Page 18 of Savage Beauty

The question is an accusation that I’m not concerned enough about my sister, and that I don’t have my priorities in line correctly. But she’s the reason I need to figure this out.

“She’s a teacher. She’s going home. Jimmy will take care of her.” I’d like to believe my research will help Sage, but unfortunately, the timeline probably won’t allow my work to save her if she finds herself in need of a second transplant. Research and development is a slow, onerous process. But my work can save another family. Future children.

“Pretty sure Knox will have something to say about that.”

Knox Williams. Sam told me if I were ever in trouble, I should go to Knox. Sam suffered from paranoia.

A battery of images floats by. Knox touching Sage’s shoulder. Bringing her coffee. Watching Sage intently. Max said they are together.

“Did Sage have sex with Knox?”

“I’d say that’s a safe bet.” The lines around Max’s face quiver, as if he’s trying not to laugh. But I didn’t make a joke. Sage once told me she didn’t have any interest in sex, but she’s physically healthy. Logically, her libido and sexual desire would increase. I don’t know if she’s on birth control. I’ll need to speak to her to ensure she’s being safe.

“You don’t look happy.”

Max’s deep voice disturbs the quiet, reminding me of his presence. As Knox’s friend, he possesses information I can’t ask Sage. “Will Knox be careful with her?” He lives far away. “Does he want her to move?”

“Hey.” He presses his back against the wall and does things with his arms to stretch his muscles. Those things cause his shoulder and pec muscles to flex. The broad-shouldered man is exceptionally fit. A unique male specimen. “Those are all questions you’re going to need to ask your sister.”

“But I asked you. Sage is inexperienced. She’s never dated before.”

“Well, like I said, my boy has fallen in love with your sister.” He said that? “He’ll die before he lets anything happen to her. It’s my understanding he’s considering moving to be with her, but you’ll need to talk to your sister.”

“The world order has shifted.”

“What was that?” Now he’s stretching his right arm over his head, and his torso bends. “You always say the most unexpected shit, you know that?” He stretches his left arm, and the bicep bulges. “Sloane?”

Oh, right. He’s talking to me. “You should stop doing that.” I wiggle a finger in his direction in case he doesn’t understand me, keeping my gaze on the cumulus clouds out the window.

“Stretch?”

“You’re distracting.” My mind shouldn’t be reacting to him like this. I have an IV line digging into the back of my hand and the remnants of a vicious headache. But I bet he has this effect on all women, and he knows exactly what he’s doing. Who stretches on a wall?

“Sloane?”

“Yes?”

“I asked you a question.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did. I asked you if you find me attractive.”

I twist, lift a pillow from under my head, and throw it as hard as I can. He laughs. He literally laughs as a sharp pain shoots up the back of my hand and through my lower arm.

“You’re physically attractive, and you know it.” I’m sure they put the IV in my hand because of my small veins, but it hurts. I let out a long exhale, stretch my fingers, rest the hand on my thigh, and close my eyes. I need to focus on what needs to be done. Not a Thor doppelgänger and his calisthenic stretches. “We’re planning to leave tomorrow, right?”

I keep my eyelids squeezed closed. Doing so blocks out the light and the distracting man. Scientists will be the only men in my future.

“I believe so.”

“Do you have my passport? Or my credit cards?”

“Last I heard, Jack was pulling strings with the embassy to get you a replacement passport. Do you know where yours is?”

“In my apartment, in my home file.”

“Solonov never showed your passport at any country's entry point?”

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