Page 16 of Boss with Benefits

“It says lumpiness in breasts is not uncommon,” I read aloud. “Lumpiness? That sounds like cottage cheese.”

Derrick reached over and clicked off my screen.

“Don’t read that shit.” He crossed his arms, his tattooed biceps popping as they pressed against his chest. He shifted in the small seat, his thighs barely contained between the narrow armrests.

This was weird. Being at my gynecologist’s office with Derrick. How did we get here? Oh right, Eva was MIA and I had nobody else.

Derrick was looking at the door like it was an escape hatch, probably wondering how the hell he got there too.

I didn’t blame him. This was strange AF.

“There’s a coffee shop at the end of the block. Go hang out there and I’ll call when I’m done.”

Derrick’s deep brown eyes narrowed. “You want me to leave?”

The reception door swung open.

“Rachel Arya,” a young nurse with cat-eyed glasses called.

I gripped the fabric arms of the chair, my heart zipping into a gallop, suddenly afraid to move. Maybe it was better not to know. Maybe I should just ignore it and it’d go away. Maybe?—

“I’m not going anywhere.” Derrick stood and reached out his hand like he was asking me to dance. “Come on. I’ll be right here waiting when you’re done.”

I stared at his hand but didn’t take it. The nurse waited at the door.

With a deep breath, I repeated mentally,I am safe.I am protected. I am a badass.But when I stood, my knees wobbled, and I couldn’t catch my breath.

“Actually...” I looked to the nurse, then back at Derrick. Big, strong, reliable Derrick.

“Come in with me.” I rushed the words out before I could regret them. Derrick didn’t move, looking unsure. “Come on.” I yanked his hand until he put one foot in front of the other and followed me. “But no pictures to use later when you’re feeling lonely.”

I didn’t turn to see Derrick’s face, but I knew it was a mix of exasperation and mortification. As we passed the nurse, I smiled sweetly. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing as I marched down the sterile hallway to my fate, my “Zaddy” securely at my side.

9

DERRICK

“Move your butt, Rickie.”

I grumbled at the use of my childhood nickname and shifted to the side as Valeria, the youngest of my six sisters, strutted ahead of me toward our lane. We were nearly twenty years apart, but I was the closest to her out of all my sisters, and once a month I brought her to the NYPD shooting range in Brooklyn.

It smelled of gunpowder and paint, and a steady stream of pops from shots being fired at targets sounded all around us. The range had recently had a makeover, and the black metal barriers which separated each lane had been replaced by glass.

“How’s that employee of yours?” Valeria asked as I checked my phone for a message from Rachel.

“Still nothing,” I said, and I moved one side of my ear protection to hear better.

Rachel’s appointment had been three days ago, and I hadn’t heard a word from her about the imaging results. She never promised to tell me the results—it was her business—but depending on what the images showed, she might have to go in for a biopsy.

Coming here today was a distraction from thinking about all that. Joining Rachel for something so personal had been awkward, but it wasn’t right for her to go to that appointment alone, and I never expected to be at her side for the actual visit and tests.

“Is she a friend?” Valeria asked, gathering her blonde hair into a ponytail. “You don’t normally accompany your employees to their doctor appointments.”

“Not exactly,” I said, sliding my phone back into my pocket.

“Is she more than a friend?” Valeria wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“God no. She’s barely older than you.”

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