Headstrong Like Us (Like Us 6)

“Code signals?” I lift my brows. “For quickies?”

“Yeah.”

I want to tease him, but it’s not a half-bad idea. “We’ll work on it.”

Sulli touches the dolphin pendant roped around her neck. “Who else knew? Is this…is it something that everyone was fucking in on…and you left me…I was left in the dark?” She struggles with words and looks over at Maximoff to throw a life raft.

He steps closer. “I have no idea what happened.”

Sulli takes a big breath. “My boyfriend told Akara to stop flirting with me, so that’s fucking why Akara has been so…you know…standoffish.”

Akara is quiet. He brushes a hand through his black hair, fits on a baseball cap backwards, and then angles towards Banks. Just to whisper something to him.

Sulli faces me and Maximoff more. “Did either of you know?”

I shake my head with arched brows. “No, this wasn’t my business.”

“No clue,” Maximoff says, his forest-greens narrowed in alert.

Banks pulls away from Akara and bites down on a toothpick. “I was informed.”

“Just him,” Akara adds quickly.

Her mouth falls. “Why wouldn’t you tell me that he asked you to stop flirting with me? Especially when we don’t flirt, we’ve never flirted!” She gesticulates wildly and slams a hand against the bamboo window frame. “Fuck, cum-shit fuckfuckfuck.” She jerks her hand to her chest and cradles her palm.

Banks swears in Italian, and Akara speaks fast on comms, ordering a temp to bring over a first-aid kit. They both try to approach, and she backs up.

I see blood.

That’s my bigger cue.

I move forward. Not a surprise, Maximoff is beside me. “Are you okay?” he asks his cousin. “Sulli?”

She grips her wrist to her chest. Glaring at Akara.

I reach out. “Hey, let me see your hand, Sulli.”

She absentmindedly shows me her palm, more focused on the emotional hurt she’s feeling. “Why couldn’t you tell me, Kits?”

“He’s your boyfriend.” Akara is watching me assess her injury. “He came to me in confidence, so I couldn’t tell you. I wasn’t going to fuck up your first relationship.”

She didn’t sprain her wrist. Blood pools out of a puncture wound, right in the center of her palm. I look up at the bamboo window frame and see a nail.

Not good.

Maximoff notices too. “Did it go all the way through her hand?”

“No, but it’s deep.” And needs cleaned. “Is there a sealed water bottle nearby?”

“Yeah, I’ll get it.”

I’m about to ask Sulli her pain level, but she snaps back at Akara, “He was my boyfriend. Do you honestly think I’ll stay with him after this? He cost me a fucking friendship—and I don’t have many of those to lose!” She speaks with her hands and accidentally tears her wrist out of my grasp.

I seize her wrist, holding tighter.

“And fuck you for keeping this from me, Kits,” Sulli continues on. “I had to learn from a phone call because he’s pissed you’re here and not him.”

Maximoff uncaps a water bottle for me, and I wash blood off her palm. She doesn’t even wince. Which could boil down to three things:

1. She has a high-pain tolerance.

2. Alcohol is masking the pain.

3. Or she’s too upset about her friendship and boyfriend issues to notice the sting.

“I was doing my job,” Akara retorts, hurt in his eyes. “I can’t apologize for that, Sul.”

“You said we were friends! You just said it two seconds ago! A friend…a friend would’ve fucking told me.” Her face twists.

I can imagine this is a double-dose of pain for Sulli since she’s been on the outs with Beckett.

Akara comes closer. “You are my friend. But you’re my client first.”

Sulli shoves his chest with the unharmed hand.

“Heyheyhey.” Banks steps between them. Sulli is all hurt anger, and I can’t tell how much is alcohol-fueled—but she pushes at Banks’ chest. He’s a fucking rock wall, unmoving.

Banks leans down and his lips brush her ear, hand on the crook of her neck. He whispers to Sulli. Her chest rises and falls heavily, but she seems to calm at whatever he says. Her eyes are latched on Akara, then drift up at Banks, then back to Akara.

I don’t pretend to understand that shit. I just do my job. Maximoff pops open a first-aid kit that a bodyguard just passed him, and I take gloves and bandages out.

Her tetanus shot is up-to-date. Knowledge I wouldn’t have if I weren’t part of the med team.

Minor medical emergencies like this, I’m more than happy I’m a concierge doctor to these families. I can help Sulli more efficiently and quickly.

She eases a lot more and cringes at her hand, blood starting to bubble up from the wound again. “Will that need stitches?”

“Maybe a couple.” I snap on gloves. “Ten minutes and I’ll reassess. How’s the pain from one to ten? Ten being the worst.”

Sulli shrugs. “Fuck…a two, I guess.”

Okay. I bet alcohol is numbing the pain.