Her angles.
Her technique.
All the way down to the style of the knot she’d tied at the ends.
His fingers began to quake as they trickled over every dip and valley of the stitches, and soon, the bathroom was filled with the sound of his deep breathing. His nostrils flared as those breaths moved to small gasps.
With his free hand, he snatched up a photograph from the pile he’d set on the counter before him. He took a moment to study it.
Normally, looking at a photo of another man’s marred testicles would be the last thing on Linc’s list of enjoyable things to do. Especially when it was a pair of balls that belonged to Todd Lockwood, one of the wealthiest bastards on the island.
Regardless, Linc swallowed back the bile it inspired in his throat and turned the photo toward the mirror. The photo the doctors at the hospital had taken before Todd’s testicular replacement surgery.
The photo they’d taken before they’d removed the stitching done by The Shadow Rock Chopper.
As Linc brought the photo of the stitches up to his chest, next to his own gash in the reflection, he was full on heaving. He took a long moment—eyes darting back and forth between his chest and the photo before slamming it back down onto the counter.
He seized the next photo in the pile.
Eugene Masterson. Another set of male genitalia he didn’t care to see but powered through regardless. He studied Eugene’s stitching against his own, eyes narrowing before he placed Eugene’s photo on top of Todd’s.
Brock Nailer’s photo was next. The last of the photos he had chronicling The Shadow Rock Chopper’s work.
Her stitching.
Her technique.
He only held that photo up for a second before he couldn’t bear it any further, sitting that one down on top of Todd and Eugene’s photos as well. He clutched the bathroom counter under one hand and the pile of photos under the other. The paper bent under his unrelenting grasp, and the granite countertop came close to shattering.
He dropped his chin into his chest, feeling the power of his thunderous heartbeat.
When a knock rang through the door, he gave a sharp gasp, snatched the pictures from the counter and shoved them into the pockets of his sweatpants.
He cleared his throat in an attempt to collect himself. “Yeah. Come in.”
The door creaked open, and Veda poked her head inside, eyes closed, smiling softly around the lollipop stick she had in her mouth. “You decent?”
“I’m good.”
She peeked one eye open.
His face softened as that big brown eye ran over his body, taking a deep breath as it did.
She pulled the sour apple sucker from her lips with a plop, opening both eyes wide and looking up at him. “Gage just left. Didn’t touch his peanut butter sandwiches, though. He always hated my cooking.”
“Slathering condiments onto two slices of bread and putting them together is not cooking, Vandyke.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “I wrapped them up for you and left them on the foyer table. Something to nibble on at work tomorrow or if you wake up hungry in the middle of the night.”
The corner of his mouth lifted and he drew in another deep breath, clearing his throat when a lump rose to it. “Thank you. Aye, it’s all yours.” He pushed away from the counter, stepping to the side so she had room to come in.
She did, eyeing him while popping the sucker back in her mouth. “I wasn’t trying to throw you out.”
“I know you’re only here for the Jacuzzi tub. The PB&J’s were just a ruse.”
“Damn. Busted.”
Linc smirked and left the bathroom without another word, closing the door behind him before he allowed his smile to devolve into a small frown. He waited for the sound of the bath water to start before leaving his bedroom.
After making a stop in the kitchen and grabbing a fresh Ziploc bag from the cupboard, he crossed the living room in a flash, yanking open the balcony door, his eyes flying to the rails.
In the short time they’d been living together, he’d learned Veda had an annoying habit of leaving her lollipop sticks lying on the edge of the balcony.
That evening was apparently no exception.
He approached the grape lollipop that had been left sitting on the rails, still shining with saliva. Taking the white stick, he picked it up and studied the sweet purple ball, gleaming under the porch light.
After a deep breath, he opened the Ziploc bag and dropped the sucker inside.
Then he sealed it shut.
——
“I’m done being CEO at the hospital. I’m no longer feeling challenged, and my stomach is sick at the idea of being forced to see Veda when she returns to work next week.” Gage waited for his parents to stop eating and look up from their plates at the Blackwater’s backyard dining table. “I think it’s high time I was granted a real spot at Blackwater Cruises. I think I’ve earned it.”
It was the first time Gage had ever seen his parents speechless. Usually, when one of them was caught off guard, the other was always more than willing to jump in and give their two cents.
At that moment, however, silence prevailed. Wide eyes. Hair blowing in the breeze. Nothing but the trickle of the infinity pool and the rolling of the ocean waves at the bottom of the mansion’s cliff to fill the air.
Then, David smiled. The curve of his lips was enough to prompt a full on chuckle. That chuckle soon bloomed into a laugh.
Gage raised his eyebrows at the rare sound of his father’s laughter, and even more at the rare gleam in his eye as that laughter came deeper from his belly by the moment until he was forced to drop his utensils and cover his belly. Any other time, eliciting such a genuine response from his father would’ve made Gage’s entire day, and it was at that moment—when the sight made him feel nothing at all—that it really hit him.
He would never look at his parents the same way again.
“I’m glad my need to be acknowledged by my family is so hilarious to you, Dad, but I’m serious.”
“With all due respect, darling, you’ve done nothing to earn it.”
Gage moved his eyes to Celeste as her words floated across the table. He drank in the smile that, unlike his father, she always gave freely. The smile that never reached her eyes. The sadness in her green orbs that simply wouldn’t allow it.
“With all due respect, how can we trust you?” David added, finally having gotten his laughter under control. “You have no spine. You have no loyalty.”
“No loyalty?” Gage asked. “Am I not the person who raced over here the moment I found out Lincoln Hill was considering the two of you suspects in Veda’s attack? To give you a heads up before he ambushed you and found a way to put you both behind bars? And he’d love nothing more, by the way.”
“Of course we know you’re loyal, darling.” Celeste shot David, who appeared to be much less convinced, a look. “But you can’t argue that your actions over the last several months haven’t inspired much confidence in your allegiance to this family.”
Gage took a moment, swallowing thickly. “I made a mistake. I thought I loved a woman who’s incapable of it. I thought I knew better than the two of you about how wrong for me she was. But I’ve grown. I’ve learned. I’ve learned the hardest lesson possible. That she never loved me. That, deep down, she harbored so much resentment for me that she actually believed Lincoln Hill when he insinuated our family had something to do with her attack. Not to mention the questionable “friendship” she’s been carrying on with him for months. She kept her pregnancy from me, and her irresponsible actions are the reason I’ve lost my first child. Your grandson. I can’t bear the idea of having to face her. The woman made a fool of me and killed my son. I despise her.”
Celeste’s eyes shifted.
But David’s didn’t waver. He squinted at Gage.
Gage took a deep breath when the words leaving his mouth nearly caused sickness to race up his throat, and all he could
manage was a strangled. “Please…”
David lifted his fabric napkin from his lap and wiped his downturned lips, sitting forward in his chair with a deep, heavy sigh. A chuckle left his lips, less genuine than the last, dying just as quickly as it came.
“I’ll tell you what, Gage…” David said. “If you want to turn back the clock and pretend Veda Vandyke never happened, please understand your mother and I are all for it.”
Celeste grinned.
“But if you want a real spot on my cruise line…” David’s icy blue eyes burned into him. “If you hope to prove your loyalty to this family in a manner that is indisputably sound…”
Gage felt his eyes trying to widen along with the hairs standing on the back of his neck, but he fought it. Under the table, however, where he knew his father couldn’t see, he clutched the handles of his chair so tightly his knuckles paled.
David continued. “Then I need to see that clock turned back in a real way.”
Though Gage had managed to fight his, Celeste was unable to stop her green orbs from expanding as they searched David’s face. It was clear she now understood, just as well as Gage, where David was going.
“You cost my company hundreds of millions of dollars when you ended your engagement to Scarlett Covington,” David spat.
Gage held his breath.
“And if my trust is what you’re truly after…” David’s voice lowered. “If your loyalty to this family is truly sincere? You’ll renew that engagement and marry her within the year.”
Gage clenched his teeth when they began to chatter, hoping the action didn’t make his jaw roll and betray the storm in his heart. “It’s too late. I’ve embarrassed both Scarlett and her family very deeply. She would never take me back.”
David smirked. “You see… unlike you, my dearest son, Scarlett’s allegiance to her family has never wavered. When her father says it’s a go, it’s a go. Considering he took a financial hit as well, while you were painting the town red with Veda Vandyke, I haven’t a doubt in my mind he’ll jump at the chance to fix what you’ve so outstandingly broken. It is most certainly not too late.”
Gage clutched the handles of the chair harder, wondering how on Earth he hadn’t ripped it apart. He held his father’s eyes across the table, convinced that the fight to withhold his emotion was no longer fooling David—if it ever had. He held his breath to stop every bone in his body from shaking, but that only seemed to amplify it even more.
Gage knew his father wasn’t putting Scarlett back on the table for the money.
At least not completely.
Putting Scarlett back on the table was the true test of Gage’s allegiance.
His father didn’t trust him. His father knew his son. His father knew his heart.
He knew Gage still loved Veda.
He knew Gage always would.
It was plain as day in his arctic blue eyes as they ran Gage’s quivering body. In the slight tilt of his head. In the tight smile on his lips. In his unwavering posture as he lay on the table what he knew was Gage’s worst nightmare.
Gage opened his mouth to respond, but his voice broke. When he tried again, it came, albeit wobbly. “I’ll do it.”
David squinted again. He let a long silence roll in. Then, his voice came, much sharper and smoother than his only son’s just had. “Then it’s done.”
17
A week later, Veda’s face grew more confused by the minute as her squinted eyes searched the buzzing hallway of Shadow Rock Hospital. Not even the weight of Linc’s hand, heavy on the small of her back from where he stood next to her, was enough to make her feel safe.
Surely she was in the Twilight Zone.
Right on time to prove that theory right, a blonde nurse smiled at Veda as she walked by, giving an enthused wave. “Hey, Veda!”
Veda’s frown deepened, and she gave a hesitant wave back, barely finishing the action before a member of the administration who’d never spoken to her in her entire time at the hospital waved on his way across the hall. “Welcome back, Veda!”
Veda tried to say thanks, but was cut off at the sight of Dr. Britler, just as long and gangly as always, sauntering by. He looked over his shoulder as he passed Veda and Linc, catching Veda’s eyes as he moved.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Dr. Britler. Her sworn hospital enemy. The most reviled surgeon in the entire place with a God complex and a serious attitude problem. Surely a vile remark or rude comment was on the very tip of his tongue. No way he’d transformed into some fake pod person—
“Good to have you back, Dr. Vandyke!” Dr. Britler’s blue eyes lit up, and he gave Veda a salute before turning and continuing down the hall.
Veda jolted, causing the hand Linc had on her back to move around her waist. He cupped it, squeezed, and then shook her when the horror in her eyes still hadn’t eased.
“You good?” he grumbled.
“I’m good,” Veda sputtered, looking up at him. “You good?”
He smirked at her defensive tone, eyes shining. “I’m good.”
Before Veda could respond to the knowing look in Linc’s eyes, the next smiling face came into her view. But this time it was a face that she was actually used to smiling at her. A face that had smiled at her often since she’d returned home to Shadow Rock. A face she looked forward to seeing every day.
Jake Jones skipped across the hall and wrapped Veda up in a hug around the neck, pulling her in so tightly he cut off circulation. He kissed her cheek before pulling back, shaking his shaggy blonde hair out of his blue eyes. Of course, he snuck a look at Linc before giving Veda all of his attention.
“You have no idea how boring it’s been around here without you,” Jake said. “Don’t you dare ever leave me again.”
“Gonna try.” Veda held her arms out.
Jake went to speak, but someone from the hallway called out, stealing his words.
“Good to see you, Veda, welcome back!”
This time it was Jake who jolted at the pleasantry, shouted from a random nurse across the hall, and he craned his neck to watch that nurse walk by, his eyes ripe with confusion. Turning back to face Veda with his lips poked out, he looked back and forth between her and Linc with his thumb pointed over his shoulder, toward the retreating nurse, in silent question.
“Looks like our co-workers have finally warmed up to you,” Jake said. “The nurses are smiling and waving even though this guy’s…” Jake motioned to Linc. “Got his paws all over you.”
At those words, Linc removed his hand from around Veda’s waist and used it to scratch his ear, clearing his throat with narrowed eyes while nodding to another nurse that waved as she passed.
“You know he’s the sexual messiah in this bitch.” Jake chuckled. “Any other day they’d be going for your throat.”
“And calling me a home wrecking whore in the process,” Veda agreed dryly. “A girl gets thrown down a flight of stairs and all of a sudden she’s the Virgin Mary around here.”
“Well, live it up now, ‘cause it won’t last,” Jake said.
“Here’s hoping. I actually prefer the vibe when everyone can’t stand me. At least then I can see the daggers coming down head on. Something about all these smiles and waves makes me worry they might start coming in from the back now too.”
“I got your back, boo,” Jake winked.
“Aye,” Linc jumped in, taking her arm, forcing her eyes to his. “I’m outta time. Gotta get back to work. I spoke to security, and they’re keeping a close eye out. Gage too. He’s gonna check on you before and after every patient.” He took a deep breath. “Or I could just take you back to my place until I find this guy.”
Veda tilted her head at him. “Are we really going to have this argument again? Linc, I can’t be in that apartment anymore. I’ve been going stir crazy. We agreed I’d be back to work once I recovered… and I’m recovered. Plus, if I take any more time off, my residency could be at risk. I’d have to start all over and, quite frankly, fuck that.
I haven’t spent all this time busting my ass around here for nothing.”
He rolled his eyes and looked away for a moment before shooting his eyes back to hers. “I don’t like it.”
“Well, I can’t waste any more time waiting for some cop to close this case when he can’t even nail down The Chopper,” she smiled, swatting his chest with the back of her hand.
He caught her wrist and took a step away, forcing her to step forward with him, speaking softly as his eyes searched hers. “Oh, she still got jokes.”
“All day,” she whispered.
His chest rose as he drew in a deep breath, then he used his hold on her arm to pull her in further.
Veda stumbled forward at the pull, her eyes fluttering shut when the softness of his lips met her forehead, warming her skin.
Linc cupped the back of her head, took a deep breath, and kissed her forehead once more before stepping back, his face hard as stone. Never breaking his eyes from hers, he began moving away, releasing her wrist as he went, holding her gaze over his shoulder as if he were still giving her a chance to change her mind.
“I’m fine,” Veda said, responding solely to the indignation on his face as he walked away.
“I’ll check in when I can,” Linc said.
She nodded and waved, giving him a small smile.
Her smile did nothing to ease him, and he didn’t return the pleasantry. Instead, he rolled his eyes and broke their gaze, looking forward as he made his way down the hallway, dodging adoring nurses the whole way. Just before he turned the corner, he shot her another look, green eyes blazing, before disappearing out of sight.
Veda rolled her own eyes before turning back to Jake, who was watching her with his chin propped up in a fisted hand, his mouth having fallen into a wide open smile, blue eyes saucer big.
Pulse (Revenge Book 5) Page 15
