No. You’re okay, Teddi. It’s just the flu. I’d survive.
I finished my glass and opened the fridge, eyeballing the loaf of bread. Crap. I was so hungry, but my stomach wasn’t up for entertaining visitors. Luckily, I had reserves, meaning I could never be described as thin because that would require me to care deeply about the opinion of others or my mortality. I never worried about any of that. Is that all going to change?
I didn’t know, and the only thing that seemed to matter was getting well. I had patients to treat.
You mean Mack.
Okay. I did mean Mack. I’d just run out on him, becoming violently ill after our session. Shannon had driven me home in her car—mine was still at the center.
I stumbled to the bathroom, relieved myself, and then washed my face and brushed my teeth. I always hated feeling filthy, but I felt it even more now. That horrific dream of being covered in blood and dirt had left me wanting a long shower.
If only I could stand up long enough for one.
I got to my bed and slid between the soft sheets, thankful for the fact that the room had stopped spinning.
“Think you can get away from me that easily, do you?” said a deep voice from the dark corner of the dimly lit room.
“Oh shit!” I jerked upright, and my eyes fixed on the tall figure sitting in the armchair only five feet from the bed. “Who the hell are you?” I instinctively slid the two ends of my collar together, as if closing the front of my PJs could miraculously protect me.
“Don’t you recognize me, woman?” He turned on the reading lamp next to the armchair.
Oh shit. Oh shit. Those blue, blue eyes. The same ones from my dreams. But that short black hair and stubble—he was also the man I imagined when Mack described himself in that story. I couldn’t sort through this.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked, really talking to myself.
“Allow me to enlighten you, óolal. My name is King. And like the last five times you’ve come for my brother, I’m here to stop you. No one takes what’s mine.”
óolal?
I blacked out.
CHAPTER TEN
TEDDI
“Get the hell off her, King!” screamed a woman in the back of my foggy brain.
“You get back in the car. This doesn’t concern you, Mia,” the man commanded in an authoritative tone that signaled he was used to having his orders followed.
Slap! “Say that one more time, King. I fucking dare you,” the woman growled.
“Ow, woman. I swear you test my patience down to the hair on my balls.”
“No. You’re the one who’s testing, because we had a deal. Your evil-cursed-bastard days are over, King. Over. And I didn’t go to hell and back to free you just so you could continue tormenting anyone you like. Now step away from that woman or I will get my ass in that car and you won’t see me or Archon again.”
“You threaten me, wife? I think you forget who I am.”
“Forget? How could I forget? Look at you. You’re the fucking sexiest man on the planet. I get wet just looking at you.”
“Goddammit,” the man said, his voice dropping an octave, “I fucking want you. Now.” Slurp, slurp, kiss, smack. “Bend the hell over and show me your p—”
I groaned with discomfort. And, okay, disgust. Who the fuck were these people getting ready to get it on with their angry sex in my bedroom? While I was sick as a dog?
“She’s awake,” the woman whispered. “Put it away.”
“No. I’m hard. It must be addressed, Mia. You promised never to leave me wanting.”
“Oh, stop it, King. Dammit…look what you made me do.”
“Mmmm…Looks good to me.”
Smack! “Lactation is not foreplay—you know what? Go. Just go and check on the baby.”
“Archon is fine. He’s with Arno.”
“I don’t trust anyone with the last name Spiros,” she complained. “Last time I did, I ended up dead. Why did you hire him as your driver again?”
Dead? This had to be a dream.
“Because I am a man,” he replied. “One who doesn’t ask permission from a woman.”
“You went there? Seriously?” She sighed. “Go check on him. Please?” she added sweetly.
“Fine. But this is not over, Mia. And you owe me hot desk sex—”
Desk sex?
“Yes. Fine. It’s a deal. Go,” said the woman.
“Promise?”
“I’m no welsher—you know that.”
“Excellent,” he said, his voice filled with lust. “Today is turning out much better than I’d hoped. Except for the part where you didn’t allow me to kill my brother’s executioner. That part is irritating, and we shall have words tonight.” I heard heavy footsteps walking away.
“Honey, can you hear me?” the woman said, a soft hand stroking my cheek.
“Who are you?” I mumbled, trying to get my eyes to focus on the young blonde woman sitting on the edge of my bed. She wore a brown leather jacket and had her hair pulled back, but those were the only real details I could focus on.