Page 47 of Bones
“No,” I repeated.
The door opened again and a woman with a wailing baby came in. Her gaze narrowed on my face, but she glanced at Trey and Griz and didn't comment. The baby was refusing to use one of his arms, screaming when I tried to examine it. I wrapped my hands around his little arm, and he quieted as my powers healed the injury to his elbow. When I let go, the baby waved both arms in the air, smiling at me through the tears still in his eyes. The woman sniffled and picked him up, pressing a kiss to his head of short dark curls.
“Thank you!” She stepped into my space and hugged me, which made me stiffen. “Are you ok?” she whispered in my ear.
I nodded, feeling so fucking uncomfortable. She gave me a sharp look like she didn’t quite believe me as she pulled back.
“Can I bring Jet back tomorrow?” she asked louder, shifting the toddler on her hip. “To make sure everything looks good?”
I blinked, confused. “Um, sure.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then. Thank you, Bones.”
She shot a sharp look at Trey and Griz as she left, and I realized she suspected that one of them had hurt me. The immediate urge to defend the two men surprised and annoyed me, and I pressed my lips together.
“There will be an announcement put up on the newsboard,” Trey said as I trudged back to the sink and washed my hands. “So people will know what happened.”
Great.That probably meant more people asking questions. My head seemed to pound in time with my heartbeat.
“Bones—” Trey started.
“No,” I snapped. Gods, I did not need to sit and rest. I needed to keep moving.
“I’m gonna check on Mac,” Griz announced. He gave me a stern look when I glanced at him. “Bones, you should at least sit for a minute.”
“I’m fine.”
Griz shook his head at me as he left. “Gods, you are stubborn as a mule.”
“I’m half tempted to just give you a narc,” Trey muttered after the door shut.
I snapped my gaze to him, panic bursting in my chest. “No. I can’t have narcs.”
“Why not?” he asked, crossing his arms.
“They hurt me.”
He raised an eyebrow and I prayed to the gods he wouldn't ask any more questions. He didn't look like he believed me. It wasn't exactly a lie. I didn't have any explanation for what happened when I was drugged buthurtwas the best word I could come up with.
“Promise me.” My voice sounded higher than normal. “Promise you’ll never give me a narc.”
“What if you’re really injured?” He crossed the room until he stood across the exam table from me. “I don’t know if I can keep that promise.”
“Trey.” Gods, how could I convince him? “I swear to you that me getting a narc is worse than any pain I could ever experience.”
He frowned. “What happens?”
“I…I can’t really explain it. It’s just…bad.”
He studied me, his brow slightly furrowed. “Alright,” he finally said, “I promise.”
I let out a shaky breath, but he wasn’t finished.
“Ifyou take a few minutes and rest.”
I glared at him. “I amfine.”
“Bones,” he said in a sharper voice, “you do realize why I can’t believe you when you say that, right?”
