Diamond (Rare Gems Series) (9 page)

“
I knew she was a smart woman.” Blair laughed a little. “I don’t think Diamond is going to be as easy to convince as I might be. You and she are going to have some rounds, and I hope I’m there to see it.”

They
’d had a round last night. She’d wanted him to sleep elsewhere, and he’d been serious about sleeping with her. But when she shifted into her wolf, he’d left the room quietly. She was fucking scary as that big canine.

“
She can hold her own.” Blair laughed at him again. “Your dad is very helpful. I asked him a few things yesterday that I didn’t understand in the book, and he said I should bring them up to you. Can I ask you some of them now?”

“
Sure, but you need to know that I don’t know a great deal about being a pack alpha. I sort of fell into the job. I challenged the other leader because at the time I thought I’d be better than he was, but he died and I had to learn or fail. I don’t like to fail.” Thad nodded. He didn’t either, so he could empathize with the man.

“
Did you know that you can’t have your pack house and your home in the same residence?” Blair looked at him with a frown. “It says that you and your mate have to live separate from the pack house. I don’t think many do it, but that’s one of the rules.”

“
Did it say why?” Thad had thought that Blair would tell him he was lying or, worse, that he would tell him he knew but didn’t care. He wanted to know that the man that he’d call alpha someday had integrity.

“
It actually gives several reasons, but the main one is because you can’t leave yourself in an unprotected environment in the event that one of your pack turns rogue. Apparently, there have been several cases, and in recent years, where one of the pack goes a little over the deep end and walked through the house killing everyone until he got to the alpha and his family. It wasn’t pretty.” Thad shivered again when he thought of the accounting of the massacre. “There is also something about having your family away from the everyday things of being an alpha so that they can have a life with you or, in this case, with you and Sapphire, that doesn’t revolve around pack all the time.”

“
Why?” Thad and he were walking back to Blair’s truck when he asked him. Thad started to ask him what he meant when he continued. “Why are you telling me this? You could have easily gotten me into trouble with the Board. Are you sucking up? I can tell you now it won’t work. I’ve fired people for that.”

“
No, I’ve no reason to suck up. I’m going to make my own way here with or without your permission or help. But I’m a rules kind of guy and when I see them being broken by no other fault than because someone didn’t know, I bring it up. What you do or don’t do with the information is entirely up to you.” Thad moved to the other side of the truck, somewhat hurt by Blair’s question. When he was seated inside the monster thing, he buckled in and waited for Blair to get going.

“
I’m not good at this male bonding thing. I say what I want, not thinking about how my words will affect others. Sapphire has made it her life’s work to point this out to me whenever she can. This, I might add, is hourly. What I should have said was thank you and I’ll make it better. And for the record, I want this thing to work too. I’ve missed your friendship and your sense of humor. You’re not all bad for a human.”

Thad was shocked.
Not pissed, but completely and utterly shocked. Blair had just called him a human like it was something he found under his shoe. Then he winked. Thad looked out the window and tried to wrap his mind around what just happened. He thought that he’d just been forgiven. When he looked at Blair again, he realized something else. He was a human and Blair was not.

Before he could comment, though he wasn
’t sure what he might have said, Thad’s phone went off. When he heard the tone, his first thoughts were what Morton had done now to piss Jane off, when he remembered that Morton was no longer a problem. He was smiling when he answered.

“
I’ve found the area for the plastics plant. The bank has a house as well that might go along with it.” Thad started to tell her the rest when she interrupted him.

“
Ward is here.” His entire body went on red alert. “Not in the building but in the area. He called here about ten minutes ago looking for you and asking if he was able to get back in the building as yet. I started to tell him hell no, but decided I’d ask you about it first. You didn’t take him back did you?”

“
No. No, I didn’t.” He glanced at Blair and realized that he could hear the conversation and put it on speakerphone. “I’m with Blair in the truck. Tell me what you told Ward.”

“
Hello, Blair. I told him that I’d have to contact you to see what you’d set up. I was reasonably sure that the only thing you would have set up with the little pisser was him staying the fuck away but…well hell, I needed to hear it from your own lips.” Thad was trying to think what Ward wanted when Blair spoke to Jane.

“
Does he know where Thad is now?” Jane said not as far as she knew. “Good. I’m not sure what’s going on with this person, but I’m assuming he’s not anyone we want to visit here.”

“
Ward Galloway is my brother. And if there were a more selfish prick in this world, I’m not sure I’d want to meet him. He took over six million in cash and other things when it was all said and done, and I was only able to get about a quarter of that back.” Thad didn’t want to think about this right now. “If he comes here, trouble will follow. For whatever reason, he’s got it in his head that because I have money he can pretty much spend as much as he wants and I not say a word. I’ve worked very hard for every penny I’ve got and he seemed to think that because he was a Galloway, he should have all I had too.”

“
What would you like me to do? Take care of him and put him beside our good friend Morton? I can do that.” Thad started to scream at her no when she laughed. “I’m kidding, boss. Don’t get your panties in an uproar. I’ve put a man on him to find out where he’s staying, and I’ve also started a check on what he’s been doing for the past ten years. From the way he was dressed, I don’t think things are as good as he wants them to be. And I’m reasonably sure that he had big plans for you as well.”

“
No doubt.” Thad leaned his head back against the seat and tried to think what to do. “Just keep me informed, and when he comes back, just let him know that you’re still trying to find me. That I’m on some sort of…I don’t know, vacation.”

Jane laughed hard.
“
You
on a vacation? He’ll never believe that any more than anyone else that works for you would. You are not a vacation sort of person. Why don’t I tell him you’re on a business trip? It’s the truth and he’ll have to sit still until we figure out what to do about him.”

After he ended the call
, he looked at Blair. “I’m going to have to tell you all what he’s like so that in the event he does make the connection to here you’ll know what to do about him.”

Blair nodded before saying anything.
“I’m thinking you should have your house upgraded soon. I have a few pack members that can do the job for you as soon as the bank gives you the go ahead. Not that I don’t think you and Diamond can take him on, but I don’t want to take the chances with my family.”

Family.
Thad had one now. Oh, he had a brother, but he was more of a problem than he was anything else. He told Blair he would do what it took.

“
Do you think we can swing by the bank? And I need to make another stop too. I want to get Diamond a ring, and no offense to your dad, I’d rather you went with me than him.” They were still laughing when they entered the bank ten minutes later.

Chapter 9

“
I just don’t understand why you want to speak to the head of the hospital.” Diamond didn’t repeat herself again to her old boss. “I can answer just about any questions you might have about working for me.”

“
I’d be working for the hospital, not you.” Jan was walking just ahead of her or she might have missed her slight hobble in her step. “I said I’d come back, but speaking to him is important. And as I said before, I’ll do so alone or not at all.”

When Jan turned to her
, Diamond could see the anger blazing in her eyes. There was no way she was going to work for someone like her without knowing where she stood. The woman was a tyrant, and Diamond had it on good authority from a few other nurses, they’d had enough of her as well. Time to take a stand or work at doing something else.

The brisk knock at the door had her going in behind the doctor.
Mr. Cable Jansen stood up just as she closed the door behind her. Diamond didn’t move from her position at the door, thinking if this didn’t go her way, she was out of there.

“
I understand you’ve gotten all your problems at home taken care of now. I’m so glad to hear that.” Diamond looked at Jan when Cable continued. “Sometimes all it takes is a few days off to settle all the turmoil that can seem so overwhelming.”

“
I told Mr. Jansen that you were taking a leave. Like you told me you were.” Jan had added just enough stress in her voice to try to get Diamond to back her up. Well, she wasn’t playing her games any longer.

“
There was nothing wrong at home, Mr. Jansen, I quit. Doctor Talley here was the issue.” Both he and Jan looked shocked. “I’d like to come back to work here, but there are conditions I’d very much like to discuss with you in private if possible.”

“
I think I should hear this.” Jan crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her. “If you’re going to lie about me, then I should be privy to the—”

“
You mean lie like you did about me leaving here? No thanks. As I said downstairs as well as on the elevator ride up here, I would like to speak to Mr. Jansen alone. That means without you present.” They both turned to look at Mr. Jansen, who seemed confused as well as a little upset. “If you’d rather not, sir, I can understand. I can work elsewhere if you have an issue with—”

“
Oh no, it’s not that at all. It’s just that…perhaps you should go, Doctor Talley. If I need you, I know where to find you.” Mr. Jansen turned his back to them both, seemingly dismissing the doctor. Diamond waited for her to say something else to her, but she only turned on her heel and left the room. The door sounded hard as she slammed it behind her.

“
I think we’ve made an enemy in her.” Mr. Jansen smiled. “Have a seat, Diamond…I may call you Diamond, correct?”

“
Yes.” Diamond sat in the chair across from his desk and was a little disconcerted when he sat in the one next to her. “She’s a good doctor, but a bitch to the nurses.”

When he laughed
, she flushed. She’d never been good at beating around the bush and apologized to him immediately. He waved her off.

“
You are refreshing in your honesty. Tell me why you call her that. And for the record, I think you might be right. I’ve had a few complaints from the other nurses since you’ve quit.” He smiled gently at her. “Yes, I’m aware of you quitting. I’m glad you decided to give us another try before moving to New York.”

She didn
’t even ask him how he knew. Diamond had filled out the application and they would have contacted him for her references. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the list of her “demands.”

“
I think you’re going to lose a great bunch of nurses if you keep her on staff in the emergency room. We know our job for the most part.” She looked down at her notes, then up at him. “No, that’s a lie. You’ll lose some mediocre nurses if she stays down there. For the most part, you have one or two nurses on all the shifts combined that do a half-assed job, and the rest are worthless.”

“
While I appreciate you being honest with me, I think you have a great deal more stored up in your mind. Tell me why this is true.” She didn’t really think that he wanted her to be honest, but thought that she’d do it anyway. What the hell did she have to lose by telling him that Jan Talley was a power junkie, and that if things didn’t go her way all the time, others would suffer?

For over two hours she told him of things she
’d witnessed. “Jan also has a tendency to belittle others, nurses, in front of other staff and patients. It’s sort of become legend with her that if she doesn’t dress you down in front of someone daily, you’re no longer worth her time and will be fired within the week. I myself have seen it happen to good nurses.”

“
You think this is why we only have the lower end of the scale working for us?” She nodded. “What would you do? If you were in charge of the nurses, what would you do to make it so we got a better quality of nurses and keep them? I mean long term.”

“
I’m sure you know that better pay would be great, but aside from that, you need to have better working conditions. Such as places for us to have a break…and I mean one away from the doctors, a place they can’t come into. There has to be somewhere we can vent, even if it is about them.” She looked around his office before she said what she really wanted. “I would like to be put in charge of the nursing staff. All the shifts too.”

He smiled at her before getting up and sitting behind his desk.
“I believe that someone needs to be in that position that can take charge and make them want to come to work. Also, this person will need to be able to stand up to the doctors and keep them from becoming a tyrant, making and attracting better nurses who know that someone is in their corner. I didn’t think you were that sort of person.”

She nodded and stood up
. “Then I thank you for your time. I do wish you the best of luck in the future. I honestly do.”

“
Diamond?” She turned back to look at him before she touched the door handle. “I don’t
think
you’re that sort of person, I
know
you are. You’re the best this hospital has ever had, and I believe your sister is going to make a great doctor as well. An unstoppable team if you want to know the truth of it.” He grinned at her. “Do you not want the job?”

~~~

Ward waited in the small conference room for nearly twenty minutes before he decided that he’d had enough. This was just stupid, and if they thought they could treat him this way, he’d have to show them that he wasn’t a pushover any longer. His brother owned the fucking company for Christ’s sake. They had another think coming if they thought they could just shove him in a corner and forget about him. He moved to the door just as it opened. The fucking bitch Jane was there. He hated her with a passion.

“
You’re very lucky I was able to track your brother down.” She pointed to the chair he’d just vacated as she continued. “I did tell you the other day when you were here that he was out of the country, correct?”

“
You said he was on a business trip. Why the hell he doesn’t have somebody else to that kind of shit for him is beyond me. He should have been here when I got here.” Ward flopped in the chair and glared at her. “You told him I was here and he’s on his way back, I assume?”

“
You assume wrong. He’s on a business trip, as I’ve said to you several times now. And you know as well as I do, when he’s onto something he takes care of it. Unlike some people I know.” He decided to ignore her dig at him.

“
Then when is he coming back here? I need to see him…there are things that he doesn’t know about me that I….” He got up to pace, not caring for the way she kept smiling at him. “I’m a changed man. I’ve gotten my life together and put things in perspective.”

“
Sure you have. And where is it you’re staying while in town? I can smell Morton all over you, and since I know you’ve not met up with him, I can only assume you’re staying in his house.” Ward stared at her, wondering how the hell she’d figured that out. “Then there’s the smell of coke on you. Why would a man who professes to have his life together come to a meeting as high as a kite?”

“
You called me after I’d taken the hit. I can’t be held responsible if you don’t give me enough notice on things like this.” He started pacing again and tried his best to pull his temper back in. She wasn’t helping with her soft little laughs at him and the way she kept at him over and over.

“
Sit down.” There was a tone there that Ward didn’t care for, but he knew that if he didn’t sit she’d somehow hurt him. While he didn’t mind the occasional pain, there was just something very scary about her right now.

“
I demand that you tell me where Thad is. I will go to him and see about getting this shit cleared up so I can start getting a paycheck.” When Jane threw back her head and laughed at him, Ward had the most terrifying thought pop in his head. She had fangs.

“
You’re going to stop coming here unless I call you to come in. And when I do, you’ll be respectful of the people who work here. Understand me?” He nodded, unable not to. “And when I call you in, you’re going to be sober, as well as clean of drugs. If you have them in your system, you tell me so and I’ll arrange to have the meeting at a later time.”

“
I need money.” She shook her head at him. “There was some at Morton’s house, but not enough for me to live on until Thad comes back.”

“
I’ll take care of the bills for the house for now, but nothing more. You want money for drugs, you’ll have to earn it. I’m not going to—”

Ward forgot about his fear for a few seconds and stood up to knock her on her ass.
When she snarled at him, showing him that she really did have those sharp fangs, he sat back down and froze in his chair. Fear made him clench his ass as well as his fists, and he was terrified that he was going to wet himself. He didn’t even look up at her when she stood up and paced where he’d been before.

“
The only thing saving your ass right now from joining Morton is the fact that Thad asked me not to harm you. Well, not really, but he didn’t give me the okay to kill you when I asked.” Ward glanced up at her and then dropped his head when he saw that now not only did she have fangs, but her eyes were red. Not bloodshot like his were most of the time, but a true red. Sweat ran down his spine, and he felt a chill in the air. When she snapped his head back by jerking his hair, Ward whimpered like a child. He knew the sound; he’d made plenty of children do it in his lifetime.

“
Do you know how hungry you make me with your pounding heart and fear spiking your blood?” She licked along his pounding pulse and moaned. Ward felt his bladder let go, and he didn’t even care at this point.

“
Are you going to kill me?” His voice sounded whiny and childlike. He hated it, but he was glad for the moment that she didn’t tear his throat out. But when she lowered her head and he felt a pinch at his throat, Ward knew he was a dead man. Jane lifted her head and licked her lips before she took a step back from him.

“
Delicious.” She sat down in a chair as far from him as she could and still be in the same room before she continued. “I’ve drank from you. Not nearly as much as I’d like, mind you, but enough to know your every move, your every thought.”

Ward nodded and tried to think what the fuck she was talking about.
Thad, he thought, he was doing this to him. Making him fearful and terrified so he’d do what he wanted. When Jane spoke, he was no longer really listening. He was thinking of ways to get back at them both, Jane and his brother, for putting him through this. When he realized he was alone, he got up and looked down at himself. There was a dark stain on him, but he’d also ruined the chair, and the carpet would need to be cleaned as well. Deciding that he might as well mark the rest of the room, he was just unbuckling his belt when the door opened. A security guard was standing there with his gun pointed at him.

“
You think to shoot me?” The man shrugged. “I wouldn’t advise that course of action if I were you. I know people. My brother owns this place, and he’ll be pissed if you harm me.”

“
You think I give a good shit if your brother is a little upset about me messing up his office? Hell, I’d probably get a raise. You get yourself on out of here and I’ll make sure you get out of the building all nice and safely.” The man made it sound like his safety wasn’t all that much of a concern of his and proved it when he shoved Ward against the wall and then onto the elevator floor when it finally opened.

“
I’m going to report you.” The man shrugged again. “You’ll see that you get into major trouble with Thad when he comes here for me.” Suddenly, Ward found himself against the elevator wall about three feet off the ground. He jerked and pulled on the hand at his throat, but the man was simply too strong.

As he walked him through the lobby like this
, Ward was beginning to see stars. He was going to pass out long before he was let go, he just knew it. When he was free, the ground came up and slammed him hard, and he lay on the sidewalk looking up at the sky while he tried to wrap his mind around what the fuck had just happened.