Page 39 of Sin City Dark
“Hi.”
“What is it, Myla?”
“You sound tense.”
“Uh-huh.” He rolled his shoulders.
“I can relax you.”
Her attempt to sound seductive only annoyed him more. Nick was silent for a moment, trying to control his irritation.
“I bought a new toy,” she cooed.
“OK.”
“Don’t you want to see what it is?”
Nick unclenched his teeth. “We already discussed this earlier. I can’t play tonight. Why are you calling me again?”
“You’ve changed your mind before.”
“Not happening this time.”
He heard her huff a frustrated breath.
“Then I’ll just have to find someone else to play with.”
He pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose. “Do what you need to do. I have to go.”
He ended the call and was about to enter Jannie’s room when another nurse approached.
“Hello, I’m Mary. I’ll be taking over from Erin.”
He smiled at the older woman. She was one of those nurses who instantly put patients at ease just by walking into the room.
“Are you her husband?”
Nick hesitated just a second before he nodded somberly and opened the door for her. “After you.”
He followed Mary inside and was relieved to see Jannie had regained a touch of color. He retook his seat, trying to hear what Erin was telling Mary about Jannie’s condition, but caught only fragments.
“… low B … lost a lot of blood … hypovolemic shock … transfusions.”
He ran a hand over his face. It was almost midnight; he’d barely slept the night before, and the fatigue he had been holding back made itself known, slowly sinking into his bones.
“I upped the morphine per Dr. Bradley’s orders,” he heard Erin say.
Mary nodded.
He didn’t catch the rest of what they said. With one last glance at Jannie, Erin turned and exited the room.
Mary replaced Jannie’s chart and gave Nick a sympathetic smile. “I would suggest you go get some rest and come back in the morning, but …”
“Not a chance.”
She smiled. “I didn’t think so. That is a fold-out chair, but I can have them bring you a cot if you’d like to be more comfortable.”
“Thank you.”
