by S. M. Dapelo
“Including not taking your prescribed meds.” Ethan walked into the room shaking a prescription bottles. “You still have the same amount you had yesterday. I know because there were only four in each bottle and I sent a reminder to myself to call Richard to see if you’d need another prescription.”
I scrunched up my nose, “I thought I took them.”
“Nope,” he smiled at me and put out his hand. “Richard wants you to rest, and thinks we threw too much information at you in one day.” He looked at the other two in the room, “Berto, why don’t you take Lyssa and see if the bugs are working? Sam’s resting tonight.” Berto nodded, motioned to Lyssa, and left with her behind him.
I took his hand, “Should I take the medicine?”
“You have to take it with food. Xavier’s going to get pizza. We’ll have you take it after.” He led me out into the hallway, “Plus, you haven’t been eating. Richard thinks it might be blood sugar related.”
“Thinks?”
He sighed and closed his eyes for a second, “There’s only one way to know for sure. That’s a blood test. Please make this easy.” I noticed Tanner on one side of the hallway and Xavier on the other.
“No one’s sticking a needle in me,” I tried to pull out of his hold, but he had a firm grasp on me.
“Samantha, unless you want to take on the three of us, you’re getting your blood tested. They don’t want to run more radiation through you right now.” Ethan was using a calm voice, “The only way to get loose from me, is to hurt me. Do you want hurt me?” He swung me around quickly, wrapping both arms around me as Xavier advanced.
I knew it had to be done. It didn’t mean I was going to make it easy on them. When Xavier got close enough, I kicked my legs out, running up him and flipping over Ethan’s back, breaking his hold at the same time. Then I raced toward Tanner who shook his head, “Not this time Sam.” I went to slide under him, but he had already figured out the move, dove over me grabbing my wrist at the same time pulling me back. I rolled to a standing position at the same time as him, then ran and jumped and kicked off the side of the hall wall, aiming to vault over him. He was again ready, grabbed me around the waist, and tossed me backward into Ethan, who used the same hold as last time. He wrapped both arms and legs around me and forced me to the floor.
“One of you grab her right arm, and hold it out straight,” he ground out. “The other one gets Richard.”
“Where the hell did she learn to fight?” Xavier asked as Tanner slid next to us and grabbed my arm.
“She’s always fought like that,” Tanner replied. “You were just never on the receiving end. Where’s Rich?”
“I’m here,” Richard walked into the hallway, quickly prepping the site on my arm, and taking the blood as Ethan forced my head away from looking.
“It’s going to be okay Sugar. He has to do this, and it has to be without any foreign substances in your body. He has to get an accurate reading.” He kept talking soothingly as I tried to breathe through everything.
“What did you guys watch last night?” Tanner was stronger than I ever gave him credit for. My arm never moved.
“Iron Man,” answered Xavier who was staring at us like we were insane.
“Which one?” ground out Tanner.
“One and Two,” Xavier shrugged. “She fell asleep for some of one but was awake for most of two.”
“Black Widow,” Ethan and Tanner said together.
“I knew those moves could be done,” Tanner smirked.
“I have everything I need. You two can let her go now.” Richard backed up, but Ethan kept me wrapped up in his arms.
“Xavier, go pick up the food. Tanner, do a double check on security. I especially want eyes on Brock Peterson. I’m taking my wife upstairs to rest. Richard, how soon before you know?”
“I’m rushing it to the lab now. Just a matter of minutes once I get it on the analyzer.” Richard packed up his bag. “Make sure she starts ingesting the correct number of calories from now on. I don’t care who’s cooking.”
Ethan nodded and relaxed his hold as they walked out. “We can’t do this every time, Sugar. How do we deal with this fear?”
I hadn’t moved and just shook my head, “I have no idea. I don’t even know why I’m afraid.”
“The fear’s there because it’s one of the ways they tortured you. Not by drawing your blood, but …” he paused. “I’m not getting into this. We overloaded you today. No questions tomorrow either, understood? Tomorrow is just rest, read, and watch TV. We’re not leaving the room, except for food.”
I slowly tried to get to my feet, but Ethan was faster than me and had me in his arms before I realized it. He was walking up the stairs to our suite. “What about dinner?” I asked.
“We’re eating in tonight. I’m expecting a whole pizza just for you and me. Since you rolled around on the floor of a government building, you’re getting a shower first. Then we’re putting on the history channel and watching it. Unless it’s Nazis or aliens, then we’re watching the National Geographic channel.”
I nodded into his shoulder, “Okay.”
“Okay? No arguments?”
“Nope. I don’t think I’m up for much more today.” I laid my head on his shoulder.
“Me either, Sugar.” He opened the door and walked us through.
Chapter 16
After showering and changing into comfortable clothes, Ethan grabbed one of the pizzas and locked us in the room. I forced down two pieces, a breadstick, and a coke, not diet, which seemed to make him happy. He sat in one of the chairs by the bed working on a laptop as I watched whatever National Geographic was playing. Basically, I got bored and fell asleep quickly.
When I woke in the morning Ethan was already gone, so I changed into jeans and a flowy top and headed for the door. I opened it to Tanner standing with his arms crossed in front of it. “Nope,” he shook his head. “The orders are for you to stay in here. Ethan will be back in a few minutes with your breakfast.” He made a shooing motion with his hands, “Turn around and walk back in.”
I rolled my eyes, “Tanner, don’t be silly. I can walk down to the kitchen and eat there.”
“Nope,” he kept shaking his head.
“He made me watch the most boring TV I’ve ever seen in my life last night,” I whined. Not that I remembered anything, but there had to be something better on.
“The dog show?” he sighed.
I drew my brows together, “No, National Geographic. I mean, it was pretty. But it didn’t keep my interest.”
Tanner rolled his eyes, “Just be happy he didn’t make you watch the History Channel.”
“He refused to watch what they had on last night.”
“Nazis?”
“Aliens.”
Tanner sighed, “He gave orders you weren’t to leave the room until he came back. I agree. We pushed you way to hard yesterday. The only thing worse we could have done was let you watch that recording.” He looked around me, “The least I can do is put you into the good movie library.” He walked in and closed the door behind him.
“What’s the good movie library?”
“Berto’s. He has everything, all the Pixar movies, all the Marvel and X-man movies, the Star Wars franchise. You name it, he’s got it.” He grabbed the remote control, hit a few buttons and was putting a password in. “I’ll warn him you’re in it, so he doesn’t freak.” He snorted, “He pissed another hacker off one time and she replaced everything in his library with chick flicks.”
“I can’t stay in here all day,” I whined, hoping for sympathy.
He ignored me, the bastard. “Start with the Bourne movies. Then switch to Deadpool, understanding you cannot do any of those moves. It’s make-believe and he heals instantly. Then either move to the Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. Nope, watch Lord of the Rings. Star Wars will take you a full day and we need to give you the correct order to watch it.”
“There’s a correct way to watch something?” My mout
h fell open.
“Yeah, you need to go four, five, six, one, two, three, seven, eight, nine. Or you could just ignore one, two, and three. There’s a debate about that.”
“You’re confusing me,” I put a hand to my head.
“Good, then he did his job.” Ethan said as he walked in with a tray, “I have bacon, eggs, and a smoothie for you.”
I glanced at the food on the tray and pointed to the glass, “I’m not drinking that.”
Ethan frowned at me, “It’s healthy. It has protein powder, fruits and vegetables.”
I crossed my arms, “What kind of vegetables? And since when do we drink vegetables? I’ve heard of orange juice, never Brussel sprout juice.”
Tanner came up next ot me and stared at the drink. “Man, that is green,” he muttered.
Ethan ground his teeth, “It has spinach, broccoli, kale …”
“Nope.” I shook my head, “I’m not sure what kale is, but I know I don’t like it.”
“No one likes kale,” Tanner said. “They just claim they do to sound healthy. It’s the same as people claiming they like dark chocolate.”
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, “If anybody ever doubted the two of you were related, this would prove it to them.”
“They’re related?” Xavier was in the doorway.
Tanner slapped his hand to his forehead, “Xavier, meet me in the library. I need to give you a debriefing. You’re officially part of the inner circle.”
I stared at Tanner, “You get to make that decision?”
“I’m head of security,” he ground out. “Ethan’s the only one who doesn’t answer to me.”
“I don’t answer to you.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Do.”
“Don’t.”
“Yeah, I see it now. They’re siblings,” nodded Xavier. “No doubt at all.”
“Library,” roared Tanner as Xavier turned and walked out. He sighed and turned to Ethan, “I set her up with Berto’s DVR catalog. I thought she should start with Borne.”
“I’ve got a TV show I want to binge watch. She has to learn not all spies are evil,” he sighed.
“Why would all spies be evil?” Tanner turned to me, annoyed, “We’re not evil.”
“We’re not spies,” said Ethan. “We’re security consultants.”
“You say potato,” shrugged Tanner, “But when I’m talking to strippers, I say spy.”
“Go talk to Xander and run through the security protocol with him. You’re grilling tonight, right?” Ethan’s jaw ticked.
“What? You’re letting him cook again?” I frowned as Tanner glared at me.
“Tanner can grill with the best of them. It’ll be edible.” Ethan ran his hands up and down my arms, “You’re eating breakfast. I’ll drink the smoothie, then I’m running you into Richard’s office. He decided he wants another scan. Your blood work came back. You were hypoglycemic but he still wants a look at how everything’s healing.”
“I thought it was dangerous to go to his office,” I said.
“We’re taking Tanner and Xavier with us. We’ll be in and out. Then the rest of the day, you and I will be in here.” Ethan gave a sexy smile that turned my insides to jelly.
“I’m going to give the breakdown to Xavier.” Tanner headed out the door, “You feed Sam.”
I glared at the tray, “Who cooked?”
“I did. I can manage scrambled eggs and bacon,” smiled Ethan as he picked up some bacon. “Open,” I did as he demanded, and he poked a crispy bit in.
I chewed for a moment then swallowed. Bacon is good no matter what I decided. “If you stick me in here all day, I’m going to lose my mind,” I said. Ethan started to say something, and I held a hand up, “I understand I need to rest and that I don’t have the energy I should. But surely we can take a walk or sit in the library to relax. I’m starting to feel like a prisoner.”
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, “I’m trying to keep you safe. It’s been less than two weeks since you got in a wreck and had surgery.” He sucked his bottom lip in as he thought, “How about we take it a little bit at a time. First you eat,” he indicated the tray, “then we’ll go to the clinic and get your scan. We’ll see how you’re feeling after that.”
I gave a small nod, “I can agree to that.”
He ran a hand across my cheek, “I have to admit, I was hoping to spend time together, just the two of us. You’re still getting to know me again.”
“Locking me in a room will give me warm fuzzy feelings about you?” I raised a brow.
“If a massage is involved it will,” he smiled at me and I felt heat in my face. He picked up some egg and held it in front of my mouth, “Now open. You need to eat.”
Chapter 17
The ride to the clinic was uneventful, with Ethan and me in the back and Tanner driving. Xavier had his eyes everywhere, but with the way he was shifting I could tell something was troubling him. The CAT scan was fine, and we were in and out quickly. On the way back I just couldn’t let it go.
“Xavier, is something bothering you?” I asked.
He pinched his lips together, “I consider myself highly observant,” he stated. “I never noticed.”
“Noticed what?” I asked.
“Sugar, we agreed no questions today,” said Ethan.
“They’re not questions about work,” I shrugged. “What didn’t you see?” I asked Xavier again.
“I didn’t notice the two of you were married.” He looked out the window, “I didn’t even notice the two of you were in a relationship.”
“We designed it that way,” Ethan sighed and sat back. “When we first got together, I stayed at her place a majority of the time. At least while she was working with the agency. After we convinced her to join, well, only the family was in on it. It’s not like you lived in the main house. If you had, you would have noticed.”
Xavier gave a small nod, “That’s true. There was no hiding anything once I was there for over twenty-four hours.” He sighed, “You’d think I would have noticed their dynamic though. They look nothing alike, but their personalities…” He waved his hand between me and Tanner.
“No, you wouldn’t have,” Tanner shook his head. “We were split up after our parents died and Sam’s six years younger than me. We didn’t have a dynamic to see.”
“Really?” Xavier’s brows went up, “Then what was this morning?”
“A readjustment. I explained what happened to Sam, she honestly has no memory that she was nervous around me,” Tanner kept his eyes out the front window.
“Why would I be nervous of you? I’ve gotten past you fifty-percent of the time,” I sat back.
“No questions today, Samantha.” Ethan grabbed my chin and looked at me, “You need time for your brain to heal. You’ll discover everything eventually.”
“It has to suck not to remember anything,” muttered Xavier.
Tanner snorted, “I’m not so sure about that. She never would have tried to take me on if she did.”
“What did I used to do at the agency?” I asked.
“No questions,” two voiced boomed through the SUV. I sighed and sat back.
“When do we find out who these people are?” Xavier asked. “They need killing.” My eyes went wide with that simple statement.
“Not in front of Samantha,” Ethan said. “She’s simply my wife from now on. She’s no longer part of the operation.”
“Excuse me?” I turned to face him.
“You heard me. I should have pulled you when we first got married and just kept you safe,” he crossed his arms.
“Dude,” Tanner shook his head in warning and Xavier was cringing.
“So you expect me to, what? Sit around and knit?”
“No. I expect you to learn what’s going on around you. I expect you to work on re-learning your skills and the basics of the world. And, when the time comes, I expect you to be a fantastic mother to our chil
dren.” The car doors suddenly locked and Ethan’s head swung so he could look at Tanner.
“Either she’s gonna try to jump out of the car or she’s gonna toss you out,” Tanner said. “Consider it a protective maneuver.”
“You’re an ass,” I ground out at Ethan, who looked confused. “Tanner, wherever this place that I used to live is at, take me there.”
“The hell he will,” snapped Ethan. “You’re in danger. Get it through you head.”
“Then drop me off at the mall,” I yelled at Tanner, who was looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. Xavier was slumping down into his seat.
“Sam,” Tanner started calmly. “You have to stay with us, and you have to calm down. It’s not good for you. I’ll talk to Ethan and explain how he’s been an idiot when we get back. He honestly doesn’t understand. He’s a genius with strategy and a moron with women.”
“How am I a moron with women?” Ethan glared at Tanner.
“Well for starters, telling your wife that she needs to be barefoot and pregnant never goes over well. Even if she doesn’t have her memory,” sighed Tanner.
“I would not have her be barefoot,” Ethan looked affronted.
“How’s he clueless?” asked Xavier, “I’ve seen him with a dozen different women.”
“What?” I yelled as Xavier winced.
“Not recently,” Xavier put his hands out.
“They dated him because he’s rich, not because he’s suave,” ground out Tanner, probably realizing that the conversation was quickly going off the rails. “None of those dates were even real since you’ve joined us.”
“How am I not suave?” Ethan demanded to know.
“For starters, before we left Vegas you asked that bartender when her baby was due,” Tanner said calmly.
“How is that a problem?” Ethan crossed his arms and leaned back into the seat.
“Because she wasn’t pregnant,” yelled Tanner. “I’ve told you a dozen times, unless you see an actual baby coming out of a woman, you don’t ask that question.”
“It was an accident,” Ethan grumbled. “She was glowing.”
“She was drinking,” Tanner growled. “That right there was a hint.” He sighed, “Face it, man, the only woman who’s ever thought you were adorable without knowing your bank account is Sam. So, shut up before you make things worse.”