"Doctor Hasid, shouldn't we hear the man out?" Dr. Vanderburg asks and another doctor agrees with him as we all take a seat.
"Very well. You are the man who lodged the complaints, yes?" Dr. Hasid turns to Marcus.
Marcus is cradling an arm and something doesn't look right with it but I don't care. I hope he's in agony right now.
My blood is boiling as Marcus stands with a smug look on his bloodied face, "Yes, I am. I was on my way into the building when his wife ran into me. I caught her by the arm before she fell and she proceeded to start cursing me out. I told her there was no need for all that and then she had this prick come up and start assaulting me. You should call the police and have them arrested."
I go to stand up but Lance has a firm grip on my arm and gives a curt shake of his head to stay where I am.
The security guard comes back with a USB and hands it over to Dr. Hasid. Lance takes this opportunity to stand and announce to the medical board, "We have audio to go along with the video if you're willing to let us play it."
Dr. Hasid nods, "I'll allow it."
Dr. Vanderburg interjects, "We don't know if it's doctored audio."
"Doctored audio? It's date and time stamped. How could it be doctored in under 15 minutes?" Lance responds.
Dr. Hasid looks to Dr. Vanderburg, "May I see the device that has the audio?"
Sarina stands and brings her phone out and goes to hand it over to the doctor when Marcus stands and throws the phone to the floor breaking it.
I jump up at that moment and go to kick his ass, but Lance and my lawyer do their hardest to hold me back.
"Destroying evidence is seen as evidence of guilt, sir." Dr. Hasid shouts at Marcus.
Sarina comes back to me and grabs my face, whispering, "Brian, calm down. You think we'd just have one copy of it?"
I sit back down and Lance smirks at Marcus, "Try it again and it will be sent to every news outlet you can think of."
"Oh I was supposed to wait on that?" Lirael says under her breath and sheepishly. Didn't matter though, I'm pretty sure everyone heard it anyways.
Marcus turns white as Lance hands over his cell phone to Dr. Hasid. She puts the video up on the screen as the doctor plays the audio for everyone to hear. Lance is quick to stand back by me and I don't fail to notice him signal to the security guard to be ready. My fists clench as I watch Marcus grab Sarina by the arm and you can tell in the video that she's just trying to get away from him. Listening to the audio that's not in sync with the video is a little annoying but when I hear him talking to her about if she wanted to fuck that he was available. I nearly break the chair gripping it so tightly.
I hear her telling him to let go, then with his next words next words I do break the arm on the chair.
-"Listen here, you fucking little slut. Your pussy husband has had this coming the second he took what was mine. I heard about him finding a new apartment only to be denied because his job security is up in the air. I know he's been talking to a divorce lawyer too, so it's not like he's going to keep your whore ass."
"Whatever Marcus! Let me go! You don't know anything!"
"Oh but I do you stupid fucking bitch! I know because I set up all your fucking problems! From your little extramarital indiscretions to this here medical board hearing. I've got Vanderburg and Mitchell in my pocket so I'll be making it to where he never works again! We already know he'll never trust you again either!"-
Those words have every other member of the medical board turn to the two doctors who seemed to not care for me and stare at them in disdain as they cower at being named.
-"What the fuck are you talking about? You know they have cameras here and you're being recorded right?"
"You really think I give a fuck? You can't prove anything with those. You'll regret ever leaving me bitch."-
You hear a slap and then grunting and shuffling. I look at the video and watch as he slaps Sarina.
I see red and the next thing I know is I'm being tackled to the ground by Lance, two security guards and my lawyer as I'm reaching for Marcus. "YOU HIT MY PREGNANT WIFE YOU MOTHER FUCKER!"
I see Marcus's eyes widen as those words sink in.
"DOCTOR HULLER! CALM YOURSELF! SOMEONE TAKE THIS MAN OUT OF HERE BUT DO NOT LET HIM LEAVE THE PREMISES!" Doctor Hasid shouts into the microphone as she points at Marcus. Marcus goes to head out quickly as Dr. Hasid says, "If he leaves call the police."
I take heavy breaths trying to calm myself, as the guards and Lance start to release me. I turn to Sarina and immediately take her into my arms, "Why are you here? You need to go to the hospital. We need to make sure nothing has happened to the twins. What if something has happened to the twins?"
I move to take her to the hospital but she pulls my arm back. "Brian, I'm alright. We need to take care of this."
I turn and wave my hand, "I don't care anymore, they can do what they want. You and them are my first priority." I take her hand as Dr. Hasid calls out.
"Doctor Huller! We're clearing you of any wrong doing for these complaints! We'll be in touch, take good care of your wife."
I stop long enough to turn and say, "Thank you." Lance is right beside me as I walk Sarina out of the room.
"I make the call to the cops. He'll be facing assault charges, that's a third degree felony here in Texas."
"Do it. I trust you brother. Call if they need anything." I already knew what Lance was thinking about. Marcus could go to jail and get fined for this, all while we prepare to hit him with a defamation lawsuit. We had a long list of things we can add on, proving he had malicious intent. Especially now that we had audio recording of him admitting to everything.
I clench my free fist, wanting his blood on my knuckles as I pound him into the dirt where he belongs. I can't believe he thought he could touch Sarina and then try to make it out like he was the victim.
"Brian..." Sarina's soft voice calls me back from my thoughts, "please calm down. I'm sure everything is fine."
"You're still going to the hospital to get checked." I say curtly and instantly regret it. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to say it so harshly."
"I know you're pissed. I'm pissed too." She squeezes my hand and I notice that her forehead has a knot on it too.
We're at the car, so as I open the door for her to get in, I stop her to get a closer look. "What is this from?"
She gives a pained smile, "After he slapped and spit on me, I busted his nose with my head. You missed that part, and when I tripped him."
"Why is your jaw swollen?" I ask her.
"He hit me after pulling me down with him, but I put him in an arm bar and either broke his arm or partially dislocated his shoulder. Lance came over and pulled me away from him at that point and made sure I was okay before protecting me from Marcus. I've never seen Lance angry before." Sarina shivers visibly, "I don't think I want to again either."
I have to laugh, "Try being his best friend. I've seen that man feral before. It takes a lot to make him mad but when he's mad..." I let out a tense breath, "His crazy ass ex has set that man off to the point I was afraid for her and she deserved to be skinned alive for what she attempted to do to him."
"I never would have guessed that about Lance though. He's always seemed.... docile." Sarina says a flush spreading over her face.
"Docile?" I give her a side eyed look, "Why because he's submissive to Lirael?"
Sarina nods blushing, "Apparently, I was wrong."
I chuckle at her, "Yes you were, but don't worry I won't tell him." I say pulling into the hospital parking lot.
I help her out and we get her triaged. They ask me to sit out in the waiting room to ask her questions. I can only imagine that they're going to ask her if her injuries are from me.
"No, my husband stays with me. These injuries are from my ex who assaulted me in a parking lot." Sarina grabs my hand not letting me leave even though I would have to not cause problems.
"She's pregnant, twenty three weeks, with twins." I quickly inform the nurse who jots that down.
They ask her about pain in her abdomen and if there is any bleeding or back pain even. Someone from radiology shows up to x ray her jaw and then we wait. Someone from OB/GYN comes with a wheelchair and takes her to an exam room with an ultrasound machine and begins the exam. I'm holding Sarina's hand tightly as the woman scans Sarina's belly.
"You said she's twenty three weeks with twins?" The technician asks us, as she moves the ultrasound wand over her belly.
"Yes." Sarina nods, her brows starting to furrow in concern. "Why?"
The technician moves the wand to another part of her stomach and sighs in frustration. "I'm trying to to find the other one. I detected a faint heartbeat but I'm not seeing the second baby.?"