Chapter Four

Sabrina inclined her head to the man standing inside Mr. Holt’s room. She was equally relieved and disappointed it wasn’t Deacon. He had been front and center in her dream, and in it, he was gentle and loving. Sabrina was pleased to find Kaya Stone sitting quietly with Jonathan when she went to check on him. It wasn’t the first time she’d found the former police chief visiting with Jonathan, but knowing the man worked for Kaya and her husband, she wasn’t surprised. He wasn’t just an employee; he was family.

Sabrina approached the bed, and Kaya gave Sabrina a sad smile as she rose to her feet. Kaya’s hand immediately cradled her large belly, and Sabrina was briefly hit with a wave of jealousy. She hadn’t been lying when she told Joseph she didn’t plan on being single the rest of her life. She wanted the husband and kids and dogs, and the chaotic life that went with having those things.

“How are you? ” Kaya asked, pulling Sabrina’s hands into her own, offering comfort. Sabrina almost lied, because it would have been easier and more professional to tell the other woman she was fine. When Kaya squeezed her hands, Sabrina found herself telling the truth.

“Not too well. I…” Sabrina looked to Jonathan to make sure the man was sleeping.

Kaya released her hands and put her arm around Sabrina’s shoulder, ushering her out into the hallway. “You can talk to me, Dr. Bailey. ”

“Please, call me Sabrina. ” In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be talking to Kaya as a friend and not a doctor. She didn’t have any friends, only colleagues and acquaintances. Lately, she’d been realizing how lonely her life had become. All she had was work and her patients. When she first started out, that had been enough, but seeing Kaya and the other women who visited Jonathan with their husbands had been a wake-up call. The love between not only the couples but between all the visitors to Mr. Holt’s room was both heartwarming and bittersweet. What would it be like to have a man look at her the way Rafael did Kaya? To know you had so many who considered you family? Sabrina had her siblings, but with them scattered across the country, they weren’t close.

“Okay, Sabrina. If I had known the reason Rafael was coming to see Jonathan last night, I would have come with him. This can’t be easy for you. ”

“No, it’s not, but in my line of work, you either learn to compartmentalize the pain, or you go home every night and cry yourself to sleep. He’s not the first patient to decline treatment, and he won’t be the last. The only bright spot is knowing he has such a huge support system in place. ”

“That he does. I wanted to speak to you about that. Jonathan doesn’t want Priscilla to know about his decision. ”

“But she’s his sister. ”

“She is, but you’ve seen her when she thought he had a chance at getting better. If she knows he is no longer receiving treatment, we’ll have to keep her sedated. Her brother is her whole world, and I can only hope this little one will be enough to help her through her loss. ” Kaya patted her stomach. “Oh, crap. Sebastian, calm down, kiddo. ” Kaya smiled. “That’s better. Thank you. ”

That tinge of jealousy was back, but Sabrina did her best to hide it. “I like the way you talk to him like he can understand you. ”

Kaya’s cheeks flushed, but she smiled and admitted, “I feel like he can. Do you have kids? ”

“No, not yet. ”

“Well, when you do, you’ll understand. I carry around this little person with me twenty-four seven. Sometimes, he’s the only one I have to talk to, and I’ve always had regular conversations with him. I tell him how much his Papa and I love him. Tell him all the things we’re looking forward to when he gets here. I try to keep my fears to myself, but I swear, he already knows my moods. Like now, when I mentioned Priscilla, he pushed at me so I’d know he heard me. Maybe I’m crazy, but…” Kaya shrugged, the pink in her cheeks returning.

“I don’t think you’re crazy. I think it’s wonderful, and hopefully one day, I’ll get to experience it for myself. ”

“Are you seeing anyone? Because I happen to know a certain someone who is quite smitten with you. ” Kaya cocked an eyebrow, grinning.

“Uh, no. I’m not seeing anyone. ”

“Good. That gives me hope. ”

Sabrina couldn’t help her own grin. “And why is that? ”

“Because the—”

“Kaya. ”

Sabrina shivered at the deep voice. She already knew who it belonged to, but when she turned to face him, she took a step backwards. Then Sabrina remembered Joseph’s words from the night before about how all the men who visited Mr. Holt were kind despite how large they were.

“Hello, Dr. Bailey. ”

“I’m just going to go back and check on Jonathan. ” Kaya pressed her hand to Sabrina’s, giving her a wink. Oh. Oh.

“Hello, Mister…? ”

“Wright. My name’s Deacon Wright. I was hoping you’d take me up on my offer for coffee, and if you’re too busy for coffee, maybe I could treat you to dinner sometime soon instead? How do you feel about Italian? ” What in the name of all that was holy was he doing asking her to dinner?

Deacon had been around the others when they found their mates, so he knew what to expect. Or so he thought. Resisting Sabrina was an exercise in futility, but the way she was studying him didn’t mean she felt the same. His beast was rumbling in the recesses of his mind, which meant it was butting in. Stop pushing.

It’s inevitable.

He knew his beast was right, but he thought he was stronger than that.

There’s nothing stronger than the pull to our mate. You know this.

He did know it, but he didn’t have to act on it. When he stepped off the elevator, Deacon had reached out to see if he could sense Sabrina. Not only did he feel her, but he also heard her voice as she and Kaya spoke softly outside Jonathan’s room. And it seemed his Queen was trying to play matchmaker.

Sabrina studied his face a few seconds before she sighed. Deacon braced himself for rejection, but the doctor surprised him. “Actually, Italian is my favorite, so yes. You may take me to dinner. ”

“Really? ”

Sabrina cocked her head to the side, frowning. “Do you often ask women out expecting to be turned down? ”

“No. I don’t ask women out. ” When she raised her eyebrows, he continued, “I don’t date. ” Deacon should really shut up, but her confusion was as tangible as her distrust. He knew the mate bond should have already kicked in, drawing her to him. There was an undercurrent of lust, but reluctance was shoving her desire out of the way. That made sense, because under normal circumstances, there was no way a smart, sophisticated woman like her would ever be interested in a commoner like him. “What I’m trying and failing to say is I’m a busy male without a lot of free time, but I would never forgive myself if I didn’t take you out. ”

“May I ask you a question? ”

“Of course. ”

“How do you know Mr. Holt? I assume you’re close to him with as much time as you spend in his room. ”

“He’s family. ” When Sabrina crossed her arms over her chest, he explained, “Long story short, he and his sister, Priscilla, are the caretakers for Rafael and Kaya. That part you already know. Rafael’s brother, Gregor, is my boss, and over the years, all the Stones welcomed me into their homes as part of the family. I spend every Sunday at Rafael’s manor with his extended family. I love Jonathan like a father. We all do. ”

“That explains why there are so many visitors. I asked Dr. Mooneyham about that, and he said you all were family but didn’t go into detail. ”

“It’s going to be a huge loss to all of us when Jonathan passes. ”

Sabrina saddened at Deacon’s words. He wanted to pull her into his arms and offer comfort, but he didn’t want her pushing him away. He used his words instead to help ease the pain. “Death is inevitable, Dr. Bailey. Especially when someone is as sick as Jonathan. ”

“We were hopeful the next round of treatment would make a difference. You knew Mr. Holt decided to stop treatment, didn’t you? ” Her tone wasn’t accusing. Not exactly.

Deacon wouldn’t lie to her. Not about that. He would do his best to always tell his mate the truth, but until they were truly bonded – if they were ever bonded – he might have to omit things she couldn’t be aware of. “Yes. It’s why I wanted to give Rafael time alone with Jonathan. ”

“I don’t understand. There are other options we haven’t tried. I hate seeing any of my patients give up. ”

Deacon reached out, against his better judgement, and took her hand in his larger ones. The need to touch her was great, and as soon as she felt his skin against hers, her eyes widened. “The fact that you care so deeply about your patients is one of the things which makes you a great doctor, but sometimes, a person can only take so much before they need peace. You’ve already tried several regimens, and Jonathan is tired and has been for a long time. He’s lived a good life, but he’s ready for the peace that only death will bring. ” His mate stood there, staring at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. ” Deacon took a step back, releasing her hand.

Sabrina shook her head. “No, you didn’t. Not really. I understand what you’re saying about wanting peace. There are times when a person comes to a point in their life when all hope is lost. ”

Deacon wanted to know at what point in Sabrina’s life she’d lost hope, because he had no doubt she was speaking from experience. As her mate, it was his duty to protect her from anything that impacted her, whether it was keeping her safe physically or making sure she had the best life possible to ensure she was content mentally. His beast was right. It was inevitable, and he needed to get over his insecurities that he wasn’t the best male for her. He couldn’t let one thing from his past dictate his future. If the fates deemed him worthy, who was he to argue? They had their reasons even if he couldn’t see them. The only way he was going to be able to give her that best life was to move forward instead of hiding from her.

“About that dinner. If I may have your phone number, please? ” Deacon pulled his phone out of his back pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over.

Sabrina hesitated, but she eventually took it and added her contact information. “I’m free Thursday night, ” she said, handing his phone back.

“Excellent. How’s six o’clock? ”

“That works for me. I’ll text you my address. ” Sabrina smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Deacon figured she was thinking about Jonathan. “Now, I’m going to go in and check on my patient. ”

Deacon pushed the door open, allowing Sabrina to enter ahead of him. While she walked over to the bed, he stopped to speak to Kai.

“I was on my way to the morgue and thought I’d stop and say hello. ” Deacon was using Trevor as an excuse to try and catch a glimpse of Sabrina. He had no business at the morgue, but he’d become fond of Jasper’s mate. The human was funny as well as quirky, and the two of them had bonded over their love of video games, even if Trevor kicked his ass more often than not.

Deacon glanced over at Kaya who was grinning at him. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at her. He knew his Queen meant well, and he couldn’t be mad at her for trying to put in a good word for him with Sabrina. He was glad he interrupted her, though. It wasn’t her place to get him and Sabrina together. Deacon felt his mate’s eyes on him, and when he turned to her, she had an amused look on her face. She’d no doubt caught the silent exchange between him and Kaya.

Malakai motioned toward the door. “Let’s give them some privacy. ”

Deacon wanted to remain in the room with Sabrina, but he had work to do. He’d only stopped by to see how Jonathan was feeling, hoping to see his mate, and since he had Kaya and Malakai keeping him company, Deacon didn’t want to overwhelm the man. He took one last look at Sabrina before closing the door.

“Congrats, Brother. ” Kai clapped Deacon on the shoulder, squeezing.

“For? ”

“Taking the first step with your mate. ” Kai took a few steps away from the door, but he didn’t go so far that he couldn’t see it. He shoved his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “It gives me hope, you know? Watching all of you find your mates makes me think there’s someone out there for me, too. ”

“It’s something I’ve always longed for, but now that it’s within my grasp, I’m scared, Brother. Scared I won’t be able to keep her safe. I’m worried I’m not good enough for her. Terrified she’ll find me lacking after our date and decide I’m not what she wants. ”

“What about the mate bond? That alone should assure you about being with her. ”

“It should, but I also believe our mates should have a choice. Just because the fates think we are perfect for one another, what if Sabrina only finds me attractive because of it? She’s a doctor, and I’m… I’m just me. ”

“Do you think Gregor isn’t good enough for Tessa? That Frey isn’t good enough for Abbi? I could understand if you were comparing yourself to Rafael, who’s King. Or Julian who is a genius. But Gregor has the same job you do, and Frey owns a gym. ”

“No, of course not. I guess I see what you’re saying. And I’m not saying Sabrina is better than Tessa or Abbi because she’s a doctor. I just don’t want to ever feel like she’s settling. ”

Kai crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m in the same boat. I don’t even own a gym; I merely work at one. But let me remind you. Like me, you have more money than you’ll ever spend. You’re smart, you’re kind, and you’re one of the good guys. We are so much more than our job title. I don’t care if my mate turns out to be a princess or the next president or a maid. If I’m ever lucky enough to find my one, I’m going to grab her tight and never let go. I’ll do everything in my power to protect her and make her happy. I’ll give her every reason to see me for the male I am and not my job title. ”

Deacon admired his friend’s determination. He knew Kai was right, but Deacon had never been all that confident, no matter that he was a Gargoyle. He needed to take a page out of Kai’s book and think positively.

“You’re right, Brother. Thursday night, I’m going to start showing Sabrina I’m the male for her. ”

“That’s the spirit. Now, let’s talk about Unholy. ”

⇐ Предыдущая 4 5 6 7 8910 11 12 13 Следующая ⇒