Page 41 of They Call Him Reaper

“Yes,” she answers. “OBGYN. Delaney is a pediatrician.”

“That’s cool,” I admit. “Twin doctors. I’m a nurse practitioner,” I inform them with a laugh. “Same team.”

“Well, hell. I’m in good hands,” River jokes, just before the men enter.

Dante looks at me like he’s trying to x-ray me with his eyes. “Kennedy will check you out. And then they’ll show you your room.”

“My room?” I ask, surprised.

“Yes.” Dante doesn’t offer any other explanation.

I want to fight him and press the issue, but there are so many eyes. Besides, Kennedy is waiting for me. I follow her without another world, but questions are churning in my head.

What the hell is happening?

TWENTY-SEVEN

Dante

I leftthem in Theodore’s room to follow Inaya to the examination. I know this is much safer than her being alone, but it still doesn’t sit right with me that Father is in the wind. He needs time to heal, but he’s also too smart to go somewhere I’d know to find him. I have to try to think like him. I don’t make it far before Andrea stops me with his sidekick in tow.

“I’d just like to offer a small piece of advice,” he starts. I give him a blank stare since I don’t know what he thinks he can tell me. “I’m going out on a limb and assume that relationships are new, so love is foreign-”

Who said anything about love?I withhold a frown, but the word keeps popping around my head. I feel a connection to her, but love is a bit of a stretch, isn’t it? Theodore’s laugh pulls me out of my thoughts.

“Andrea, are you trying to give relationship advice?”

Andrea looks at Theodore, surprised that his attempt is considered funny. “Yeah, it’s good fucking advice, too.”

Relationship?I know I consider her as mine, but that’s not a word I use either.

“Can one of you wrap this up before I stab someone.”

My request gets their attention. Both give me odd looks before moving forward.

“Here’s the long and short of it. Try to pay attention to her needs and don’t leave her in the dark,” Theodore summarizes.

I still think she needs to feel grateful for being alive, but I just nod at the advice. Inaya and I have things to figure out, but we’re not exactly getting married tomorrow.

“I was going to say,” Andrea interjects, “Pregnant women are emotional and can be borderline violent. Your training hasn’t prepared you for that kind of temper.”

“That’s why she stabbed the doctor,” I muse out loud. Both give me looks that ask me to expand, but I don’t. “Noted. Are you done?”

It’s been a couple of minutes since Inaya and Kennedy disappeared behind the door and I rather know what’s going on in there.

They chuckle for some reason but nod. It’s strange having people trying to be friendly, but I’m certain that I would have punched one of them in the throat if they attempted some kind of hug or group hug.

Kennedy and Inaya are talking when I arrive. Kennedy removes her gloves and looks up at me.

“Everything is fine, sir.” I realize that she doesn’t know my name, but I make no moves to rectify that either. “She’ll need to come to the clinic so we can do an ultrasound and check how the baby is growing.”

Inaya sends me a tentative look since I haven’t said anything about the baby. But I’m not sure what she wants me to say. The green dress she changed into is very pretty on her, and despite the hellish few days she’s had, she still has a somewhat innocent glow. Her eyes plead for something, but I’m not sure what it is or how to give it to her.

I move my attention back to the doctor. “Okay, let us know when.”

She nods and moves to the next order of business. “Theodore said you can stay on his side, since they don’t live here. I can show you two where that is. Do you need two rooms or one?”

Once more, Inaya looks at me as if my answer could be a portal into my brain or something. If there is a question on her mind, she needs to just ask.

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