Recalled (Death Escorts #1)(19)
Author: Cambria Hebert

I was usually so careful about what I ate.

I let my guard down. I didn’t think. I was so busy trying to figure out the puzzle that Dexter Allen Roth was that it nearly cost me my life. If the butler hadn’t been there, I might be dead. And there would be no one to blame but myself.

Dexter hadn’t known what to do. If I closed my eyes I could still see the panic on his face and that alone was very telling because his panic was able to get through mine—and mine had been crippling. So I couldn’t blame him for not immediately taking action.

“You still with me over there?”

I turned my head and looked across the seat at Dexter. He was focused on the road, but then his eyes flicked to me and back. I cleared my throat. My tongue still felt thick and heavy in my mouth.

“Yeah. It’s up here on the left.” I directed him.

A moment later we were pulling into the clinic’s parking lot and I let out a sigh of relief. I knew I was going to be okay. I had known that the very second the adrenaline in that EpiPen coursed through my body, loosening my lungs to allow room for air.

Dexter slid into a spot and cut the engine. Before I could do anything, he opened my door and reached in to help me out. He wrapped his arm around my waist and accepted most of my weight as we made our way to the clinic doors. I hoped they weren’t busy. The last thing they needed was having to tend to one of their own.

When the front doors opened, Gladys looked up from the desk. Her eyes widened and she stood. The chair she sat in rolled away behind her.

“Ohmygoodness,” she said so quickly all her words ran together. Then she was yelling for Dr. Cooper and rushed toward us. “Piper, honey, what happened to you?”

“She had a reaction.” Dexter tried to explain.

Gladys shot him a look. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Dex,” he said.

My lips pulled up. Of course he called himself Dex.

“Anaphylactic shock,” I told her, drawing her attention away from him. “I used the EpiPen.”

They ushered me back to exam room one and then Gladys pinned Dex with a stare. “Out.”

He glanced at me and I nodded. “I’ll be in the waiting room,” he said, then disappeared through the door.

“Who is that boy? What happened to you?”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t his fault. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was eating.”

She bustled around the room, taking my blood pressure and my pulse and asking me questions. Dr. Cooper let himself in the room halfway through and stood silently watching. When Gladys was done he took over and I had to sit through his poking too.

When he was done, he made a few notes in his chart and then looked at me. “Your blood pressure is a little low. Are you having difficulty breathing?”

I shook my head. “No. But my chest feels tight.”

He nodded. “It probably will for a day or so. You’re going to be sore tomorrow. Normally I would want to keep you here or send you over to the ER, but since you know what you’re doing…” He gave me a mischievous look. “You have been going to class and paying attention, haven’t you?”

I smiled. “Yes.”

He nodded. “Okay, then. I’d say you’re fine to go home. But if you feel any worse or experience any new symptoms or swelling, call me immediately. You have my number.”

When he was gone, Gladys looked at me. “I’m going to get you a bottle of Benadryl to take home. Take some later. It’ll help with those hives.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And don’t come in tomorrow afternoon. Stay home and rest!”

“Oh, that isn’t necessary,” I said, my throat finally loosening some.

“Don’t you sass me. You’re going to thank me tomorrow.” She went to the door. “And when I come back, I wanna know about that boy in the waiting room.”

She left and I was blissfully alone. The silence was nice after all the chaos. My body was still wound tight and I felt lightly anxious. My stomach was upset and underneath it all, I was bone tired. I didn’t like being the patient. I didn’t like feeling helpless.

There was a soft knock at the door and then Dex stuck his head inside. “Can I come in?”

I nodded and he let himself in, closing the door silently behind him. “Everything okay?”

“I’m still a little shaky, but I’ll be okay. I’m sorry about all the drama.”

“I should be the one apologizing. I invited you for dinner, then fed you something that landed you here.” He looked down at the floor as he spoke.

“I’m allergic to peanuts. It’s a pretty severe allergy. The chicken was probably fried in peanut oil.” I explained. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“You don’t blame me?” he asked, almost like he was surprised.

“Why would I? It’s not like you knew I was allergic to peanuts and deliberately fed them to me.” I gave him a look. “Right?”

He looked like a deer caught in a pair of headlights. His eyes were wide and his face was frozen in fear and shock.

I smiled. “Relax. I’m kidding.”

His face melted and he smiled. “At least let me give you a ride home.”

“Thanks.”

Gladys came back carrying a small paper sack. She stopped when she saw Dex in the room. “What are you doing in here?”

Once again, he looked like the deer.

“He’s my ride,” I said. “Can I please go?”

“You sure you trust this guy?” she asked, not even trying to lower her voice.

I laughed, but it hurt too much and I clamped my lips closed.

Gladys sighed. “Fine. Go. I’m going to call you later.”

“I’ll answer,” I said, getting down from the table. Dex came to my side, but I waved him back. I didn’t want to touch him and risk another vision. I hadn’t had one since we first met, but I wasn’t about to push it. After everything I’d been through tonight, having that vision again might push me over the edge.

When we stepped outside, I welcomed the freezing air. It felt good against my cheeks, which were still covered in hives. His car was parked right at the curb in front of the doors. He went ahead of me and opened the passenger-side door and I sank into the buttery leather seat. I could get use to this car.

He drove to my apartment without any directions and at first I thought that was suspicious until I remembered he’d already brought me home once. Except this time he didn’t just pull up to the curb to drop me off. This time he found a parking spot.