by J. A. Owenby
“Ready?” Vaughn asked, slipping his arm around me and pulling me flush against him while we stood in the middle of the living room. Although we were respectful when others were near us, the house was currently empty.
“Not anymore,” I replied breathlessly. I pushed up on my tiptoes and kissed him passionately. “We could have a quickie before we go,” I whispered against his mouth.
His dick hardened in response. “It will have to wait until after your doctor’s appointment.”
I huffed. “Fine,” I teased. “Just remember this when you want one.”
Vaughn chuckled. “Honestly, I'm looking forward to this appointment. I’m hoping that you’ll be cleared for duty, ma’am.” He saluted me while he escorted me to the Mercedes and opened the door.
“Dancing isn’t duty.” I rolled my eyes at him and laughed.
“I know, but if you are, then in a few weeks, we can work on lifts again.” He flashed a lopsided grin at me, slipped his Ray-Bans on, and started the car.
“You just like to have a full view of my crotch.” I gave him an exaggerated wink.
Vaughn laughed, not denying my playful accusation.
“It’s all about the milestones. First you can dance, which also means we don’t have to be careful in bed anymore. Hell, we’ve been so gentle. I just want to pound you really good.”
I moaned. “Don’t do that to me now. I was the one that wanted a quickie before we left. I’m already revved up and ready to go.”
“Just the sound of it has my cock so fucking hard.” Vaughn shifted his hips upward.
“Stop, or I’ll make you pull this car over and jump you right here. Don’t think I won’t.”
“Oh, I bet you will. Guess I’d better stop talking about thrusting my dick deep inside you.”
“Vaughn!” I rolled my eyes and looked at him. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
His laugh filled the car. “I’m just happy we’re making headway, babe.” He took his hand in mine and kissed my knuckles.
“Let’s get excited after I’m cleared.”
“If you aren’t, we can still talk about our future.” Vaughn rubbed my jean-clad thigh.
“The trial is still a few weeks away, though. I struggle with trying to plan, knowing those sons of bitches are a dark cloud over my head.” I stared out the passenger window, praying for a good outcome. “No one has found any other evidence of who the shooter might be, either.” My voice trailed off, my mood taking a swift and sour turn.
“I didn’t mean for us to go down the rabbit hole, Claire. I’m sorry. Let’s just focus on right now. And right now, I’m one hell of a happy man with you by my side. The rest can wait.”
“Deal. Let’s get through this appointment and see where we are. I was told they perform a CT scan to check all the soft tissues and organs. I feel good, but I’ve never been through this before, so I don’t have any information to gauge it by.”
“You have sharp instincts, Claire. Run with them.”
My head snapped around. “Shit. That’s what Betty White told me in my dream.” I blinked at my boyfriend, wondering if he and Betty had been talking recently.
“She’s right. Well, your subconscious is right.”
“I think it was the universe borrowing Betty White’s face.” I closed my eyes against the bright sunlight. I had no idea where my sunglasses were.
Vaughn and I continued to chat about nothing important while he drove down Division Street and around downtown Spokane. The hospital sat on top of the hill, and I was always amazed at how large it was. Spokane wasn’t even half the size of Portland, but Sacred Heart was massive.
Fifteen minutes later, Vaughn had parked, and we walked through the hospital entrance. I checked in at the front desk, then we caught the elevator to the third floor, where my CT scan was scheduled. With each step I took down the white drab hallway, dread devoured me for lunch. This place haunted me with horrid memories, and anytime I had to be here, I thought I would toss my cookies.
“Are you okay? You look pale.” Vaughn squeezed my hand as we settled into the blue-and-yellow chairs in the waiting room.
“Yeah. It’s just hard being here, but I suspect it is for you, too.”
“We won’t be here long. Maybe I’ll call in a lunch order at P.F. Chang’s to take back home. Some Mongolian beef and sweet-and-sour chicken sounds amazing.” He smacked his lips and rubbed his washboard stomach.
“If I can dance again, then yeah. Let’s celebrate. Double the orders, because I’ll be able to dance all those calories off later.”
Vaughn leaned over, his nose brushing my hair. “But first I’m going to find an empty room, pin you against the wall, and pound you until you scream my name. Then you’ll have better memories whenever you have to visit for tests and checkups.” Vaughn sat up and winked at me. He grinned, obviously proud of himself for offering a solution that would help my anxiety.
“Claire Forrester.”
I stood, and the assistant motioned for me to follow her.
“Hi, hon. I’m Maggie. Have you had a CT scan before?” Her large brown eyes sparkled as she talked.
I wondered if she enjoyed running these tests. That seemed incredibly weird. “Not while I was conscious.”
“It’s completely painless,” she said, opening the door to the room where I would crawl onto the table and have my stomach scanned. “Sir, if you’d wait outside in the hall or waiting room.”
“I’m her bodyguard. I stay with her unless it disrupts the results,” he replied.
His deep voice sent shivers all over my body. He was hot as hell when he used his protective voice. All business. No bullshit allowed.
Her eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly. I wondered if she’d ever met a real bodyguard before. Plus Vaughn could make any female soak her panties, regardless of her age. From the expression on her face, I thought she had just orgasmed.
“Then stand near the door.”
She rattled off the instructions to me without taking a breath. Poor lady. Vaughn had flustered the shit out of her. Welcome to the club—he’d been teasing me since before we left the house.
Half an hour later, we left the room and walked across the hospital to where I would see my doctor. Dr. Bolan was running a full panel of bloodwork and urine. You name it, I was doing it.
I checked in at another desk and was handed a cup to pee in.
“Well, at least you don’t have to come into the bathroom with me this time.” I stopped myself before I rolled my eyes at him in public.
He leaned over, whispering in my ear, “We would have enough space for a quickie.”
I smacked him on the chest, my gaze narrowing. “Now you’re just messing with me.”
Vaughn covered his mouth while he laughed. “I did think about it.”
“Mm-hm. Twat tease.” I smirked as his body shook with laughter.
He walked me to the restroom, and I gave him a quick peck on his lips before I entered the bathroom and left him in the hallway.
I glanced around, the tight space closing in on me. Memories of the shipping container jarred my mind, and I sucked in a deep breath.
Most of my life, I had appreciated being a female. There were times I’d hated it, though, like when I was almost sold into slavery. I also had first-hand knowledge that trafficking didn’t just affect women. Men and children were sold every day. Nausea swam up my throat, my stomach churned, and I swallowed the fear. I was safe. For now. Dillon Montgomery’s words haunted me every day. “You’ll fetch a hefty price.” In his mind, I was still an object.
I sat on the toilet, willing myself to pee and hit the little container, but I failed. The warm liquid dribbled onto my hand. “Eww,” I muttered to myself.
Grabbing a few paper towels, I wrapped the cup up so no one could see my urine as I dropped it off at the lab down the hall. Washing my hands, I caught my reflection in the mirror. Although my green eyes were tired, they were bright again, and I appeared happy—happ
ier than when I’d landed in Spokane in the summer.
Five months had whizzed by. For a moment, I reflected on the time I’d been here. In some ways, I was doing tons better. I wasn’t having meltdowns every ten minutes, thanks to my phone sessions with my therapist in Portland that Sutton had helped me organize. Vaughn didn’t have to handle me with kid gloves as often, either. A strength surged through me. Whatever happened, for the first time in a long while, I realized I was going to be all right.
I opened the door, my attention immediately landing on Vaughn. My heart sighed with contentment.
“Are you having fun yet?” I asked, flashing him a warm smile while we headed down the hall.
“As I said in the car on the way here, it’s all good as long as you’re next to me.”
“Same.” I reached the lab and handed the sample over to another nurse.
“Your name, please?” she asked.
“Claire Forrester.”
“If you’ll come with me.” The middle-aged nurse led me around the corner, down the hall, and into a room with a bed, a small TV on the wall, and an old rickety nightstand next to it. My breathe hitched in my throat. Being back in a hospital room sucked.
“The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse said, interrupting my gloomy mood. She glanced at Vaughn, blushed, then closed the door behind her.
“See what you do to women?” I asked, snapping out of my short-lived dark memory. “Poor lady probably hasn’t had a fully erect dick in ages.” I shook my head, giggling. I loved messing with him as much as he loved teasing me.
“Will you still love me when I have to buy Viagra to make you happy?” He pulled me into his arms, his expression softening.
We’d been playing, but I sensed this might actually be a concern of his.
“Babe, I’ll love you even if it doesn’t work anymore.” I rose onto my tiptoes and kissed him.
“Would you want to be with other men?”
Shocked, I stepped back and stared at him. “Where is this coming from?”
He gave me a half shrug. “We’ve both been wild in the past. I said I wouldn’t share you, but you’ve never said the same. I guess I just wondered where you stood.”
“What do you mean like a threesome with two dudes? A foursome? What are you asking me?” I checked my tone, making sure I wasn’t getting defensive. “We haven’t talked about it because I assumed it was off the table. Plus, I have been shared enough. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it being consensual.”
“Sure.”
“That was a very non-committal answer.” I looked out the window and sighed softly. The city hustled and bustled below us while we decided what our sexual boundaries were. I spun on my heel, placing my hands on my hip. “Honestly? I don’t know. I sure as hell don’t want to share you. You’re mine. Hell, I don’t even like the nurses flirting with you. I’d probably end up in prison for murder if I had to watch some chick crawl all over you. So no, sharing you with another female doesn’t work for me.” I bit my lip. “However, I will admit that when I first arrived at Sutton’s, a threesome with you and Zayne crossed my mind more than once.”
Vaughn’s eyes nearly popped clear out of his head.
“You asked for honesty. I want you to know that any form of cheating, including but not limited to kissing, petting, fucking, online anything, naked pics, or emotionally engaging with another male or female is a deal-breaker for me. I include myself in those terms.”
Vaughn closed the gap between us and pressed his lips against mine. “I love you. I guess … we’ve had some intense days lately. I just needed to know I was enough for you.”
I peered up at him through my eyelashes. “Baby, you’re all the man I’ll ever need. I’ve been through enough shit with guys to be very clear on this decision.”
“You’re sure?”
“There’s not a doubt in my mind.” I rested my head against him, a pain stabbing me in my chest. Vaughn had opened up about his insecurity with me. I realized it was difficult, because I had struggled with it myself.
Before I had the chance to voice my concern, a soft knock sounded on the door, and we released each other.
“Hi there. I’m Katy. It looks as though you’re dehydrated from your urine sample, so I need to get an IV drip started.”
“Really?” I asked, shocked. I was tired, but that wasn’t anything new these days.
“Dr. Bolan wants to make sure you’re hydrated before you leave here today, especially with the medications you’re on and the recent surgery. We can’t take a chance on you passing out and hurting yourself. But no worries, hon, we caught it in time.” She gave me a reassuring smile.
“Where is Dr. Bolan?” I asked.
“He’s with another patient. He’ll be in shortly. If you will just hop up on the bed, we’ll get you started. You’ll need to stay for a few hours, then we can send you home.”
“I’m going to stand in the hall and wait for the doctor. I’ll be right next to the door, Claire.”
I nodded at Vaughn. Katy chatted a million miles an hour while she tore open the packet for the alcohol towelette.
“Just a quick poke.” She inserted the needle into my arm. “There we go. Take a breath and just relax.” She adjusted the drip of the bag and patted my shoulder. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you.”
“Thank you.” I glanced out the open door. Vaughn stood rigid, his feet spread slightly apart, his hands hanging at his sides. I smiled to myself. He had a fabulous ass, and the scenery wasn’t hurting my feelings at all.
I stifled a yawn. The tests and walking all over the hospital had worn me out. I was amazed at how slowly my energy was returning. I was young. I’d thought I would bounce back a lot faster, but apparently the gunshot wound had other ideas.
Yawning again, I stared out the window, yearning to be among the people that had somewhere to go other than here.
My eyes fluttered closed, and I drifted off to sleep.
I entered an all-white room and looked around, my focus landing on Betty White.
“You again?” I asked, grinning at her.
“It’s difficult to get rid of your subconscious, Claire.” She grinned at me.
“Well, while we’re here. I have questions.” I plopped down on the same desk I had in our last encounter.
“Fire away, but make it quick. Our time is short.” She leaned forward in her cheap, squeaky office chair.
“Now that we have the weapon report … Coen didn’t shoot me like we thought. Did I see who did? Is it stuck in my brain somewhere?”
“You caught a glimpse as you were falling to the ground. The bullet struck you, and the power of the shot sent your body forward into Vaughn’s.” Betty’s blue eyes narrowed as though she were willing me to remember.
“I kind of recall that part. I just don’t know who else was there. How do I know?” I fidgeted in my seat, wracking my brain for the missing details.
“Sometimes our intuition is subtle, not a slap in the face, so to speak.”
“Yeah?” I motioned for her to get to the point.
“Do you remember the first time you met Heather? Overall you liked her, but something was nagging at you. It wasn’t right in front of you. It was just a fleeting thought. An impulse you couldn’t quite put your finger on.”
I pressed my lips together. “I do now that you brought it up. I just brushed it off as no big deal. You know, my paranoia after being shot.”
“That happens so often. Not just with you, but everyone. The feeling is easily brushed off or justified. You need to listen.” She pulled on her ear lobe for emphasis.
“I …” I frowned and stared at the floor while I searched back over the last few months of when I had that nagging pull or thought. “Holy shit. A nurse?”
“That’s clue number one. Well, and two. It’s a female, Claire. The FBI is searching for a male.”
“Well, fuck me.” I stood, pacing the small area in front of the only furniture in th
e room. “What else do I know?”
“That you’re not dehydrated.” Betty pointed at me.
“Yeah, I was completely confused when Katy said that.” I spun around and planted my hands on the desk. “Dammit. It’s her, isn’t it? The shooter is Katy.”
I glanced around the room, staring at the tall ceiling. “Why am I asleep? I was tired, but I don’t just doze off at a doctor’s appointment.”
Betty stood and approached me. “You’re here because you’re dying. The IV is a concoction of drugs that will kill you in minutes.”
“I don’t want to die, Betty. I just …” Panic ripped through me. “What do I do?”
“Vaughn needs to know. He’ll rip the IV out of your arm.”
“How do we tell him?”
“You’re going to have a seizure from the medication. He knows that you were fine this morning, and the first thing he will do is pull the IV.” Betty reached out and touched my forehead with two gentle fingers.
33
I’d never had a seizure before. It sucked. Tremors took over my body without my permission, and all I could do was hang on for the ride. I hoped like hell Betty had been correct and Vaughn would rip the IV out of my arm.
Seconds after I thought it, Vaughn burst into the room with Dr. Bolan on his heels. I couldn’t speak, but I watched as everything unfolded in front of me.
“What the hell is happening? She was fine this morning!”
“I don’t …” Dr. Bolan shook his head in confusion.
“Move!” Vaughn pushed the doctor out of the way and pulled the IV out of my arm. “This is the only thing that’s changed. The IV.” Vaughn lay across me so I wouldn’t bounce off the bed onto the hard tile floor. “I’m here, Claire. Hang on. Hang on, baby.”
I tried to speak, but my tongue wouldn’t cooperate. “K-K-K-K…” I stuttered. I tried another word. “N-N-N-N…”
“What the fuck happened?” Vaughn yelled at Dr. Bolan. “You better goddamn fix it.”
My body collapsed on the table, no longer twitching. “Nurse,” I whispered.