Page 14 of Senseless
“Is Rhonda staying?” I asked.
“Yes, she’s retired from combat medic duties.”
“Then the hospital is in good hands. If anyone on the field team would prefer to stay, I’ll swap places with them.”
Dr. Brooks’ warm gaze turned piercing as he looked at me. “Are you sure, Mari? You’ve already been pulling a lot of long hours in the past few weeks. I was actually going to suggest you take some time off.”
“I don’t want time off. I want to work,” I insisted. “Put me out in the field, Doctor. It’s what I know and what I do best. My family understands.”
His narrow-eyed stare continued to probe but he eventually nodded. “The team heads out tomorrow at five a.m. They’re setting up ahead of the army, which is due to leave at six.”
“I’ll be here.”
“Thank you, Mari.” He gave a friendly squeeze of my shoulder. “Four Corners is in good hands with you. Go on and head home early if you don’t have any appointments.”
“Thanks, Doctor. See you in the morning.”
Going home early was the last thing I wanted to do, so I killed time in the cafeteria with the other hospital staff on breaks until Jandro came to get me.
The evening wrapped up like every other one. I drove us home, washed up, we ate dinner together, and went to bed. I told Jandro where I’d be going tomorrow and while he didn’t seem happy, he didn’t fight me too much on it. Right before falling asleep, he agreed to let me take the dirt bike and ride to the hospital on my own. He didn’t have to be at the garage until three hours later, and I insisted he get some much-needed sleep.
The world was still dark and cold when I crawled out of bed. After getting dressed, I wrote a quick love note for Jandro to find on the nightstand. It was little more than,Love you. See you in a few days.I was still half-asleep when I opened the bedroom door and crashed directly into a wall.
A solid wall that was warm, and smelled like cloves and whiskey.
“What…” My brain was slow to make the connection until a hand with strong, callused fingers clasped around my wrist.
“Mari, please.” Reaper’s voice was hushed. “We need to talk.”
Even with how quietly he spoke, his voice was still a shock to my system. My heart jumped into my throat the moment he breathed my name, breath frozen for a moment until I composed myself.
“I don’t have time for this.” I pulled my arm out of his grip and tried to move around him, but he blocked my path, bracing a hand on each side of the door frame.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me,” Reaper growled. “This has gone on long enough.”
“How did you even know I was getting up this early?”
“I didn’t. I slept on the couch so I could catch you.” He angled his head back, and I could see the pillow and messed up blanket on the long sectional in the living room behind him.
I also saw Hades and Freyja, their animal eyes bright as they watched us like a couple at a sports match.
Great, so our marriage is just as entertaining for gods as it is for humans,I thought bitterly as I went to duck under Reaper’s arm. He stopped me, catching me around the waist. My temper spiked as I struggled to get away, but so did something else.
If my skin could talk, it would be crying out in sweet relief. I didn’t even realize how much I missed Reaper’s touch. The smell of him and the solidness of his body. It all came rushing back to me like a drug high as he pinned me against his chest with one arm, softly closing Jandro’s bedroom door with the other.
“Let me go.” I hardly dared to make my voice louder than a whisper, not wanting to involve anyone else in this. “You fucking let me go right now, Reaper!”
“No.” His breath was hot, voice harsh against my ear. “You are my wife and I’mneverletting you go.” The fight started to drain from my body as I heard the deeper meaning in his words, loud and clear. The more I sagged against him limply, the tighter he held me. “I love you, and I’m never letting you go.”
My legs wanted to give out, to let my strong, capable husband support me and make everything better. But just as my longing for him ripped open like a scab on a fresh wound, so did the resentment and the burning anger. He was stubborn enough to make good on his word, but I’d fight him every step of the way if he insisted on holding me captive.
Sometimes he could be reasoned with, and now that he was desperate, I hoped this was one of those times.
“I can talk for a minute, just get off me.”
Reaper’s arms released me slowly, like he was afraid I would bolt at the first chance. And I wanted to. We stood outside of Jandro’s room, tension wrought between both of us in the dark, early morning.
“Do you, uh,” Reaper’s voice was harsh and raspy like he’d been smoking too much, “want to sit down?”
