When Dove Cries by Beth D. Carter Read Free Book Online

doctor stressed.
    Dove grabbed Draven’s hand when he opened his mouth to argue back, shutting him up.
    “It’s okay,” she said. “It’s just Dr. Blake.”
    Draven shot Cade a quick glance, who gave a one-shoulder shrug. “We’ll be right outside the door,” Cade added.
    “Okay. Thanks,” she said.
    Cade grabbed Draven’s arm and half dragged him out of the door. As soon as the door shut behind them, Dr. Blake turned toward her.
    “Dove, I want to make sure that you haven’t been coerced into staying with those bikers.”
    She blinked, surprised at the abrupt change of topic and his tone of voice. “I’m not.”
    “Were they the ones who hurt you? Think, Dove. I would be happy to find you some place safe, some place out of their reach.”
    She shook her head. “No, they didn’t do this to me, Dr. Blake. They’ve been exemplary in how they’ve treated me. I’m sure I’m taking them away from important things—”
    Dr. Blake snorted. “They’re bikers. They have nothing important in their lives other than avoiding real work and milking the system.”
    “Don’t talk about them like that,” she stated angrily, although her voice wobbled a bit. “They’re my saviors.”
    “Another woman was attacked and brought in by bikers,” he argued back. “Can’t you see the pattern of violence?”
    “I think you need to leave my room now, Dr. Blake,” she whispered, not looking at him. “And I think I should have a different doctor attending me.”
    “Dove—”
    “My name is Miss Aldrin,” she interrupted. “And the Red Wolves are my friends.”
    He remained standing at the side of her bed—a standoff. Him waiting for her to look at him and her waiting for him to leave. Finally, after a few minutes, he sighed and turned. A moment later, the door opened, and only then did she look up to watch Draven and Cade march back into her room.
    “What was that about?” Cade asked.
    “I asked for another doctor to take care of me,” she told him instead of answering his question.
    “Why? What did he say?” Draven demanded.
    She sighed. “He thinks you’re the ones who hurt me, that I’m a victim of bikers. I told him to get out and to change who took care of me because I won’t have anyone thinking you two aren’t honorable.”
    “That son of a bitch—”
    Cade grabbed Draven’s arm and held him from charging back through the door. “Don’t.”
    “I won’t, but I have something important to discuss with the good doctor.”
    “Don’t prove him right,” Cade added. “Dove handled it. She’s tough, remember?”
    Both men looked at her.
    Heat warmed Dove’s cheeks. “I did grow up with an Army sergeant for a dad.”
    “Lord, help us,” Draven muttered then gave a little chuckle as he walked over to her, bent and kissed her forehead. “I won’t start shit, but I do have to ask him something. I’ll be right back.”
    He spun and left the room, leaving Dove with a ball of anxiety resting in her belly.
    “He really doesn’t like this hospital.”
    “Not sure if I’m liking this hospital either,” Cade muttered.
    A couple of minutes stretched out, then Draven was back, smiling. His whole body had relaxed.
    “Dr. Blake is getting your discharge papers ready,” Draven went on. “There’s a woman at the clubhouse who’ll take care of you, nurse you back to health. Once you’re stronger, you’ll come live with me in my house. I’m going to take care of you. You’re with me now. Okay?”
    “Asshole,” Cade muttered to him. “Us. Okay? Get it through your thick skull.”
    Draven opened his mouth to say something back, but Dove didn’t want them to fight anymore. At least not right then.
    “How about a game or something?” Dove asked, hoping to distract them.
    Both men seemed to reluctantly back away from their animosity toward each other. Cade pulled a new deck of cards out of his pocket and showed them.
    “Wanna play poker?” he asked.
    “I don’t know how to play,”