Diamond (Rare Gems #2)
By Kathi S. Barton
Chapter 1
Diamond was exhausted. She’d worked three doubles in a row and now all she wanted to do was to go home and soak for three days in her deep tub. She thought about using the hot tub that Blair, her new alpha and brother-in-law had had installed just a few days ago, but worried he and Sapphire, her sister would want it and she’d be there feeling stupid. Diamond was getting her things gathered up when one of the doctors came into the lounge.
“I was wondering if you’d stay for another half shift.” Diamond was already shaking her head. “Please? There’s been an accident on the highway, and I need all the nurses I can get. There are four cars involved. I will pay you triple time if you stay.”
She tried to tell herself she didn’t need the money badly enough to be dead on her feet for her three days off. She started putting her things back in her locker when Doctor Jan Talley walked over and hugged her.
“I’m not doing this because of the money but because I’m off for the next three days and if you call me, I will say no. I’m too tired to work a good shift as it is now, and I need these days off. Promise me you won’t call me.” Jan nodded. “I want you to say it. I will feel a great deal better if you do.”
“I promise I won’t call you even if it’s just me working the shift.” Jan hugged her again as she continued. “I wish I had more nurses like you and your sister. I’m telling you right now that you and Ruby are the very best I have.”
Diamond didn’t disagree with her because she knew that she and her sister were the best. The others were just there to draw a check so far as she could see, and she and Ruby were dedicated. They loved what they were doing, and Ruby was going to make an amazing doctor as well.
The first ambulance rolled in ten minutes later. The woman had a broken arm as well as a head trauma, neither of which was life threatening. The man with her had some abrasions, nothing that needed attention, but you’d have thought he had lost his arm the way he was going on and on. Diamond had had enough.
“Shut up.” He looked at her, stunned. “You go out there in that waiting room and don’t move until I tell you to. And if I hear one peep from you, I’ll come out there and show you what pain is.”
He moved toward the door just as Jan came around the curtained area. If she’d heard what Diamond said to the man, she didn’t say anything to her but looked over the woman and sent her up to be x-rayed.
The next ambulance had two men, both in serious condition. One man had been the driver of a limo. He’d been hit in the driver’s side door, the medic had told her, and had slammed his head hard against the window. She was cleaning off his head wound when the other man that had come in with him staggered around the corner.
“Is he going to be all right?” he said. She didn’t know and told him. “He’s with a limo service here in town. I would like for someone to contact them. Would that be all right with you?”
“You should go back to the bed, sir, and let the doctor look at your wounds. I think someone will call for you.” She didn’t have any idea if they would or not, but the man nodded. “I’ll be over there soon and have a look at you.”
“No. Stay with him.” His tone made her think that he was used to having his orders obeyed, but she wasn’t in the mood to be ordered around by someone who was obviously hurt.
“Get your ass back in that bed and stay there. You’re taking precious time from the other injured people by acting like some macho dickhead.” He looked at her with a surprised look. “I’m not kidding you. Either get in that bed or so help me, I’ll put you there myself.”
He was chuckling when he went back around the curtained area. Diamond had to take several deep breaths before she could continue with her job. The man on the bed moaned slightly when she took his blood pressure, and she told him she was sorry. Two more nurses came in an hour later and helped her prep the limo driver for surgery. An hour after that, she was going to the other bed.
He didn’t say anything more to her, but she could feel him watching her every move. The smell of blood was making her lightheaded, and she realized that she’d not eaten anything in the past fourteen hours. Her plan had been to have some leftovers at the house and get into bed.
“You should know that I’m impressed by you. Not many people would speak to me the way you did.” She ignored him and cleaned the large wound on his leg. She’d even taken great pleasure in cutting the expensive suit from him. He continued talking while she assessed his injury.
“I was wondering if I could make a phone call. I think my phone was lost sometime after the accident. I called nine-one-one, and after that I don’t remember what happened to it.” He smiled at her as she waited on the doctor to tell her to stitch him up. She closed her eyes for a second, felt herself sway a little, and popped them back open.
“Your girlfriend will have to wait. There are no public phones in here for you to use.” She sat down on the room’s only chair and had to steady herself against the counter before she fell off it. “If you give me a number, I’ll make sure she knows where you are.”
The room was spinning. She felt sick. She had no idea what was going on, and when arms wrapped around her, she leaned into the strong male chest that held her. Diamond didn’t even have the strength to lift her head to see who held her.