Page 46 of Black Heart

What? That couldn’t be right. He was only supposed to be here about the shooting. What else could there be? He was a freaking paragon of sanity and good sense, goddammit! Okay, granted, he was having a powerful spirit look at his file, but that was neither here nor there.

“If you want to know if I feel any pity or remorse over killing that prick, the answer is no. I don’t. It was a clean kill and a necessary one,” Tristan said, using the same tone that he used when he had to talk to Internal Affairs.

Dr. Bryne nodded absently as he made a note on the legal pad resting on his lap. Tristan shot Shayne a look, but Shayne was already on it. He leaned over the doctor’s shoulder and chuckled.

“He’s just writing a reminder to pick up milk, lad,” Shayne said as he returned to the desk and began chuckling again. Tristan’s hands clenched and unclenched. What he wouldn’t give to see that damn file.

“Are you going to sign my release?” Tristan asked, trying to get the man to focus on the task at hand.

Dr. Bryne sighed heavily. “No, I think you would really benefit from some more therapy.”

That was it. Tristan shot off the couch. “What the hell does that mean?”

Dr. Bryne jumped back in his chair, almost falling over. He cleared his throat. “Hank thought you could benefit from…um…”

“Just say it!” Tristan snapped.

“Ah, lad…” Shayne said, trying to get his attention.

“I’m sick of this bullshit. You and I both know that there’s nothing wrong with me. I’m not losing sleep over that prick and I’m ready to go back to work. The only reason to hold me back is if you felt that I was traumatized from that shooting and we both know that I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger again if I had to.”

“Lad, it’s not that. It’s-”

Tristan rammed his fingers through his hair. “I don’t have the patience for this bullshit or the time it takes out of my schedule to come here and play this fucking game, Doc. So, do us both a favor and sign my release so that I can do my fucking job!”

“H-Hank thought you could use some anger management,” Dr. Bryne stuttered.

Well…hell.

He shot a glare at Shayne, who was glaring right back. “Next time, shut the fuck up, lad, so I can tell ye that they think ye have an anger problem, ye dumb bastard!”

“Oh,” Tristan said, frowning. He thought that over for a minute before asking, “My temper’s not that bad, is it?”

His question was met with twin expressions of utter disbelief.

“It’s not,” he bit out.

Dr. Bryne carefully got to his feet and walked over to his desk. He frowned down at Tristan’s open file as he picked up an appointment card and wrote something on the back. He walked over to Tristan and handed him the card, careful not to get too close to him.

“I’m not going to require you to come to any more sessions,” Dr. Bryne said, sounding relieved, really fucking relieved. “But I’m going to recommend that you complete five anger management group sessions. They meet once a day. I suggest that you take advantage of this opportunity and work on your anger.”

Tristan snatched the card out of his hands and stormed off towards the door, forgetting his coffee. “This is bullshit! I have the fucking patience of a saint!” he snapped as he slammed the door behind him and faced the waiting room, where several patients noticeably cowered.

“Do I look like I have a fucking anger problem?”

As one, they shook their heads.

“That’s what I thought.”

CHAPTER17

“Are you coming in?” Hank asked as he threw the cruiser in park.

Marty held up a finger to let him know that she’d be in there in a minute. In the meantime, she was on hold with her cell phone provider. Thanks to Tristan’s antics yesterday, she was forced to change her phone number or continue to deal with phone calls every other minute from people that she didn’t know asking questions about her and Tristan or guys that were hoping to get between her legs.

So, now, she was forced to pay forty dollars to change her number. Forty dollars that she was determined to make Tristan pay. That orgasm was not worth this bullshit or those damn dreams that she’d been having since Friday.

She closed her eyes and groaned.

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