Read Online UlteriorMotives by Chandra Ryan - Free Book Online Page B

the mental image he’d just
provided her. “Without you, he’d probably go out of business,” she said tartly.
    “Please, he’s got enough miners to keep him in those fancy
clothes he likes so much. He’d be just fine without me.” He gave her a sly wink
before continuing, “Still, he probably does owe me a customer appreciation
party or two.”
    The man was quirky to the point of eccentric. No doubt about
it. But he had a way of lifting his patients’ spirits. Even as cranky as Kat
had been, she already felt lighter. It was either his doing or the pain pills.
Or both. They were a pretty strong combination.
    “Fine. Up and around tomorrow and no weight on my foot for
three weeks. Now why don’t you get out of here so I can start my thrilling day
of staring at the ceiling?”
    The doctor stood but when Jasper moved to walk him out he
brushed off the attempt. “I can find my way out, Mr. Lee. I suggest you stay
here and make sure she’s a good girl and doesn’t get out of that bed.” He
looked back to Kat and smiled. “You have my permission to tie her to it if she
gives you any trouble.”
    Jasper laughed as the doctor left. “You heard the man. You
going to give me any trouble?”
    The last of her crankiness lifted at the joke. “You wouldn’t
dare.”
    “Doctor’s orders.”
    She laughed but put her hands up as if in surrender. “I’ll
be good. I promise.”
    “Damn. Oh well, you look like you could use a nap anyway.
Maybe I’ll get to tie you up later.”
    Almost on cue she yawned. “Stupid pain pills. Make me
tired.”
    “You need the rest and I’ve got a report to send off
anyway.” His smile held so much weariness it made her heart ache.
    He had work to do, of course, but she didn’t really want to
be alone until the pills finally knocked her out. Even when he wasn’t wrapped
around her, his presence made her feel better. She wanted him to stay. And if a
few minutes were all she could get out of him, she’d take them. “How did you
end up in law, anyway? I mean, with your father being who he is and all.”
    “There’s actually not much difference in what I do and what
my father does.” He seemed to catch her look of disbelief as he explained, “My
dad is many things, but he’s not a terrorist.” He sighed and his eyes drifted
to some point above her head as if he were in deep thought. “Boiled down, he
spends most of his time vetting politicians and laws, raising money for legal
counsel and helping organize protests and petitions. Of course, he does
occasionally put the people in touch with men who are willing to do more than
talk when negotiations go awry.”
    “You mean thugs to threaten and blackmail any officials and
judges who didn’t want to play ball?” She didn’t mean the words to come out
harsh, as an accusation, but she hated it when people sugarcoated their
actions.
    Jasper shrugged. “He sees it as leveling the playing field.
When you surround yourself with the needy, you feel compelled to help any way
you can. The need becomes all-consuming. Eventually when you look at a city,
you can only see the corruption and the abuse of power.” His gaze caught hers
once more. “I’m not condoning all of his methods, I’m just saying that he has
helped a lot of people and he’s never committed any acts of terror.”
    “If he’s done so much good, why not continue the family
business and follow in his footsteps?” she challenged.
    “The problems were never ending. He’d put out one fire only
to realize another had started behind his back. I started thinking that maybe
the only way to really help the people would be to get someone into a position
of power. High enough up to make real changes.”
    “So you went into law.”
    “Yep, figured I could help people navigate the channels
until I had enough backing to run for office. You know, be a champion from
inside the machine.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Some champion I’ve
turned out to be.”
    It was