Read Online Immortal Healer by Elizabeth Finn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Finn
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usually left eyebrows furrowing, eyes bulging, and mouths gasping. But not today.
“Silent. Now! Mr. Devlin came highly recommended by a colleague of mine, and we are here to see if he can help you, so you will listen.” Quentin snapped at her. He was obviously angry. That made sense, but it didn’t mean she liked the sound of his voice or that it didn’t leave her wanting to slap him just as much as she wanted to slap the stranger sitting behind his massive ugly desk. She was defensive, and she damn well knew it, but what the fuck? This man, Mr. Devlin, whoever the hell he was, didn’t know a damn thing about her. She glared at Quentin, and he glared right back. Mr. Devlin simply looked between the two of them as their eye war carried out in front of him.
She caved first, and as she cursed herself as she broke the stare, Mr. Devlin cleared his throat. When she met the man’s eyes again, he smiled. It was completely contrived and even challenging. She did not return his smile but picked up her glare where it left off with Quentin.
“Now, Ms. Danner, you were let off easy on your first case. Assaulting an officer should have earned you a hell of lot more than thirty hours of community service, but it seems you were able to sell the story that you’d been abducted and had only just escaped well enough that you got the sympathy vote from the judge.”
“That was no story, you dick! It’s exactly what happened—”
Quentin’s hand clamped down on her wrist before she was finished speaking the words. When he leaned to her, his lips brushed her ear as he spoke through gritted teeth. His other hand moved to her neck, holding her head firmly in place. “Hold it together, Abby.” She whimpered quietly at the harsh sound of his voice that stilled her fury in a second, and when he heard her whine, his fingers relaxed against her skin and an equally quiet sigh was released against her cheek. Her anger dissipated as his thumb stroked one gentle pass over the skin of her cheek before he pulled his hand from her neck.
She was left flushing with some unknown emotion as her eyes sheepishly found his cool gaze. He left his hand on her wrist as he looked to Mr. Devlin. “Please continue. I apologize for the interruption. But imply Abby is a liar again, and you will answer to me.” His tone made it clear that calm as he may be, he was capable of backing up his words. Abigail already knew he was, but the protective hand that lightly stroked the skin of her wrist and the well-controlled tone of his voice as he spoke to Mr. Devlin left no question to anyone in the room, including the pompous Mr. Devlin.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” He was stuttering.
“Please continue.”
“Of course. As … as I was saying, it helped that a psych evaluation was ordered. It’s part of her criminal record because it was pulled into her second case, again most likely the reason she received only time served for that one. While I’m not thrilled there is record of her mentioning … well monsters, for lack of a better word, to the psychiatrist during the evaluation, the psychiatrist’s opinion is of utmost importance to us. The psychiatrist determined that she was—”
“How about you try speaking directly to her. She deserves that respect.”
Her skin flushed again as she sat next to him, and his fingers gently grazed over her knuckles.
“Uhh … yes, of course. The psychiatrist determined you were suffering from PTSD from the trauma of your alleged … err … I’m sorry … your abduction. She described it as a reaction to the trauma that was causing you to be hyper-vigilant about your safety.” Well he’d sold her and a big fat fucking duh to go with it, but she stayed silent. She was enjoying the soft circles Quentin’s fingers were tracing along the top of her hand entirely too much to piss him off again. “If we can link this … incident…” He looked almost afraid to say anything that could be construed as
“Silent. Now! Mr. Devlin came highly recommended by a colleague of mine, and we are here to see if he can help you, so you will listen.” Quentin snapped at her. He was obviously angry. That made sense, but it didn’t mean she liked the sound of his voice or that it didn’t leave her wanting to slap him just as much as she wanted to slap the stranger sitting behind his massive ugly desk. She was defensive, and she damn well knew it, but what the fuck? This man, Mr. Devlin, whoever the hell he was, didn’t know a damn thing about her. She glared at Quentin, and he glared right back. Mr. Devlin simply looked between the two of them as their eye war carried out in front of him.
She caved first, and as she cursed herself as she broke the stare, Mr. Devlin cleared his throat. When she met the man’s eyes again, he smiled. It was completely contrived and even challenging. She did not return his smile but picked up her glare where it left off with Quentin.
“Now, Ms. Danner, you were let off easy on your first case. Assaulting an officer should have earned you a hell of lot more than thirty hours of community service, but it seems you were able to sell the story that you’d been abducted and had only just escaped well enough that you got the sympathy vote from the judge.”
“That was no story, you dick! It’s exactly what happened—”
Quentin’s hand clamped down on her wrist before she was finished speaking the words. When he leaned to her, his lips brushed her ear as he spoke through gritted teeth. His other hand moved to her neck, holding her head firmly in place. “Hold it together, Abby.” She whimpered quietly at the harsh sound of his voice that stilled her fury in a second, and when he heard her whine, his fingers relaxed against her skin and an equally quiet sigh was released against her cheek. Her anger dissipated as his thumb stroked one gentle pass over the skin of her cheek before he pulled his hand from her neck.
She was left flushing with some unknown emotion as her eyes sheepishly found his cool gaze. He left his hand on her wrist as he looked to Mr. Devlin. “Please continue. I apologize for the interruption. But imply Abby is a liar again, and you will answer to me.” His tone made it clear that calm as he may be, he was capable of backing up his words. Abigail already knew he was, but the protective hand that lightly stroked the skin of her wrist and the well-controlled tone of his voice as he spoke to Mr. Devlin left no question to anyone in the room, including the pompous Mr. Devlin.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” He was stuttering.
“Please continue.”
“Of course. As … as I was saying, it helped that a psych evaluation was ordered. It’s part of her criminal record because it was pulled into her second case, again most likely the reason she received only time served for that one. While I’m not thrilled there is record of her mentioning … well monsters, for lack of a better word, to the psychiatrist during the evaluation, the psychiatrist’s opinion is of utmost importance to us. The psychiatrist determined that she was—”
“How about you try speaking directly to her. She deserves that respect.”
Her skin flushed again as she sat next to him, and his fingers gently grazed over her knuckles.
“Uhh … yes, of course. The psychiatrist determined you were suffering from PTSD from the trauma of your alleged … err … I’m sorry … your abduction. She described it as a reaction to the trauma that was causing you to be hyper-vigilant about your safety.” Well he’d sold her and a big fat fucking duh to go with it, but she stayed silent. She was enjoying the soft circles Quentin’s fingers were tracing along the top of her hand entirely too much to piss him off again. “If we can link this … incident…” He looked almost afraid to say anything that could be construed as
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