Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Maddie

Thomasina is in her box as I lay on the couch, feeding her bits of plain chicken. A mother needs her strength, and this part, I can do.

She eats every bite I give her, even as she lays on her side nursing the kittens. I stroke her head, softly encouraging her. “Tomorrow, we’ll get some more fish for you, sweet girl. You need lots of good protein.”

Thomasina keeps purring. The elevator doors open and I hear Roman’s footsteps across the floor. He doesn’t say a word as he comes toward me.

I pull my hand from the box, propping up on one elbow. “Everything all right?” I ask, cocking my head as I listen to his sure steps. His energy is off…

“Fine, my love,” he answers. “Very good.”

He sits down on the couch, pulling me into the hollow of his body, so that I’m wrapped up in hold.

His hand comes to my hair, stroking down the length, even as he drops a kiss on the tip of my nose.

He’s called me sweetheart a million times. And he’s even called me love. But never my love .

I pause over the choice of words, my heart rising in my throat. “You’re sure?”

“I’m great.” His nose rubs over the tip of mine. I reach up to cup his face, wanting his lips on mine.

But when I touch the side of his face, he winces the slightest bit. I can feel the swelling. “Roman!”

“It’s nothing.” He takes my hand from his face, bringing my palm to his lips.

“It’s not nothing. You need ice. What happened?”

“Mason and I had a little talk.”

I’m pushing off the couch so that I can get up and get ice, when I stop… “Talk? Which part of your face did you use for this conversation?”

He gives a low chuckle, bending down to kiss my lips. “The wrong one, clearly.”

“But…” I didn’t have siblings and certainly not brothers. “Is this normal?”

He sighs. “For grown men to solve their differences with their fists? In my family, I’m afraid so. Mason, Leo, and I were without parents at a fairly young age. We might be more wild than most.”

“Oh.” But some kind of heat pools low in my belly. I like wild…

Roman’s brand anyway. It’s the perfect combination of safe and free, and I’ve never felt more able to let my own inhibitions go.

He hears the change and his light kisses deepen. Much as I’d like to lose myself in that kiss, I push at his chest. “Ice.”

He lets me up and I cross to the fridge, fumbling a bit with the ice drawer. “Need help?”

“I’m helping you,” I say, my exasperation evident. I finally get enough ice in the towel, and I cross back to him. I don’t give him the towel though, instead I lift it to his face. “What was this fight about?”

I’ve got some idea. Mason was not pleased with the deal Roman offered me. It was obvious.

“It was about how Mason thinks he is the boss of everything.”

My brows lift. That doesn’t really help. “Like you?”

“He is my boss. But not yours. And when he speaks to you, he won’t do so like he’s talking to an errant employee.”

“Roman,” I gasp. “You did not need to fight with your brother on my account.”

“Yes, I did.” And then he pulls me close.

“Really. I’m fine. I?—”

“No one is going to speak to you like that. You will get the respect you deserve.”

I melt into him. I don’t need people to respect me. I’d prefer they didn’t show disrespect.

But Roman doesn’t seem to be finished. “Look, Maddie, there’s more I should tell you.”

I pull my chin back, trying to understand. “About Mason?”

“Mason. Me. Our future.”

He tightens his hands in my dress. I don’t mean to, but the ice pouch drops a bit. “Our future?” There is that hope again.

But he lets out a long tired breath, the kind that makes me wince. I don’t think I’m going to like what he’s about to say.

“Before we talk about all of that, can I just tell you how I feel?—”

But he’s interrupted by Thomasina’s meow. It sounds off. Like she’s hurt or scared. I’m spinning, bending down. I see the blur of her jumping from the whelping box.

I reach a hand down to her, realizing she’s got one of the kittens in her mouth. Running one hand down her back, I grab for the kitten in her mouth. But when my fingers wrap about the little body, I gasp. The kitten’s body isn’t warm enough.

Thomasina, lets the baby go, meowing again. She’s asking for my help.

“What is it?”

I don’t answer as I place my finger by the little one’s mouth. “Not breathing.”

“Shit.”

He drops down on his haunches his hands coming to my back.

But I’m already working, stroking the kitten’s body, gently squeezing to stimulate its little heart.

With a sputter, I feel the moment the kitten draws breath.

Thomasina meows again, but I keep working, making certain that the baby doesn’t stop.

“What should we do?”

“Can we take the kitten to Lucia?”

Roman let’s out a frustrated breath. “The vet clinic is closer. Maybe we should go there?”

“Good idea,” I breathe, rising as I continue to rub the kitten, keeping its heart and lungs working.

Thomasina follows me and Roman as he gets the carrier that Jack brought the very first day. It’s in the closet.

He carries it back toward the whelping box. “You keep massaging the kitten. I’ll get Thomasina in…somehow.”

“Just put the kittens in the back and she’ll follow.” I keep the sick kitten in my hand as Roman loads up the other cats.

Picking up his phone, he places the call and then we’re off in the elevator.

I realize this is the first time I’ve left his apartment since I’ve arrived. I’m used to remaining in one place.

But as we go down the elevator and into the parking garage, I’m aware that the change of scenery from my house has been nice and going out will be even nicer.

Lucia was right. My world has gotten so small after the death of my grandmother. It’s nice to let it grow, to have new places and people. More than nice.

Roman opens my door, helping me into his car. Thomasina and the rest of the kittens go in the back.

He gets in last and starts the car. “They’ll see us right away,” he tells me as puts the car in reverse.

“Thank you, Roman,” I don’t even know how to tell him how much I appreciate this.

“How’s the kitten?”

“Still breathing.” I keep massaging, the little body still warm and moving in my palm.

“Good,” he rubs his hand down my arm as he drives through the bright sunshine.

This is way more than any man would want to take on. The fact that he’s doing it for the blind woman who professed her love the night before is shocking.

But I don’t say any of this because I’m focused on the kitten.

Any maybe still a little afraid to start a repeat of last night. I can’t take the rejection again when Roman doesn’t share my feelings.

We arrive at the clinic and Roman is out of the car, grabbing Thomasina and then helping me out.

I have that moment where I hate that he has to help me. That I’m a burden to him. But his arm comes around me, the carrier in the other hand.

He seamlessly helps me inside and we’re whisked into an exam room. It’s small, and Roman sets the carrier down on the bench seat.

“Everything still good?”

I nod even as I bite my lip. “I’m worried we’ll lose this little one. They don’t all make it. It’s a hazard of the business.”

“You take on the hurt of their loss so that they can hurt less,” Roman whispers against my temple as his arm wraps around me. “It’s one more way you’re so generous, Maddie.”

I smile even as the door opens for the vet tech to come in. “Welcome back to LV Animal Care. I’m Mike.”

“Hi Mike,” I say, turning toward him, my brows pulling together at both his choice of words and his tone. There is a hostility I don’t understand even if the words are pretty standard. And what does he mean by welcome back? “Nice to meet you.”

He clears his throat. “What’s wrong with this one?”

It’s in the way he says one…like it’s one of many.

“The kitten stopped breathing. It…”

He lets out a heavy sigh. “You know there are professional vets and techs for a reason.”

I look at him, not understanding.

“I know you’re the woman who dropped off the hodgepodge of animals at our clinic.” I tense, hearing his disapproval. Not many people see value in what I do. Or in me. I’m used to it, but also, it’s easier to avoid it most of the time. I’ve never been much of a fighter and I don’t want to try. “Not one of them had a care plan. They were a nightmare for the vet school.”

“Actually, that was me,” Roman answers, his voice menacingly deep. “And all the animals were being regularly treated by a licensed vet.”

“Really? A vet would have sent notes. Files. Your operation looks like nothing but a mom-and-pop shop.”

I open my mouth to argue, but close it again. It’s only a “mom” animal hospital. There is no “pop.”

I can see his outline, thanks to the exam lighting, but I don’t see the tray that’s on the counter. My hip catches it, and it goes crashing to the floor.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” I say, bending down. With the kitten still in one hand, I start feeling on the floor for the tools I’ve knocked down.

I hear Roman’s rumble next to me, his disapproval, and I wince. I know I’m a lot and the reason I stay at home so much is because it’s so much more obvious when I’m out how much I struggle.

If Roman didn’t want to ditch me before, he certainly does now.

But he doesn’t say a word to me. Instead, he talks to the tech. “They shouldn’t have been hanging over the edge like that. They’re a hazard to anyone.”

Mike lets out a disagreeable grunt. “And people like her shouldn’t be caring for animals.”

I wince as I hold the small kitten to my chest.

But before I can even say a word, Roman’s arm is around me. “What did you just say to her?”

“Look. I’m just calling it the way I see it.” Mike’s tone drips of self-importance, while I try to shrink into my dress. “Some of those animals were in real distress and here we are again.”

“None of them were in distress.” I argue. Thanks to Lucia’s help, all my patients had excellent care.

But Roman has the exact opposite reaction. “Is that how you see it?” he grits out.

“Yeah. It is.”

“Want to know how I see it?” The tension rolls off Roman in waves. “I see a little man with an even smaller mind.”

“You can’t talk to me like that,” Mike says back, his tone taking on a whining quality that grates.

“You thought she was someone you could belittle to make yourself feel better.”

“I…I did not…”

“But you are going to answer to me. I happened to notice your accusations were rather vague. Which animals were in distress? Tell us, Mike.”

Mike takes a giant step back. “I…”

Roman moves forward right in Mike’s face. Even I can tell that Roman is much taller. Larger in every dimension. “That’s what I thought. You know, she’s twice the caretaker you’ll ever be. Apologize.”

My mouth is hanging open as I listen to this exchange. Roman is not acting like a man who is going to bolt. He sounds like he’s defending me. My heart swells.

“Sorry.”

The door opens, the vet stepping inside. “Mr. Kincaid, is everything all right?”