David examined his hand then shook his head. “I don’t think it’s broken, but this joint may be dislocated.”
Carol stepped from behind the two men and snatched his hand into her grip. Broussard winced. “Let me see.” She examined him quickly then gripped the end of his ring finger. “On three.” She looked up at him and his eyes widened, a scream caught in his throat. “One…” She jerked the joint and Andre let loose a string of epithets in French.
“That trick never works,” he growled.
“It did this time.” She glared at him as she walked across the lab and set the temperature on the incubators. “The next time I tell you not to do something because it’s too dangerous, you had better listen to me.”
He sighed heavily and weighed the options of arguing with her or simply agreeing. He nodded gently, “Yes, ma cherie.”
Her demeanor softened slightly as she grabbed sterile swabs and turned to the table where Tammy was taking samples. “I want to get some swabs for DNA.” She reached across and swabbed at the clear fluids, hoping it was saliva. “We can cross reference this with our printouts from the cure.”
Broussard nodded as he stepped in behind her. “After this, it is a waiting game.” He leaned in close and lowered his voice. “I suggest we get some much needed rest.”
She glanced at him and raised a brow. “Rest?”
He smiled shyly. “Surely we’d rest better after…” He shrugged.
“Let me guess, the adrenaline spike from almost being eaten has you excited?”
Broussard shrugged slightly. “One might make the connection.”
She fought the urge to smile and noticed the other researchers pretending not to listen. “Fine.” She stripped the rubber gloves from her hands then turned to face him. “But this time, I get the whips and chains and you have to wear the ball gag.”
She noticed the look of shock on his face just before the others began to snicker.
Simon lay down on the bed with a soft groan and scooted slightly when Lana curled up next to him. “Okay, so that Hammer fella checks out.”
She sighed as she lay her head on his chest. “Do you remember him?”
Simon shook his head. “Not even a little.” He stifled a yawn and glanced down at her in the dark. “I’m thinking that ‘Squatch is still full of shit, though.”
“How so?”
“He didn’t drop by on his own. I think the other bikers sent him with specific questions.”
Lana propped herself on one arm and stared at him. “Why do you say that?”
“The guy’s an idiot,” Simon stated flatly. “You heard him tonight. He could barely put a sentence together.”
“He was nervous because he thought he’d pissed you off earlier.” She lay back down and laughed once. “I think he knew how close he came to getting shot today.”
“Shit. That boy had no clue.” He sighed as he stared at the ceiling. “He’s big and stout, but if brains were dynamite, he wouldn’t have enough to blow his nose.”
“That’s not fair, Simon. He’s a good guy.”
“He’s probably got retard strength, too.”
“That’s so rude!” she chided, slapping at his midsection. “You shouldn’t be like that.”
He chuckled and continued. “No, seriously. You could be like, ‘Hey, ‘Squatch, go pick up that car and tuck it between them trees,’ and he’d be all, ‘Dur… okay, George.’”
“Stop it.” She fought not to laugh at the voices he made. “He’s young and he’s bright. Maybe a bit naïve, but he’s not stupid.”
Simon laughed low and ran his fingers across the skin of her back. “If you say so.”
“I do.” She nipped at his skin, causing him to flinch. “And I consider myself a pretty good judge of people.”
He glanced at her and shook his head. “You can’t be too good at judging people.” He pulled her tighter to him. “You chose me.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Actually, no; you chose me.” She ran a nail across the skin of his navel, causing him to jerk slightly. “I just made you stick to it.”
He scoffed as he smiled at her. “If you say so, Empress.”
She nodded. “I do. I remember it plainly. You told me that I was yours.” She looked up at him. “You might as well have said you married me.”
Simon froze for a moment then felt a peculiar warmth spreading through his insides. It was unfamiliar, but he liked it. He found himself smiling broader, and he laughed. “Are you telling me we’re hitched?”
She groaned slightly as she exhaled, nuzzling him as sleep overtook her. “Damn skippy.”
Simon nodded to himself. “In that case, I do.”
She wrapped her arm around his middle and sighed. “You’d better.”
13
Roger and Hatcher watched as Will wired up the convertor. “There. That should do it.” He turned and nodded to Roger. “Try a light switch.”
Roger hesitated a moment and stepped away from the switch on the wall. He stretched his arm out and slapped at the plastic plate, lighting the garage. “Hey, nothing blew up.” He smiled at the pair.
Will smirked and collected his tools. “Mr. Hatcher, I trust that you paid attention. Are you ready to start wiring up the other houses?”
He stared at Will for a moment then smiled. “Have you got the water switched over yet? I’d hate to start a fire.”
Will’s face fell and he mumbled to himself as he picked up his tool satchel and walked away. “I think you hurt his feelings,” Roger quipped.
“I think he knows that electricity scares me,” Hatcher shrugged. “You can’t see it coming.”
“I think acrid smoke followed by fire would be a good clue.” Roger clapped the man on the back. “I hear you’re getting a fancy new television system. I also hear it gets all the channels. The front entrance, the walls, the rear of the addition…” He trailed off.
Hatcher sighed and turned to him. “About that.”
“Oh no,” Roger laughed, waving him off. “There’s no way you’re gonna talk me into—”
He held a hand up to
