Chapter 7
The nausea had finally subsided, but Becky remained still as she lay on the metal examination table in the medical room at the compound.
She kept her eyes closed, listening to Sloan’s deep voice as he quietly talked to Slade.
She couldn’t make out everything being said, but she could hear the worry in Sloan’s voice.
Her eyes slowly opened, landing on Sloan, who was looking straight at her.
“Hey, how you feeling?” He took two steps toward her, gently cupping her cheek.
“Better,” Becky said, not wanting to see the worry in his eyes. In truth, she felt like shit, but mostly because of what she was putting him through. Yeah, she was a giver, a pleaser, and never wanted to be a problem for anyone. Especially her mate. “Just needed to lay still for a bit.”
“No more nausea?” Slade came closer, observing her.
She shook her head, glancing away from him.
She didn’t want to speak or look at either one of them because these men could sniff out a lie by just looking into someone’s eyes.
Okay, so it was half a lie. She didn’t feel like she was going to projectile vomit like she had before, but the nausea was still swirling around, waiting for one wrong move.
As she had laid on the table, her mind drifted back to another time when she had felt exactly this way.
Her stomach rolled, but not with nausea this time.
A sick kind of dread crept over her as she opened her eyes again, looking at Sloan from beneath lowered lashes.
She knew this feeling. The sudden nausea, the way food turned her stomach just by looking at it, and the need to stay perfectly still until it passed.
God help her, she knew this feeling all too well.
“Becky?” Sloan’s deep, questioning voice had her looking up at him.
“I’m fine.” She jumped at his voice then sighed.
She sat up praying her nausea didn’t rise to her throat and onto the floor.
Swinging her legs over the side of the table, she started to get down, but Sloan stopped her.
“Sloan, I just want to go home, take a shower, and brush my teeth. I’m fine, really.
You have things here to take care of and—”
“I’ll get your things from the office, and then we’ll go.” Sloan cut her off.
Looking toward Slade, she frowned. “Can you excuse us for a minute, Slade?”
“Sure.” He nodded, setting the tubes down for her bloodwork before heading out the door and shutting it behind him.
Once he was gone, she looked up at Sloan. “I will not come between you and your men, Sloan.”
“What?” He looked taken aback by her statement, his eyes narrowing.
“You heard me.” Becky hoped to hell her voice sounded strong.
“Becky, I would walk away from all of this for you,” Sloan growled, and she knew he was trying his best to keep the anger from his voice.
“And that’s exactly what I don’t want.” Becky sighed, then shook her head. “People get sick, Sloan. I know being a vampire for so long you’ve forgotten that, but I’m human. I’m going to get sick.”
“That’s not what this is about,” Sloan said, his voice dropping.
“That’s exactly what it’s about.” Becky held his stare for a heartbeat before sighing and looking away. “What I need is for you to help me figure out what the hell happened to me at that surgical center. You can’t do that if you’re tied to me twenty-four-seven.”
In truth, Becky did want Sloan tied to her twenty-four-seven because she was terrified. But there was something she needed to do, and she couldn’t do it with Sloan watching her every move.
“I’m not leaving you alone, Becky,” Sloan’s voice brought her out of her thoughts.
His phone rang, but he continued to stare at her without answering.
“You need to get that.” Becky wanted his attention directed anywhere but on her at the moment. She didn’t want him looking too deeply.
Pulling out his phone, he put it to his ear. “Yeah?” His frown deepened. “Get the information from them and then get back with me.”
She couldn’t hear whoever was on the other end, but she could guess. “You need to talk to them, Sloan. Go on. I’ll text Katrina and see if she can take me home and stay until you get there. Or she can bring me back here.”
“No,” Sloan said without hesitation, then started for the door. “Slade is going to draw your blood, and then I’m taking you home.”
“You are the only one I trust to find out what’s happening,” Becky said, and her words stopped him in his tracks.
Slowly, he turned to face her, but remained silent.
“I know you have faith in your men, but I need you to do this.” Her throat tightened, but she forced the words out. “For me.”
Okay, so she’d thrown that out there, and it was true.
She did trust him more than anyone, but it wasn’t because she didn’t have faith in the rest of the Warriors.
She knew they cared for her. Hell, she knew they’d protect her with their lives.
But right now, as much as she wanted Sloan with her, she needed him gone long enough to do what she had to do.
“No.” Sloan didn’t budge, damn him. “Until I know this doctor had no intention of going through you to get to me, you will not be left alone or unguarded. You can be mad at me all you want, but that is my final say in the matter.”
He moved back toward her, cupping her face in his hand and forcing her to look up at him. Becky stared into his eyes and hated the worried look reflecting back at her from their golden depths.
“I’m not mad,” she whispered. “I heard you tell Duncan he was in charge. I just don’t want to take you away from what’s important, Sloan.”
“I’m looking at what is more important to me.
” Sloan’s voice was more serious than she had ever heard it, and she had heard the many voices of Sloan Murphy.
“I know you had to deal with things alone in your past, but that was your past. I’m here, Becky, and I will never let you deal with anything alone. ”
A tear slipped down her face as she stared up at him. “I know.” Becky gave him a wobbly smile. “Still not used to it.”
“I know.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “I love you.”
More tears fell as she held him just as tight. She just prayed she was wrong about the feeling eating away at her, but something deep down said she wasn’t, and it terrified her.
“Let me get Slade so I can get you home where you can rest.” Sloan kissed the top of her head, then pulled away.
She watched as he went and opened the door. “Hey, she’s ready.”
Slade walked in, grabbed the tubes, and headed toward her.
“I’ll put a rush on these,” he told her as he started to prep her arm for the blood draw.
“And I’ll let you know as soon as I get the results.
I also want to do an examination, but we can wait until tomorrow for that.
I’ll schedule a room at the hospital where I can have a nurse assist. Is that okay with you? ”
“You can’t do it here?” Becky asked, watching as he prepped her arm, but then looked away before he stuck her with the needle. She didn’t need to start puking again. Blood usually didn’t bother her, but she wasn’t trusting that right now.
“I’m not set up for that kind of examination, Becky,” Slade informed her. “Hold still for me. You’re going to feel a poke.”
Becky braced for the sting as she stared at the wall until Sloan stepped in front of her, grabbing her free hand. She smiled her thanks as she looked at him instead of the wall.
“Okay, bend your arm for me,” Slade said after a few minutes of complete silence.
“Thanks,” Becky whispered, holding her bent arm. “What did Kent find out?” she asked, then glanced up at Sloan, who gave Slade a warning look.
“Everything looked legitimate,” Slade answered after a moment of hesitation. “Steve went in invisible.”
“And?” Becky had been around these men long enough to know they were keeping something from her. “I saw the look you guys shared, so I know there is more.”
“Only that Daniel is following a lead,” Sloan said, then helped her off the table. “Now come on, let’s get you home.”
Becky let it go even though she knew that wasn’t all there was to the story. She’d let them have their secret for now because, in all honesty, she had a secret of her own, and now she didn’t feel quite so bad about it.