Playing For Keeps (Checkmate Series Book 4)

by Emilia Finn

  “I knew it!” Without stepping back, she plants her hands on her hips and scowls. “Twenty-one and hot.”

  “Ahh… I’m twenty-nine, actually.” I frown at the familiar voice and push my chair a few feet closer to the front door. “But I’ll take the hot compliment. Thanks! You remember me, right? We partied that ti–”

  “Yes,” Andi sighs. Stepping back, she waves the nurse in. “Go ahead, woo him with your angel eyes and adorable freckles.”

  Kari Macchio – little sister to the very same Marcus who hit on Andi that one time – moves through my front door and stops with a smile when our eyes meet. The familiar anger roars in my veins and burns the ends of my hair. Why couldn’t they send me a crotchety old bitch that we don’t know and would never have to meet over the dinner table? Why did it have to be Kari Macchio that would help clean me up and check my staples?

  But of course, it gets worse as Luc Lenaghan, her boyfriend and the EMT who plugged my bullet hole with his fingers so I wouldn’t bleed to death, follows her through the door. Kari being here is a stretch. I know these assholes pulled strings to make it so, but there’s no reason for him to be here except to be a big nose and insert himself in my business.

  “Cruz.” Luc stops behind his wild-haired girlfriend and carries a bag full of shit that nurses carry with them to every home job. They think they’re slick. They think I don’t know they shouldn’t be here. “You look good, man. Truly. How are you feeling?”

  “Fine.” I wave him off. “You can wait outside.”

  “Riley! Don’t be an asshole.” Andi pushes the couple through my living room with an angry glare. She knows I don’t want people up in my space. She knows I can hardly tolerate her up in my space. But now I have to deal with a friend’s little sister, and a man I’ve had a beer with.

  I’m not angry with these people. I just don’t want them in my home where they can give me the ‘there, there’ sympathetic pats on the shoulder and go back to living their perfect lives.

  There’s a reason Kari brought her guard dog; word’s getting out that I’m a grumpy fuck. But they couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get inside.

  Ignoring Luc, I meet Kari’s eyes only as she stops six feet ahead of me. “Where’s the real nurse?”

  She clasps her hands together and stands in front of me in tight jeans and a Van Halen concert t-shirt. “I’m the real nurse; got a fancy degree and everything.” When I narrow my eyes, she rolls hers. “Fine. Luc and I are saving up for a house and a wedding, so I’ve been picking up extra shifts at the community nurse center to add to our savings. Home nurses are contracted after a patient,” she smiles, “you, are discharged. Your file slid across my desk three days ago, so–”

  “So you figured you’d snag the file and help yourself to my business?”

  “Actually, no. I dropped that file like it was hot and pretended I had a sudden onset of the shits. I sat in the bathroom for a full hour, caught up on my text chats, played sudoku, posted a bathroom selfie on social media. I figured the file would be allocated by the time I got out.”

  “But it wasn’t.”

  “Nope. I figure everyone knew you’d be a jerk about it – we all know how mean you were to LeAnn at the hospital – so everyone else decided to take a shit, too.”

  “Can you stop saying shit? It’s creepin’ me out.”

  Turning with a shrug, she takes the bag from her much taller boyfriend and pats his chest. Turning back to me, she takes another step closer and stops. “Luc wanted to say hey, but technically he shouldn’t be here, so… whatever. You and I can go to your bedroom if you like, and he can stay up here with Andi. He’d love a glass of sweet tea.”

  “I got it!” Andi rushes around my chair and takes a glass down from the kitchen cabinet, but Luc and I are caught in a stand-off of sorts – if one could be considered standing off while in a wheelchair. I’m going to my bedroom with his girlfriend and he doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. He’s too fucking casual for my liking.

  And yet, Dee’s out here pouring him a glass of tea and I want to break a table over his head.

  “Let’s go, Cruz.” Kari steps around me, but she doesn’t dare touch my chair. My reputation definitely precedes me. A benefit, I suppose, considering before this, everyone mocked my innocence. “The sooner we start, the sooner I’ll be out of your space again. Then you can have sweet tea with Andi.”

  “Yeah…” I turn away from the blonde man that watches me with a smirk – take his girlfriend to my bedroom? No big deal – and lead my nurse along the hall and past the guest bedroom. Nacho has resumed her position half-under Andi’s pillow so her tutu covered ass pokes out, and though Kari’s gasp indicates she saw what I saw, she remains professional and doesn’t ask.

  Rolling from hard wood to soft carpet, I stop at the end of my bed and turn. “What do you need me to do?”

  She sets her bag on my bed and opens it up. “Nothing. I’m just going to wash my hands, then we can get started. I’ll take your dressing off, check your residual limb, make sure it’s clean and dry, then I’ll cover it with fresh bandaging again. I’ll be back every day for a week, so I’d appreciate you not glaring at me each time I arrive.”

  “You scared of me, Macchio?” I continue talking, even as she moves into my bathroom. “Had to bring your guard dog in case I attacked?”

  “Scared?” Her mocking scoff echoes amongst the tile. “No. Not much scares me, Cruz, least of all a patient who is grieving his leg, so he lashes out at everyone near him. Luc came along because he wanted to see you for himself.” She dries her hands on a towel and turns back to my room. “We both know he was with you the night you were hurt. He was on your stretcher as the ambulance pulled up to the hospital, then he was dismissed and sent to the showers to wash your blood off his hands. His sisters were hurt that day, too, but the whole world knows you took their bullets. You saved their lives.”

  “And in exchange, he saved mine?”

  “Not in exchange.” She stops by the bed and goes to work setting out the things she’ll need. Gloves, bandaging, creams. “He did that because that’s his job, his passion. He didn’t even know about the twins at that point. Everyone thought they were home in bed, so he was doing his thing with you, and he refused to let you go. He rode with you, washed you off, clocked out and crawled into bed, only to get another call an hour later to find out the girls were in trouble. Everyone has been so busy watching the twins’ grief, but he never stopped thinking about you. He found out I was coming here today, so he asked to ride along.”

  “Are the twins okay?” The same way Andi disarms me, Kari’s honesty washes away my bitterness for a moment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t enough.”

  She glances up with a soft smile. “You were definitely enough. They’re alive, they’re here, and that’s good enough for now. Physically, they’re pretty much fine. Jess is nursing a flesh wound in her arm, but it didn’t cause a whole lot of damage. Ten stitches and she was closed up again. Both girls have burns to their legs and arms, but Jess is worse. She’s blistering up and sore, but antibiotic ointment is helping. Emotionally…” She sighs. “Emotionally, they’re wrecked.” She snaps on a pair of gloves and turns away to hide the sadness in her eyes. She speaks of the girls like she would any patient, detached, factual, but we both know they’re her best friends. Literally. They grew up together since Kari and her brother were fostered by my chief’s family. “Jessie’s boyfriend died while you were in surgery, so she’s pretty messed up about that.”

  Jessie’s boyfriend… Kane Bishop.

  “And Laine…” Kari lowers to her knees in front of my chair and works on the Velcro of my brace. Instead of discussing what she’s doing, we stick to news of the girls and ignore the elephant in the room. “There are rumors going around that Laine isn’t doing so great. But she won’t let anyone in. She won’t talk to us.” Kari’s green eyes meet mine. “Both girls are locked away in their rooms, and they won’t talk to anyone, and that really hurts L
uc.”

  12

  Andi

  Forever Girl

  I stand at the kitchen counter with a pencil pinched between my fingers and my notebook held beneath my elbow. With narrowed eyes and my tongue poking out for concentration, I work on the shading while Luc sits across from me and watches.

  Riley and Kari have been in the room for an hour. And though I know Kari is hopelessly in love with the blonde in front of me, though I know she’s not a double D’s bimbo who might seduce Riley with her web of perfection and prettiness, I still find myself concentrating extra hard on the movements of my right hand.

  I have a minute to breathe again, to not have to stand tall under Riley’s scowl, or his eagle eyes watching every tiny move I make. And even though Luc watches me, he’s not judging the way Riley does. He’s not plotting ways to get me out of the house so he can change the locks while I’m not looking.

  “So… talk to me?” Luc sets his empty glass down on the marble counter and hunches lower to catch my eyes. “What’s happening inside this house while we’re all off doing our own shit? Everyone wants to know, but no one is allowed in.”

  I shake my head and fix where my hand jolted and marked the paper. “He’s… hurting.” I roll the word around in my mouth, settling on it despite the fact it doesn’t feel nearly enough to describe what’s happened to Riley’s life. “He’s angry about losing his leg. Like, really fucking angry.” I place my pencil down and glance up. “He’s bitter about it, and when I push him too hard, he can get mean. He’s in pain; his leg hurts, his stomach hurts, his arms hurt from the crutches. Not that he says a damn word about pain,” I murmur. “He’d rather suffer in silence, since he’s such a good boy scout. I have no clue if he’s sleeping… I mean… ” I shrug. “I assume he is. A few hours a night, at least. He’s eating, but not a great deal. He’s just…” Leaning onto my elbows, I push my hands into my hair and sigh. “He’s not happy, and I’m not sure if he will be for a long time.”

  “He’s not letting you in?” Bright blue eyes watch me closely. “Of all the people in the world, rumor has it you’re his kryptonite.”

  I scoff. “Those rumors are false. Not only isn’t he letting me in, but he’s actively pushing me out.” I laugh humorlessly. “A weaker woman would’ve already packed her pig up and gone home. But I’m stubborn, I’m invested, and I’m not moving my ass off his couch until I’m damn well ready.” Looking for a distraction, I remember back to Kari’s words and smile. “So you guys are saving for a house and a wedding? That’s exciting.”

  He blushes. His cheeks actually color. “Well… I guess. I didn’t ask her yet.”

  I laugh. “She’s a take charge kinda girl. I’m proud of her.” When he doesn’t laugh with me, and instead, his eyes cloud, I frown. “Woah… You want to marry her, right?”

  “Of course I do.” His eyes flare wide, almost like my question offends him. “I absolutely wanna marry her. She’s my forever girl. But before I can marry her, I’ve gotta talk to her brother.” Smiling morosely, he rubs a broad hand over his jaw. “That day’s gonna suck. It’s gonna hurt like a bitch, so it sure as hell ain’t gonna be today. There’s way too much other shit going on at the moment; my sisters, Alex.” He throws his hand toward the hall. “Riley. Kari and I are happy, we’re together, so my world is fine for now until everything else cools down. Plus, I don’t particularly have the energy for a smackdown in the yard.” His eyes meet mine. “And there will be a smackdown; Marc’s waiting for me to ask, he’s probably crossing the days on his calendar. He’s my best friend, but where it comes to his sister, I’m dead to him. So I’m gonna sit on it awhile.”

  Glancing back to my drawing with a laugh, I pick up the pencil and keep going. It’s a therapeutic distraction, so I take it and draw until my hands ache. “You’re a coward, Lenaghan. That ain’t sexy.”

  “I’m sexy,” he scowls. “I just don’t want a broken face today. Marc hated my guts for a whole six months over this, and he’s only just coming around now. He named his baby after me, so I don’t fancy having my godfather status revoked so soon, so whatever. It can wait. Plus, we need money, anyway.”

  “You don’t need money.” I brush loose shavings off my page, then blow out of habit. “What is it; fifty bucks for the license? I’ll spot you.”

  “You’re just trying to make trouble,” he grumbles. “Mind your own business, Conner, and worry about your own house.”

  I scoff. “My house? I’m not sure I have one anymore.”

  Frowning, his wedding-indignation melts away to something else. “What do you mean?”

  I shrug. “My time here isn’t exactly sanctioned by my boss, so I think I’m on my ass. And my apartment is paid up for the next month, but after that, I might get an eviction notice if I don’t run my ass home and find a new job.” I shrug. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m here to help Riley, and I’m claiming squatter rights, so it’s not like I’m homeless.” I laugh. “I’m sticking until I know he truly wants me out and isn’t hiding behind the anger about his leg.”

  “So you’re not listening for now, since you figure it’s his pain speaking?”

  “Precisely.” Dropping my pencil, I step back and gesture down my legs. “Look at me, Lenaghan; I’m adorable. He totally wants me here, he just doesn’t know it yet. When he’s not struggling so much, when he’s not in constant pain, I’ll take his get out shouts as something he truly wants. Until then, I’m gonna watch trashy reality shows on his TV at night until he wants to pick the damn thing up and smash it.”

  Almost silently, his chest bounces with laughter. “You’re gonna have him up and running before we know it.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Running away from you.”

  Stepping back in, I shrug and lean against the counter. “Those are just semantics. The results are the same.” The door at the end of the hall opens with a soft click and has me clamming up. Flipping the pages in my notebook, I go back to the rose and thorns design I was working on earlier and pretend like the couple moving down the hall doesn’t make me nervous.

  Riley’s wheelchair squeaks against the floor, but Kari steps out first with a sassy smile. “Alright, we’re all done. I’ll be back tomorrow, same time.”

  “Awesome.” I step forward and accept her half-hug. “Thanks for doing this,” I whisper. “You’re helping me.”

  “No problem.” Stepping back, she turns when Riley’s chair emerges around the corner. His fiery eyes change the atmosphere in the room, like he carries a vacuum in his pocket that sucks away the happiness. Awesome. I’m in love with a dude that cancels out happiness. He stares until the side of my head burns, but at least he doesn’t say anything mean. He just watches me, then Kari, then Luc. His leg is covered in fresh bandage, so white it glares, then is covered by the black brace he came home from the hospital in. His broad chest lifts and expands, like he’s readying for a fight. To fight me. Turning toward the fridge without a single word, he slams his chair against Luc’s legs on the way past and swings the doors open.

  “Anyway.” Kari hands her bag off to Luc and steps between him and Riley. “Probably won’t take as long tomorrow.”

  “How’s it look, doc?” I follow them toward the doorway. “All good?”

  “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t discuss my medical details with everyone in the fuckin’ street,” Riley grumbles. Turning at the open fridge, he has Kari’s lips closing in an instant. “Pretty sure there are laws about that.”

  “There are.” She does a kind of curtsy, glances at the floor, and nods. “I won’t discuss your business, Riley. You can trust me.”

  “I don’t have to trust you.” He slams the fridge and rests a bottle of orange juice in his lap. “I just have to trust that you wanna keep your job. Now get the fuck out.”

  Within minutes, a sad Kari, and a fuming Luc step outside and close the front door. Like day and night, the house turns perfectly silent but for Nacho’s exploratory snorts now that the strange
rs have left.

  I peek out the front window and watch them climb into their car, pull out of the driveway, and drive out of sight. Then I turn to him. “What the hell is your problem, Riley? You threaten her fucking job? You’re an asshole! We get it, you’re bitter, but you don’t get to threaten the job she’s spent more than a decade earning.”

  “I didn’t threaten shit.” He turns his chair and slams the juice near my notebook. “I reminded her of the vow she took when she claimed her degree and paycheck. The same way I took a vow to protect and serve.” He flips the brakes on his chair and scoots forward before I stop to think about what he’s doing. Grunting, he lifts his weight and stands to reach up for a glass tumbler. “Pretty fucking sure I didn’t vow to give up a leg, but here we are.” Slamming the cupboard door closed, he drops down again and squeezes his eyes shut when the impact hurts him more than he anticipated. His hands turn white; one on the wheelchair handle, the other wrapped so tightly around the glass, I wonder if it might shatter under the pressure.

  “Riley…” I step forward. I told myself I wouldn’t baby him. He wouldn’t like it, and I intended to give him the dignity that was stolen from him in the hospital, but I can’t stay away. I can’t bear to see him in pain. Moving around the island counter and stopping in front of him, I squat down so he’s taller, and slide a hand over his uninjured thigh. “Are you okay? I know that hurt; I’m sorry.”

  “Back up, Dee.”

  I rub his thigh; up and down, as though to warm him from the friction. “You don’t have to fight me, Riley. I’m here to help. I’m trying to help.”

  “Back. Up. Dee.”

  “Come over to the couch for a little while; you must be exhausted, so let’s put on a movie and snuggle. You don’t have to–”