Page 81 of The MC's Little Brother

“Mattias?”

I heard Xander’s anxious voice from outside my door and fought to pull myself together. I was not freaking out my little brother on the first night we were together alone. Mel wouldn’t always be able to work the day shift. Her ER shifts weren’t set in stone. I’d need to be able to handle myself while she wasn’t in bed next to me.

Pushing out of my bed, I steadied my breathing and headed for thedoor. Xander stood just outside it, Thor at his feet, a worried frown on his face lit up by the stove light I still left on in case Xander woke up hungry and needed a snack.

“Yeah?”

“Are, uh… Are you okay? I heard shouting.”

I grimaced. Maybe I needed to soundproof my room. His room was right above mine.

“I’m fine. Sorry I woke you.”

His gaze flicked over my shoulder toward my room, then down to Thor at his feet. I knew he was thinking about giving Thor back, and before he could even suggest it, I shook my head.

“You need him more than me. It’s fine, Xander. Go get some sleep. You’ve got school in the morning.”

He took a step back and nodded, but before he could duck out of sight, he paused and turned back around, jerking his thumb over his shoulder toward the living room. “Wanna watch a movie?”

I paused. There wasn’t a chance in hell I was falling asleep anytime soon after that dream, and Xander looked freaked out.

“Sure. Let’s watch a movie.”

44

Melissa

“My have more?”

When Zoey came into the ER the night prior, she had been sweaty and weepy from the fever. No one would recognize the kid now. An overnight stay at the hospital with meds and rest, and she was a brand new little girl. I offered her another spoonful of jello, grinning at her conspiratorially. Jello for breakfast wasn’t healthy, but the poor thing deserved it after the night she had. And no one would know. Maggie and Wyatt went downstairs to get their own breakfast, so it was just me and her camping out until they got back and she was discharged.

“Hey, Mel?” Janelle poked her head into the room, smiling at Zoey. “Hey, cutie patootie. Can I borrow your auntie for a second?”

I smacked a kiss on Zoey’s forehead and headed to talk to Janelle just outside the doorway. “What’s up?”

“Hot, and I meanhot, biker man is asking for you downstairs. Can I send him up?”

A grin pulled at my lips as I asked, “Tall, dark hair, looks like a sexy grim reaper?”

She snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “That’s the one. Who is he?”

“That’s my boyfriend,” I laughed. “Send him up. I’ll meet him at the nurse’s station after this little one’s parents get back from the cafeteria.”

“You lucky, lucky woman,” she teased. “I’m going to start hanging out with you more so I can get a sexy biker of my own.”

“They’re good with kids too,” I pointed out with a smirk.

Her jaw fell open. “Girl, don’t tell me that! I’ll end up in a chapel in Las Vegas with the first one who looks my way!”

Cackling, I shooed her away and joined Zoey again. She offered me some toast from her tray, and I grinned at her as I took a bite.

“How much do you wanna bet one look at you with your daddy and half the hospital will be swooning and clamoring to go to club parties?”

“My like parties.”

Snickering, I bumped foreheads with her, sitting up when I felt my phone ring in my pocket. To distract Zoey, I turned on the little TV in the corner to some cartoons and stepped away from the bed.

“Hello?”

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