Done with the lecture she stopped him, “I don’t have a brother, and I don’t need one. It was an accident and I’m fine. Leave it alone.”
Digging in the paper bag from the diner she shoved a paper wrapped breakfast sandwich towards him. “I brought you a ham, egg, and cheese biscuit.” When he took it, she snapped one last comment before walking out of the room. “You’re welcome.”
Storming out of the room, Lottie calmed herself down long enough to bring the receptionist her breakfast sandwich before she stalked back down the hall to hide until she was needed.
Hemlock stood holding the sandwich. On one hand, he wanted to leave things be, but he knew Razor would give him a heads up if the shoe was on the other foot. With that thought, he took out his phone and called the brother.
* * *
Razor sat in his apartment, savoring the warmth of his coffee as he gazed out over the river. The peaceful moment was shattered when the phone rang in the other room. He closed his eyes briefly, wishing for just one uninterrupted morning. With a sigh, he rose and walked into the kitchen, retrieving his phone just as the ringing ceased. Seeing Hemlock's name in the call log sent a ripple of unease through him. Wasting no time, he called back.
“Hemlock. Is everything okay?”
That was a loaded question, Hemlock thought. “With the clinic, yes.”
Razor’s jaw tightened. If the clinic was fine, then the problem had to be elsewhere. If it were the chapter, Vicious or Teller would’ve called. “Then what’s the problem?”
“Lottie.”
The name hit him like a punch to the gut. He’d seen her Friday… at The Red Door. But nothing had seemed off then. “What about her?” His voice came out sharper than intended.
“She said it was an accident.”
“Hemlock! What happened to Lottie?” His stomach churned. For fuck’s sake.
“Her face is bruised on one side. I asked what happened, and she brushed it off. Said it was no big deal. An accident at the apartment, that’s all.”
Razor’s grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. If someone had laid hands on Lottie, they were going to wish they hadn’t. “Thanks for the heads-up, brother.”
“Yep. I didn’t want you to come in and be blindsided when you see her.”
Hanging up, Razor knew his morning was well and truly over. He drained the last of his coffee, barely tasting it, before rinsing the cup out in the sink. His thoughts churned as he grabbed his keys and headed for the door. She might not have wanted to talk to Hemlock, but she’d talk to him. Even if he had to pull the truth out of her stubborn ass.
Twenty minutes later, he walked through the back door of the clinic. His aim was to find Lottie and get to the bottom of things. Rounding the corner, he came up short when a patient room door flew open, and Lottie stepped out running smack into him.
Lottie looked up locking eyes with Razor. Her breath hitched, and she immediately averted her face, muttering an apology. When he took her by the hand, dragging her towards an office, her pulse quickened. “I have to let Doctor Primo know the patient’s waiting.”
Razor didn’t slow, his grip firm but not painful. He threw the door open and barked, “Hemlock!”
Hemlock peered from within the storage room, eyebrows raised. “Tell Primo the patient’s waiting in room two.” Before he got a response, Razor shut the door and leaned against it, blocking Lottie’s exit. His piercing eyes pinned her in place. “What happened to your face?”
“I was relaxing in the tub with a pizza and a bottle of wine.” She tried to sound casual, brushing her hair behind her ear. “When I got out, I tripped trying not to step on the plate or the bottle.”
“And?” His arms crossed as he loomed closer.
“I fell against the counter and hit my face.”
Razor moved closer still, his eyes narrowing as he reached out and tilted her chin up. She stiffened but didn’t pull away in time. Even with the makeup, he could see the dark purple marks. His thumb hovered just below the bruise. “You must have hit it hard to have bruises this deep.”
“I thought I cracked my face.” Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her nerves.
“I want a scan, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Fine.” She crossed her arms defensively. “But it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Razor raised an eyebrow and reached for the bruise again. Lottie flinched, stepping back quickly to avoid his touch. A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I see it doesn’t hurt.”
“Asshole.” Her defiance flared, though her voice lacked its usual bite.
