Page 205 of Call the Shots
“What medical school did you attend? Harvard? Yale? Let’s see your license—until then—we have no idea what injuries he sustained, and I want him in ahospital bed.Now!”
“He looks fine to me,” another said, motioning to Bear pressing his cheek to me, eyes closed.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I snapped. “I want him taken care of!”
Bear hada police escort to the hospital, and I ignored Warren on the outskirts, talking loudly on his phone. He didn’t matter. My dad was on speed dial, and the MU lawyers assured me they’d meet us as soon as I made the call, but I asked them to wait.
I broke away for the nurses’ station.
“Hello.” I gave them the most pleasant smile I could under the circumstances. “I’m here to see Xavier Lisco-Hodges.”
“Only family permitted,” a nurse said easily.
“I’m his girlfriend.”
Three magic words and I was redirected to Xavier’s room. I found him exactly how I expected. Black and blue from the bruises, and seething when he saw me.
“What thefuck,June?” he snarled.
I closed the door behind me. “This stops now.”
“He’s not involved in our game?—”
“There’s no game. And this?” I motioned to the room. “This is a family matter, Bear will apologize, you’ll drop the charges.”
His face contorted. “Why the fuck would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, I’ll sue you for wrongful eviction and harassment.”
The silence stretched for long seconds while Xavier bounced between shock and hurt, emotions flashing over his face like a stoplight. “Bullshit.”
“I’ll call my dad?—”
“Bullshit,” he repeated, triumphant. “You’re acting like I don’t know you. You’d rather get hit by a fucking car than put your parents’ name on any lawsuit?—”
“I’d do it for him.”
“Goddammit,no!” Xavier swiped at the little table connected to his hospital bed and things went flying, his water bottle, his phone, and papers hit the ground. “He’s not part of this!”
“The only reason I’m here isbecauseof him.”
“You’re such a fucking—you were supposed to realize—” He jabbed a finger in my direction, wincing from the bruises. “You can’t do this without me!”
“Dowhat?’
“Anything!” His words blurred faster, his anger melting into something restless and almost panicked. “I cut you out of the organizations, I took the house, because you can’t do any of this without me! You were supposed to realize that! You need me—you fucking need me!”
I inhaled slowly, my voice quiet. “Drop the charges.”
“Fuck you.”
“Drop the charges or I swear, I’ll become the crazy, vindictive girl you’ve painted me to be. I’ll do everything, I’ll post-up in group chats, I’ll abuse my dad’s connections to contact everyone you’ve ever dreamed of working with, I’ll sign your number up for every telemarketer bullshit?—”
“This is the same guy we used to make fun of?—”
“No!He’s not! Your whole family acted like Bear abandoned you, when you abandoned him! I’m sick when I think I joined in! He didn’t deserve it!”
“Cry me a fucking river?—”
