by Joy, Dani
Besides he was getting a free meal out of it.
**
Rand walked in to see Angie at the door by the studio they had used a few days ago. She put one finger to her lips to motion me to be silent. She cracked the door and I stuck my ear close. Terra was singing along with Bray at the guitar. Bray stopped it. “Acoustics changed.” Bray said.
Angie pushed the door open throwing Rand under the bus. I had seen her hand as she pushed Rand in the room and I heard her giggle. My stomach growled again. Bray shook his head. “Just what I thought. A needy artist. Thinking that you need to eat every five hours or so.” He softened his words by the smile not only in his voice but on his face.
I started giggling as I saw Angie stick her head around the doorframe and give me a little finger wave.
“Let’s go to my office. I don’t want the smell to linger. She,” He nodded his head towards me, “Might think that I need to feed her more often.”
Rand came over and kissed me lightly and walked away since both of his hands were full of bags.
We piled the food up exchanging pleasantries while we ate. Bray had a small fridge that was full of water bottles and soda in his office.
I was done eating and I collapsed in the chair. Half an hour ago I was stoked and ready for more. Now with a full belly I was exhausted. I looked to Bray. “Why am I suddenly so tired?”
He was showing signs of exhaustion also. He had Angie’s hand in his, on top of the desk, drawing random signs across it with his other hand. “It just works that way.”
I yawned and looked at Rand. “I need to go home and just chill. You game?”
He lifted me out of the chair as Angie cleaned up. He kissed me lightly. “Gonna watch a game with me?”
I nodded. Rand smiled.
Bray stopped me. “What’s your schedule like?”
I had to think hard. “I work Tuesday through Friday. School starts in another week. I have classes after work.” I thought about it some more. “I need study time on the weekend. Two, three hours Saturday and Sunday depending on how hard the classes are, maybe Monday as well.”
He nodded to Rand with a yawn. “Take her home. We’ll work some more time.”
I gave Angie a hug and surprisingly Bray drew me in for a hug. “What you laid down today was awesome.”
I smiled at him. “You going to be okay on the bike of yours?”
“Always. It knows its own way home.”
Chapter Thirteen
I had learned early that if I read the text books the week before school started that studying was half as much through the quarter. I only had three classes and the texts weren’t all that large but they covered a hell of a lot of information. I had nearly drained my yellow highlighter with the three books. I would use orange for lectures and green for quiz questions. It was a ritual that I had formed and it worked for me.
Rand had let me stay up reading staying out of my way all week long. I found it endearing and annoying at the same time. We were a new couple not an old married one. I didn’t know how to initiate intimacy. I just didn’t.
But I had slept in until eight. That was three hours later than I normally slept. I smelled the faint aroma of coffee and Rand wasn’t beside me. That was odd. He was a late sleeper on the weekends.
I walked in the bathroom and did what I had to do. I had fallen asleep in just my underwear last night. I was too tired to change. His button down shirt was on top of the pile. I pulled it on sniffing the collar. It still had a faint smell of him. We worked in a hospital. Perfume or cologne was frowned upon. It could aggravate patients. I was used to it. I didn’t like it but I only bought unscented everything. From soap to makeup. I even went as far as putting hair dye in only if I had three days off for the smell to go away.
I had only done up one button on the shirt. Rand scowled at me as I walked in the room. Had I not been so determined I would have paid attention and backed off. As it was I was on a mission. He had held me night in and night out but we hadn’t done anything about it for long enough that I was starting to hurt. I wanted to feel him. I needed to feel him.
I undid the one button as I walked behind him and pulled the shirt open. I pressed my breasts against his back and kissed up the back of his neck. “Good morning.” I whispered when I got close to his ear. My hands ran up his body from the edge of his boxer briefs up over his torso. I felt his nipples harden almost as much as mine had just touching him.
“Terra.” It was almost a warning.
“Please.” I whispered as I ran my hands back down his body. I went down his thighs and came back up cupping him with one hand. He was hard and long against my fingers under the cloth. I kissed his neck and still whispering I said again. “Please.”
He turned on the stool. His hands followed the same path on my body that mine had done on his. He lingered longer on my breasts. I pushed my panties down my legs and kicked them to the side. He moved his hands down my thighs and stopped when he hit my crotch. I still whispered to him. “Please.”
He stood and I pushed his briefs down. He kicked them to the side and lowered me to the carpet. I whispered one last time as I pulled my legs up around his torso. “Please.”
He entered me and I threw my head back in bliss. I didn’t care if I had an orgasm. I simply wanted to feel him inside me. He didn’t move. His thumb did though on that one spot that can make or break a woman. It didn’t take long and I broke apart in a thousand pieces. Then he moved inside of me and I broke in a million pieces. I felt him inside of me as he broke apart also.
I opened my eyes to look at him. He had the brightest blue eyes of all the brothers. They were shining at me. I still whispered. “Thank you.”
He burst out laughing. Since he was still semi hard and inside of me it was brilliant. I closed my eyes since it felt so good.
“Ohhhhh.” I whispered. “I like that feeling.”
He was down to a chuckle. He started moving slowly inside of me. I felt him thicken before I felt him lengthen. “I’m not done with you yet.”
“Please.” I whispered one more time.
Chapter Fourteen
I got to Bray’s studio late. I blamed the rug burn on my ass. Rand had been patient with me but apparently my aggressive behavior brought his out too. I was still munching on my bagel when I walked in the door. Bray had his phone in his hands and pushing against the screen with the same hand that held a cup of coffee. I assumed he was playing a game.
I laughed. “You are going to ruin the phone with the coffee.”
“Maybe, but I will have killed that damn banana balloon before I do.”
I just rolled my eyes as we walked in the same studio as before. We did the same thing with three different songs before he bought me yet another burger. Three more songs and my phone started playing. I hadn’t set my phone to silent like Bray. I rarely got calls or texts. I saw no need.
It was a text from Rand.
Do I need to rescue U?
Leaving now. I sent back.
Grab food.
Will do. Burger King again I quickly decided.
“Um… Bray?” I looked at him. His hair was much longer, darker than Rand’s but just by a shade. His eyes were nearly the same color. I still thought that Rand was handsome but in reality all the brothers were good looking. I remembered what I was asking. “Rand wants me home. Are we through for the night?”
He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. “Shit. I hope Angie isn’t mad.”
“What do I need to help with to shut this down?”
“Nothing. I’m just going to shut stuff off and lock my office. Wait for me and I will walk you to your car.”
I was realizing that they had a protective streak. It was weird in a nice way. I had pretty much taken care of myself since I could remember. I wasn’t neglected by any means. Mom was over protective in a distracted way. Dad was simply distracted most of the time until he left. I’d lived alone for the last four years. With my job I was the one to
take care of other people. I watched him shut down his ‘board’ and lock the door after us. He actually locked a dead bolt this time with a key. That was new. I couldn’t help myself. “Dead bolt?”
“Got important shit in there right now. Can’t be too careful.”
I couldn’t fathom what the important shit was so I just kept my mouth shut. He locked his office and we walked to reception. There was a cute young girl at the front desk playing solitaire on the computer.
“Night Shauni.” Bray said as we walked out the door leaving everything open and all the lights on.
When I got to my car that was parked right out front Bray asked me. “What time tomorrow?”
I didn’t have any more studying that I really needed to do but it was Sunday. I wanted to sleep in a bit and hopefully have a repeat of this morning. “Ten?” I don’t know why it came out as a question but it did.
He nodded and waited until started the car before he went to his motorcycle.
Gotta love protective men. You really do.
I walked in the condo with food expecting Rand to be irritated with me. I would be with him if he was this late. He looked at me and started laughing. “It’s ok. I know how Bray is. He gets caught up in what he’s doing and sucks you right in.”
I didn’t even try to hide my sigh of relief. I sat down next to him on the couch placing the food on the coffee table in front of us. He was watching yet another baseball game. I probably should ask who was playing but it wouldn’t have made sense to me even if he told me who was playing. So instead I fed him a fry from my stash. He even licked the salt off of my finger.
“I’m sorry I’m so late.” I finally apologized.
“Don’t be sorry. Do you think that you can set a time to at least text me though so I know where you are?” He asked around a bite of burger.
I answered around my bite of chicken. “I will from now on.” I noticed that he wasn’t engrossed in the game as usual so I spoke. “You know that you are a far more patient person than I am.”
“Not really. I was annoyed. Not angry.” He added when he saw my face. “I had most the day to myself. I think that I just got bored.”
That I hadn’t thought of which made me not only a bad girlfriend but an insensitive one. “I didn’t think of that either.”
“I’m not trying to make you feel bad. Really, I’m not. If I wasn’t here I would have spent the day the same way. I just realized that I didn’t want to spend the day alone.”
Now I really felt bad. Normally I would have spent the day alone and wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But I didn’t spend the day alone. I spent it with his brother having fun. “I am such a dork.” I had given him a key but not much of myself. “I’ll beg off of tomorrow. Bray wants me to come in again. I can do that on Monday so you won’t be alone tomorrow.”
He shook his head and pulled me to him. I put my head on his shoulder and he put his hand against the side of my head wrapping his fingers around my neck. “Don’t do that. I’ll just come in with you in the morning and then leave after lunch.”
I curled my arms tighter around him.
“That way,” He continued, “I can come back and pick you up so that we can have dinner together.”
“I’d like that.” And I did. With that I had the best of both worlds. I pulled my legs up and rested them against his thigh. I had laundry that I should be doing but I didn’t want to move. I was comfortable where I was. I was also physically/emotionally tired. All I had done was sing and dance a little bit. And I do mean just a little dancing. “Oh shit.” I sat up straight. “I didn’t go to Sam’s. I didn’t even tell her that I wasn’t going to be there.” I rolled my eyes and looked at the clock on the wall and slumped.
He pulled me back to where I was. “I’m pretty sure Keiley didn’t go either.”
He thought that would be a comfort to me. It wasn’t. It made me feel worse. Sam and Keiley mostly ran the routines. I could be backup for Keiley but the other three wouldn’t. “I need to call her.” I mumbled against his chest.
He released me and I stood up to grab my bag. I had thrown my phone in it on the way home. I walked towards the kitchen area so that I didn’t disturb Rand’s game any more than needed. Sam answered on the second ring with a, “Hang on.”
The music in the background was getting quieter so I knew she was walking down the hallway towards her office. When the sound was gone I knew that she was in her office. “Before you say anything I was going to call and cancel dancing for a while. Angie called me yesterday and told me what is going on with you and well, everyone else.”
“I’m still sorry. I should have called too.” I was looking towards Rand. He just shook his head.
“Don’t worry about it. Ree and Sasha were almost relieved to get out of it. I think they were already done and just didn’t know how to get out of it.”
She was probably right. We ended up talking for almost an hour. She shared her thoughts about the studio and Keiley’s nephew dancing. She finally hung up on me on my third yawn with her own brand of saying goodbye. I loved her. She was the best.
Rand just shut off the TV when I hung up. I guess I didn’t have to wait for a repeat of this morning.
Luckily I spent most the time on top.
Rug burn kind of sucks.
Chapter Fifteen
I made sure that I left Bray’s studio by six Monday night. I had set an alarm like Rand had asked. I managed to get a couple loads of laundry done this morning and I had another one going. I was sadly behind with it and apparently Rand didn’t think of doing it. I didn’t mind right now but we were going to have to talk about it since school started tomorrow. I had opted for a cross between comfort food and eat it with your finger food. Breaded chicken tenders ready to be fried and rice in my little rice cooker.
He came home a little late. Seven twenty. Nothing to worry about except the look on his face. He gave me a kiss hello then went directly to the fridge and grabbed a beer. “Tough day? I asked concerned.
“Weird as hell day. I had to work around the guys who were installing extra cameras. They also put in a different scanning system.” He shook his head. “I don’t think that it was just for the hospital. I mean it has to be since it is in the hospital but it was just weird.” He looked at me. “Everyone was calm but kind of wired.”
Wow. Adam’s friend works fast. What I said out loud was just. “Wow. They added a step for every scrip that leaves the place?”
He took a slug of beer. “Yeah. I’ve never heard of that before.”
I kind of deflated.
“They said that it will only be for the first month though. After that it will just be the opiates.”
“Did they say why?” I genuinely wanted to know the answer to that.
Rand eyed me. “That was the weird and wired part. Nobody said anything.” He kept my eyes. “Nothing. Nada. Not even hand me a screw driver. Nothing.”
I held his eyes for about three seconds. “Keiley’s sister.” I stared at the ceiling. Then I took a deep breath. Then another. “You can’t know this Rand.”
“I already have a good guess Terra.”
I went to sit by him but had way too much nervous energy so I just got close. “One of the name of the fake ID’s that Keiley’s sister had rang a bell with me. I did a search and the first name I hit was one of my patients.”
Rand nodded at me.
“One of my patients that is dead Rand. Dead.” I stopped pacing. “I found six within fifteen minutes that have had numerous refills on oxy. After their deaths.”
He hung his head with his hands between his knees. “And you printed it out while you were logged in under your name on hospital time.”
“Worse. I copied full patient files to a flash drive.”
His head popped up and fear filled his eyes.
“I still have that. I gave Adam patient names and refill dates. Nothing more.”
“You could get fired for that.”
I nod
ded.
“That stick could get you jail time if you disclose anything on it.”
I nodded and blinked back tears.
“Six in fifteen minutes?” His eyes let me know that he needed the truth.
“I don’t think that it is from the hospital but it could be. I’m hoping it is Hospice.” I was hugging myself. My arms were wrapped around my elbows and my stomach started to hurt. I knew that I was going to have a raging headache shortly.
He stood and came to me without touching me. “At best you are going to get a hand slapped. Worst case you face jail time.”
I nodded again. I wanted to throw myself at him. I wanted to cry. I needed to cry.
I didn’t do either. I just stood there frozen in place.
“You didn’t tell me why?” He asked quietly.
All I could do was whisper now. “I was afraid that you would try to look into it too. One of us needs to keep their job.”
“I will be guilty by association Terra. They will assume that I already knew.”
I fell to my knees guilt consuming me. “Leave Rand. Leave now.” I went from fear for myself to absolute fear for him. “Call one or all of your brothers and have them move you out now!” I yelled at him. I knew that he had kept talking but I couldn’t hear anything over the beating pulse in my ears.
He came down on one knee in front of me. He was calm and my world was collapsing around me. “No. I didn’t know until right now. I won’t lose my job.”
“But you do know.” I had the palms of my hands on the pressure points at my temples. “You saw me hand over the files to Adam. You have too much invested in your career to throw it away on me.”
He started working the pressure points on my face. Between my nose then over my brow. He worked under my eyes and back up. He moved my hands and worked the hair line. “You have been carrying this for almost two weeks by yourself haven’t you?”
He was now working my neck. “Angie knows.” I whispered with panic in my blood and tears on my face.