Page 23 of Romancing His Heart

“Fine, you know what? I only went to medical school, don’t listen to me. I’m leaving in one hour to check on some patients at the hospital, though, and you will let me examine you before I go. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” We stand frozen as she stomps down the hallway. When she’s out of earshot, I turn to Ash.

“I need a timeline, man. I’m missing something here, and we both know what that means.”

“Yeah, I know. Come with me.” He nods to the right, and we head that way. “Seth will be here in an hour. They called him into the office today.”

“Why?” I bark.

“Not sure. Vic is in charge, though, so …”

“Fuck that guy.”

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?” It’s not the first time Ashton has asked since we started working together. Vic and I have butted heads since the academy, mainly because he’s an asshole, but the real reason isn’t my story to share.

“Not my story.”

“Yeah, yeah. Okay, well, this is where we’ve set up.” Ash pushes open the door to what had been a guest room the last time I was home. Lining the four walls are spreadsheets, maps, photographs, and notes taped haphazardly.

“You guys went a little CSI, didn’t you?”

Ashton chuckles and points behind me. Above the doorframe is a full-size cutout of my head, with Loki on one side and Locator HQ on the other.

“Who the fuck did that?” I ask, laughing with him.

“I did,” comes a voice my body is having a Pavlovian response to. I take a step back to regard her without gawking like a pervert. Today she is wearing blue camo leggings with gold zippers at the pockets and an off-the-shoulder, navy sweatshirt. Her hair is in her signature ponytail that sways behind her with each step.

I’m noticing for the first time that she’s barefoot. Why that matters is beyond my mental capacity at the moment. I can’t tear my eyes away, though, as she flexes her toes. I try not to let my gaze rake over her body as I raise my line of sight to her face, but fuck me. My eyes have minds of their own, and they take their time in their perusal of her form.

“How about if we don’t eye fuck my little sister, huh?” Preston chuckles as he enters the room, causing Sloane to shrink a bit. The rosiness covering her cheeks makes a slow crawl down her neck.

“She’s your sister-in-law. If she marries Loki, then he would finally officially be family, though,” Ashton says while pulling down a projector screen.

“Whoa, I’m just helping a guy out. No marriage here,” Red blurts, and everyone in the room turns to her. “What? I write the happily ever afters. That doesn’t mean I’m looking for one.”

What the fuck is going on?

“I think I forgot what a shitshow it can be when we are all together,” I mumble and rub my temples.

“Are you okay?”

Somehow, Red heard me and pulled out a chair before I even realized I needed to sit down.

“Remember, Emory said to take it easy. You still need to hydrate, and head injuries are no joke. I had a concussion once, and it took months for me to get back to normal,” she says while staring into my eyes. It’s like she’s talking to herself, and we’re along for the ride.

My throat is suddenly so dry it’s hard to speak. “I’m fine.” It comes out through razor blades. Red studies me from mere inches away for a long minute, and then with a parting glance, she walks away. The second she is out of the room, my focus returns.

“Walk me through what we know,” I order.

“Maybe we should wait for Seth?”

“Listen, Ash. We don’t have the luxury of time. If someone is after me, I could be leading them all to you just by being here. I need something to jog my brain. I have a feeling … I don’t know, but it’s right there.” I rub my temples again. “I just can’t fucking remember.”

Placing a bottle of water in front of me, Red murmurs, “Don’t force it.”

I hadn’t even heard her come in. Putting my head in my hands, I realize I’m off my game. This is when mistakes happen, and lives are lost.

Chapter 8