confirm.
She nodded. "Will you go, Storri?"
His bottom lip trembled, and I wished there was some way I could do this for him. I despised asking him to do anything he didn't want to, but the exception was and always would be made for those moments when Storri's health was on the line. And until we knew what was going on inside of his body, Storri's health was the exact thing in jeopardy.
Rain spattered the windshield, too light to bother turning on the wipers. We were parked anyway, watching Hallie talk with Alejandro. He had a muscular, working man's build and was tall for a human, over six feet. Approximately two hundred and twenty pounds with a small scar over his left eyebrow—likely from where he'd been nipped as a child by a small animal, probably a dog. He didn't have any visible tattoos or piercings and answered the door in a relaxed, pleased manner.
Hallie pointed our way, and he followed her finger, nodding.
I growled. We'd have to go over proper procedure when outside of the hotel tonight when we got back. She'd be lucky if I didn't have her run drills like I would anyone else who had pointed in the field.
Hallie turned her palm up and beckoned us forward like I couldn't hear her from the car.
"Hold up. I'll come get you." I found Storri's eyes in the rearview just as he'd found his seat buckle.
He sat back obediently and offered me a smile despite the fact that he was terrified. I'd ask Hallie to drive back when this was finished. I wouldn't sit so far away from him again.
I opened his door, and he lifted his arms. I didn't know if he knew I'd planned on carrying him, or if he'd happened to want the same thing at the same time, but I didn't care about the answer when the end result was Storri in my arms.
We'd begun our relationship with me asking him to trust me enough to hold him, and it was something I hadn't done nearly enough of lately.
I carried him across the parking lot, my eyes on Alejandro. If he moved suddenly, it would take me seconds to reach the firearm strapped to my back. It would've taken less time if we'd brought Dog, but Dr. Tiff had refused.
I was sure the two simply needed more time together. Almost everyone ended up liking Dog, and he was an excellent judge of character. That was another reason I should've insisted on Dog coming.
Alejandro smelled like bleach. He worked as a janitor at the small clinic. Thankfully, the clinic kept small-town hours, and we wouldn't have to worry about anyone showing up for their shift.
"Hi there. I'm Al." Hallie's companion stuck his hand out. He hardly looked at Storri in my arms, and I wondered if Hallie had warned him not to.
"Faust." I balanced Storri's weight on one arm to shake Alejandro's hand. His grip was firm, but he didn't grip hard like an asshole would.
"Thank you so much for allowing us use," Dr. Tiff said brightly.
I'd never liked the doctor more. She hadn't been rude, but she'd clearly been saying, let's get this going.
Alejandro got the message, and he didn't look irritated by it either. A point in his favor. He led us down a wide hallway lined with doors, stopping at a room that was still within view of the exit.
A straight shot out of the building was helpful, but I didn't like how that funneled us out onto the parking lot.
Alejandro lingered in the doorway. "I'll be back in…"
"Thirty minutes should be enough," Dr. Tiff supplied. "Maybe forty-five to be safe."
He checked his smartwatch. "Got it. I'll stay out of your hair." Despite his comment, he lingered in the doorway. I watched him, waiting for an aggressive word or gesture, but none came. His eyes flitted between each of us, mentally calculating which of us needed the ultrasound. If Storri hadn't been huddled in my arms, the answer would've been obvious. His gaze landed on Hallie, and his lips turned down, a deep wrinkle carved between his eyebrows.
He was worried it was her.
I caught Hallie's attention, jerking my head toward the door.
Her eyes flared with understanding. "So, thanks, Al. We'll see you in forty-five minutes."
Alejandro stumble-stepped back. So far I'd pegged him as an agreeable sort of person, but right then, that urge conflicted with his curiosity. Agreeable won in the end, and he ambled down the hallway.
Dr. Tiff already had the machine