Chapter 6
Amelia
Ihave earned myself a deep tissue massage and an earth-shattering orgasm but even the amount of rest wasn’t enough before I was starting another ten-hour shift. It was only a few days, but I couldn’t sit still so I tried to return to the hospital.
Sarah and Jennie looked at me like I was the lunatic for coming back early, pestering me about the “energy I was giving off”. I brushed them off with a joke about myself and went about my day.
By the time the shift ended, I glanced at my phone, seeing a few missed calls and messages. One from Tony granting me until the end of the month to make a “down payment for good faith”, one from Chris asking me when I was coming home because he wanted to talk, and a few from Hound Dog and Melody.
I chose not to respond to Tony and Chris. But reading Melody’s message made me nervous to open Hound Dog’s message.
Melody: Hey girl, if you don’t want to talk to Hound you can call me and we can talk more about what he’s asking.
Melody: Sorry, I know you don’t read messages until the end of shift. Sorry for the bombarding of messages.
Melody: I’m just saying, Hound is not as much of a patient man as he’d like to believe. Trust me, I know.
I hide a laugh at that last part. I bet he wasn’t a patient man. The man wouldn’t keep his hands off her. When I finally read Hound Dog’s message, I was even more confused.
Hound Dog: I have a proposal again. I’d be owing you big time.
Another proposal? I groaned, “Why me?”
They had enough men and their partners with enough talent that they didn’t need my assistance with anything.
I sat in my truck, taking a few deep breaths. I could only imagine what Hound Dog wanted this time. I tapped the contact name and waited while the phone rang. After a few rings, the gruff voice came through. “Mia.”
“You know, Hound Dog, I get sometimes why people would want to avoid you. You don’t leave much to decipher.
Should I be scared this time around?” I tried to joke, but I was just biding my time.
I was already mixed up with a bookie and his boss and with the amount of romance novels I try to read during my shifts, I could only imagine that it was some ties to the mafia.
But I didn’t stick around to ask questions I had no business asking nor did I ever want to find out.
“You know I’m worth it. I already said I’d be owing you,” Hound said calmly. But Hound was rarely calm unless Melody was around.
“Is Melody around or are you trying to butter me up with your “nice” voice?” I asked.
He sighed. “The second one.”
I shook my head. “Is this something you’re proposing going to put me on the wrong side of the law?”
He chuckled. “No. And even if it did, Melody would have my balls tied in a nice little sack.”
“You’re one lucky bastard for wifing her up one day… by the way, when will that be?” I kept joking, hoping he would forget what he wanted to ask me.”
He grunted, “Jesus. Between you and B.B, I’m never going to hear the end of it.”
While I appreciated that my friend was happy and safe and truly in love with the man, why waste time?
Sure, there was a side of jealousy that tasted bitter in my mouth, but they were made for each other.
I only hoped that I would experience a type of devotion and adoration.
Maybe with my vibrator or the shower head.
“I need your help again, Mia.”
“I’m listening.”
“I need your help with a stubborn patient,” he bluntly said.
That’s why Melody texted me, she wasn’t back to her baseline for some reason, and she’s the stubborn patient. I’ll admit, my heart sank to think of someone I care about in pain when I could have helped.
“I finished with her a week or so ago. Hound, is she in pain again? She take a fall?” I started triaging.
Another chuckle released from him. “Good to know that you care about my songbird, but not that patient.”
“So, are you needing a former rehab nurse for this one? I mean I could ask my old team if someone could work with one of your men or their partners or kids. Melody was a one off, but after that, Hound, it’s been years since I was back in a rehab unit.” I tried to deter him from the case.
“Mia. Mia. Listen. I know, I remember your speech from the beginning. But you’re the only one I trust and this certain patient may listen to you,” Hound interrupted.
“I can take care of my own damn self. I don’t need that evil nurse.” Another deep voice came from the phone.
Shooter.
“Thought you liked me as an evil nurse.” What the fuck was I saying, I wasn’t entertaining this.
“Bedside manners needed some work…” Shooter started to say, but there was a soft grunt and a threat to finish that statement. Even more reason for me to pass on this. Even if a dark part of me wanted to entertain the idea of him.
“Ain’t no way, Hound Dog. You heard him, he doesn’t want his favorite evil nurse around and I’m okay with that.
Dumbass got himself in this situation, he can get himself out.
” It was one thing for him to come to my hospital and try to flirt his way into seeing me.
But we always had some sort of banter and wanted to claw each other's eyes out.
“See, I’m fine, Prez,” Shooter tried to say.
“Please. He’s not listening to any of us, he’s not taking his meds for his pain, even though clearly the fucker is in pain. He’s trying to walk around and act like he can go back to normal. He’s not using the damn crutches.” Hound sounded desperate.
“What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”
“You got Melody to listen.” I could hear the shrug he was probably giving.
“That’s because she liked me and I liked her. Not so much your fallen comrade. Hound, his own stubbornness and attitude will be the death of him. Not much I can do about that.” I was putting my foot down.
Plus, being around Shooter was one thing, it was being alone with him that was another. I didn’t know if I could survive being alone with him and not feel like I could melt under his touch. When he looked at me, it was enough to feel the heat rise to my cheeks and tingling through my body.
“Stray would otherwise disagree. Something about you saying please to him and he complied.” Hound tested the water with that one.
I swallowed sharply. The flashback of his visit and the way he stared at me, resisted listening to me, but something broke through and made him listen. I couldn’t argue with that.
“Plus, I'll double the payout this time.” And like magic, my attention was there again.
“Double?”
Double would mean I could get back on track. Double meant I could get Tony and Gage to get off my back.
“Half at front and half when you finish.” Hound offered, even though it took me a second to think about it. Shooter needed at least twelve weeks of recovery, and that was if he followed the rules.
He was unpredictable. He was the epitome of a sour candy that has the sweetness at the end. Yet he has this glint in his eyes like he would be ready to kill.
I tossed back and forth about what I could do, and how I needed to be stronger than this. But my one and only goal could be a reality, if I just shook hands to care for a crazed man that sparked a slight warm feeling in my belly.
I guess I really needed to get my head examined.
“Fine. But if he bites me or is a stubborn asshole, I’m walking." They thought I was kidding but I wasn’t completely joking.
“I can’t promise he won’t bite.” Hound Dog laughed.
A tiny shiver coursed through my body just thinking about the off chance that Shooter would bite or nip at me. I shouldn’t be turned on about that. I chalked it up to the lack of action. But I was lying about that.