“Nonsense,” I say. “Come sit with me and enjoy this fantastic view. We can get to know each other better.”
I walk over and push his wheelchair next to his recliner, putting the brake on so I can help him out of the chair. He’s scowling up at me from beneath his afghan.
“I’ll eat right here, got it? I’m not missing these fools on Let’s Make A Deal just so I can listen to you go on and on about your favorite hairstyles.”
“Come on, Dix. I made you a nice breakfast; let’s sit together and eat.”
“Piss on that.” He waves a hand. “I’m not getting out of my chair.”
I shrug. “Have it your way.”
I walk back to the table in the kitchen and sit down, adding some pepper to my eggs. The apartment is an open-floor plan, so Dix can see me.
“Are you special?” he barks. “Bring me my plate before it gets cold.”
“Mmm, this bacon is perfect. If you’re not gonna come over here and eat, can I have yours, too?”
“Who said I’m not eating! You’re getting paid to cook my breakfast, so bring it over here, you dimwit.”
I set down my piece of bacon and meet his surly gaze. “Actually, I’m only getting paid to make sure you don’t get hurt or into trouble. This,” I gesture at the food on the table, “was just me being nice. And I’m not nice to people who call me names. You can just wait for lunch.”
Reaching across the table, I move his plate over next to mine and grab a piece of bacon from it.
Dix howls. It’s all I can do to keep a straight face.
“That’s my bacon, you bitch! Put that down!”
“This is the good stuff,” I say, taking another big bite. “I’ve never had such delicious bacon.”
“I’m telling Anton about this,” Dix huffs.
“Please do. Did I mention you’re having tuna and veggies for lunch while I have a gooey grilled cheese? We’ll start fresh tomorrow and if you don’t call me any names, you can join me for bacon and eggs then.”
“You hag! You’re not even a real nurse!”
“Never said I was.”
“Hell of a note, treating an old man this way.”
I give him a pointed look. “Hell of a note, calling a woman who cooked you the breakfast you asked for a bitch.”
He grumbles that he’s not hungry anyway and I go back to eating the bacon. For the rest of the day, he doesn’t speak to me unless he needs help going to the bathroom.
I’m fine with that. I study in silence, and actually get a lot done.
My grandma used to say, “Ain’t no man got a right to disrespect you, Mia. Not ever.” I grew up believing that, and I’ve never been afraid to push back against anyone treating me like shit. Anyone except Adam.
For whatever reason, coming from my husband, the criticism cut deep and made me ask what I’d done to deserve it.
You don’t have the face for that haircut.
Have you put on weight?
You probably can’t get pregnant because you don’t eat well enough.
How the fuck am I supposed to be turned on when you’re wearing that?
I never pushed back. I let the shame wash over me and I stayed silent.
Never, ever again. He may be holding me hostage over my grandpa’s care, but I will never let a man cut me down again.
Dix may have scared away the other nurses, but he’s the one in for a rude awakening this time.Chapter FourteenAntonMy teammate Knox looks from side to side, making sure we’re alone in the weight room before he leans in to say something.
“Hey, you heard anything about Adam and his wife splitting?”
My pulse speeds up slightly, but I don’t let it show. “Uh-uh, why?”
“Someone in the front office told Dmitri’s wife they called Mia and asked if she wanted to hand out gifts with the wives at the charity thing this year and she said no because she and Adam aren’t together anymore.”
I finish my last rep and drop the bar to the floor. “So what?”
Knox shrugs. “She’s smokin’ hot. How long do you think I’d need to wait before making a move?”
“Don’t go there.”
“What? It’s not like Adam’s all broken up about it.”
“I said don’t go there.” My tone is sharper than I intended, but I can’t hide the flare of possessiveness I feel for Mia.
Not that I have any right—she’s not mine, and she may never be. But no way am I putting up with a manwhore like Knox going after her.
I’ve been on autopilot all day—going through the motions of practice and working out while my mind’s on Mia.
She’s in my apartment right now. Walking around my kitchen and sitting on my sofa. I wish I was there with her.
When I made her the job offer, I was honest about what she’d be getting into. I told her how many nurses had quit. She accepted it, though, and I was pretty stoked. I put the Uber app on her phone and linked it to my bank account, telling her rides to and from my place are included.