Sally knelt beside Jacque and placed her hands on Kimily’s head. Sally closed her eyes, and they all watched and waited as the healer did her thing.
When Sally opened her eyes, she smiled. “No damage.”
Peri looked at Jen, then down at the nurse, and then back at Jen. “Really?”
Jen pursed her lips. “Oops?” It sounded like a question instead of an admission of guilt.
With a sigh, the high fae reached down and picked the woman up as if she weighed nothing at all. “I’ll be back.”
“Arnold!” Jen, Jacque, and Sally all yelled at once.
Peri rolled her eyes at them just before she flashed.
“Was she able to help?” Sally asked as she and Jacque stood back up.
Jen nodded. “Yes and thank you guys so much. It’s not painless, but the unnecessary pain is better. Once my nipples heal, all I’ll have to deal with is the knife that gets shoved up into my body from my big toe all the way up until it stabs my boob. Piece of cake.”
Jacque was nodding and smiling, but her head suddenly stopped. “Wait, what?”
Jen waved her off just as Peri flashed back into the room.
“What’d you do with her?” Sally asked.
“Laid her on her office floor.”
“And when she wakes up? What’s she going to think?”
Peri smirked. “That she’s got a hangover from last night because she went out dancing and met a tall Italian man who kept calling her ‘Cara mia’ and asking her to run away with him. Of course, she had adamantly declined but secretly wished she could.”
“Shut the front door! You made up a freaking soap opera in her mind?” Jacque asked. “You were just supposed to make sure she didn’t remember anything about all of this.” She motioned to all of them.
Peri shrugged. “She won’t remember.”
“Is she married? Have kids? Family?” Jacque wasn’t giving up. “What are they going to think when she starts telling everyone about this supposed night out she had?”
“Look,” Peri said as she placed a hand on her hip and eyed Jacque down. “You wanted me to get her a boobie nurse.” The fae pointed at Jen. “So,boom, I got you the boobie nurse. You wanted to tag along.Boom, I let you tag along. You wanted the woman not to remember all the crazy crap she encountered while in our care.Boom.She doesn’t remember. So, don’t question my methods, wolf princess. I’d hate to have to put a muzzle on you. Now, I’ve had more than enough healers and she-wolves for one day … or week … or month, for that matter. I’m out.” Peri flashed and was gone.
“Well she was in a good mood,” Jen said.
Jacque sighed and her shoulders drooped. “She exhausts me.”
“I’m pretty sure she feels the same way about you.” Sally grabbed Jacque’s hand and started pulling her toward the door. “Let’s go. Let these three have some time to bask in the better-but-not-yet-unpainful joy of nursing.”
“Good call on the lactation nurse, Red,” Jen said with a wink as the door shut behind her two best friends.
“How are you feeling, Jennifer?” Decebel asked as he took Thia, who was now sleeping peacefully, from Jen’s arms and placed the girl in her basinet.
“Maybe a little less overwhelmed than I was before Peri stole a lactation specialist to help me,” she said as she stood and stretched her arms over her head. The day had flown by, and already she could see through the window that the sun was beginning to set.
“Would you like me to fix you something to eat?” Decebel asked, his eyes watching her every move.
Jen shook her head. “Actually, I think I’ll walk down to the kitchen and fix us both something. I need to get out of the suite for a bit.” She knew the minute the words were out of her mouth that her mate wasn’t going to like that suggestion. His jaw was already re-clenching, after having finally relaxed. He turned to fully face her and crossed his arms in front of his broad chest. He liked to use the pose to intimidate, and it worked on other wolves, but not on her.
“I’d prefer that you let me go down and prepare our meal,” he said. His voice was cool and calm, but a storm was brewing in those amber eyes.
“Dec,” she began but he cut her off.
“It’s been two days, Jennifer,” he pointed out. “Two days since you had a baby. Two days since I got you back from the clutches of that mad man. Two days since we lost a dear friend.”
