of his white dress shirt.
“Vitamins,” he said simply ripping open the first packet and handing her the contents. “You belong to me for the next year. It’s my job to care for your needs.”
As he took his first bite, his phone went off. “It never fails.” In a glance, he looked at the display and slid his finger across. “Dr. Stryker….Did you call Dr. Patel? He’s the attending….Of course….Let’s not take any chances. Give him a unit of blood and get ultrasound down there. Don’t let them put you off until later. I want him seen within the hour….Call me back as soon as his results are in.”
He hung up without saying goodbye.
“Is it Cody?”
He nodded as he cut a bite of eggs with his fork. “His blood pressure dropped a little. It’s not major, but I’ve ordered an ultrasound to look for blood in his abdomen.”
Nyxie put her napkin on the table and started to slide out of the booth when she realized he intended to keep eating. “Shouldn’t we go back to the hospital?”
“He’s fine in Rachel’s care. She’s a bitch, but she’s good at her job and she’s not going to let ultrasound put him off,” he said picking up his phone again. “While I have my phone out, give me your cell phone number.”
“I don’t have one. My landlady put an extension of her phone into our apartment for emergencies. I can give you that number or the number at the truck stop where I work.”
“We’ll get you a cell phone after breakfast.”
“Declan, I can’t afford that—especially since I’m missing work.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m taking care of you now. I’m going to put you on my plan. Eat up. We’ve got a lot to do this morning.”
“We do?”
“Lawyer, cell phone.”
“Oh.” She picked up a piece of bacon with her fingers, swiped it through her syrup and bit it in half.
“It’s my turn to ask you something,” he said and waited until she made eye contact before asking his question. “What do you remember after CPS took the girls?”
She paused in her chewing as she stared off into space. “I remember you—you touched my back. I remember yelling at some nice man to go fuck himself. I kind of woke up before we went into Cody’s room.”
“Has it happened before?”
She seemed reluctant to answer. “A couple of times,” she said slowly.
“Do you have any idea how much time passed?” She shook her head. “Do you remember peeing in front of me?”
Color stained her cheeks. “I didn’t….”
“Afraid so,” he said with a chuckle.
Her hands flew to her burning cheeks, her eyes clenched tightly. “I’m so sorry. Oh, my God, I can’t believe I did that.”
“I didn’t look by the way.”
“Thank you.”
He pulled her hands away from her face and tilted his head waiting until Nyxie slowly opened her eyes.
“Do you have any control over it?”
“I don’t know. When Lotus called to tell me Cody got hit, I felt confused and on the verge, but I knew I had to stay in the moment because the kids needed me. But I barely remember the ride into Lubbock. Thank God, Jimbo took charge.”
Declan’s ire worked his jaw again. “I bet he’s just a good ol’ boy, isn’t he?”
She shrugged. “I appreciate him stepping up. I’m sure he was late getting back to work and everything.”
“Maybe they’ll canonize him.”
Struck by his sarcasm, Nyxie realized he didn’t like her talking about another man and tried to minimize it. “Jimbo is twice my age and three times my weight. He always tips me one dollar no matter what the ticket is.”
“I bet he’s sweet on you.” Declan pulled out his wallet and placed some money on the ticket.
“I don’t know. I never noticed. Men are so far off my radar, it usually takes another waitress to point out when a customer is flirting with me.”
6
“So,” he said as they stepped into the parking lot. “Was IHOP everything you were hoping
“Vitamins,” he said simply ripping open the first packet and handing her the contents. “You belong to me for the next year. It’s my job to care for your needs.”
As he took his first bite, his phone went off. “It never fails.” In a glance, he looked at the display and slid his finger across. “Dr. Stryker….Did you call Dr. Patel? He’s the attending….Of course….Let’s not take any chances. Give him a unit of blood and get ultrasound down there. Don’t let them put you off until later. I want him seen within the hour….Call me back as soon as his results are in.”
He hung up without saying goodbye.
“Is it Cody?”
He nodded as he cut a bite of eggs with his fork. “His blood pressure dropped a little. It’s not major, but I’ve ordered an ultrasound to look for blood in his abdomen.”
Nyxie put her napkin on the table and started to slide out of the booth when she realized he intended to keep eating. “Shouldn’t we go back to the hospital?”
“He’s fine in Rachel’s care. She’s a bitch, but she’s good at her job and she’s not going to let ultrasound put him off,” he said picking up his phone again. “While I have my phone out, give me your cell phone number.”
“I don’t have one. My landlady put an extension of her phone into our apartment for emergencies. I can give you that number or the number at the truck stop where I work.”
“We’ll get you a cell phone after breakfast.”
“Declan, I can’t afford that—especially since I’m missing work.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m taking care of you now. I’m going to put you on my plan. Eat up. We’ve got a lot to do this morning.”
“We do?”
“Lawyer, cell phone.”
“Oh.” She picked up a piece of bacon with her fingers, swiped it through her syrup and bit it in half.
“It’s my turn to ask you something,” he said and waited until she made eye contact before asking his question. “What do you remember after CPS took the girls?”
She paused in her chewing as she stared off into space. “I remember you—you touched my back. I remember yelling at some nice man to go fuck himself. I kind of woke up before we went into Cody’s room.”
“Has it happened before?”
She seemed reluctant to answer. “A couple of times,” she said slowly.
“Do you have any idea how much time passed?” She shook her head. “Do you remember peeing in front of me?”
Color stained her cheeks. “I didn’t….”
“Afraid so,” he said with a chuckle.
Her hands flew to her burning cheeks, her eyes clenched tightly. “I’m so sorry. Oh, my God, I can’t believe I did that.”
“I didn’t look by the way.”
“Thank you.”
He pulled her hands away from her face and tilted his head waiting until Nyxie slowly opened her eyes.
“Do you have any control over it?”
“I don’t know. When Lotus called to tell me Cody got hit, I felt confused and on the verge, but I knew I had to stay in the moment because the kids needed me. But I barely remember the ride into Lubbock. Thank God, Jimbo took charge.”
Declan’s ire worked his jaw again. “I bet he’s just a good ol’ boy, isn’t he?”
She shrugged. “I appreciate him stepping up. I’m sure he was late getting back to work and everything.”
“Maybe they’ll canonize him.”
Struck by his sarcasm, Nyxie realized he didn’t like her talking about another man and tried to minimize it. “Jimbo is twice my age and three times my weight. He always tips me one dollar no matter what the ticket is.”
“I bet he’s sweet on you.” Declan pulled out his wallet and placed some money on the ticket.
“I don’t know. I never noticed. Men are so far off my radar, it usually takes another waitress to point out when a customer is flirting with me.”
6
“So,” he said as they stepped into the parking lot. “Was IHOP everything you were hoping
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