Armored Hearts (The Town of Pearl 7)

“You need to take something.”

She shook her head. “I’ll deal with it.” She sounded snappy and he could tell that India was fighting the aches.

“You can’t risk getting weaker and feeling sick. You could wind up with a fever, an infection, and then back in the hospital. You’re taking something,” Fisher said sternly.

Her mouth opened up to say something and then she closed it.

“What exactly is in your contract for dealing with me?” she asked. It shocked him and Fisher.

“Contract?” Fisher had the ability to ask.

“Yes. There must be some sort of contractual agreement between you and Silas or you and Dmitri. What is it? What are you supposed to do babysit me? Keep me sedated and weak? What?” She raised her voice.

“What’s with the attitude? We’re trying to help you,” Fisher asked.

“Listen, you’re cranky, you’re feeling weak and vulnerable. I think it’s time to take something for the pain and for you to rest,” Ford told her.

“I think I’ll be fine right here on my own. Thank you.” Grey walked in with the blanket and pillow, obviously hearing the little confrontation. He handed her the blanket and the pillow and she painstakingly maneuvered them into position on the couch.

Lying down, her face turned red from her holding in the ache she was obviously feeling. But she cuddled under the blanket and lay down, closing her eyes.

Ford glanced at Fisher, who looked pissed, and then at Grey, who raised his palms up as if saying, “What the heck did you do?”

This was exactly why Ford was single. Women required maintenance and a doctorate in Psychology. He wasn’t wasting his time.

Chapter 5

A few days passed and it was the same routine. She awoke crying in her sleep and the pillow over her head in an attempt to not alert the men to her nightmares. They had been pushing for her to take at least half a pain pill, but she refused.

As she headed downstairs, slowly, she could honestly say that her ribs were feeling better. She approached the kitchen to find Ford and Flynn standing by the stove cooking up some pancakes.

“Hey, you didn’t need any help down the stairs?” Flynn asked with a smile.

“Nope. It’s so quiet down here. I thought maybe everyone was sleeping or out.”

“No, we usually put on some music but we didn’t want to wake you with the surround sound system,” Flynn said.

“You have a surround sound system? Where? Can I see it? I love listening to music.” Ford chuckled as Flynn showed India where the control box was.

She fiddled through some songs and then found a station she liked. The sound of club music echoed through the house. She played with the volume and soon the bass was pounding, causing the glasses on the wine rack to vibrate.

She closed her eyes, leaned her head back, and smiled as she listened to the music.

“Are you out of your mind? What the hell is this crap?” Fenton barked as he came inside looking annoyed.

She chuckled as Fenton lowered the volume.

“That’s club music. Don’t you have any clubs out here where you can go dancing?” she asked.

He looked her over and seemed disgusted or as if she were a freak.

“Dance clubs? No. We have dance halls where really good music is played and you understand the words. Not this stuff that has hardly any words and a lot of techno nonsense.”

“It’s great to dance to. I’d show you but I think my hip action will be a little off,” she said and slowly gave her hips a wiggle as she looked down.

When she glanced up, Ford and Flynn were staring at her and Fenton was, too.

She nibbled her swollen lower lip. “Okay, club music is not your thing,” she said and walked toward the island.