“I’d rather fetch Dr. Hans.” Jake mutters. “You’re bleeding all over the floor.”
He’s exaggerating. My palm is bleeding, but it’s nothing that requires a hospital visit. He only nicked my top layers of skin.
Natalie isn’t wasting any time arguing with me. She rushes over to the cupboard in the corner of the room and retrieves the first aid kit. “I agree. We should take you to a doctor. But we should probably disinfect this first. Sit down.”
Her voice is commanding, and she practically drags me over and shoves me into my office chair before crouching beside me. My brother is on the phone with our family doctor while Natalie applies disinfectant on the wound.
“What were you thinking, getting in the way of that? You’re lucky that thing got your hand. What if he stabbed you in your neck or your heart? Do you always act before you think?”
She’s scolding me, but her voice is shaking. I note her wrap the gauze carefully around my hand. She doesn’t seem to have realized that the lack of excessive bleeding means it’s not that grievous of an injury.
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” I’m more intrigued that sheisworried.
“Worry me?” she explodes, glaring at me. “Do I look worried to you?!”
I wonder if this is one of those situations when I’m supposed to lie and say no.
“Dr. Hans is on his way.” Jake approaches me. “You’re luckyhe was in the neighborhood. How did you get stabbed on your first day here?”
“Second day,” I correct him. “And I didn’t know he was violent. He went after Natalie.”
“Natalie?” Jake turns his head to look at the red-haired woman beside me. “You’re Natalie Thorne?”
“You know me?” Natalie asks cautiously.
“You look nothing like your brother.”
Natalie stiffens. “You know Lucas.”
“Barely.”
“This is Jake, my brother,” I introduce. “He’s the firm’s corporate lawyer.”
Natalie looks between the two of us, and Jake puts his hand on my shoulder. “You can’t tell it, but we’re twins.”
“Really?” Natalie says, cautiously. “Fraternal, I assume.”
“I’m the charming one.” Jake takes her hand without prompting and kisses the back of it. “Charming enough that I don’t get stabbed by my employees.”
“Is there a reason you’re still here?” I give him an irritated look.
“I’m not leaving your side. If Mom finds out that I left you to bleed to death on your office floor, she won’t invite me to Thanksgiving this year.”
“Jake.”
My menacing tone has him sighing. “Fine. I’ll go wait for Dr. Hans outside. In the meantime, try not to get stabbed again.”
As he walks away, Natalie looks uncertain. “Maybe we should just go to an emergency room to get this wound looked at.”
“I’m fine,” I assure her. “It’s not that deep of a cut.”
It’s true. The letter opener didn’t hit any muscle. It’s just surface-level.
“Why are you so stubborn? A quick trip to the ER, and we’ll all be happier for it.”
I observe her fuss over the wound, and I feel amused. My wound does hurt, but it’s nothing I can’t manage. Growing up with four brothers, I’ve had worse injuries.
“I’m really alright, Natalie.”
