Page 86 of Bitter Heat
“Thought it was about time we did,” Lukas said gruffly.
“Oh, your letters worried us so, darling,” Monte rushed on. “All this about a near miscarriage and pre-term labor, and Dr. Heelies treating you with pastes and whatnot. It seemed positively barbaric. Dr. Rose was free and willing to make the trip. We wanted him here to attend you for the rest of your pregnancy. And we want to stay to help, too.”
“I don’t need—I mean, we’re fine here. We don’t need help. There’s a good doctor in residence and—”
“Yes, this ‘Dr. Heelies’,” Lukas said with a stern expression that cut Kerry to the quick. “I’ve been looking into him after your letters mentioned your distress. And, well, I think you know what I discovered.”
Kerry swallowed hard but shook his head in denial.
“Yes, I think you do,” Lukas said coolly.
Kerry shook his head fervently again. Not that he knew why. He should cop to everything now. But…what would happen then?
“Janus Heelies is no doctor. He’s barely a nurse. Worse, he’s an alpha. It was quite awkward indeed to call up Doxan Heelies to ask after his prestigious beta doctor nephew, only to find that the only nephew he has in Hud’s Basin is not onlynota beta, but not a doctor either. He’s a nurse and an alpha. An embarrassment, really. With absolutely no medical experience in your particular deformity.”
Monte’s eyes had grown wider and wider as Lukas talked. Clearly, the man hadn’t shared this information with his omega yet. He turned back to Kerry with a look of astonished rage rising beneath his usual polite mask. “Youliedto us? To stay here in this shithole withhim?”
Kerry thought it was probably best to say nothing at all. He couldn’t defend himself, so he simply stared up at them defiantly. He hoped. He might have been too sick and scared to appear defiant, though.
“Come now,” Dr. Rose said with a firm quietness that Kerry appreciated. “Let’s not lose sight of our priorities. The child must come first, and in this state, any upset to Kerry is a risk to the child. We must attempt to postpone the labor for as long as possible. Every hour counts at this stage. In some cases, every minute. The babe’s body is undergoing the finalization process and interrupting that now could be deadly.”
Lukas’s jaw flexed and released, but he bowed his head and stepped into the hallway. Monte stared at Kerry a bit longer with a glow of hatred in his eyes, and he whispered, “I will find out why you did this. And you will be held accountable for any harm that comes to this baby.”
“Fuck you,” Kerry whispered back.
Monte’s face trembled with fury, and he came at Kerry, but Dr. Rose swiftly stepped between them and Pater grabbed hold of his arm. “I’m not leaving this house until this baby is born,” Monte said. “And then it will go with me. You? I haven’t decided yet about you.”
Kerry didn’t flinch at the threat. The worst wasn’t over yet. They’d soon know the full truth about Janus, and that was bound to be ugly in more ways than one. Gathering his strength and calm, Kerry turned to Dr. Rose and said, “I suppose you want to examine me?”
“I do.”
“My alpha won’t like that.”
“Your alpha is in prison and has no recourse,” he said, confused. “You’ve never protested before.”
“My alpha lives here in this house. And he won’t like you touching me,” Kerry said calmly.
“Wilbet Monhundy is in this house?” the doctor said with concern. He turned to his bag and began to fish around inside. He pulled out a thermometer for the mouth. “Have you been feverish?” He looked toward Zeke who lingered by the doorway, refusing to leave Kerry alone, and keeping an eye on the Monhundys who stood whispering furiously in the hallway. “Has he been quite right in the head?”
“Yes, perfectly,” Pater said. “And no, his alpha won’t like you touching him without permission. I advise that you don’t. He’s already been examined today, and he’s fine.”
Dr. Rose stared between them like they’d lost their minds.
And then, as if he’d sensed something was amiss from all the way up-mountain, the downstairs door banged open, and Janus’s heavy footsteps fell.
“Whose car is that parked out front?” he called out, his voice cheerful and in good humor. So, he hadn’t sensed their peril then. “More surprise guests?”
His footsteps sounded on the stairs. Pater stared at Kerry in horror, his mouth open and fear frozen all over his face. Kerry figured he probably looked the same way. Especially since he knew certain things Pater didn’t. Like…
“You!” Monte’s voice shook the entire upper story. “You were at the hotel.”
“You’rethe alpha nurse?” Lukas roared.
“Kerry!” Janus called, and there was the sound of a scuffle in the hallway. Dr. Rose moved toward the door, and between his body and Pater’s, Kerry could only make out the white of Janus’s shirt and the black of his pants. He seemed to be grappling with someone, but Kerry couldn’t see who.
With a pounding heart and no grace whatsoever, he forced himself out of bed and toward the doorway. Dr. Rose and Pater had moved into the hall, and the shouts rising from the scuffle showed that Monte was pounding on Janus, shouting at him, and Lukas was trying to tear him away. “Darling, please, you’ll hurt yourself. Monte! Stop!”
And Janus was holding back with all he had to keep from punching the man. Kerry could tell by the red of his face, the balls of his fists, and the growl coming from deep in his chest. Dr. Rose had taken up position st Janus’s back, trying to keep the tussle from moving toward the stairs where a tumble would be a disaster. And Pater was shouting, “Lukas, get your man in order! I will go for the police!”
