Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Uncle Neil had already done the surgery. This had all happened in the middle of the night.
“He is sedated for now. That will give us enough time to introduce you to the others here and go over what you need to handle,” he told me as we walked up the front steps to the house.
One of the large double doors opened when we reached the top step. A Viking-sized man filled the door with a scowl on his face. I paused because he was intimidating and slightly terrifying. That was one thing Uncle Neil hadn’t mentioned.
“He’s awake and bitching,” the massive man said. “Can you shut him the fuck up?”
Uncle Neil chuckled and nodded his head. “I should have figured he’d be hard to sedate for long. Huck, this is my niece, Shiloh. She is my replacement for Lynn and understands the importance of your privacy.”
Huck’s gaze swung to me, and his scowl deepened. The way he was looking at me would make me believe he disliked me on sight. “Shiloh.” He said my name as if he knew me and, again, wasn’t a fan.
That caused me some concern because I knew that perhaps he did know me—or the me before. The me I didn’t know myself. This had happened a few times since my return to Ocala, but not once had someone acted as if they didn’t like me. I did, however, have a few reservations about the former Shiloh.
Uncle Neil cleared his throat. “Uh, yes.” He glanced at me with a worried frown. It wasn’t like I could answer this. “She’s responsible and excellent at bedside care. Gage’s personality will require someone who isn’t easily upset. Shiloh works well in that department.”
Huck continued to study me, as if waiting for me to say something. I smiled in return. If these people did their research, they’d find my picture and name on my uncle’s website. He could have known who I was for that reason because if he knew the former me, he wasn’t saying it. Finally, he stepped back to allow us to enter.
“I’ll let Gage make this call,” he said, still watching me with unease.
Uncle Neil went inside first, and I followed him. Curious as to why Huck didn’t seem pleased with my being the nurse. I did hope Uncle Neil had noticed and would perhaps broach the subject.
“I’ll take her upstairs and deal with the patient,” Uncle Neil told him.
Huck was still scowling, but he simply gave a nod, then walked away.
Uncle Neil turned to me. “Ready?”
“Yep,” I replied.
The tension in his shoulders and tight line of his mouth made it clear he had noticed Huck’s odd behavior toward me. Why hadn’t he said something? My uncle tried to shelter me from the life I used to have. It didn’t bother me normally because I preferred to not have to ask questions. But if I was going to be in this house regularly, then I thought it needed to be addressed.
If they had known the Shiloh Ellis before two years ago, then they needed to know she no longer existed. I’d forgotten her life the moment I hit the black ice and crashed into the side of a mountain.
Two
Gage
Fucking hell. When all this shit was off me and I could walk again, there were some motherfuckers who were going to die slow, brutal deaths. How the fuck was I supposed to stay in this house for a week, much less two? There was no way in hell I was going to be down for three weeks, like Carmichael had suggested.
I tried to sit up, but the pain in my chest stopped me. FUCK! That hurt like a bitch. Bastard who had stabbed me was going to be sliced to pieces while he bled to death. Dammit, why had I walked into the place like Rambo? Levi and Huck would have been there in ten minutes. I could have waited, and this shit wouldn’t have happened.
The door to my bedroom opened, and Dr. Carmichael entered the room. Thank fuck. I needed some painkillers or a fifth of whiskey. I opened my mouth to tell him this when my gaze locked on the woman walking in behind him. Maybe the meds hadn’t worn off after all because there was no fucking way Shiloh Ellis had walked into my room.
“Gage,” Carmichael said, but I didn’t look away from the raven-haired female behind him.
Why the fuck couldn’t she have aged poorly? Was it not enough that the bitch had been so damn beautiful that it hurt when she was a teenager? I was high. Had to be. This was not happening. Shiloh wasn’t a fucking nurse. She had never even done a chore in her life. The idea that she’d lift a perfectly manicured finger to play nurse to anyone, especially me, made me want to laugh.