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“Hi,” she greeted with a tight smile.“You must be Nishia.That’s such a pretty name.I’m River Masterson, this rude dumbass’s cousin.Sorry it’s taken so long to stop by, but like I was telling Jack, things have been crazy at work and my kid has been sick.”
I glanced at Jack, who stood at the end of my bed with his arms crossed over his chest.Sensing his irritation, I shifted my gaze back to River.“Um…hi?”
Her green eyes clashed with her cousin’s.“Why don’t you get lost for about an hour?I can take things from here.”
“What if you need help?”
“That’s what the nurses are for.And she’s a tiny thing.I bet Rocco weighs more than she does.If I can deal with him while he’s sick, I can handle little Nishia just fine on my own.”
I shrank deeper into the bed, disliking being called little.
Jack’s agitation seemed to intensify.“You’re upsetting her.”
River turned her head to look at me again.“Am I making you uncomfortable, sweetie?”
“I…um…”
“See!”Jack growled.“I’m not leaving.”
River put her hands on her hips as she turned to face him.“I have to fit her for a bra.After everything she’s been through, do you honestly think the poor little thing is going to be comfortable with you in here—”
“You’re upsetting her!”he repeated through clenched teeth.
River threw her hands in the air.“How am I upsetting her?I’m just standing here.If anyone is upsetting the girl, it’s you, dumbass.The tension is rolling off you with the force of a tsunami.”
“Every time you call her ‘little,’ she flinches or tries to make herself smaller.Stop it.”Jack moved to stand on the opposite side of the bed from his cousin and took my hand.“Nishia, do you want me to step out of the room?I will if that will make you more comfortable.”
“I-I…” My eyes shifted between the two of them before Jack leaned down, putting his hands on either side of my head and blocking out the rest of the world.Having his eyes to focus on, I was able to take a deep breath and gather my thoughts enough to whisper, “I don’t want you to go.”
He tucked a few strands of my hair behind my ear, giving me that ghost of a smile that I found so endearing.“Then I’ll stay right here, sweetheart.But if at any time you need me to step out, I will.Just say the word.If something doesn’t feel safe, speak up.Okay?”
I wanted to lick my lips so badly, but instead, I could only run the tip of my tongue over the backs of my teeth.I could only brush the front of my teeth with all the metal in my mouth, but they’d given me a special mouthwash that helped keep the backs of my teeth clean, and I’d been supplied with a Waterpik as well.
“Nishia?”
“O-okay,” I whispered, and he stroked his thumb over my jaw.
“That’s my little fairy,” he soothed, and I wanted to lean into his touch, savor it, lock the sensation away for when I would no longer have it.
But River was watching us with narrowed eyes and a slightly gaped mouth, so I quickly pulled away.Jack’s head snapped up to glare at his cousin.“What’s first?”
“I need her to sit up so I can size her for a bra,” she said after a moment.“Then we can figure out what size underwear she needs.I’ve brought several selections of pajamas, sweats, and yoga gear.Things that will be easy to get over the cast on her foot and won’t be difficult to put on since her wrist is also immobile.”
My eyes widened.“You brought me underwear?”
River’s smile was more genuine when she sent it my way this time.“Yes, sweetie.Jack has been bitching at me to get over here to get you decked out, but again, my life has been kind of a mess this week.”Her smile dimmed, and she gave Jack a scathing look.“Doesn’t Sanctuary have an entire room stocked with clothes?”
“Your point?”he practically snarled at her.
She rolled her eyes at him.“Just saying.Wouldn’t it have been better for her to have something until I could get over here?Fuck, Jack.Chill.”
“I would have been okay with whatever was available,” I muttered, avoiding both sets of green eyes.“I…I’m not picky.”
I couldn’t remember ever having anything new.Not shoes or coats or even underwear.Everything I’d ever owned had come from thrift stores or the clothing drives at the church a few blocks from my apartment.Even my computer for school had been secondhand.I’d bought it from a pawn shop for a hundred bucks because it was at least six years old.It probably wasn’t even worth that much, but I’d simply been thankful for a way to get to all the online material for my college classes.My neighbor didn’t have a password on his internet, so I would use his network after he’d gone to bed every night, so it didn’t slow down his speed.
“You’re getting new things.”Jack’s tone left zero room for arguing.“River co-owns the most popular shop in town.You’re getting the best she has.If you dislike anything, just say so.She can order you whatever you need that isn’t in stock.”
“But—”
