list-making didn’t feel the same. Physically writing on paper was the only way the system worked for me.
My uncle Neil, Mom’s older brother, glanced over at the notebook in my lap as he drove his truck to our appointment. He was nervous about where we were going, which, to be honest, intrigued me.
Working for my uncle was the only job I knew. He’d hired me eighteen months ago when I left my life in Boston and came to Ocala, Florida. My parents, especially my mother, were furious. She rarely called me, and the few times we had spoken, it had been harsh. I’d let her down by choosing a life she felt was beneath me. Getting up every day and going to my uncle’s private practice gave me stability and purpose. Most of my lists consisted of things to get done in the office. It was something she would never understand.
“A few important details we need to go over,” Uncle Neil said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I have your signed NDA and the other paperwork, but I want to make sure you understand the seriousness of the situation.”
I turned to give him my full attention in hopes of assuring him I would be fine. This wasn’t the first house call I’d made with him. Since Lynn, his former nurse, had gotten married and moved, I had been going with him to check on patients that he made house calls to. They were all wealthy people who couldn’t be bothered with going to an actual hospital or doctor’s office. I had found it was for privacy purposes with most of them. This patient, however, seemed to have a new level of privacy attached to them. I had never been required to sign an NDA before.
“This isn’t a normal house. There are things you will see and hear that you will question. Don’t. And when I say don’t, I mean, DO NOT ask any questions, do not repeat anything you hear, do not use your cell phone while on the property, do not engage with any of them unless they ask you a question. You are to simply do what you’re being paid to do. Take care of the patient. He will be difficult. He will be inappropriate, and honestly, if he wasn’t in such bad shape, I wouldn’t let you near him. Being as it is, he can’t do much. There is a woman in the house. I’ve met her. She’s very nice and kind. But do not make friends with her. She is Huck Kingston’s fiancée, and he’s very protective of her.”
I nodded my head. This wasn’t the first time he had given me this lecture since he’d called me this morning to let me know he had a job for me. It was obvious he was nervous about my being in this house. I had asked if they were famous, not that I cared. It was rare I knew or recognized anyone famous. They weren’t famous. They were just powerful.
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
He reached over and squeezed my hand. “I know you will. I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. These are dangerous people, and they are connected to a very powerful family.”
“Yes, the Hugheses. They own a lot of stuff. Horses and things,” I replied. I wasn’t sure why that made them so important, but I’d heard my uncle mention them with reverence and respect more than once since I’d been working with him.
We stopped outside a large iron gate, and Uncle Neil pressed a code, then spoke his full name into a speaker. The gate slowly swung open. It was very secure and a bit over the top, but I didn’t say that. Uncle Neil might turn around and take me back to the office if I said something negative.
“The patient has a punctured lung, three broken ribs, a leg cast due to the severity of his break, and what else?” I asked, wanting to make sure I remembered everything.
I had read over his chart that Uncle Neil had given me, but I wanted to make sure I’d missed nothing. The full leg cast was temporary and would be cut down below his knee in two weeks. That had been written at the bottom in red.
“Bruised ego and an anger issue,” he replied with a frown. “That is the most important thing for you to remember.”
I gave him a firm nod. “He’s mean and angry. Got it.”
Uncle Neil gave me another stern look. “I’ll do the talking. You speak when required. I’ve been working for this family for over twenty years. I have a good relationship with them, and for the most part, I do trust them.” He paused, then sighed. “Let’s go meet the patient.”
Uncle Neil had already done the surgery. This had all happened in the middle of the night, and I’d been woken up at five this morning with a phone call from him, telling me he had a patient and needed my assistance.
“He is sedated for now. That will give us enough time to introduce you to the others here and go over what you need to handle,” he told me as we walked up the front steps to the house.
One of the large double doors opened when we reached the top step. A Viking-sized man filled the door with a scowl on his face. I paused because he was intimidating and slightly terrifying. That was one thing Uncle Neil hadn’t mentioned.
“He’s awake and bitching,” the massive man said. “Can you shut him the fuck up?”
Uncle Neil chuckled and nodded his head. “I should have figured he’d be hard to sedate for long. Huck, this is my niece, Shiloh. She is my replacement for Lynn and understands the importance of your privacy.”
Huck’s gaze swung to me, and his scowl deepened. The way he was looking at me would make me believe he disliked me on sight. “Shiloh.” He said my name as if he knew me and again wasn’t a fan.
That caused me some concern because I knew that perhaps he did know me—or the me before. The me I didn’t know myself. This had happened a few times since my return to Ocala, but not once had someone acted as if they didn’t like me. I did, however, have a few reservations about the former Shiloh.
Uncle Neil cleared his throat. “Uh, yes.” He glanced at me with a worried frown. It wasn’t like I could answer this. “She’s responsible and excellent at bedside care. Gage’s personality will require someone who isn’t easily upset. Shiloh works well in that department.”
