“No, you won’t.” He actually took me to the fucking back and dumped me in the rear cargo area along with a case of guns. I kicked the hatch door when he closed it.
“I thought Cillian was the asshole!” I shouted when he opened the driver-side door and got a deep laugh back in return.
“Oh, now you can be amused,” I grumped. “Ha-fucking-ha! Here’s a hot joke, you’re not fucking me ever again!” I kicked the door again and the tears fell, I couldn’t stop them.
“That is a joke. You know you want it.”
I smiled and shook my head.
The SUV started, and I tugged Aspen’s winter coat tighter around my body because the air was cold and the coat was warm. I sniffed at the collar and felt like a creepy stalker doing it, but it smelled good and just like him. It made me feel better and I didn’t investigate that too closely.
“Next time you’ll listen to me, won’t you?” he called as the SUV began to move.
I punched the back of the rear seat and immediately regretted it.
“Boy! What did I say to you?”
I glared out the hatch window at the dark sky and the streetlights. “Yeah, I guess.”
He muttered something up front, and I grinned because he actually sounded irritated, despite the fact it hurt to breathe.
Some time passed. I couldn’t see the road, only the buildings and lights on either side, but I didn’t think we were going the right direction back to Westhampton Beach. “What are we doing? Do we have to do something for the boss before we go home?”
Silence was my only answer.
“Aspen?” I didn’t mean to sound scared... but yeah, I couldn’t breathe right, and I was worried.
“You’re not waiting for Rory to drag his ass to the house. He would tell us to take you somewhere to get checked out, so I’m taking you.” Aspen honked the horn and jerked the car to the right, going around someone. I groaned at the motion of the vehicle, but it was over before I had a chance to complain.
“What?” It took longer than it should’ve for me to process what he was talking about, and anger bit at me as soon as I registered what he was saying. “I don’t want to go anywhere. They’ll only tell me to take it easy. I’ve had rib injuries a thousand times.”
“And you’re not breathing right. I don’t care.”
I tried to tamp down my fear when I attempted to drag in a deep breath and it was difficult. “It’s just the ribs. I’m fine, Aspen.” Warmth flooded me, and I hid a smile in his coat collar as the Expedition rocked while he switched lanes. “It’s nice of you to care, though. I’ll be okay.”
“You’re damned right you will because you’re getting seen.”
Groaning, I knocked my head back against the floor. I could already tell there was no talking him out of this, and Aspen on a mission was like a brick wall—he wouldn’t change direction. I rested my head back and tried to get comfortable, but every time the SUV sped up or slowed down, I winced at the shift of pressure on my right side.
When the SUV finally stopped, I wasn’t prepared for the cold to slap me in the face as the hatch lifted and a blast of cool air hit my sweat-soaked face. I shivered.
“Damn it,” Aspen muttered as he slid his arms under me. He was warm, and I groaned and rolled toward him. “Don’t wriggle around or I’ll end up hurting you.”
I pressed a kiss to his cheek as he scooped me up, despite all the complaining I’d done earlier, and gasped when he set me on the ground on my feet because I was far wobblier than I’d expected. It hurt to draw in a shallow breath, and I could tell I wouldn’t be able to take in a deep one at all. “Fuck,” I snapped.
The clinic he’d brought me to was tucked on a green lawn, and that extravagance alone meant it was for fancy-pants people here in the city. The design of the small gray stone building was modern and too square, while the roof swept up like a bird wing and seemed as if maybe it was one of those expensive eco-friendly ones made of solar cells. The sign out front showcased the name Aureate Wellness, which sounded like a place Sloan could afford to go, but not me. A tall Black man in navy scrubs and a white lab coat rushed around the side of the building, and when he got closer to us, he held out his arms and grinned at Aspen. He had a wide smile and an attractive long face that went with his lean body. He didn’t actually hug Aspen once he got a good eyeful of me.
“You only come visit when it isn’t a holiday if you’ve got some problem,” the man said with a wry smirk that reminded me a lot of Aspen’s the few times I’d seen it. He smacked Aspen’s shoulder in a friendly way. “I’m his cousin Nick,” he said to me. “I think you met Auntie Lisa because she was on the phone with my mom this morning raising hell about you leaving early.” He shook his head.
“Fallon is my name, and I’m the problem.” I winced and smiled. “Good to meet you, buddy.” I held out my hand, and Nick shook it gently as he glanced down my body, and even though I got the idea it was more in an assessing way, because of the doctors’ coat and all, Aspen held me a little tighter.
“Auntie Lisa said you had a boyfriend, but then she was confusedwhich oneof the pretty men with you was the boyfriend. Man, you play it close to the chest. I didn’t even know you were gay.” He winked at me. “But you’re worth it, I guess.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” I couldn’t stop myself from flirting if my life depended on it, but it felt good when Aspen let out an annoyed sound that had Nick laughing.
“If you’re done, Fallon’s hurt. Let’s get him looked at.”
“Yes, of course. Come on.” Nick led the way toward the side of the building.
