Page 25 of Secured By the Buyer

“I’m going to tell Mrs. Bustly that you called her lowly,” Damien threatens.

Jade whips toward him. “You better not, you tattletale.”

Dr. Wallace interrupts their bickering, a bloody gauze in his hand as he inspects Liam’s shoulder. “What sort of weapon caused this wound?”

Damien and Caleb both yell, “Fork!”

The doctor doesn’t seem fazed by this news. “Are you up to date on your tetanus shot?”

“I’m not sure,” Liam admits. “The fork was small, though.Tinyeven. It’s fine.”

“Best not to risk it.” He opens his bag and lifts out a syringe.

Liam pales. “Is that necessary?”

Jade cups his hands around his mouth. “Wuss!”

“Shut it, brat,” Liam growls.

Turning back to me, Jade pushes up his sleeve, revealing a shiny red scar on his arm. “I took a bullet a couple of months ago and didn’t cry about it.”

“You shouldn’t brag aboutfailingto dodge a bullet,” Caleb chastises, and Jade hunches his shoulders. “Next time, take out your target before you’re shot.”

Jade tugs his cuff back down to his wrist. “You’re such a nag.”

“You’re getting cocky. Thiskidis proving to be a better fighter than you.” Caleb gestures at me. “All he needed was a plate to take you down.”

Anger surges through Jade as he stands and stomps toward the door. “Fuck you!”

“Where are you going, brat?” Damien calls after him. “Come back here! We need an Omega, so Milo feels safe!”

A middle finger shoots in his direction before Jade storms out of the front door, leaving it open.

Through it, I make out a hall beyond, so that’s not a viable escape route. If not for the rope around my legs, I might have tried, regardless.

“You’ve been too hard on him since the shootout at the docks.” Damien tosses his ice pack onto the table to stand. “I’ll go cool him down, but you better offer him some positive reinforcement next time you’re training.”

“He doesn’t need positive reinforcement,” Caleb snaps. “He needs to be more aware of his surroundings or choose a different profession.”

Damien shakes his head at his brother. “I’ll never understand how you landed Oliver with your personality.”

“What does that mean?” Caleb stomps after him. “What’s wrong with my personality?”

The two men leave, the door slamming shut behind them, and I flinch at the loud noise.

“All done.” Dr. Wallace chuckles as he returns the syringe to his bag. “At least that little commotion distracted you from the shot.”

He finishes bandaging Liam’s wound, the gauze a stark white contrast to his tanned skin, before snapping off his gloves to pull on a new pair.

With wry amusement, he turns to me. “Now, onto my original patient. Let’s undo those bindings so I can examine you.”

“No,” Caleb says, at the same time I demand, “Why?”

The only reason I can think for the doctor to untie me is to have me strip, and the thought sends shivers of fear down my spine.

“From what I understand, you’ve been through quite a traumatic experience.” Concern creases Dr. Wallace’s brow. “I need to assess the extent of your injuries.”

“I wasn’t injured, besides the drugging,” I snap, my heart pounding.

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