Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Her heart hurt for him. “I can’t do that. You know I can’t.”
Brad’s eyes darted past her, scanning the room, then snapped back. “You don’t understand. I can’t sleep. I can’t stand up straight. I just need to take the edge off. Just this once.”
“It’s never just once,” she said softly.
Spittle showed on his lip. “You’re my doctor.”
“And because I’m your doctor, I’m not going to give you something that’ll hurt you.”
For a second, anger flared in his expression. Then it flickered into something else. Desperation. “Please,” he whispered.
May held his gaze. Her heart ached for him. “I’ll sit with you and help you find somewhere safe tonight, but I’m not handing you narcotics.”
Rage filled his face. “Yes, you are.” He lunged at her.
Everything happened fast.
One second Brad was looming into her space, jittery and unpredictable. The next, Ace was there. She didn’t even see him move.
Ace came in from Brad’s blind side, one hand clamping down around Brad’s wrist in a grip so precise it looked practiced. He twisted—not violently, but efficiently—rotating the arm up and back while stepping in close enough to control Brad’s balance. At the same time, his other hand slid to Brad’s shoulder and drove him forward and down.
It wasn’t remotely dramatic. Ace remained totally in control.
Brad hit his knees and then the floor with a solid thud, Ace following him down without losing position, knee braced against Brad’s side, arm still locked in a clean, immobilizing hold. No flailing. No anger. Just leverage and weight exactly where it needed to be.
“Ace,” May breathed.
“He’s okay,” Ace replied, voice calm, even, almost conversational. “I’ve got him.”
Brock was already there, dropping into a crouch on Brad’s other side.
“Come on, Brad,” Ace said, not tightening the hold but not easing it either. “We’re going to get you somewhere safe tonight.”
Brad was a good two-fifty and solid muscle under the twitching, but Ace handled him like he weighed nothing. He shifted his grip, guiding Brad up without letting him regain control of his limbs.
“You okay?” Ace asked May, his intense gaze flicking up to her.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” She exhaled. “Where did you even come from?”
He didn’t look away from Brad. “You think I’d let him walk in here and not keep an eye on him with you here?”
The overprotectiveness caught her off guard. “I’m okay,” she repeated.
“I know.” He shifted Brad toward Brock. “You got him?”
“Yeah,” Brock said, taking the weight easily. “I’ve got him.”
Brad sagged between them, still muttering.
“Anything I need to know, Doc?” Brock asked.
“He’s going to need a bucket,” May said quickly, shifting back into clinical mode. “If he starts convulsing or seizing, call me immediately.”
“All right.” Brock’s badge gleamed at his belt. “Olly? I’ll meet you back at the station.”
“Okay,” Ophelia said from the table near the fire, her body visibly on alert. Christian and Damian had both watched the entire thing unfold, neither moving because neither needed to. Ace had it handled from the first second.
Daisy drifted past May and whispered, “Wow.”
May swallowed. “Yeah. Exactly.” It had been efficient. Clean. She wasn’t going to lie—watching Ace move like that, steady and in control, sent a ripple through her she hadn’t expected. Maybe this was the real Ace. Not the joking, easy version. The one who stepped in without hesitation to handle a problem. Seriously sexy.
The door banged open again. Another rush of cold air hit her.
“Doc! Doc!” Nate Busby nearly skidded to a stop in front of her, wide-eyed and breathless.
Ace stepped closer automatically. “What’s happening?”
“It’s Annie. Her water broke,” Nate said, panic etched into his face.
“Okay,” May said, already moving. “Where is she?”
“In the truck. We have to go to the hospital,” Nate said.
May fought a smile. Nate was twenty-two and obviously terrified. This was their first baby. “She was due last week, so this is perfectly on time. She’ll be okay.”
“I know, I just—” Panic flared in his eyes. “Her water broke.”
She squeezed his arm briefly. “Let’s go.”
They stepped outside into the cool night. Annie sat in the passenger seat of the pickup, window down, brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail, cheeks flushed. “Hey, Doc,” she said, trying to grin. “My water broke. Boy, it made a mess though. I mean, that water went everywhere.” She suddenly doubled over. “Oh—ow. That’s a good one.”
“All right,” May said calmly. “I’ll meet you at the hospital. Please don’t rush. I know it’s right around the corner, but drive slowly.”
“Okay.” Nate scrambled into the driver’s seat, his eyes bright with panic and excitement.
“She’s going to be fine,” May said firmly.
They pulled away.
Ace stepped up beside her, his hand finding hers without asking. “I’ll walk you to the clinic.”
“Thanks.”
They crossed toward Second Street, the night quiet except for the distant hum of engines and the shift of small rocks underfoot.
“Think it’ll be a long night?” he asked.