“You need to see a doctor.”
“I’m okay.”
“Let me take a look before we head upstairs.”
The sheriff slowly pulled her shirt to the side.
“Fucking son of a bitch. You need medical attention. Let me at least call Doctor Frank. He helps out the police and others off hours. He’ll see you.”
As she tried to move on her own, she felt the pain increase.
“Fine.”
The sheriff walked her out the back door to his truck.
He carefully lifted her up and placed her in the seat. She laid her head back and tried to
breathe through the pain while BJ called the doctor.
“He’s five minutes from here. Not a long ride, baby.” He placed his hand on her thigh and she stiffened. She wasn’t used to this type of attention or show of care. She questioned his intentions. It was learned behavior and her distrust of men. She tried to focus on how to get him away from her. Go see the doctor, get back to the club, and take some painkillers. She pulled her leg away so that his hand fell off. She snuggled closer to the door and as far away from his body as she could.
Before he drove, she saw him texting on his phone, and then he carefully pulled out of the parking lot. By the time they arrived at Doctor Frank’s house, he was waiting for them outside.
* * * *
As the sheriff began to help her remove her blouse, she gripped it tighter. “No. It stays on.”
He looked at her strangely and then at the doctor. “I can check her with it on,” Doctor Frank stated.
The back door opened and Monte stepped in, looking angry and concerned. She swallowed hard and tried to cover herself. He was taller than BJ by a few inches. His dark eyes matched his onyx hair.
“Maybe she needs some privacy,” the doctor suggested.
“She knows Monte. She’ll be fine,” the sheriff answered for her, but the truth was, she wasn’t fine. The pain instantly subsided and was replaced with complete and utter lust. Combined with the little twinge of fear she felt at seeing Monte, she was losing her calmness. She had too much to lose if these men found out about her past, and too many questions would be asked if they saw her scars. No, she couldn’t let BJ get the upper hand on her again, and she sure couldn’t be alone with the two of them.
She looked up at Monte as the doctor lifted only the front of her shirt to see her ribs. He pressed lightly, and she only cringed where the direct hit had occurred. Monte held her gaze until she turned away from him.
Around town, Monte was a mystery, yet people knew to avoid getting in his way or even speaking with him. They were scared of him, and that sent her emotions into a swirl of uncertainty and fear. Had he committed some sort of crime? She’d heard rumors that he was discharged from the military and then rumors that he still did secret work for the military. The rumors went on and on. No one was certain, but he sure appeared mysterious and also very serious.
* * * *
BJ tried his hardest to remain calm. He was lucky he hadn’t killed both men back there for attacking his woman. Susanna was his woman and his brother’s. After tonight, he was making it his mission to get through to her and break down those walls she’d built up over the years. This wasn’t a game, and he and Monte had waited long enough.
“I think your ribs are just badly bruised, but I want to be certain. The sheriff said you took a hard hit to the side with the piece of wood. Let’s take an X-ray.” Doctor Frank took her hand and helped her down off the table. Both BJ and Monte reached for her, but she was already down and in the care of the doctor. She gave them a look over her shoulder as the doctor helped her.
The doctor had an X-ray machine he used in his small home office while BJ and Monte waited in the other room.
“I can give you a gown to wear while I take the X-ray,” Dr. Frank told her. They were alone in the small room and she felt less exposed. She shook her head.
“You’ll have to take off the blouse.”
“I’ll keep it on.”
He stared at her a minute then took a deep breath.
“I’m trustworthy. I’m married and share my wife with my two brothers Jim and Troy. I’ve lived in Delite all my life. We’ve come to your place, Dixie Chix, and love it. It’s a nice establishment.”
She swallowed hard. He seemed like a trustworthy man she could tell but she didn’t want him to see her back. Although the lines had grown faint, they were still there and still noticeable. They were the damage done by a man she thought was her saving grace and lover. She suffered the consequences of her bad judgment until it nearly killed her.