Page 64 of Bad Blood

“You want something?” There’s a groan and an audible yawn accompanied by the sound of a chair scooting along the floor before footsteps.

Oh shit. I turn on my heel, looking for a quick escape.

Someone pulls back the curtain around Liam’s treatment area, and I’m caught with my mouth open and eyes bulging.

“Dr. Fields?”

I pinch my eyes closed, wishing I could disappear. I pry one open. Then the next.

Nope. Still here. He’s still here. I’m still here.

This is awkward.

So, I pretend the brief exchange didn’t happen and offer a self-deprecating chuckle. “Dax.” I gaze around him, and my eyes meet Liam’s. “How are you feeling?”

Liam gives me two thumbs up before he slurps on his sucker and pulls it from his mouth. I’ll have to remember to thank Lauren for thinking ahead so he won’t get such an awful cotton mouth. “Day one isn’t as bad as I was expecting.”

“That’s great.” A smile tugs at my lips. I slip past Dax, who stays frozen with one hand on the curtain, his body facing the main floor. He doesn’t turn his head, but I can see he’s staring at me out of the corner of his eye.

“This is supposed to be a little over an hour, right? That’s what Lauren said . . .” Liam cuts off mid-sentence. He sits up straighter in his reclined seat and rubs his palms along the front of his jeans.

“Give or take, today will probably be a little longer with setup and making sure everything’s working properly. How did port placement go?”

Liam tenses as I approach and examine the port on the right side of his chest. I drag my fingertips over the placement to make sure the IV is secure and see him flinch in my periphery.

“Do you have questions for me?”

Liam’s eyes dart to Dax. I gaze up and watch as Dax turns and clears his throat. The silent argument the two of them are having errs on the side of endearing, if not at least comical.

“Dax has something he wants to ask you,” Liam says, clenching his jaw as his eyes grow.

My shoulders straighten, and I pull Liam’s chart to my chest as I lean against the counter behind me. “Of course, any questions you have, that’s what I’m here for.”

Dax massages a hand over the back of his neck, averting his gaze. “I was going to grab him some ice chips and stretch my legs. Care to join me?”

Liam slumps against the back of the chair with an impatient snort and groan of frustration. “Seriously?”

“We’ll be back.” I gaze between the two of them, confused about Dax’s need to talk to me alone, but I understand. I’m not sure what he wants to discuss, but I can appreciate his desire to be discreet about it, especially after how he reacted at the first appointment. I pat Liam’s hand.

“What the heck, Dax? Come on.”

Dax draws in a long breath and releases it before speaking. “You did this to yourself.”

“Just do it here.”

Their back and forth has me confused. “Do what?”

I swear I can feel Dax roll his eyes. He readjusts his hold of the curtain and motions for me to join him. For a second, I hesitate. He gives me what I’m sure he thinks is a reassuring smile, but something feels off.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine.” Dax’s words are curt but reserved. “Are you coming?”

The look I get leaves me with no choice. He yanks the curtain closed behind us as we leave the treatment area to complaints from Liam that fade as we venture further away from him and toward the elevators.

Dax stalks away from me with a heavy sigh.

“What’s going on?” I almost have to jog to keep up.

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