I rolled my eyes. "So you keep telling ."
"Are you sure you’re okay?"
"Yes, Mummy, I’m fine. I’m locked down for the mont, and I promise I won’t go anywhere."
"Okay, my darling. I love you."
"I love you too."
"I’ll talk to you tomorrow," she said, only it was kind of more of a warning.
"Okay."
I hung up and faced Devon, who was still staring at like he wasn’t sure if he was going to stay mad at or not. "I’m sorry, Dev." I bit my lip. "I’m not sorry I ca, but I am sorry I took an unnecessary risk."
"I appreciate that, baby." He slid his hand to my neck and tugged forward. "I’m sorry you were worried."
"Please don’t do that to again," I breathed out. "I can’t deal with the thought of you being hurt."
"I get it," he whispered, and kissed gently. "You showerin’?"
I nodded.
"Can you do it quick?"
"Yes, why?"
"I’ll wait for you."
I almost argued... almost, but I knew he wanted to make sure I was settled before he went into what I was sure would be a really intense eting, so I nodded and rushed through a shower.
We walked into the great room just as Willow arrived. Gator was on "Willow Watch," since Dash was still in the hospital, and she looked about as happy to be here as Olivia (whom I was not expecting).
"The kitchen’s stocked, baby," Devon said. "But you need sothin’, tell Gator. He’ll get it brought in."
I nodded, kissing him quickly before watching him walk to the back where the eting rooms were. I headed to the sofa where Willow was, dropping an overnight bag next to it. She frowned up at . "They’re worried enough to bring you here from Atlanta?"
"I went rogue," I said, and sat beside her.
"No wonder Devon looks angry."
"He’ll get over it. Hatch, on the other hand..."
She sighed. "Yeah, your dad’s more intense."
"Little bit," I agreed.
I glanced to where Olivia was arguing (not loud enough to hear, damn it) with Doc. She was jamming a finger into his chest, until he’d apparently had enough, grabbing her arm gently and pulling it behind her with a grin. I rolled my eyes. Doc seed to get great enjoynt out of making Olivia crazy.
On the other hand, Olivia seed to protest a little too much, considering whenever he wasn’t watching her, she was watching him, and her eyes followed him with open interest. There was no doubt these two had a complicated relationship and I wondered when it would co to a head.
I turned back to Willow. "How’s Dash doing?"
"Driving the nurses crazy."
"Really?"
She nodded. "They put him and Badger in rooms next to each other and he’s constantly demanding updates on how Badger’s doing. He makes one of them wheel him to his room a couple tis a day... well, unless I’m there and he makes do it."
"Aw, they’re in love," I crooned, and Willow giggled.
"Badger’s feeling better every day, and now he’s flirting with the nurses, so that’s a good sign."
I grinned. "He is a ridiculous flirt."
"Right?" she agreed.
"And it doesn’t help that he’s pretty."
"This is true," she said. "But I’m not allowed to say that out loud, so I’ll just nod my head and say nothing."
I chuckled. "True nature of the alpha-male."
"Indeed."
Olivia joined us and slamd a bottle of bourbon on the coffee table. "Anyone want a drink?"
"It’s not even eight o’clock in the morning," I said.
"So?"
"Wow, that bad, huh?" Willow asked.
Olivia growled low in her throat, while shooting daggers at Doc. "Male chauvinist, son of a bitch."
"How are you wrapped up in all of this?" I asked.
"He’s decided I’m his ’priority,’ whatever the hell that ans."
Willow had told about Olivia being kidnapped, but only Doc and Alamo really knew the entire story. Olivia was beaten so badly, she’d been in the hospital for a few days and then went ho with her brother to convalesce. According to Willow (through Dash’s recollection), Doc had been a raging ball of assholery because he’d been kept from Olivia. It took him a little ti, but he’d found her and gone to her imdiately. After that, he’d cald down, but no one really knew what transpired between them, and now she was here and apparently angry that she was.
"Why is that a problem?" I asked. "Devon would do the sa thing."
"I’m not his," she insisted.
I didn’t point out that once a Dog claid you, it was very difficult to be unclaid... I figured I’d let them figure that out themselves.
"He cares about you, Liv," Willow said. "And if you took a second to get past your fear, you’d see you cared about him too."
"I’m not afraid of him," Olivia countered.
"I don’t think that’s what Willow’s saying," I said. "I think you might be afraid of the feelings Doc incites in you. It makes sense... these n are intense."
"Well, you’re wrong," she said with a huff. "I don’t care about him... in that way, and I have a mind to fly sowhere far away to hide from him. I’m probably going to be fired if Dumbass over there keeps dragging away from work."
"Don’t you own your own company?" Willow asked.
"I’ll fire myself."
I bit back a giggle because Olivia was funny when she got wound up.
Before she could say anything else, Doc stalked over and snagged the bottle off the table, rolling his eyes. "Drama, Liv? So unlike you," he droned sarcastically, and walked away.
"Fuck yourself, Tristan," she snapped.
"I’ll wait for you, baby," he retorted, and set the bottle back on the bar.
"Asshole," she hissed.
"Love you too, Liv."
"Well, I’m hungry and I can’t sit around here all day, so how about I get breakfast started?" Willow said, rising to her feet.
"I’ll help," I offered.
Even Olivia reluctantly followed us into the kitchen and we went about making everyone breakfast.
Reviews
All reviews (0)