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A beep went off in Brody’s pocket. He pulled out his phone and read whatever message he was sent. “Dr. Ben is at the gate. I’ll go escort him here,” he said and left while typing away on his phone.
Stefan stood, frowning down at me. “Where is Jameson?”
I shrugged. “I don’t keep tabs on your enforcer.”
He stared at me with his ever-perceptive eyes. “I see things are still tense between you two.”
Saving me from having to respond, Brenna returned with a glass of water in her hand. “Incoming,” she mumbled as she handed it to me.
Jamie walked in a second later. He surprisingly looked calm.
“Where were you?” Stefan questioned him in a cold tone that I wasn’t used to hearing him use with Jamie.
Jamie stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Maura was already on her way out when I got there. I stayed behind to determine if I was needed to help clean up the scene.”
For the second time today, he had stunned me. Why had he just lied?
Stefan didn’t look like he believed him. “I’m surprised you didn’t insist on being the one to bring her home.”
“She didn’t need me to,” Jamie replied.
Stefan’s gaze flicked from Jamie to me, searching for the truth.
I didn’t have the energy for this right now. I stood and took a step toward Brenna. “Can you take the baby into the living room? I want Dr. Ben to look him over first.”
Brenna nodded as she took him from me.
I locked eyes with Dean. “Don’t let anything happen to him.”
He nodded and followed Brenna out of the room, leaving me with Jamie and Stefan.
“Ben will attend to you first,” Stefan said, sounding as if he was losing patience.
“The baby wasn’t properly discharged from the hospital, and I don’t want there to be any surprises.” I knew the kid was more than likely fine, but I needed some space…from everyone. As good as it was to be out of that shithole apartment, a part of me was still stuck there. I needed to process. I needed to do it alone because my darkness’s ability to hold all of it back was wavering.
“That Aryan baby is not a priority—you are,” Jamie said with just enough disdain to make me feel threatened again.
“He is to me,” I snapped, stunning them both. “I will only say this once.” A cold detachment laced my every word as I spoke. “If anyone hurts that baby, I will carve a shamrock into their skull and then hang them using their insides as rope.”
They both stilled at my threat until Jamie’s expression hardened. “I won’t hurt him.”
“A few days ago, I wanted to hurt him,” I admitted, and I watched so many strong emotions he failed to hide show on his face—anger, sadness—before he closed his eyes for a few seconds as if to reel himself in.
I looked to Stefan. His brows rose a little. “I don’t hurt children.”
I set the glass of water Brenna had given me on the nightstand and I stiffly headed for the bathroom.
“Maura—” Stefan started to say.
“I’m taking a shower,” I cut him off. “I just spent two nights in a junkie’s toilet of an apartment and I am covered in blood that’s not just mine.”
Stefan moved with me as if afraid I’d fall. My legs wobbled a little and it was enough to make Stefan grab my wrist and put an arm around my back.
Jerking ramrod-straight, I let out a gasp. He pulled his arm away from my back and let out a curse. Before I could move another step, the back of my shirt was lifted.
Stefan and Jamie both sucked in a breath. Stefan’s grip on my wrist tightened and I had to fight the urge to attack him.
“Let go of my arm,” I tried to say calmly.
