Page 40 of Captivating Anika
“I’ve got a new client waiting for me by the sink,” I tell her. “Would you mind looking after her?”
Monique puts a hand on my shoulder. “You go. We’ve got this covered, and Molly can help. Just let us know when you hear something.”
Then she gives me a little shove out the door.
I hold my shit tight until I get behind the wheel of Hog’s truck. Then I let go and end up crying the entire way to the hospital.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been scared. I know the profession a firefighter chooses is dangerous. Hell, they run in when everyone else is running out of danger. It’s what they do. But I mostly find out after the fact, when the dust has settled and the outcome is known.
This time I’m in the dark, and with my resilience already heavily tested—too many of those fucking bumps in my way—and my imagination running rampant, the lack of information is putting serious cracks in my armor.
Anger is an effective detraction from fear, and I don’t hold back when an idiot slips into a spot close to the emergency doors I’d been waiting for. As a result, by the time I find an alternate place to park the truck, my tears have dried and my panic is relatively controlled.
It doesn’t stop me from running through the doors, only to be stopped by Sumo, who blocks my path.
“Whoa, easy there. Your brother is going to be fine; bumps, bruises, some minor burns, nothing serious. Cap wanted him checked out.”
I grab on to Sumo’s arm and lean forward to catch my breath when I’m hit hard with relief.
Then I realize he’s only mentioned Bodhi and I snap up my head.
“What about Hog?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Hog
Well, fuck.
I’m pretty sure this wasn’t on my list of things to do this week, but my mind may not be that reliable at the moment. At least that’s what the ER doc says.
I’m not entirely clear on what happened. I recall Bodhi yelling and the ceiling coming down on me. After that it all gets a bit fuzzy, and I haven’t had a chance to ask anyone on my crew. The doc said I was lucky, and if I’m still here and breathing, I guess that’s true.
According to him, I got my bell rung—which I could’ve told him—in addition to some second degree burns on my back, a nurse just finished dressing, and assorted bumps and lumps. Miraculously, no broken bones and nothing too serious, although he insists on keeping me for the night for observation.
“Damn, Hog.”
I turn my head to the door to find Cap walking in, Bodhi right behind him.
“Lucky bastard,” Cap adds. “Scared the shit out of us. Still not sure how Roadkill was able to haul that fucking beam off your ass and drag you halfway down the stairs before we even got in there, but he did.”
I notice a bandage on Bodhi’s left hand when I try to make eye contact, but he keeps his focus on the floor. I’m guessing he’s not here by choice.
“Appreciate you having my back, man.”
He briefly glances over at Cap before looking at me. “No problem.”
“Now, was that so hard?” Cap comments, clapping Bodhi on the shoulder. “Let’s get out of here. I’m sure the rest of the crew is in the waiting room by now.” He turns and points a finger at me. “And I don’t want to see your ugly mug for at least a week, and only then if you bring a note from your doctor you’re fit to work.”
With that, he starts walking out of the room.
“Bodhi, hang on a sec,” I call, when he turns to follow Cap out. “My phone is probably still in the rig, can you let your sister know we’re both fine before she has a chance to worry?”
He squints at me and knows exactly what I’m asking, but I calmly hold his gaze.
“Fine,” he concedes after a few moments before disappearing through the door, letting it fall shut behind him.
Good. He can stay pissed at me as long as he needs to get it out of his system, but his silence is upsetting Anika and I’m not cool with that.