Page 2 of Pike

“I’m fine,” she says, trying to move away from me now. I see the look in her eyes. She’s standing here lying so her co-workers don’t look at her any closer than they already have. Or maybe they haven’t looked at her at all. Maybe they know who did this and they’re covering for him. Is it their boss?

“You don’t look fine.”

“I could say the same to you,” she says.

“We’re going to need to get you into surgery and get this bullet out.” A voice from someone down by my stomach announces. I nod my head as I feel my eyes slowly drifting closed. What the hell did they give me? I wasn’t even paying attention. I was too focused on her, Feather.

Chapter 2

Feather

Tonight has been a night from hell. First, the run in with Blake and then a full ER. I wasn’t prepared for this when I started nursing school. I knew it would be busy but this night has been insane. And that guy. Pike, is what they called him. How could he have seen what everyone else has ignored? The thought he could see right through me has thrown me off a little. I wasn’t expecting that.

Now, my shift is over, and I’m sitting in the waiting room to see how he’s doing. I don’t always check up on my patients, but this one just felt different. Something about him was different. So I wait.

There are a ton of guys in here, all wearing the same kind of vests he had on. I assume they’re waiting for him to get out of surgery, too.

“This is bullshit. I can’t believe it takes this long to pull a fuckin’ bullet out,” one of the men snaps.

“There could have been internal bleeding, or something else was hit,” I offer up. All eyes turn to me, and I smile slightly.

“Who are you? A doctor?”

“No. I was his nurse in the emergency room.”

“You can’t see what’s takin’ so long?” he asks.

“I can try,” I say as I move out of my chair and walk out of the waiting room and find the nurse’s desk.

“Hey, Julia. There’s family here for Pike Osmond. Any word?” She looks down at her computer and types in his name before she nods.

“He’s out of surgery and going into recovery. They should be able to see him soon.” I smile my thanks and head back to the room to tell the guy. He’s on his feet when I walk back in.

“He’s out of surgery. He’s going to recovery and then you can see him.”

“He’s okay?” he asks.

“Sounds that way,” I tell him. He grabs me unexpectedly and pulls me into a hug. It’s not the first time this has happened to me so I go with it. I let him hug me until he finally pulls away and turns to the others, who are now on their feet.

“What’s your name?”

“Feather.”

“Strange name.”

“I had strange parents,” I tell the other guy who’s now talking to me.

“Guess so. Thanks for checkin’ on him, Feather. That means a lot,” I nod my head before I sigh and step back. I suppose I should go. I’m sure they are going to want to see him but there’s something that’s bothering me. I just need to see him.

I walk back out of the room and down the hall before asking for his room. Once I have it, I walk down the hall and straight to his door. I don’t know what I’m going to say to him. I don’t know why I need to see him, but there’s just something nagging me, and I need to see he’s okay.

I push the door open and walk in as he blinks his eyes rapidly.

“Everything’s blurry.”

“It’s the drugs. They’ll wear off,” I explain to him. His head snaps in my direction and his eyes seem to lock with mine.

“You’re young,” he says, making note of how old I look.

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