Page 27 of The Refiner

“The point is, Grandpa,” Remington interrupts, “I was right. You hear that, Vancy-poo?” He cups his ear, enjoying fucking with Vance. “Go on. I’m waiting. Tell me I was right, and you were wrong.”

Vance flips him off but doesn’t engage. Instead, he pins me with a concerned look. A look I recognize, since I was giving him the same look months ago. I groan. “Don’t, okay? I’m fine. Nothing a nap and coconut water can’t fix.”

“Nothing an overnight mandated rest can’t fix, you mean?” Halle dares me to argue with her. “Right, Dr. Astor?”

“Shouldn’t she be locked in your tower or something?” I ask Vance, keeping my eyes trained on his girl. I know she’s just looking out for me, but really, I’m fine. It was just the combination of stress with dehydration that caused the collapse. Nothing serious.

“You should know she never minds her own business.”

Pussy has ruined my brother.

“Yeah, well, let me reassure each of you. I’m fine.” I look around me, everyone hovering except Remington, who just seems to be enjoying the in-house entertainment.

“That’s good to know, but you’re still staying here and getting some rest.” Halle’s expression looks a lot like my brother’s. She’s been around Vance too long. “Even if I have to sit at the door all night. Do we understand each other, boss?”

I’m exhausted just arguing with her. “Twenty-four hours,” I agree, “but not a minute more.”

Halle nods, pleased with her leadership skills, but the truth is, being here at the hospital overnight isn’t the worst place I could be. It will allow me access to the ICU, where Piper and Keagan are. I need to clear some things up with Keagan. I might be many things, but I’m not a bastard. I loved her sister, just not in the way she assumes.

“Good, now that we have your sleeping arrangements dealt with, we can move on to bigger topics.” A smile cracks through Vance’s harsh frown. “Like how when Mommy bee falls in love with Daddy bee, and they create a baby—”

The door flies open, and Keagan pulls to a stop when she realizes I’m not alone. “I’m sorry, I thought—”

I motion for her to come in. “They were just leaving.”

No one moves or takes the hint they are unwanted guests. I need to talk to Keagan. Alone.

“That’s okay.” She stumbles out. “I’ll come back.”

A guy I didn’t see before shoves her from behind. Her cheeks turn several shades of pink as she looks at me. “I didn’t mean to intrude. Dr. Cox told me you collapsed and well….”

I grin. “And you wanted to kick me while I was down?”

Halle sucks in a breath, and Keagan immediately goes on the defensive. “That’s not what I’m doing!”

She looks at Duke, who grins. “It’s okay. We wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“But I wasn’t.” Keagan shakes her head and pleads directly to Halle. “I promise, I only wished a little bit of harm on him—nothing bad. My sister would kill me if I wished something worse.” She sucks in a breath. “I’ll admit, I’m not his biggest fan, but my sister seems to care about him, even when he abandoned her for a cruise.”

“Why does everyone think I’ve been on a cruise?” I can’t help the exasperation in my tone. Keagan has a right to hate me for what I did to her sister. But I wasn’t on a fucking cruise. I didn’t know Piper was pregnant when I left for the Grace of Mercy.

“That’s where your office said you were when I called,” Keagan says doubtfully, like now she’s not so sure.

“Is that true?” I look at Halle for confirmation. “Did you tell her I was on a cruise?”

She shakes her head. “Never. I would never tell—”

“Oh, that was my bad,” Remington interrupts, putting his cigarette on the windowsill and standing, his gaze tracking to Keagan with a grin. “You’re that chick that called asking for Dr. Bastard, aren’t you?”

Keagan’s eyes go wide, her cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink. “I was having a bad day.”

Remington snorts and flips me off as he walks by. “I covered your phone for a few hours while your brother violated your assistant in the operating room. You’re welcome.”

I glare at Vance, who just shrugs. “She was on a break.”

“For hours?” What has happened to my brother and his rules?

Vance stands and grabs a very red-faced Halle, pulling her to his side. “It was alongbreak.” He clasps me on the shoulder. “Rest, brother. I’ll be back to check on you in the morning.”

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