Anything could have happened.
With her attention on Rhett, Blair wouldn’t have been focused on her own safety. What if the people after her had grabbed Blair while she was distracted? Distracted by a man so self-absorbed he hadn’t considered the risk he posed or the harm he would’ve caused if Blair hadn’t stopped him.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what transpired. Wes and I had gone out to pick up Rhett’s truck after Santi had slipped into Blair’s room. It had still been running, the headlights pointed to the ledge of the quarry where, on the ground, there was proof of a struggle.
Fucking Rhett.
At least, after all was said and done, his eyes were clearer this morning. His shoulders weren’t hanging as low as they typically do and he showered. Hell, he even apologized to me. Not just for putting himself in danger, drinking and driving, but for putting Blair’s life in danger and for being an asshole recently. That was all… different. Whatever Blair did to him, she must’ve really shook him up.
It shook her up, too. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the same positive effects.
After picking up Rhett’s car, I stayed up all night in my own bed watching the live stream video coming from the camera in Blair’s room. My heart ached for her as I watched as she constantly wiped tears from her eyes and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth to keep her sobs silent so she wouldn’t wake Santi or Rhett.
Blair’s despair undoubtedly is what’s keeping the beast in me alive.
Blair’s supposed to be happy here. Life is supposed to beeasyfor her. She shouldn’t ever feel the need to cry. The fact that her tears only slowed when she finally let exhaustion take over and she succumbed to sleep, tells me that I’ve failed her.
I won’t do that again.
The first step to keeping that promise is making sure I know where she is at all times. Blair managed to handle whatever shit Rhett put her through last night, but what if that’s not the case in the future? What if something had gone sideways and she needed me? I wouldn’t have known where she was other than a vague location thanks to the trackers on each truck that they’d taken.
That’s unacceptable.
As I stomp into Building D, I force myself to look like an owner inspecting everyone’s work rather than a beast stalking its prey. My footsteps are slow and steady as I head to the back and then down the hall toward the new nurse’s station.
I’m a few feet away from the door when I hear talking.
“—you should be good to go back to work,” Blair says.
I stop and listen, not wanting to interrupt.
“What about infection?” someone asks.
“Well, I cleaned the cut pretty thoroughly and then used anti-sepic before stitching you up, so there should be a minimal risk for that,” Blair explains. “I do think that if you see it discoloring, or if it swells and pusses, definitely go get it checked.”
Her patient sucks in a deep, shaky breath then lets it out. “Thanks Nurse Blair. I really appreciate this. I really didn’t want to go to the emergency room. I hate that place.”
“Not a problem.”
I hear the shuffling of footsteps before one of Wes’s guys steps out from the room. He doesn’t see me right away as he waves Blair good-bye but when he does he gives me a grin.
“Hey, Mr. Porter!”
Not knowing his name, I simply nod a greeting.
“Our nurse taking good care of you?” I ask him.
The guy grins and lifts his pant leg to show me several stitches keeping a large cut slashed down his leg closed.
“Yup! She’s amazing. Give her a raise for me, okay?” he jokes as he drops his pant leg back down.
I clap him on the back with a quick confirmation that I will before I head inside. Blair’s in the process of cleaning. She pulls off the exam table paper and balls it up before tossing it into a medical receptacle. She gives me a quick half smile as she pulls off her gloves.
“Hey, what’s going on?” she asks.
Rather than answer right away, I turn to close the door behind me. When I turn back around, Blair’s eyes the small box in my hand.
“Get on the table for me, Blair.”
