Page 77 of Líadan's Code

I don’t know how long it’ll last though, so I’m being cautious. “Did you overhear anything else?”

Dr. Kurtz’s brow raises as he gazes at me. “Just like that?” he asks. “This world isn’t easy. I stand on the outskirts of it all, but the things I see aren’t pretty.”

“I’ve seen a disturbing amount of not-pretty things in my life,” I state. “A little abandonment by my girlfriend and boyfriend aren’t going to scare me away.”

“Ooh-hoo,” he cries. “I think the girl bit off more than she can swallow.”

“And I’ll remind her of it while she chokes on her decision,” I say without remorse. My eyes search for my computer, brows knitting when I see it propped up in a corner. If she left it, that’s practically an engraved invitation to stalk her ass.

“Hide and seek is one of my favorite games. I don’t care how difficult this life is, what happened wasn’t her fault. That’s on the men who chose to see her as a threat to their inconsequential existences.”

“You have more mettle than she imagines,” Dr. Kurtz’s rumbles. “She’ll hide well as she regroups. It’s probably for the better that you don’t find her right away.”

“I probably should be hiding just as well,” I sigh. “I’ll disappear and watch her until I’m ready to make my move. I have some things to investigate anyway.”

“Love makes people do stupid things,” he says, though I have a feeling he isn’t talking about me. “I have orders for you while you’re wrecking havoc on the city. If you have pain, here’s medication for it.”

Lifting a filled prescription of pills from the metal cart next to him, he shakes them at me. The sound feels unnaturally loud in the vast silence as I listen to them.

“They’ll help take the edge off things without affecting your mind. I have a feeling you won’t want to feel tired or fuzzy.”

As I nod, he puts the pill bottle down and lifts a jar of cream. “This is antibiotic cream with an added bonus of pain relief. It’ll help you from feeling the ache as your skin knits itself together again. It will keep away infection and keep any scarring minimal,” he explains.

“We all have our vain moments, and living with the actions of others written on our skin doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion. The memories often have a way of haunting us in other ways.”

“Thank you,” I say sincerely. “I left the house without any real form of money, which is inconvenient. Is there any way I can repay you for this?”

“Bah,” he says, waving away my words. “Líadan already paid me, we’re square. Your sweatshirt has already been thrown in my fireplace, so I have other clothes for you. The blood soaked into the fabric and made it a better fit for a horror movie victim than you.”

Chuckling, I acknowledge that he’s right. I’m going to need to get a new phone, but have my credit card information memorized so I can handle that. Identification will have to be handled on the dark web, because I don’t have time to go through the proper channels. I’m not fussy, I’ll use it when necessary, though I don’t make it a habit.

“Understood. Thank you for everything,” I say as he hands me a long-sleeved shirt that’s incredibly soft and a sweatshirt.

“It’s nothing,” he says. “Líadan and Brendan have received the shitty end of the stick in life, so I’ve seen them off and on over the years. If you’re the key to allowing them to have a happier life, I’m all for it.”

Despite what he said earlier.

“If she’ll stop being stubborn for five seconds, I plan to. I’m sure Brendan went along with what she wanted,” I grumble.

I should have my feelings hurt over this, but outside of the initial moment of my stomach sinking, I understand. Seeing me hurt scared her, and she wants me to be safe. Unfortunately for her, I’m a grown ass man and am perfectly capable of making my own decisions.

My fist clenches for a moment before I take the medication from Dr. Kurtz, and rise from the medical table. I’m surprised I managed to sleep as well as I did, but I was exhausted. I’m also grateful that I didn’t roll off and fall to the floor.

Princess, I hope you don’t get too comfortable. I won’t stay away for long.

“Feel free to collect your thoughts and contact who you need to. I would offer you a phone, but based on your computer bag, that doesn’t seem to be your preferred mode of communication,” he says with a chuckle.

“Thank you,” I say as I walk over to pick up my computer bag, happy she didn’t empty it to tease me. Moving back to the metal cart to drop my medications into the bag, I finally set up in a corner of a sofa, careful not to lean back.

“I’ll be back with coffee and breakfast. Fuck only knows when you’ll surface on your own to eat,” the doctor mutters, walking toward the staircase.

“Everyone is always trying to feed me,” I say with a smirk, my laptop already open and plugged into the wall.

“You should probably listen to us then,” he says. “The password for the wireless internet here is GOAWAY. Use all caps. Don’t bring the cops to my door.”

He still hasn’t asked for my name, though if he overheard Líadan speaking about me, he already knows it. Dr. Kurtz deals in information as much as he does medical services.

Linking up the humorous choice in passwords for his internet, I roll my eyes at his wifi name. It’s called NOTHOME in all caps. The doctor either has a sense of humor or really doesn’t like people. Either is truly possible.

---