After sitting on the table, he hiked up his left pant leg. “This prosthetic has been bothering the leg lately. I was wondering if you could look at it?”
“Boots and pants off,” Red ordered.
“Awe, Hollywood lied when he said I was easy,” Onyx replied as he hopped down and immediately regretted the action as a shot of pain went from where his knee used to be through to his hip.
“Are you more of a Pour Some Sugar on Me or Pony type of guy?” Red crossed his arms, his hard jaw clenching.
“You’re nicer to real patients right?”
“Bedside manner is for babies and women,” he replied.
Onyx bent to get his boots off. He’d learned how to toe them off, even with his prosthetic, but right now, he wasn’t in the mood to add crying to his bitch like ways. Having been with the Steels for a little over a year, he understood why Hollywood invited him. They’d both been on the force in LA. Hollywood getting a coveted spot on SWAT. One he was also slated to join on when his leg was amputated and he chose cyber-crime to a disability check.
At least technology helped with that, exceptions being made. Twenty years before, hell maybe even ten, he would have been given what little he had of a pension and sent on his way. He’d made a way, but he still missed the streets. Turnabout Creek and the Steels gave him that. Though he did think he might be the only black man in Montana, besides the two baby boys Braxton and Maddox the Coes had. The pace was slower, but the ability to fight, get into it the mix and more importantly, save women from violent relationships made it worth it. Onyx got back on the table in just his boxers.
“Let’s see,” Red said.
Once stable, Onyx removed the lower leg, the slight pop from the suction of his BK or, below the knee limb wasn’t as loud as it had been in the past. Or maybe he’d gotten accustom to the thing. “Suppose you’re used to all these,” Onyx said grateful he hadn’t had to visit Red for his leg before now.
“You know why they build medical schools by the VA?” Red asked as he sat on the rolling stool and began feeling and turning Onyx’s side.
“Because medics like to allow students to practice IV’s on them?” he replied.
“That too.” Red smirked, the man was a former medic who fast tracked through medical school. “Cheap labor. Med school students and residents need practical hours. I’ve seen every kind of prosthetic out there.”
“Even the fancy running blades?” Onyx asked.
“Yep, but not many of those.” Picking up the leg lying beside Onyx, Red turned it from side to side then messed with the gel liner. “First off, your leg seems angry and is a bit warmer than the other. I think you might have a slight infection in it.”
“What do I have to do for that?” Onyx had never had an infection in his leg before. He had been doing excess riding and wondered if he’d irritated it to the point of getting the infection.
“I’ll give you an antibiotic for it. If that doesn’t work I would suggest we find you an orthopedic, probably in Billings to refit you properly.” Red squished the gel liner between his fingers. “But I am gonna order you a new liner, unless you have a spare. This one seems a bit warn out.”
Red passed it back to him and he refitted the sleeve on his stump. With Red’s assistance, he reattached his lower leg, the man helping more to check the fit before Onyx stood and made sure his balance and weight was right.
“Okay, I can do that.” Onyx pulled his pants back on then sat to get his boots tied. “Should I stop riding my bike for a while until this is cleared up?”
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m sure I don’t have any samples, so I’ll call in the prescription for you and we can try to get it in the afternoon run. Need anything for the pain?”
“Nah, I’ll keep to the Tylenol and what not.”
Red gave him a shrug unphased by the admission. The weed wasn’t Cali quality, but Free, Hollywood’s Ol’ Lady had a good source.
They both walked out into the hallway when Topaz came in past reception.
Onyx’s heart skipped a beat. With her, there was a mixture of emotions. His damn cock loved the look of her. There were many women on the compound that could make a man do a double take, but Topaz had a beauty to her, unmatched in his mind. Hollywood teased him about the woman all the time saying the only one you want is the one your stupid ass thinks you can’t have.
It wasn’t stupid, it was years of seeing the look from people. Size, made him intimidating, at six-four, muscled with broad shoulders he cast a shadow. But his skin made him a threat. One he saw reflected in Topaz’s crystal eyes each time they crossed paths. He’d barely spoke to her in his time there, but the few times it’d been a fight, mixed with veiled accusations about some slight he’d done to her.
Welcomed by most, Onyx told Hollywood he didn’t mind being the only chip in the cookie, but the
