Page 23 of Ice
I launched myself out of my seat in his general direction, although I never made it that far, with Ryder and Micro grabbing me.
“Sit. The. Fuck. Down.” Reacher’s tone wasn’t one you disobeyed, not if you wanted to be able to walk back to your room.
I jabbed a finger in Has-Been’s direction.
“He’s making assumptions, like the prick he is. She came here, because everyone fucked off for the mafia job, and I wasn’t allowed to take myself to my fucking appointment. Yeah? She did that to help me. And yeah, we sat in my room, because why the fuck would I share my innermost secrets in front of assholes like him?”
Reacher rubbed at his piercings.
“Fuck’s sake. Gonna arrange marriage counselling for you two next. Has, shut it. It’s none of your business.”
“Beg to differ, Pres. If she’s acting unethically, then she’s breaching boundaries that could do him more harm than good.”
He received a Reacher glare in response, and then he aimed it at me.
“Is she… uh… breaching boundaries, Ice?”
Lissa
He’dbeengonelongenough that I’d rethought my situation completely. Why was I waiting in his damn bedroom for him? He was a client, a patient, however I described it, the fact was that he was vulnerable, and looking for help. This wasn’t the kind of help he needed. I shouldn’t be here. It was a mistake, and his brother’s response had been the right one.
The big guy was oddly familiar, but I didn’t know where from. Certainly I didn’t think we’d met before, but I knew his face. What was his name? Has-Been? What the hell was that about? I grabbed my handbag and headed for the door, and as I pulled it open, he did it again. Ice was standing right there, and scared the crap out of me.
“Going somewhere?” He looked angry, and I instinctively backed up a step.
“I’m sorry. This is… this is unprofessional of me. I’m taking advantage of you, by being here.”
He cursed, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
“You sound like Has. Nosy prick. Don’t worry, he’s been told to butt the fuck out of my business. President’s orders.”
I wasn’t sure that was a good thing. He tugged at his spiky hair.
“Of course, the other presidential fucking order was that we’re to use his office, if you come here again. No more meeting in my bedroom, in case fucking boundaries get breached. I swear to god, they’re so fucking involved in my business.”
I put a hand on his arm, and he flinched. He curled his other hand around that shoulder, and took a breath.
“Look, I’m sorry. I understand if you want to leave. It’s not like I’m keeping you here. I just… it was nice that someone cared enough. Not about the club, and not about my duties here. But about me, you know, as a person. Because I am. I’m a fucking person, with needs and desires, and fears, and yeah… anyway, thanks for being here. I’ll make sure I attend my next appointment on time.” He was shutting down on me, and it was jarringly sudden.
“Ice, what happened? Are you in pain?”
He shot me a sidelong glance.
“Aren’t we all, Doc? Isn’t life about being in pain? Suffering? Struggling every fucking day, for the odd moment of happiness, before it’s all taken away again.”
I reached for his arm again and he moved back.
“Please don’t touch me.”
I stepped closer, and he retreated. I dumped my handbag on his kitchen counter, as he turned and headed into his small kitchenette.
“Ice, did someone hurt you?”
He barked out a harsh laugh.
“Did someone hurt me? I’d like to see them try.”
He reached up into a cupboard, but I noticed he was doing everything with the other arm. His left arm was down at his side. The same arm he’d clutched before.
