Death eBook 9.8.16 (17 page)

Warren, with new purpose, handed out marching orders. “Good. Connor, can you get your finance guys on searching the finances of all known Order of Decay members? Dean and I will head out and retrace Kayne’s steps since his awakening, see if we can find out where they’re hiding the bastard.”

Clearing my throat, I said to Dean, “If we’re done, I need to go get ready for my doctor’s appointment. Do you want to send a car and man with me?”

I believed my mate’s head almost spun off his shoulders at my question. “What doctor’s appointment? Are you ill? Are you injured?” He was now up out of his chair, twisting me this way and that looking for god knows what.

Whoops, I guess I forgot to tell him about my follow-up
. “Er, it's nothing, just my follow-up from the accident, and I need to get some blood work done?” Hmm, that sounded more like a nervous question than a statement. I glanced at Falcone, who seemed to be very busy looking anywhere but at us. No help there. I looked back to Dean hoping he missed my hesitation, but he was looking at Falcone also. Darn, he was onto me.

Dean looked back at me, then announced to the room, “Everybody out.” They all jumped up and rushed to the door.
Chickens.
Dean quickly added in a low, clipped voice, “Everyone, except Falcone.”

Falcone turned slowly and whimpered. “Really, I’d prefer to leave with the others. This seems like a private moment.”

“Since you already seem to know what is wrong with my mate, there seems to be no reason for you to need to leave. Take a seat.”
Aw man, now he sounds pissed.
He turned back to me. “Okay, my jewel, start talking.” He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his gaze at me.
Yep, definitely mad.

“Um, well, I need to have a follow-up and some blood work,” I so ineloquently answered.

“Yes, you already said that. Now, what aren’t you saying? What blood work and why does Falcone know, but I, your mate, do not?”

“Falcone was with Fallon and me last night while we had a bit of a girl-bond moment. And well, she made a comment about how as long as we were safe, she was happy for me.”

The lack of understanding was clear on his face. “Of course we’re protecting you. I would never let anything happen to you.”

Was he really that naïve? “Um, no, honey. Not that kind of protection.”

Still nothing from him except to blink.

Oh, God. He had no clue what I was talking about.

Falcone saved me from having to try again. “Jesus, Dean. Even I’m not that thick and I live with my nose in a damn book. Condoms. You never used condoms, and now she needs a pregnancy test due to your negligence. Now that you know, I am leaving this highly uncomfortable conversation. Good luck with him, Julie. I fear he may be a lost cause.”

I took a moment to watch him leave. Actually, I was stalling before I turned to gauge Dean’s reaction. I didn’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t the soft, loving, and teary-eyed expression I found.

“A baby? Our baby?” Oh my, he liked the idea. I was so conflicted. “Julie, you know how long I have lived, waited… I had given up hope of ever finding you. We all did. The thought of having a child of my own”—he reached out and tenderly touched my face
—
“one with your amber eyes and auburn hair, nothing could make me happier.”

Dean’s thumb glided over my cheek, and I wanted to cry because I was about to hurt him yet again. I whispered as I looked into his eyes, “I want that for you, Dean, for us, one day. I really do. Just not today. It’s too soon. I’ve accepted we’re mates and fated to be, but having a child on top of that would send a screw loose in my brain. We also have the threat of Decay running around. It’s just not the right time. Too much is going on and it scares me. I’m sorry, Dean.” I felt like I didn’t deserve the love and understanding in his eyes.

He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “My sweet jewel, I understand, and we will wait until you’re ready if this is not our time. If the results say you’re with child, then we will manage, together. You’re no longer alone in anything. Now, let’s get ready for our appointment.” He started to get up but paused went I didn’t join him.

I stilled, my eyes widened. “Our appointment? I thought you needed to help Warren? I’ll be fine. I’m sure Steven will just have a few questions, and then he’ll run the test. You would be more help with finding Decay.”

Seriously, the situation was going to be stressful enough, I didn’t want to have to deal with Dean’s disappointment at my relief if the test was negative.

While I was worrying about upsetting him, Dean’s frustration grew; his hands wouldn’t stop clenching and unclenching. “First off, I’ve already let Warren know through the link I’ll meet him in a few hours. Besides, we’re waiting to see what Connor can find, and Warren’s mapping out the locations to look at later.” His jaw clenched tighter before he bit out, “Second, who in the hell is Steven? You have a male doctor?” His voice rose. “Connor’s dick will fall off from VD because of his whoring ways before I ever let another man touch you! Doctor or otherwise, I’m going and that’s final.”

It didn’t look like I was going to budge the bossy baboon, and since I was running late, I jumped from my seat to glare up at him, and I huffed. “Fine! Whatever.”

* * * *

I despised waiting rooms. They were always boring and uncomfortable. At least it wasn’t crowded. I hated having to sit next to strangers. At best, they wanted to chew your ear off talking. At worst, they smelled like a hooker looking for a payday, or like someone who hadn’t bathed since Carter was in office. Luckily, I didn’t need to worry about that because there was only one other patient across the room. Then again, he probably only kept his distance because Dean had scowled at him when he arrived and kept at it until he was seated as far away as he could, and still be in the room.

Leaning over to my overbearing, pushy mate, I whispered, “You didn’t have to come with me.” I had no idea why I kept repeating this to him. Perhaps it was due to nerves.

As though Dean could feel my agitation, which he probably could, he reached out for my hand and rubbed circles on the top of it. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” His gentle touch helped soothe my frayed nerves and settle my churning stomach. Not that I’d tell the lug nut he was a huge help. However, the stupid grin he wore said he already knew.

“Julie?” the nurse called from the door to the back exam rooms. Dean was up and across the room, holding the door next to a confused nurse, before I was able to move a muscle. I sighed and stood to join him for, I guess, what was
our
appointment.

The nurse, who was a cute twentysomething blonde, guided us back to room two. Upon entering, I went straight to the exam table and jumped up on it. The nurse puttere
c
d around taking my blood pressure and temperature, while I took a moment to observe that even in unflattering scrubs, she had a nice tush and tatas. But the most interesting thing was how Dean didn’t notice her. Not at all. She could have been a runway model and still I didn’t think he would have noticed. Darn. That made it hard to stay mad at my mate for being overbearing.

“Ms. Michaels, the doctor will be right in.” And with a polite smile, she turned on her heel and left. From the other side of the door, I heard the chart slip into the pocket on the door.

My ears then picked up the doctor’s voice saying sweetly, “Belinda, good to see you again.”

The nurse giggled. “You also, Doctor.”

“I’d like very much to see you after our shifts.”

Gag.

“That can be arranged.”

“Good,” he replied and opened the door a little, but I saw him with his hand in the nurse’s as he raised it and gently bit the tip of her finger. Another giggle before she winked, turned to leave the hall, and the doctor walked all the way in.

Hmm, it seemed he was a sweet talker to all the ladies.

Dr. McMullan, without pause, walked directly to me. He didn’t even notice Dean. How did anyone not notice Dean? He was freaking gorgeous. The doctor approached and stood right against the side of the table. I could see Dean stiffen, readying for attack.

“How are you feeling, Julie?” Without giving me time to answer, he grabbed my hand and continued on, “Have any of your memories returned at all?”

As soon as the doctor, who had a death wish, touched me, Dean started to growl. Only, he stopped when I promptly and politely removed my hand. I didn’t know if it was my rejection or Dean’s growling, but the not-so-observant doctor finally noticed there was another in the room.

Sounding truly surprised, he asked, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there. Are you a friend of Julie’s?”

I just couldn’t help myself; I honestly couldn’t. I giggled. Not because it was funny, but because it was ridiculous, awkward, and Dean looked ready to kill. I answered before Dean could with, “No, this is Dean. Dean, this is Dr. McMullan.” I didn’t think another explanation was needed, so I continued on before either asked for one, “I’ve been well and have regained my memory fully, but unfortunately it was nothing that could help the police.” True enough. I knew nothing that would help the human police, at least.

In a more professional mode, the doctor moved over to a wheeled stool and scooted back over to me before hitting me with rapid-fire questions. “I am so glad the loss was only temporary. What day did it come back? Did something trigger it or did it return slowly? Have there been any other issues since your memory returned?”

I answered each one as truthfully as I could. The last was the hardest though, admitting that the dreams and guilt were eating at me. He explained everything I was experiencing was normal processing, but if it persisted, and even worsened over the next six-to-eight months, I had to come back and they would talk about counseling to help me through the process.

“I am very happy with your progress, Julie. If there’s nothing else, I’d like to see you in six months for a final follow-up.” He was no longer paying attention as he turned to his desk and started to put details of the visit into a program on an iPad that I hadn’t noticed on the counter. “Um, there was one more thing. I… er… need a pregnancy test?”

He looked up, unsurprised, and sat a bit too close for comfort. “It's absolutely normal, under high stress or after a trauma, for a woman’s cycle to become irregular. But you are fine. Part of the normal hospital workup is a pregnancy test. Yours was negative.”

As interesting as that was, it wasn’t going to be helpful in this case. “Well, circumstances have, um, changed since that test.”

“Oh, well, if that’s the case, I can’t help you with the test. It can’t be done till at least seven days or after a missed period. Although, you did come in soon enough that if it was an accident, you still have time to take the morning-after pill and fix it.” Unfortunately, Dr. Dumbbutt, as he would be known as, saw an opportunity to comfort me and placed his hand on my knee. Wrong move. He only added fuel to the inferno on the other side of me.

“Get your goddamn hand off her before I remove it and beat you with it.” Dean was up out of his seat and against the other side of the table. I put my hand on his chest, calming him significantly, or it was possible my mate may have made good on that threat, because the doctor took an enormous step back from me.

The doctor cleared his throat and asked, “Would you like to have your
friend
wait outside?”

Dean’s jaw clenched. He bit out, “Would you like me to shove my foot up your ass? As fucking
if
I’d leave you alone with her in here, you—”

“No!” I yelled over Dean. “I
want
Dean in here, and when I take the test, if it is positive we will be keeping
our
baby. We just need to know so we can plan accordingly.”

The idiot doctor seemed disappointed, but luckily my answer seemed to calm my mate further. He smiled smugly. His over-the-top behavior was starting to get on my nerves. He should be able to trust me.

“As you wish, but you have my cell number if anything changes. And I will change that follow-up to next week for you. You can schedule that with Virginia at the front desk on the way out. Take care of yourself, Julie.”

The door had barely latched before I was off the table, across the room, and out in the hall in a blink. Leaving Dean to catch up. I understood his responses. I did. But it hurt a little that he would doubt me enough to get aggressive with another.

I breezed by a very pretty and confused Virginia on my way out. I bet she was confused. I imagined not many left the Polo-model wannabe, Dr. Dumbbutt, unhappy, but I had no intentions to return. Ever. If I didn’t get a visit from Aunt Flow from the Red Bank soon, which could be possible since my emotions were all over the place, I would be looking for someone new, pronto. Until then, I was going to live in denial and throw myself into my work. There would be no worrying about the dreams, or babies, or the mating process, or even Decay and his crazy band of idiots running around looking for a way to kill Dean and his brothers.

Only, before all that happened, I had one thing to say to my mate as I opened the car door, after he unlocked it, and I settled into my seat. I buckled my seat belt and snapped, “You’re a freaking idiot.” From then on, I proceeded to give him the silent treatment.

Chapter Fifteen

DEAN

Julie’s door flew open. She went to climb out of the car and storm off, however, she forgot to take her seat belt off, and in the next second, she bounced back in her seat. She growled low; it was cute. I didn’t understand why she was so pissed. Yeah, I may have threatened the fucked-up doctor once, but I should be the one fuming, because his blatant flirting and touching with my mate annoyed the fuck out of me, and yet, my mate, my woman, did nothing about it, and she even giggled with him.

How could she not know I’d be pissed about the whole fucking scene?

She was mine.

She should blush only for me.

Giggle only for me.