Page 7 of The Doctor

“Ha, ha.” She smiled and moved to pull the stiletto sandal off her foot.

“Nope.” I pulled her closer and dropped my mouth to her ear. “Remember I want you wearing those when you arrive at my place.”

Even her eye roll was sexy. “I’m leaving now. I’ll be at your place in an hour.”

I resisted the urge to kiss her cheek. She stared at me for a moment and I wondered whether she was thinking the same thing.

I watched her ass sway as she walked away from me. I felt a presence next to me and blinked away the image of her bent over in front of me.

“Don’t stare at my sister like that.” Nick was standing to my right.

Oliver and Jake joined him, both standing to my left with Jake turning to face me. Oliver spoke up. “You want to join us for a drink?”

“Nope.”

I knew what was happening, and if I hadn’t known these men nearly my entire life, I might have been a little intimidated. As it was, I knew they trusted me. That, despite my reputation, they knew I wouldn’t screw over their sister.

Oliver raised his brow. “You're seriously turning us down right now.”

“I made a promise.” My eyes darted between them. “Pissing off the three of you doesn’t scare me. Pissing off your sister could leave me without balls.”

There. I said it. They knew I made plans with their sister. They knew we were meeting up after a wedding like some bad cliché. And they knew I didn’t care that they knew.

“Just don’t hurt her.” I wasn’t sure if that was resignation or relief I heard in his voice. “She’s been through a lot over the past couple of years.”

We stood like that, watching as the wedding guests started trickling out of the venue.

I clapped Oliver on the shoulder. “Guys. I’m out of here.” I looked between each of them. “I won’t hurt her. You can trust that.”

I turned and went in search of the head barman. It didn’t take me long to settle the tab for the evening and then ensure that I tipped each waiter with cash.

The drive back to my apartment building went quicker than I expected. A man could easily believe that luck was on his side when he didn’t encounter a single red light along the way. I pulled into the gate at my building and looked around. Everything seemed to be as it should. No cars were out of place. The only thing that caught my attention was the teenager carrying a baby in one arm and holding the hand of a toddler with the other. He was probably the kid of one of the new families who moved in recently. I drove through the visitors parking to the underground residents parking. My bay was right at the end, just like my apartment on the third floor. After I picked up my tux jacket from the back seat, I pulled out my key card and headed for the elevator. The ride to the third floor was smooth and no one else joined me. Thedingas I arrived at my floor still got to me. That sound would always remind me of heartbreak. Of losing everything that mattered to me. Of everything that needed to be fixed.

I stepped off the elevator and halted. At the end of the hallway was the same teenager I’d seen as I drove in. He was standing outside my door as if he’d just rang my bell. Surely the kid was lost. The toddler next to him was clinging to his leg. The little boy was silent, but hiccupping. The baby in his arms waswhimpering. I assumed it was a girl since she was swaddled in a pink blanket.

I kept my strides even. Whatever was happening, there was no reason to scare three children. Even if the two of them didn’t know what was happening.

“Excuse me.” I spoke clearly as I approached my front door. “Can I help you?”

The boy adjusted the baby in his arms. “I’m looking for Dr. Logan Evans.”

“You found him.” I narrowed my eyes at the oddly familiar looking young man. I gestured to the younger children “How can I help? Is one of them ill?”

The boy lifted his chin, summoning all the bravado only a teenager can. “I’m Dominic Bayers. I’m—”

My world tilted. I knew that name. “I know who you are.”

In front of me was my miracle. A young man who had every right to ignore me for the rest of his life. My son. He was here. Which meant something was wrong. I was already pulling out my phone while questioning him. “As happy as I am to see you, Dominic, something brought you here. What’s going on?”

“Two weeks ago, I witnessed my mom and stepdad’s murder.”

Before anyone had a chance to blink, I had all three children in my apartment. I dialed the first number that came to mind.

“Who are you calling?” Dominic held tightly onto the baby in his arms. Something we would soon discuss. “Please don’t call the police. They can’t protect me.”

“The one person who can keep you safe.” I put the phone to my ear and waited. “Your mother.”

5

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