into the house, following Lips’ directions into a medical room. I blink the moment we step in because… it’s an entire fucking hospital. The hallways were all tiny suburban household and this room has a fucking beat-up looking X-ray in the corner.
I drop my sociopath brother on the bed in the center of the room and then follow the Mounty out to wash our hands, because we’re both covered in Joey’s vomit.
Lips lets out a shaky breath and it’s the first indicator that she’s actually been worried about tonight, that she’s been worried about whether or not I’ll make it out of this if Joey dies.
It’s jarring.
It’s jarring because I know for sure it has nothing to do with him and everything to do with me, and I don’t know what to do with that information.
She keeps her head down and leads me back into the room, only looking up once we’re in there and then looking around like she’s waiting for danger. I think that might be her default setting here in the Bay, but I still don’t fucking like it. I hadn’t even noticed how much she’s relaxed since she became friends with my sister, but seeing the tension rolling through her again sets my teeth on edge.
Harley obviously feels the same way, that and he fucking loathes Joey, because he’s glaring at the doctor like he’s the cause of all of this bullshit. Avery is tucked up under Blaise’s arm and he’s frowning at everything as he keeps an eye on her.
She’s shaking like a fucking leaf.
Lips steps over to the bed and crosses her arms, taking in every inch of Joey’s pathetic, twitching form as the doctor mumbles out, “Friend of yours?”
Her answer is instant. “No.”
He raises an eyebrow at her, but he doesn’t falter as he puts an IV line into my brother. I hope there’s more than just fluid in that line; I hope there’s some fucking miracle drug that will keep him breathing.
“Why bother bringing him in then? Just dig a hole.”
I’d like nothing more than to reach across the table and strangle the life out of this man. The Mounty sees it too and changes topics quickly.
“He’s worth saving. How’s Maria and the kids?”
Of course she’d know all about his family. She’s just like Avery, retains all sorts of information just in case the moment arises that it’s useful to her, but she’s also… softer here in this room. She’s still looking around like someone is here to kill her, but there’s something about this old hack doctor that has also made her a little more human.
I don’t like it… I don’t like it because I want that soft side of her. I don’t want it directed to anyone outside of my family.
“She’s pregnant,” the doctor says with a sigh. He begins taking notes of all of Joey’s vitals. He doesn’t look worried or shocked, there’s no urgency in him at all, so I’m assuming the asshole will live.
Lips groans, “Fuck,” and he glances back up at her with a wry look.
“I’ve tried to get her on the stick but she insists on taking the pill then forgets to half the time. I’ll be building an extension on the house by the end of the year.”
“Maybe tell her to stay away from cocks for a while instead,” Lips replies with a grin, and he roars with laughter at her.
Avery straightens in Blaise’s arms, pulling away from him until she’s mostly standing on her own two feet again. The shaken look is gone, the cold mask she shows the world back in place, and some of the icy rage in my gut dissipates.
The doctor starts to hook Joey up to his machines. “You know, if she finally has a girl I’m going to get her to name it after you. You’re a good girl, we need some of that in this house.”
I do not like him calling her a good girl.
It feels fucking creepy to me, and Harley’s lip curls in the corner at the same time I take a half step toward Lips, ready to drag her the fuck out of here.
Avery glares us both down like we’re unruly children.
The Mounty blanches and sputters out, “Fuck no! Don’t traumatize the poor spawn. It’ll be bad enough not knowing who the daddy is.”
The doctor grimaces and drops his eyes away from her. “Oh, I know who the daddy is. Maria will be lucky to get to keep the baby.”
“Why? Who knocked her up?”
Doc