I was already moving out the door and towards the waiting room.
“You will have to make an appointment, just like everybody else,” Dolores said, her hands on her hips.
“No, me and the doc are gonna have words. Now.”
I didn’t recognize the man, but he was tall and had a linebacker’s build. I could make out the deep set of his scowl, even through his thick beard. “I’m Dr. Easton. Did you need something?”
The man whirled on me, his eyes glinting with a rage that should’ve had me taking a step back. “You.”
“Yes?” I kept my voice even and sent up a mental thanks that the lunch hour meant that the waiting room was empty.
“You’re filling my wife’s head with a bunch of bullshit. Messing with things that aren’t any of your concern.”
Anger lit through my veins as the pieces came together. “Mr. Maxwell?”
“It’s Brandon. Don’t need none of your pansy-ass mister crap.”
“Well,
Brandon. I didn’t fill your wife’s head with anything. Your son was extremely sick. If he’d remained untreated, he could’ve died.”
“Bullshit,” Brandon hissed, spittle flying from his mouth. “He had a cold. If the boy’s gonna grow up strong, he has to learn to live with that kind of thing.”
“He had a double ear infection, a severe case of strep throat, and an extremely high fever. I’ve seen children die from less.”
Brandon scoffed. “You just want to get paid. Of course, you’d say all that.”
“I get paid whether someone has a cold or something more serious.”
“But you scared Cora. Got her to come back. Got her to waste my hard-earned money. Twice.”
“I don’t think it’s a waste, but if you feel that way, we’d be happy to refund your copay.”
Brandon’s eyes narrowed, a muscle in his cheek ticking. “I don’t want your fuckin’ money. Blood money is what it is.”
The bell on the door sounded as someone pushed it open. The light shone around them, so it took me a second to recognize Addie’s form. She took two steps into the reception area and froze.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Brandon spat out. “Come to work off that free rent you’re getting?”
Addie’s face paled, and I moved without thinking, placing myself between Brandon and Addie. “You need to leave, Mr. Maxwell.”
“You’re the one who needs to leave. Heard you ran out on your family. Should’ve stayed gone. Now, you’re messing around in matters that aren’t any concern of yours. That includes Adaline.”
“Anyone who comes to me for help is my concern. Anyone I care about is my concern.”
Brandon stepped to the side to get a better look at Addie. He sneered in her direction. “Didn’t take you long to spread your legs, did it?”
“Leave,” I barked. It was all I could do to hold myself back from decking the guy.
Delicate fingers wrapped around my arm. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”
Of course, Addie would sense that I was only a second away from losing it.
Brandon snickered. “Taking orders from women. Typical.”
Addie stepped around me, lifting her chin. “Beckett listens to reason. It means he has a brain, which is more than I can say about you.”
Redness crept up Brandon’s throat. “You watch your mouth. Your father’s a good man, but he’s lost control of you. It’s time for someone to teach you some manners.”