Page 31 of East (The Moral Compass 3)

“I’m okay, I’ve just hurt my arm, and ‘my husband’ thinks I’ve broken it.”

“Okay, there will be a cab outside in a couple of minutes. I could call you an ambulance, if you’d prefer?”

“No, a cab will be just fine, thanks. Thank you for your help,” I say kindly, and we go to wait outside.

The cab ride is so painful. Zed is yelling at the driver to go faster. The driver now thinks he’s a Formula One Driver, because Zed has told him he will pay any speeding fine he gets. Anyone would think I was about to give birth.Shit, I must remember to ask at the hospital for the morning-after pill.

I’ve never seen anyone be so bossy in my life. Not even West. Zed barges into the Emergency Room and starts ordering people around like he owns the place. “Get her this, get her that. I want a doctor now.”

“Will you please stop being a fucking prick?” I whisper through gritted teeth. “If you don’t stop, I will make you go back to the hotel. It’s a broken arm at worst. I’m not bleeding out or anything.” The last bit seems to calm him downa little.

He’s still pacing up and down, I’ve apologised to the nursing team, and I have explained he doesn’t do well under stress.

Zed is the king of dealing with stressful situations. Zed never gets flustered and always remains calm. Zed can rescue hundreds of people and then go buy a hot dog. So, where the hell is that Zed now or has all the stuff North and West told me over the years been bullshit.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I ask quietly.

“I don’t like hospitals,” he snaps.

“Oh, I can see that. You don’t have to stay. You can go. I am more than capable of dealing with this on my own.”

“You must be on drugs if you think I’m leaving you here on your own. What the hell would West say if I just up and left you? Plus—”

“Ms. McGarry O’Brien?” the nurse calls from the doorway. “Can you follow me please? Your husband can come, too, if he promises to behave himself.” She gives him a side smile and squints her eyes.

I can sense Zed’s annoyance, but if he really doesn’t like hospitals, he should go. I’ll only be a few hours, right?

Chapter 14

Zed

Idon’tlikehospitalsfor one reason: people die in these places. I’ve lost too many men; I’ve said goodbye to them in hospital beds.

Every time I step foot in one of these places, something bad happens. I know she’s only broken her arm but, fuck. It’s the smell, the bright lights, the uniforms the nurses and doctors are wearing. It all makes my skin crawl.

I’d rather have three snipers have their guns trained on my back than be here right now.

The faster East is seen and put back together, the sooner we can walk out of here and go and get divorced.

The nurses and doctors are not very happy with my earlier outburst, so I decide to keep my mouth shut until we know what’s happening. East keeps telling me I don’t have to stay, but I can’t leave her. West would chop my bollocks off, and North would engrave them. Plus, I don’t want to leave her all alone. I might detest these places, but there is no way I’m being a coward over a broken arm.

The doctors come and ask how East came to have the injury. My outburst earlier really hasn’t done me any favours. They even ask me to step outside while they “inspect” the injury. I know they’re asking her if I did it. That should make me feel angry, but my job is all about protecting the vulnerable, and them asking me to leave is a good thing and makes me sure that they have her best interest at heart.

I’m invited back into the room. East is looking concerned as the doctor explains what’s going to happen next.

“So, we are going to send you for an x-ray. Then, when the results are back, we will look at the next options. But I need to warn you. I am ninety percent sure we are looking at surgery.” The doctor breezes out of the door.

“Surgery? Why does he think you need surgery? He’s not even looked at your arm properly yet.” Confusion and fear turn in my stomach. This is getting worse.

“Because he did just have a look at my arm, and he said he can feel the break.”

“Did he ask you if…”

“Yes, he did. Of course, he did. You’re acting like a fucking bully. I told him the truth that I literally fell over my own feet.”

“Oh, I bet he believed that. Isn’t that what they all say?”

The door opens, and two very large guys enter the room. “We’re the porters, and we are here to take your wife for an x-ray. You can wait here,” one of the guys said.

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