Page 15 of Doctor Do-Over

“No.” I move away from him and then stop. This is my chance to stand up for my friend. I turn back to him. “I wouldn’t give her a message if you were the last man on the face of the earth. I don’t help people who hurt my friends.” I watch as his face falls, and I walk away from him.

I don’t want to be here any longer. I hate that my brother forced me to come, and I hate that he told Julian and Ridley I didn’t need protection. I walk off, heading toward Frozen Tattoo in the art district. It’s about a mile from here, but I could use the exercise. Plus, I’m tired of fending off questions about the fight at the hospital and whether Tanner is the father of my baby. The latter is mostly from women. I know he’s handsome, but they don’t have to act like I’m going to get them a date now that he’s done with me. Shit, I didn’t have him in the first place. We just scratched an itch.

As I’m walking down the sidewalk, I realize I didn’t tell my brother I was leaving. I send him a quick text.

Me

Heading to Frozen to talk to Rika.

JD

You aren’t supposed to be alone. I’ll head that way.

Me

Don’t worry. I’m almost there. I’ll text you later. Have fun with your friends.

I wish he would understand I used to navigate larger cities than this on my own. I’m not a baby.

When I’m a block from Frozen, I get the sense I’m being watched. Maybe I should have let J.D. join me. Just as I’m about to cross the street, a black Range Rover with tinted windows pulls up to the curb next to me. The passenger side window rolls down, and I look in to see Tanner.

“Want a ride?” he asks me with a smile. His whiskey-soaked voice causes my body to respond, and I have to close my eyes to stop the flutter in my belly as I feel my nipples pucker.

“No.” I cross the street behind his car. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how deeply he hurt me. Or that my body still responds to him.

“Wait, Wryan. I was wrong,” he yells, and I turn around.

He’s out of his car and walking toward me. I try not to watch his swagger or how his long legs look good in his tan trousers or how the sleeves of his pullover strain against his muscular arms.

I hold on to the hurt and anger I felt when I got the papers on Tuesday.

“Wrong? What were you wrong about? Sleeping with me? The parentage of our daughter? Or, wait, maybe it was the factthat you thought I was fucking my brother and bodyguard at the same time. Was that it?” I turn away again, but he grabs my arm. Before I can yank it out of his grip, I hear a deep voice.

“Let her go right now before I bounce your pretty face off of the sidewalk like a basketball.”

I gasp and turn to find a man I’ve never seen before standing there. He’s the same height as Tanner, but he’s massive in size. He reminds me of Shakespeare with the way he stands. It’s a military baring I’ve learned; my father is the same way. They don’t slouch.

The man looks at me with his chocolate brown eyes and tan skin. “I’m Rio. Commander told me to tell you”—he pauses for a moment—“dragons are real.” It’s the code phrase I set up with Andreason and Black Securities. “I’m your security for the day.”

“I thought my brother fired you.”

“You didn’t.” He shrugs and then looks back at Tanner. “You going to let her go?”

“I need to talk to her,” Tanner argues with him.

“From what I understand, the time for talking is over.” Rio turns to me. “Keep walking, Little Bit, and I’ll catch up.” I can’t decide what to do, but I don’t want to be hurt anymore, and that’s all that Tanner has done lately.

“Not right now, Tanner.” I look up at him and turn away before the pain in his eyes makes me give in.

Before I make it down the block, Rio is by my side again. “You shouldn’t have walked off by yourself.”

“I couldn’t stay there any longer. It’s like they don’t even know me.”

“Who?” I know he doesn’t know who I’m talking about, but I still need to get it off my chest.

“My family. When I was growing up, they took care of me. They don’t understand that while I was in college and this last year, I’ve taken care of myself. My father and brother don’tbelieve that I make a real income with my books. I’ve learned to invest my own money and have a perfect little nest egg. But they don’t see that. They see that I’m pregnant and not in a relationship. That I don’t work a traditional job. I don’t get it.”

“Sometimes you just need to do you and let them watch you succeed without their help.”

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