Page 15 of Misery and Ecstasy

“No.” He shifts the toothpick again.

Breathe, McK. In for four, out for four.

“But I’m going to need you to come with me.”

Presumably noticing how shaken I feel, he speaks again.

“I promise you, no harm will come to you. The girl—Delilah—she’s in really bad shape.”

Finding my voice once again, I object, “Take her to the emergency room, then.”

“Hospitals aren’t really our thing.” He crinkles his nose and shakes his head gently.

A second passes before I hear an engine revving as it comes down the street. Hoping it’s a cop—or some strong man with a savior complex—my eyes leave Draven’s, waiting to see if help is coming my way.

My heart drops into my stomach when I see another Bastard pull into the parking lot on his bike. Thankfully, he doesn’t dismount it, but that does nothing to quell the unease coursing through me.

“You’ll follow me to our compound. Atticus will trail you…” he gestures to the other guy. “Just to make sure you don’t make a wrong turn and lose your way.”

His threat isn’t lost on me, no matter howgentlemanlyhis words sound.

“Bring her here tomorrow morning. Eight o'clock. My first appointment isn’t until nine, so I can see her before then.”

I’m given a resigned glare as he presses his lips into a thin line.

“Fine, then. I’ll drive.” I hear the jingle of my keys in his hand. I hadn’t realized he’d held onto them when he gave me the folder back.

Before I can respond, he grips me delicately around my bicep and walks me to the passenger side of my car. Draven opens the car door, but instead of entering the car, I just look at him. It’s the only challenge I can muster.

He smirks again, his tongue wrestling with the toothpick before he responds to my silent disobedience.

“Be a good girl, and get in the car, Doc.”

Fuck.

His words should incite nothing but fear in me. However, it’s more than fear churning deep within me. I push down whatever the fuck I’m feeling. Knowing I have no other choice, I do as he says.

Best case scenario, I go wherever the fuck they’re going to take me, meet the girl, then tell them the treatment she needs is outside of my expertise.

Worst case?

They realize they don’t need me and … dispose of me.

Suffice it to say they didn’t believe me when I told them I couldn’t help her. Probably because Harleigh had already told them how her sessions with me had done wonders for her mental health.

The following week, I was met in the parking lot by Draven again.

This time, he brought his car and a challenging stare as he waited for me to deny his unspoken request.

I didn’t.

I’d given Delilah my business card and implored her to have someone bring her to see me, at my office, during business hours. But Royce wouldn’t have that. He said there were things that she might need to discuss with me that were safer out of earshot of anyone else who could be in my office.

Then the condescending asshole had the nerve to remindmeof the oathItook when I became a therapist to keep anything discussed between her and I locked up tighter than Fort Knox.

At least Draven knew how to make a threat with eloquence.

I can’t say I was upset when Delilah ended our regular sessions.

---