Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
By the time they all made it inside, Doc Jones had arrived. She’d intimidated the shit out of Aiden as a child—she was tall and broad and had flame red hair streaked with gray—and his impression of her hadn’t changed much as he got older. He paid her very well to be available when they needed her, but there wasn’t enough money in the world to ensure that she had a good attitude while she did it.
She propped her hands on her hips and looked them over. “Well, hell. I’ve never seen a more motley crew, and in my line of work, that’s saying something.”
“Doc Jones.” He touched Charlie’s back, urging her forward, the warmth of her body through her clothes reassuring him as he shadowed her, sure that she was going to drop at any moment.
The good doctor, naturally, called him on it. “Let the girl breathe. Back off or you’ll wait outside.”
Aiden instantly took a step back. As hard as it was to put distance between them, being forced out of the room while she worked on Charlie would be even worse. He watched like a hawk as Doc Jones examined her arms and huffed. “Did a number on yourself, didn’t you?”
“I have a deep desire not to be shot.”
She chuckled. “Don’t we all? You’re miles ahead of this fool’s siblings.” She jerked a thumb at Aiden. “Though he, at least, hasn’t called me up because of a bullet wound yet.”
“He’d better not.”
Doc Jones went to work, cleaning the worst of the blood off and then carefully prodding the wounds in search of glass. Aiden gritted his teeth every time Charlie winced. She put a brave face on it, but then she would. She was too tough for her own good.
He wanted her to be able to let down her guard around him. It was such a foolish desire—to be her safe harbor—that he didn’t know how to deal with it. He wasn’t safe for Charlie. He’d never be safe for her. Asking her to be vulnerable around him because he craved the ability to take care of her was selfish in the extreme.
Knowing that didn’t do a single damn thing to detract from the desire.
Watching her tough it out when she was obviously in pain, scared, and pissed off broke his fucking heart. It took every ounce of control he had to sit still and offer silent support, when all he wanted to do was shove Doc Jones away and carry Charlie up to his room.
By the time Doc Jones was finished, Aiden was shaking nearly as much as Charlie. The doctor adjusted the bandages on her arms. “It could have been a lot worse.”
“I know.”
“I’m giving you pain meds. You had better damn well take them.” She continued before Charlie had a chance to answer. “No one likes a heroic fool. Take the pills and slow down enough to give your body a chance to start healing. You don’t have a cock, so whipping it out to prove yours is the biggest is going to waste everyone’s time.”
Aiden stepped up and plucked the pill bottle from the doctor’s hand. “I’ll make sure she takes it.”
Doc Jones managed to look down her nose at him despite the fact that she was sitting. “I should give you some damn Xanax, because, God knows, you aren’t going to sleep tonight. But I know better.”
He managed a small smile. “Yes, you do.” The closest Aiden got to pills was ibuprofen, and even then he had to be seriously hurting to take it. He knew damn well it was his control-freak nature, but that didn’t mean he was about to change.
“Should shoot you with a damn horse tranq.” Doc Jones shook her head and stood, her gaze narrowing on Keira, who was sitting meekly on the couch. “And you. Don’t get me started on you. That shit you put in your body is going to kill you, girl.”
“Not if a stray bullet gets me first.”
Aiden turned to tell Keira not to joke like that, but Doc Jones boomed out a laugh. “At least you’ve got your sense of humor.” She packed up her stuff and headed for the door, pausing next to Keira. “Eat something, girl. Suicide, whether it’s fast or slow, is the coward’s choice. Find something to live for.” Then she was gone, the door shutting softly behind her.
Keira barely waited for her heavy footsteps to disappear down the hallway before she jumped up. “I need a hit like nobody’s business.” Then she was gone as well, though her exit was much quieter.
Alone at last, Aiden finally moved to crouch in front of Charlie. She didn’t say anything as he took her hands and extended her arms, turning them this way and that, examining Doc Jones’s bandage job. It was impeccable, as always. “How are you doing?”