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“It is fine. The patients are all being taken care of. Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked.
“I’ll be spending the night here. Is there a room where I can rest if I need to?”
“You’re sleeping here? Why? I see no reason for you to do so,” I stated.
“I believe you are doing the same thing if I am correct,” he stated.
Couldn’t deny it. I’d spent all my time here since Finn left. I was too afraid to leave the nurses here alone without someone watching out for them.
“It is my job. I’m the head of nursing.”
“And I have work to get done and would like to be here if you need me,” he said.
“But I thought your wife and children had traveled with you. I’m sure they would like to have you with them as well. I promise that if there is an issue, I’ll call you,” I stated, honestly.
“They are enjoying the resort right now. So, where is that room for me?” he insisted.
I pointed to the third door on the right. “You can take that one. I’m staying right across the hallway.”
“Thanks.”
He walked back down the hall but didn’t turn into the vacant room I had shown him. Maybe he just wanted one in case he grew tired. Maybe he was testing me to see if I was unsure and needed him close by. I had no intention of disturbing him.
As I walked by my room I resisted going inside and laying down. There was one last patient I needed to check on. One that wasn’t here.
I stopped by the lab and asked for the test results for Mrs. Como. A name that I made up to use for Reesa. Even though no one knew who Como was, I wasn’t about to read the report while I was in the lab. I slipped the paper into my pocket and headed towards my office. But my energy level was low. I needed something to eat. One last stop. The kitchen. I grabbed a bowl of soup and then headed straight to my office. I closed the door and sat at my desk. I was almost too tired to eat, but I forced myself.
When I was finished, I pulled out the lab report. All of Reesa’s levels were within normal range except for her iron level. That was an easy fix and also good news. I just hoped she was taking my advice and resting during the day. I’d planned paying her a surprise visit, but with Ryker here now, I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. If she wasn’t aware he was having issues again, I didn’t want to be the one to tell her.
My visit would need to wait one more day.
I pushed my empty bowl to the edge of the desk and rested my head on my folded arms. All I needed was to close my eyes for a few minutes, and I knew I’d get a second wind. I wasn’t comfortable, but it didn’t matter. Just having my eyes closed and the office quiet, felt great.
Somehow, I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke and looked at the clock my eyes couldn’t believe it. It was almost ten at night. Three hours had passed. My body ached due to the horrible position I had slept in. I opened my desk drawer and took some pain relievers.
I needed to go and lay down but was tempted to peek in on Ryker on my way. But doing that was only asking for trouble. It was better that Dedra monitored him. She hadn’t mentioned him flirting or being inappropriate, so I assumed that behavior was only brought out for me.
How did I get so lucky?
CHAPTER8
Ryker
There weren’t a lot of staff members at the hospital, especially at night. I wasn’t sure if that was standard or not. The last time I was here I actually had felt like crap and my only thought had been getting out of here and back to the resort where I could heal alone. Either way, with hardly anyone around, it made it easy for me to sneak out of the room and stroll the hallways. I’d have much rather done so in my clothes, but they had insisted I wear their hospital gown in case there was a medical emergency. I believe Nurse Dedra intentionally hid my clothes from me after I had given her a hard time. But hell, they tell you that you need rest and then show up every hour to wake you up to see how you’re doing.
I got it. It was their job. Mine was to make sure that Mombo didn’t show up here. The only time I wanted to see his face here was when he was in the ER and Bennett had put him there. Wishing someone harm wasn’t something I’d ever done before, but after learning what he’d done to that young girl, and to TJ, I felt differently. Not that I was seeking revenge, but there was an anger in me that I’d never felt before.
Bennett was angry because Mombo had killed TJ, and I was angry because I knew that it could’ve been my brother who would’ve died that day. I’d always known that danger lurked around every corner when he was in active duty in the Marines. Somehow, me and my family were under the false impression that he was safe now. Dabbling in cyber security and being hired as security for the rich and famous so the paparazzi didn’t snap any unwanted photos. Damn, we’d been so fucking wrong. He was still a hero, just to a different country.
As I made my way through another hallway, I couldn't help but wonder if the Tabiqian people had any clue about the sacrifices Bennett had made to keep them safe? It wasn’t just me and my siblings that he didn’t see much of, but his wife Zoey and kids probably wished he was home with them more often.
When this was over, I was going to have a talk with him. If our parents had any clue about what he was really doing, they’d age even quicker with worry.
Shaking my head, I turned to make my way back towards my room. Worrying was a funny thing. Here I was, unarmed, trying to protect someone that I barely knew from a known murderer. Maybe Bennett wasn’t the crazy Stone brother.
“Ryker? What on earth are you doing?” Meri’s voice rang out from behind me.
I chuckled.Oh, I’m great protection. I get snuck up on by the cutest nurse I’ve ever laid eyes on.
