Chapter 18
“Daddy, maybe I should see Razor next week?” Angel suggested when Vex drove home to collect her for her appointment. As she stood in the garage, her stomach kept flip-flopping. Anxious about going, Angel had worried so much she’d made herself sick since Vex had left early that morning.
“Nope. Today’s the day.”
“I don’t want to go,” Angel told him, thinking maybe he wasn’t picking up on her feelings.
“I know, Baby girl. I also know you’ll never feel differently. If we put off your appointment, you’ll have more hours to worry.” He plopped a helmet on her head and tightened the strap under her chin.
“I’m not going.” He couldn’t make her. She didn’t need a job. She could stay here for the rest of time.
“You are keeping your meeting with Razor. He’s a busy doctor who takes care of a lot of people at the warehouse and in the Devil Daddies. He cleared his schedule for us.”
“No.”
He couldn’t argue with one word. She’d learned that in business. Don’t provide an excuse or a reason. That gave people leverage to debate with you. Angel glared at him when he flipped her visor into place, closing off the helmet.
“Eeeeekkk!” Angel clutched Vex’s waist as she dangled over his shoulder. The helmet weighed just enough to keep her off-balance, making it hard to wiggle away. “Put me down, Vex?”
“I can’t hear you,” Vex yelled loudly. He smacked her bottom sharply as he walked out of the garage to walk to his bike. Without pausing, he swung his leg over the bike and pulled her in front of him.
Struggling, she reared back as she thrashed to get free, accidentally whacking her helmet against his head. When he groaned and let loose a string of curses, she froze.
“Sorry! Did I hurt you?”
“You bashed me a good one, Baby girl.”
Her heart sank in her chest. She hadn’t meant to injure him. Before she could apologize further or see what she’d done, Vex started the engine and wrapped a steely arm around her before taking off. Angel grabbed his thick thighs to stabilize herself.
“Daddy!” she yelled. She was still yelling Daddy when Pirate opened the gate at the compound’s entrance to let them leave.
Her bottom lifted from the bike’s seat a fraction of an inch when he hit a bump in the road. Angel froze in place. That one-second airborne sensation was enough to remind her of her dangerous position. “I’m going to fall!” she shouted over the motor.
Vex’s arm wrapped around her waist even tighter. “I won’t let you tumble, Baby girl.”
The confidence in his tone reassured her that she was safe. Angel slumped back against his chest. Maybe she should get the appointment over with. If only she could fast-forward time and be done.
Vex kissed her shoulder where the neckline had slid down. The brush of his soft mustache against her skin tickled, making her smile.
Wait! Vex wasn’t wearing a helmet. That was dangerous.
She’d acted like such a fool he’d had to jump on his bike without protection to drive her to the doctor.
And she’d bashed his face. Angel wanted to turn and make sure he was okay but forced herself to stay in place so she didn’t jostle the bike and cause an accident.
“Are you good, Baby girl?”
She nodded carefully, not wishing to hit him again. Angel slid her hands under the outside edge of his powerful thighs to tether herself in place. Didn’t most women hold on behind the guy?
Angel remembered riding with Vex as they’d fled from the Ravagers.
She’d never been on a motorcycle before that.
With no energy to hold on, she would have fallen off within minutes.
Especially at the fast speeds they’d used to escape.
Vex had dragged her around to the front of him to keep her safe.
He always took such incredible care of her.
The distance to the guarded entrance of the warehouse wasn’t far.
Big trucks and vans moved around the space, loading and offloading a bunch of crates and boxes.
A large man caught her attention when he waved.
Automatically, she returned the gesture before recognizing Wraith.
A sense of belonging settled over her. Any of these guys would help her—had rescued her.
When Vex pulled up to a separate building, Angel knew they’d arrived. He parked and lifted her to stand next to the bike. Her breath caught in her chest at the sight of his bloodied lip, and guilt turned her stomach.
“I’m so sorry. How can I make it better?” she asked, reaching a hand to touch his swollen lip.
“It’s nothing, Baby girl. I’ll clean up inside and all will be well.
Let me help you with your helmet.” Vex unbuckled the protective device and lifted it away.
He took the time to smooth down her hair before rubbing the helmet against one of his thighs to wipe the smudge of blood on the helmet off on his jeans.
Angel focused on the ground as she mentally yelled at herself for having hurt him. Vex raised her chin with one hand. “I’m fine, Angel. Are you going to flail around again when we get on the bike?”
“No. That was dangerous and stupid.”
“Not stupid. You’re allowed to have feelings, Baby girl.”
“You made me come, anyway.”
“Yes.”
She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, she rushed to fill the silence. “I’m scared.”
“I understand, Baby girl. I also know that Razor is going to take wonderful care of you. Do you think it’s smart to get a checkup after being held by the Ravagers?”
Angel hated that he was right. On both counts. “Yes. I didn’t want to come.”
“We’re here. Do you want to walk inside?”
Glancing around, Angel could see many people milling around. Vex would carry her in over his shoulder if she didn’t cooperate. “Fine.”
“Good girl.”
He wrapped his arm around her and escorted her through the door. Comfortable chairs filled the room. A couple of guys sat talking in one corner. Angel assumed they were waiting to see the doctor.
Razor heard the bell and stepped out to greet them in the waiting room. He took one look at Vex and grabbed an ice pack for him. Razor didn’t ask questions.
“Come on back to room two,” Razor said.
“They were here first,” Angel said quickly, pointing to the other men.
“They’re after you, Angel. Let’s go.” His knowing gaze clued Angel in that he suspected she was delaying her exam. He followed them down the hall with a file folder and his computer.
“A runner?” Razor asked after closing the door.
“Definitely,” Vex confirmed. “She’s scared.”
Angel bristled glaring at the two men. Suddenly, she wasn’t too upset about her Daddy’s injury. Okay, she was, but less than before.
“I’m going to sit right here on this stool. Why don’t you claim one of those chairs?” Razor suggested. “We’ll go over some information for a couple of minutes.”
Vex took her hand and led her over to the chairs.
He sat down and helped her settle on his lap.
With one hand, he brushed his fingers through her hair, combing out the tangles and soothing her scalp.
His other hand pressed the cold pack to his lip.
The tension in her neck and shoulders lessened as he touched her. She sighed happily.
“How are you, Angel?” Razor asked.
“I’m okay. I’m bored at Vex’s and want to get a new job. My old company fired me because the Ravagers abducted me for more days than I had sick leave and vacation.”
“That’s probably illegal,” Razor suggested.
“Probably. I’m not going to fight it,” Angel told him. “I can find a better position. Maybe work from home?”
“Definitely your call. How do you feel? Are you tired? Stress? Sleeping okay?” Razor asked.
“Usually. I have to keep taking naps,” Angel said, glancing back at Vex.
“Your Daddy is a smart man. The Ravagers turned the lights on and off in the room they held me in at strange intervals to screw up my sense of time. I struggled for a while to adjust back to getting eight solid hours of rest. Being awake and productive for sixteen or even half of that took a while.”
Angel sighed and admitted, “I couldn’t have gone back to work immediately. My mind couldn’t function at a competent business level. The haze is going away.”
“Haze. That’s a good word to explain that sensation.
Like you know what to do but actually focusing on a task and carrying it through to completion is tough.
I still have sticky notes in my pocket to jot down what I need to finish.
” Razor pulled a packet of yellow papers from his white coat. “I’m glad the fog is evaporating.”
“Me too. Every day is better.”
Vex squeezed her. Having him at her back helped tremendously. Angel studied Razor. The Ravagers had taken him. He understood. At least some of it. As a man, he wouldn’t get how vulnerable a woman was in so many ways.
“I’ve had low iron before,” she blurted.
“We should check if that’s returned. I would be extremely surprised if basic blood counts don’t come back with some serious deficiencies. Would you let me run some tests?” Razor asked.
“Okay. I hate needles,” she warned.
“No tattoos for you,” Razor declared as he stood up and gathered several tubes and the other supplies he needed to draw her blood. He sat back down and slid over to her with a metal tray on wheels. “Hide your face against your Daddy.”
Vex moved her to sit sideways on his lap. Razor took her arm and gently pulled her hand toward him. He didn’t rush. When she tensed, he stopped and waited for her. After several seconds, she relaxed for him again.
“An ouch,” he warned.
When he put a bandage on her arm, she looked up in surprise. “You’re done?”
“All done. I’ll get these to the lab.”
“Oh! I didn’t even think. I don’t have insurance now,” Angel told him.
“You have coverage through your Daddy. All Little girls do. You don’t pay anything to come see me,” Razor explained.
“Really?”
“I will never lie to you, Angel,” Razor promised. “Would you let me check a few things—your blood pressure, ears and eyes….”
“Can I keep my clothes on?” she asked.
“Of course. Vex, bring Angel over to sit on the exam table. I don’t think my blood pressure cuff will stretch this far,” Razor instructed.
The normality of an exam she’d had a million times reassured her. Razor cleared a bit of wax out of one of her ears. Angel shook her head experimentally.
“That’s so much better. I thought I was off-balance because of everything that happened,” Angel said, smiling at Vex’s concerned face as he stood beside her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t notice, Baby girl,” Vex told her.
“I’m fine, Daddy. Promise. Right, Razor?”
“Better than that. Your blood pressure is low. Your Daddy’s going to help you with that.”
Razor turned to Vex and told him, “I think Angel is underweight. She needs a bottle in the morning and evening to add to her nutrition and hydration. Add a bit more salt to her food—don’t overdo it.”
“You got it, Doc.”
“And Angel, I need you to drink a lot more. You should potty every hour. We must stabilize your hydration levels. Your brain depends on water. Each time you drain a glass, your mind will get rid of more of that fog.”
Angel sat up taller. Razor was so different from any other doctor. He wasn’t rushing her. And he listened. Hope filled her. “I’d thought they'd changed me. That I’d never feel normal.”
“Everyone you interact with can affect your life. How much power you give them is up to you. Who’s more important to you? Your Daddy or the Ravagers?”
“Daddy.”
Vex dropped a kiss on her head. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Gathering her courage, Angel met Razor’s gaze directly and asked, “Can you help us with birth control?”
“I can. You’ll have to remove your clothes for the exam,” Razor told her.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Razor stood and grabbed a gown for her from the cabinet and a drape for her lap. “I’ll step out and let your Daddy help you undress. Take everything off. Put the gown on with the opening in the front.” When she nodded, Razor handed the items to Vex before walking out of the room.
“You’ve been very brave,” Vex said, helping Angel down from the exam table.
“He gets me. I’m comfortable with him,” Angel said. “You’re with me. That makes this better.”
“I’m glad.”
In a jiffy, Vex had Angel changed into the gown and settled on the table. As they waited for Razor to return, Angel asked, “Daddy, am I too skinny?”
“Baby girl, I don’t give a rat’s ass how much you weigh. You could be a hundred pounds or three hundred. That’s a number on a scale. What’s important is that you’re healthy and happy. Is it important to you to know how heavy I am?”
“No,” Angel said, shaking her head. Vex was physically fit from his job. She didn’t know what the scale would say about him. And why would that matter? Some people would judge others by their appearance, but Vex wasn’t like that.
The door cracked open, interrupting her thoughts. “Prepared for me?” Razor asked.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Angel answered.