Page 67 of Bonded

“Right. Well, I should get off, so can I give you this?” He picks up the syringe and nervously looks at Darius. “I have other patients waiting.”

“Sure.” She sits up and uncovers her thigh. Then placing his hand against her leg Riley prepares the antibiotic shot and Kat can’t help but notice how much his hand trembles; as Darius stands close, towering over the both of them. “Darius wait!” She places her hand against his chest and holds him back and smiles reassuringly at Riley. “It’s okay, everyone’s just feeling a little overprotective.”

“Yeah, I sure noticed that.” He sighs then quickly jabs the shot into her leg. “Okay, well I’m all done and you’re free to go. Stitches can come out in a couple of days. If you have any problems, then just call me. But Kat… call me, anyway?”

“I will. And Riley, thank you—for everything. And I will call, I promise.”

With that, Riley leaves and Kat picks her clothes up. Looking at Darius she smiles. “I’ll go get cleaned up. Then we can go get pie?”

Chapter 20

“Hey! Darius man, it’s been a while. So, where you been hidin’? You know I wondered if someone might have finally taken you out it’s been that long.”

“Oh, keep wishing Marco, you know it’s never gonna happen. So how are you, brother?” Darius smiles as he grabs and hugs the sturdy-looking smaller guy. Marco’s average-looking with a deep-tanned face and beard. Well-built with tattooed, muscular arms but nowhere near as tall or strong as Darius; he becomes smothered by his larger frame.

Watching them interact with each other, Kat immediately notices the obvious gait to Marco’s walk and the funny twang to his accent. Possibly a hint of Italian New York? She guesses.

Marco looks at her and smiles, coming across to greet her he then offers a seat at the table by the window.

He looks Kat up and down, a huge frown deepening across his brow. “So, what can I get for you at this late hour, my friends? Cos as you can see, I’m rather busy so don’t have time for a lot of chitter-chatter,” he chuckles.

Kat smiles at his comment, and his funny-sounding laugh. Looking around the virtually empty restaurant, the news channel on a loop is making more noise than the half dozen waifs and strays seated inside, including a late-night couple smooching over the table, a guy asleep in the corner, a woman in red high heels dressed for street work, endlessly stirring a coffee, and a guy two seats behind, probably her pimp, talking in whispers into his phone.

Kat swallows, frowning at how depressing and cheap the place feels. Certainly, not a place that she’d imagine Darius to hang out and the complete opposite to the Noir at Selene’s.

She sits and grimaces at the pain in her neck. It’s sore, and she flinches with every movement. Holding her hand gently against the dressing, she stares out of the window—watching the hustle and bustle of the street outside.

Sighing loudly, she smiles looking at Darius. Changing her mind, this place feels like an oasis—a quiet sanctuary away from the chaos and bustle of the real world and now she can see why Darius might like it.

“You okay?” He asks, watching her.

“Mm-hmm.” she nods.

Marco stands hovering over them. “So, what can I getcha?”

Kat shrugs and looks at Darius, waiting for him to make a suggestion. “Oh…” he sighs, “How about some of your infamous apple pie Marco, and a cup of that syrup-of-shit coffee you make?”

“Oh yeah…” He winks at Kat, “He knows damn well my ‘cawfee’s’ the best, so pretty lady don’t be takin’ any damn notice of him,” he smiles. “So, that’s two cawfee’s and a pie, comin’ up, right?”

“Yeah… Marco, make sure you bring two pies.”

“Two pies? Sure, okay… two it is.” He frowns as he and Darius exchange furrowed glances, and then he nods before he heads back with their order.

“You sure you’re okay there?” Darius asks, looking back towards the counter where Marco disappeared. “Look, I’m just gonna have a quick word with him. I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“Yeah sure… take your time.” Kat smiles and relaxing, she slumps back in her chair and takes a deep breath, enjoying the quiet after the stark noise of the hospital. “Hey, Darius… maybe you should text Digby and tell him where we are? I don’t want him to worry unnecessarily but I don’t have my phone, I left it in his truck earlier.”

“Don’t worry, Zak’s with him, he’ll be okay. Let him calm down for a while,” he says, pushing out of his seat.

Sitting on the stool at the counter, Darius sighs and rubs his head, watching Marco twiddling with various knobs on the fancy silver machine as he makes the ‘cawfee’.

“She okay there?” Marco frowns as he turns, watching his friend. “She looks like she got herself in a bit of a mess?” He gestures to his neck. “You do that?”

“Me? Hell no! No, it wasn’t me… Oh, it’s a long story.”

“Well, it’s a long night—so try me. You know what a good listener I am.”

“Yeah, I know.” Again, Darius sighs, and turning around he smiles as he notices Kat staring at them.

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