Shifted by Lizzie Lynn Lee Read Free Book Online Page B

“But one fact that I’m uncomfortable with is when you decided to bypass the city regulators and go straight to the commissioner. From my standpoint, what you’ve done is highly unethical.”
    What the fuck is he talking about? Nicolla became more nervous by the second. She knew nothing about this. If she kept playing as Kelly, she was going to make a fool of herself. She couldn’t do it. She had to get out of there. Fast.
    “I just—” Nicolla paused, feigning she was dizzy. “Oh.”
    “Kelly, are you all right?” Rush looked alarmed.
    “I’m…fine, sir. It’s just this morning. I’m not feeling well… I just—” Nicolla rolled her eyes and pretended to faint. She let herself sprawl on the sofa. The men around her jumped from their seats.
    “Kelly!” Kaplan’s voice sounded panicky. He was shaking her shoulders to wake her. “What’s going on? Kelly!”
    “Call an ambulance,” Rush announced in an urgent tone to someone, maybe Durbo. “Hurry!”
    Nicolla heard Durbo’s nervous mumbles and footsteps frantically echoing in the room. The door opened and closed and more voices came by. A woman’s voice, she noted. Nicolla kept her act up until she heard the sound of metal wheels screeching against the marble floor and hurried steps coming to where she was slumped. Some hands checked her vitals.
    “Miss White, can you hear me?” a male voice asked her.
    Nicolla answered with a quiet, incoherent slur. She had years of experience as an actress, and she was really good at faking things.
    The medic said something to his partner, then to one of Kelly’s bosses. “We have to take her to the hospital, sir.”
    “What are you waiting for? Damn it. I have to let Andrew know about this,” Rush answered.
    Two pairs of strong arms hoisted her onto the stretcher. The medics strapped her onto it and draped a heavy blanket over her. As the paramedics wheeled her out of the office, she heard Kaplan bark at Durbo, “You just can’t let it go, can you?”
    Nicolla almost couldn’t resist smiling.

    * * * *

    As soon as the doctor in the hospital left her alone to rest, Nicolla snatched a phone console and dialled her own home number in the District. The portable vid screen flickered to life and a sleepy-looking man answered. It was Tyler.
    “Can I speak to Nicky? It’s urgent.”
    Tyler blinked and shook his head. “Sorry, she’s not available right now. Want to leave a message?”
    “What do you mean she’s not available? This is fucking important.”
    “Geez, lady, calm down.” Tyler shot her an annoyed look. “Nicky is sleeping, and I don’t want to wake her up.”
    “Didn’t I tell you it’s important? She’s expecting my call.”
    Tyler paused. “Who are you?”
    The door opened. “Kelly?”
    “Oh shit!” Nicolla turned the vid comm off and slammed the console back onto its cradle. Andrew was at the door, accompanied by the doctor. She was surprised to see him—Kaplan or Rush must have notified him.
    “Are you all right?”
    “I’m fine.”
    “What happened to my wife?” Andrew asked the doctor.
    My wife , Nicolla noted, wondering. He still cared for Kelly.
    The doc consulted his wrist comp, accessing her information. “To be honest, I couldn’t find anything to be concerned about regarding your wife’s health, Mr White. Her vitals are stable and everything looks fine to me.”
    Dumbass Normie . Nicolla wanted to roll her eyes. That’s because I was fibbing, you idiot . “I’m fine, I told you. I’m just exhausted.”
    Andrew took one good look at her, but it wasn’t the cold, uninterested look he had this morning. The man was scared. Regret filled his eyes. He then did something that Nicolla hadn’t expected. He hugged her and kissed her temple. Nicolla tentatively hugged him back. When he released her, Andrew said to the doctor, “Can I take my wife home now, Doc?”

Chapter Five

    Andrew had become a totally different person to the one she’d met this morning. When