“Ready.”
Diggs hit the button and the machine started up. She kept her eyes locked on the monitor in front of them. A white image on black background appeared, and although she wasn’t a doctor, she recognized that the machine had started at Trigger’s head and was working its way down his body. She frantically searched the picture for anything that looked remotely out of the ordinary, not that she even knew what to lookfor.
As if he could sense her confusion, Diggs pointed to the screen and said, “See that line right there? That’s a fractured rib. Not broken, which is good news, but we’ll have to be careful with him for awhile.”
Audra stared at where his finger indicated, trying to pretend she could see what he did. “Do you see anythingelse?”
The image of Trigger lying on the table continued to develop on the screen. Diggs moved his finger over, pointing another area. “Looks like he’s got a couple more fractured ribs here. Spine looks good though. The dog is tough. Took that beating like asoldier.”
Audra’s lungs contracted and a dose of ice cold fear shot through her chest.Soldier?
“Just a saying, means he’stough.”
Had she said something out loud and not realized it? She nodded but couldn’t fight back the twinge of unease his words had caused. She found herself studying Diggs more than she did the image, trying to figure out exactly who and what hewas.
“Audra?” And right now, his face was only inches from hers. He was staring down at her with such an intense expression she’d completely forgotten how tothink.
His hand skimmed down her arm and squeezed her hand, as if he was testing the waters and he wasunsure.
Ever since finding out about Jeremy’s death and then the message, learning that someone in his unit had done something to cause Jeremy’s death, she’d been on the edge of desperation, lonely and scared, constantly looking over her shoulder and yet still trying to find out thetruth.
She hadn’t realized until now just how frayed her raw nerves had become, being pulled in two completely opposite directions. Diggs made her feel centered. His rough, calloused hand offered her comfort, nothing more, nothing less, and she found her fingers twining throughhis.
A beep sounded in the room, this one different, like a low short buzz and then the door opened and a woman in a lab coat strolled in, her long mahogany hair hanging loose in waves around her shoulders, her deep blue eyes flashing. “What are youdoing?”
Audra jerked instinctively, pulling from Diggs’ grip as a bucket of ice cold harsh reality was thrown in her face. His wife. Or girlfriend. Or whatever. She’d known he was with someone and she’d just latched onto him like her lifeline.
Diggs raked a hand through his hair, not looking the least bit contrite. In fact, he looked a little annoyed himself. “We found a dog injured on the side of the road. I was just checking him for brokenbones.”
The woman’s arms went around her chest, and despite the lab coat she was one of the most beautiful women Audra had ever seen. “Since when do you know how to use a CTscanner?”
Diggs didn’t even blush. Audra wanted to sink through the cracks in the floor and worm her way out like the scumbag she was. She always despised men who cheated on their wives or girlfriends. Her father had screwed every whore in town, staying out drinking all night while their mother stayed home and tried to raise her and Jeremy basically alone. And she’d turned into one of those whores herself, jumping into a married man’sarms.
“Melissa, maybe it’s a good thing you’re here, so you can see this,” Diggssaid.
He wanted her to see them? Was he using her in some sick twisted fantasy? The disgusting role of incredulous fury burst from her lips. “I’m sosorry.”
The woman’s crystal blue eyes turned on her and Audra shut her mouth, knowing there were no words that could even remotely explain why she and Diggs had been so close. But Melissa wasn’t studying her with disgust. She wasn’t even breathing hard. She was looking at Audra as if she were simply a person she’d just met who meant absolutely nothing to her. Why wasn’t she screaming or yelling? She had every rightto.
“For what exactly?” Melissa askedcoolly.
Audra felt her eyes bulge in her head and then without thinking vomited out, “He’s yourhusband.”
Just as cool as before, Melissa blinked and put her hands in her pockets as if they were discussing the weather. “My dear, he is not my husband, nor will he ever be myhusband.”
Diggs slapped a hand over his face and covered his eyes so that she couldn’t see his expression but she could feel his amusement. He was laughing at her. And he just stood there and let her make a complete fool out of herself in front of astranger?
“Diggs, if you don’t tell me what’s going on right now I swear to God you’re going to regretit.”
His shoulders were definitely shaking now with laughter and Audra took a threatening step in his direction, even knowing she would be completely useless against his strength. Her whole body was on fire with embarrassment. And Melissa was still standing there studying her every move like she was some testsubject.
“Diggs, I think your woman meansbusiness.”
“I’m not his woman,” Audra bitout.
Diggs slid his hand down his face, not even trying to hide the small curve in the corners of his mouth. Damn her, she thought it was sexy as hell that littlegrin.
“Audra, why would you think she’s mywife?”
