Motorcycle Clubs, but that’s exactly what it means. We don’t usually tell you in advance. We just pop up and collect.”
It’s my turn to be left open mouthed with surprise, but only for a moment, because his offer is too good to refuse.
“I accept, then.”
“Thought you would.” He laughs, and I join in.
I feel as if a weight has been lifted off of me. A weight that I’ve become so used to carrying that I didn’t even remember what it felt like to be without it.
“Ahem.” The sound of a throat clearing interrupts us. We both turn to see who the interloper is.
Standing before us is another monster of a man. Although he’s older and has the beginnings of salt-and-pepper hair, he’s still a very handsome, albeit scary-looking man. I recognize him as the President of the Black Shamrocks—and the father of my patient. The patient who I haven’t even checked yet this morning.
Lucas has proven to be too much of a distraction.
“I’d hate to fucking interrupt you, Timber, but you need to swap with Murray.” He gestures to the smaller, brown-haired man standing behind him, one jet-black eyebrow raised and his top lip curled as he takes in our position. “I’ve called Church, and I want you there for it.”
Lucas nods, and with one last—hopefully subtle—squeeze of my ass, he puts me back on the ground. I adjust my scrubs and my hair before facing the two newcomers.
“Good morning, Mr O’Brien,” I address Joel’s father.
“It’s Beast, girlie. How’s my boy this morning?” he replies in a tight voice.
Damn, this man is intimidating.
“He’s doing as well as can be expected. Still sedated, and will continue to be for the next six or so days.”
“Good.” He dismisses me by turning to Lucas.
“You ready? We need to get this done.”
“Yep, Beast. Gimme one minute.”
Beast—what’s up with all these names—lifts his chin in reply, and leaves the room with the guy he called Murray. Lucas looks down at me, his expression serious.
“What time do you finish up, Doll?”
“I thought we agreed you weren’t going to call me that anymore.”
“I think it’s too late. It’s stuck.” He grins at me.
“Well, I guess Lucas is going to stick as well.” I flash him a cheeky smile, making him laugh. “I finish at five today.”
“Pretty sure I’m already getting used to the way my name sounds falling from your sexy mouth. I’ll survive.” He winks at me and my core clenches. I haven’t had such uncontrollable responses to a man since I was a teenager in the first flush of puberty. “I’ll pick you up from the foyer.”
Making an impulsive choice, I decide that I’m going to take whatever this sexy man offers me tonight. Just for tonight, though, because there’s no way anything long term could happen between us. I’m a healer , and he’s for, all intents and purposes, a butcher . A butcher of our fellow humans, if the newspaper articles I read last night are to be believed—maybe a killer as well.
“I’ll see you then.”
Grasping me by the back of the neck, he pulls me onto my tiptoes. I stretch as far as I can when he leans down, planting a kiss on my lips before he pats my ass as he leaves.
JJ
Six Months Earlier
T he meeting with management went as well as it could be expected.
Ollie glared at me the whole time I was telling the truth, although he stayed silent for the most part. His initial protest was quickly shut down by the director.
I thought Ollie was going to have a Class III embolism when the director said he’d send me the appropriate paperwork should I decide to take the matter further. Declining at this time, I had to stifle my laughter at the relief that flooded everyone’s face.
The whole meeting was quite comical, the reach of the Black Shamrocks very evident. When it concluded, I was left feeling dirty—my moral outrage at their tactics vying with my excitement at beating Ollie at his own game.
My day deteriorated further after the