Page 7 of Madison

“No. He’s going to leave me alone.” She knew she’d said that out loud as both men turned to look at her. While she didn’t know where she was, Layla knew that she wasn’t at her home anymore. “I want you both to get out of my house and leave me alone. I want to die in peace.”

“You’re not at your home. Now shut up and let the doctor see to your head. You should have said something about being hurt.” She thought about his wings and how they’d kept her from being shot. “I don’t have wings. You’re just off your rocker enough to tell someone that you saw them. I don’t have them. Now, close your mouth and let the doctor fix you up.”

Layla knew the voice that was yelling at the man. It was her boss, Doctor Sheppard. When she felt the pinch at her arm, the feeling of floating slid over her, and she let the drugs take her under. Reaching for her friend, Sheppard told her that she was going to be just fine. Just fine, indeed.

“I heard you telling patients that when they were dying. That’s not too terribly encouraging right now.” Laughter. She didn’t know from whom, but it made her smile. “I never knew you had such a sexy laugh before. Hey, don’t let that man come in here. He’s mean, and I don’t like him.”

“I don’t like you either, but that’s not going to matter much in the long run, now is it?” That was as confusing as she had ever heard, and she thought about telling the man that. “Listen, you have to lie still. He can’t stitch you up when you’re moving around like a rabbit trying to find his hole.”

“Don’t be a doctor. You have no bedside manner at all. I thought I told you to go away.” He said that she was holding his hand. “Well, I don’t want to do that either. Go away.”

However, she couldn’t let go of his hand. For some unknown reason, she was getting some comfort from it. Security came to mind as well. When Sheppard told her that he was going to give her a bit more juice this time, there was no way she was going to be able to speak. Every part of her body was relaxed enough that she was sure someone had taken out all her bones.

Tomorrow, she was going to have to go to court and figure out how she had a family. Her last thought was that the man was somehow going to be related to her too, and wouldn’t that have been like the monkey calling her mom.

“Go to sleep. What the hell is a monkey calling your mom about?” Layla felt her mind simply shut down. If she answered shithead, she didn’t care. The fucker could go to hell for all she cared.

Chapter 1

Layla opened her eyes to the bright sunlight. It took her a few seconds to realize that she wasn’t home and that her head was pounding like someone was standing on her with an oil derrick using it to hit some place in her head. Sitting up more, she told herself that she knew it was supposed to be a jackhammer, but that didn’t seem enough for the way she was—

“How are you feeling today, Layla?” The woman sitting in the chair smiled at her. But for some reason, Layla had it in her head that she wasn’t normally so nice. The laughter startled her. “No. I’m about as caustic as you can be. My name is Storm Walsh. While I know your name, Layla Marks, there is a great deal about you that has impressed me. And I’ll tell you something, I’m not normally impressed by people. Did you know that you’re not wholly human?”

“Yes. A friend of mine told me once when…you know what, it’s none of your fucking business. Why are you in here? Wait. That man, the one that was…he saved me from being killed when someone shot up my home. He didn’t like it any more than I did when the attorneys… There’s more to it than that, but again, it’s none of your business. He’s related to you.” Storm asked how she knew that he was her son. “I didn’t know that he was your son. But you should know that he’s a fucking prick. You should know, too, that you failed miserably at teaching him any manners. As in, he has none at all.” She thought about what she’d said. “I’m sorry for that comment. For all I know he was sick the day that you were teaching them manners. Sometimes, my mouth speaks before the brain has time to sort it out. Back to your question. How did I know? Well, he has your coloring, and the hair is just as curly, too. And you’re both dragons.” Layla had a feeling that she’d been taken aback by her comment. Which one, she didn’t know. But if it was about them being dragons, well, Christ, she should know that she is one.

“Yes, he’s my son. Madison Walsh. I have six sons. I’m beginning to see that I had failed him and his brothers in that department. But no matter. You’re here now, and that will help all of them along.” Layla felt like the other woman was talking in circles. Tossing the cover off her legs she stood up but held onto the bed. “You’re smart for holding onto something for support. Although I was looking forward to helping you off your face and back in bed.” Layla looked at the woman before speaking.

“Look, while I’m sure that you’re not a nice person to be around, I’m straight. Nothing is going to happen between us. I like my sex, like my coffee. I don’t drink that nasty shit, and I don’t need a lover. I have all the toys I want to make myself relax, thank you very much. I have nothing against you nor how you roll, but it’s not going to go anywhere between us. If that’s what you’re thinking—”

The woman burst out laughing. It was a good laugh, she’d admit that, but she didn’t understand it any more than why she’d been— She remembered something else that had happened the day she’d been shot at.

“The money from my long lost relatives. Again, your son. He told me it was about forty million. What’s the date?” Storm told her. “Oh well, that shit’s been taken care of, I guess. Anyway. Thanks for stopping by on your way to whatever you were going. But I have shit that I have to do. If I’ve been down for two days, then I’m really behind.”

“You and my daughter-in-law are going to be the perfect for this family. And I wasn’t hitting on you. I was merely thinking that I’d like to be able to tell you that you need to hold onto something when you get up. Bravo to you for being smarter than most people I know.” Storm was still laughing as she made her way to the bathroom. Forgetting her clothing, she was pissed that it wasn’t under the bed where she usually put it for a patient. “I believe you’re looking for your clothing. It’s in that little closet over by the bed. However, you should know that it’s covered in blood, your blood, as a matter of fact.”

“Won’t be the first time I’ve been covered in something nasty. Nor the last, I’m thinking. I’ve been shit on—usually figuratively and actually shit on. Puked on, bled on, and whatever else you can think of, I’ve been there.” Picking up the phone, she waited for someone to answer. When they did, Margaret answered her. “I need some scrubs, Margaret. Can you maybe find me some? Thanks if you can do it for me.”

“Of course. Are you leaving us? My goodness, I was looking forward to giving you a sponge bath in the morning and getting to see that tiny tight butt of yours.” They both laughed. And while she wasn’t sure of Storm’s intention toward her, she knew that Margaret didn’t like any gender. “I don’t think anyone is going to be happy that you’ve left honey, but I’ll help you escape.”

Her change of clothing was brought to her within a few minutes. Going to the bathroom now, her head was feeling like several derricks were in her head. Pounding away until they hit brain matter. Or her feet. She didn’t care, but getting out of here was a priority.

Dressing in the clothing was easy. She didn’t have any panties or a bra, but the scrubs were too big for her anyway. Not having a good meal in a while, she knew that she had lost weight that she could ill afford. When she came out of the bathroom, the gown she’d had on wadded up and thrown to the floor in the little room, she was startled to see a replica of the man who had saved her. Layla turned to Storm when the man snorted.

“Do you have a printer for your kids? I mean, how the hell did you tell them apart when they were born? Number them? Never mind. I’m going to go home.” The man, she’d not caught his name, said that she wasn’t. “Oh? And who’s going to stop me? You? Not fucking likely. You may think that I’m small, but I’m quick and agile, not to mention fucking pissed off. Move, or I’ll move you.”

He laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. When she got to him, still blocking the doorway, she grabbed his head, jerked him forward onto her knee that she’d raised just for him, and flipped him onto his ass behind her. She was out the door as soon as she heard the chair break.

The first thing that she did was go to the buriers office. She had never been in the hospital for anything other than work but she needed to get the bill taken care of first thing. She hated owning people, and that meant to her that she was indebted to them, even for emergencies like this one. Layla heard a noise behind her and rolled her eyes when Storm was standing in the doorway.

“Don’t you have shit to do? Fighting with Godzilla or something? I’m sure that you have some houses that are in your way of devouring a herd of cows or something.” She said that she was keeping her safe. “I can take care of myself, as you witnessed with your son.” She turned and looked at her. Then, at Linda when she cleared her throat.

“Your bill has been paid in full.” Layla started to ask who had done it, but she was reasonably sure that it had been the first dick head or this woman. Looking at Storm again, she said that it hadn’t been her. “What do you want me to do, honey?”

“How did he pay it?” She told her that he’d given them cash. “Of course he did. Give me the balance, Linda, and I’ll give a check to his mom. I don’t want to be beholden to anyone. Especially the Walsh family.”

After writing the check out to Madison Walsh, she handed the check to his mom. She told her that he was going to be pissed. Layla asked her if she thought that she was having a walk in the park or something.

“No. No, I don’t. I don’t know which one of you or Madison is more up—pissed off, but I’d have to say that I’m going to love watching the two of you work things out.” She told her that she wasn’t going to be working anything out with the arrogant prick. They left the office, and Layla made her way to the door to leave. “You do realize that this is my son that you’re talking about, correct? How did you know that I was a dragon? Madison said you were freaked out about his wings. I would think you’d understand that we’d have to have them.”

---