But, really, that was probably more of a gift for his loved ones than the man himself, since he seemed to have no problem living in filth.
“So you just object to their lifestyles.”
“I object to young, smart, capable men going down the path of crime when they could be just about anything else.”
I mean, I guess that was fair.
“And before you accuse me of being privileged or elitist, I grew up on the same block as your friend Seeley out there. We had the same sort of upbringing, all the same opportunities. He chose to be a criminal instead of doing something positive with his life.”
“I think people have a lot of reasons for doing the things they end up doing,” I said, thinking of how uncharacteristic it was for me to become a criminal. But I did it. To save those innocent dogs.
I had to believe that if these guys chose to become outlaw bikers, that they had their own reasons for it.
“And that sometimes people can do, objectively, bad things but still be good people and do positive things.”
“I think you give them more credit than they deserve,” the doctor said. “Okay. I feel pretty confident this is dislocated. But I want to do a quick X-ray just to make sure. You get the honor of being the third patient to use the machine. You don’t want to know how much begging I needed to do in the community to get us the machine.”
“You rely on donations?”
“If we want any upgrades, yes. Hell, sometimes even for everyday essentials. I had to pay for our gloves last month because we ran out and there was no money.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Who do I make donations to?”
“I wasn’t telling you that to get sympathy money. I promise.”
“No, I believe you. It’s just… my parents are kind of, well, you know, well off. And they are always looking for a good cause. A clinic that serves a community that likely really needs it sounds like a good cause to me.”
“Well, we certainly wouldn’t turn it away, that’s for sure!” she said, leading me out of the room and down the hall to the last room. “We only get one steady benefactor. And we all almost cry every month when that cash comes in,” she told me. “I guess a part of us is terrified that the money will stop coming in eventually.”
“It comes as cash?” I asked, brows furrowing as she led me over to the table and helped me up.
“I know. Strange, right? You can’t write it off on your taxes if you don’t write a check or get a receipt. Okay. Led bib,” she said, carefully placing the apron over me. “Try not to move,” she said, moving back behind the little glass room.
It was when we were walking back from the x-ray room when I saw Seeley shoot up from his chair.
But his gaze wasn’t on me, keeping an eye on me for Remy.
Oh, no.
His gaze was on Dr. Stone.
The very gorgeous woman who’d grown up near Seeley. The woman who seemed to have too much bitterness just because a guy from her neighborhood hadn’t lived up to his full potential.
A woman who, maybe, possibly, had some sort of personal history with the young biker.
“I will be right back in with something for the pain,” Dr. Stone said, giving me a smile as she moved past my room.
I didn’t go right in, though.
Oh, no.
My nosy ass stood there and watched Seeley watch Dr. Stone as she moved behind the nurse’s station and talked to the attractive male nurse that I was sure Myles had already slipped his number to.
There was something intense in Seeley’s dark gaze as he looked at the woman he must have known had a pretty low opinion of him.
Suddenly, my mind circled back to the unknown benefactor of the clinic.
The person who paid in cash that they couldn’t write off.