What was happening to me? I almost said yes to a date with an criminal. The man came into the ER with stab wounds for god's sakes. He was not the right guy for me. My prince would come one day and sweep me off my feet. Or at least that's what the movies told me. I doubted I would ever meet him. I made my choice a long time ago—I'd rather be a doctor than someone's husband.
Nurse Fiona found me in George's room while I checked on his hip. “Dr. Holmes, I can't seem to find anymore Codeine.”
“There's no more in the drug cabinet?
“I checked. We're all out,” the nurse replied.
I sighed and shrugged. “I'll go get more then.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“I'll check in on you again, George,” I said, winking at him.
He smacked his lips.“I'll be waiting patiently for your return.”
I laughed and left the room. I actually liked helping older people. They were harmless. Not like it was with Ares. I could see the hunger in his eyes. He wanted me—badly. Did I have that same desire?
I went down the elevator and to the locked pharmacy. Only doctors had a key ever since a patient stole a ton of painkillers and OD'd in the hospital. The resulting lawsuit made the board change the way drugs were stored and now nurses bugged me every time we ran out of something.
I pulled out my keychain with a million keys on it. The one for the pharmacy had a little purple sticker on it to identify it from the others. I opened the locked cage and entered the dark room. My hand felt around for the light switch and flipped it. Rows of shelves were lined up containing every drug known to man. I went to the aisle of painkillers that were locked again in another steel cage. For some reason the bright minds upstairs thought it would be genius to have them behind bars twice with the same key. If somebody could get through the first lock, they could easily get through the second. I opened it and grabbed a few bottles of Codeine.
“Nice night for drugs,” a dark voice announced from behind me. My heart spiked and I dropped all the bottles of Codeine to the floor. I turned my head to find Dr. Green looming.
“You scared the crap out of me,” I yelled at her.
The doctor grinned. “I didn't mean to.” He bent down and began collecting the fallen drugs.
How could I escape this encounter unscathed? “What are you doing in here?” I asked, waiting nervously for her to hand over the bottles to me. My heart was pounding in my throat.
Dr. Green stood up and shuffled the bottles around in his hands. “Same thing you are Owen—needed to get some drugs.”
I snatched the Codeine from his hands. “Well next time please don't sneak up on me.”
Green put his arms up to both sides of my head, keeping me in place. Her bad prefume made me nauseous. Her eyes blankly stared into mine. “We'd be really good together, Owen.”
“I already told you that I wasn't interested. I'm gay. Now let me go.” I tried to escape past her arms but she knocked me back against the shelf. My pulse was pounding in my ears now. How was I going to get out of this?
“I love it when you play hard to get. Your not like most men, Owen. Most men would already have their pants unzipped and ready to go. But you keep yours cards close to the vest, not allowing anyone in.” Her hand brushed against the side of my face and my stomach overturned. If I had eaten anything, I would've definitely thrown up. “It's time you finally give me what I deserve.”
Oh fuck! I needed to do something right now before it was too late. Green was about to find out she messed with the wrong guy. I didn't mind hitting a woman. I raised my fist to her stomach as hard and fast as I could. Doctor Green's face twisted green as she doubled over with her hands over her belly.
I ran to the door and realized that it was locked. Did he lock it? I pulled my keys out searched for the purple sticker.
“You're not going to get away from me!” she yelled from far away. Her voice sent shivers down my spine. The keys shook in my hands as I tried to find the right one. Come on! Where is it? I could hear the doctor running towards me. I found the purple key and shoved it in the lock. The door clicked open...but it was too late.
Green came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders to keep me from going. I wanted to smack her right in the face but I feared a lawsuit. Nobody would side with a man who is obviously stronger.
A voice behind Dr. Green boomed. “Get your fucking hands off him.” It wasn't a request but an order. Dr. Green let me go. Ares stood in the doorway, barely able to hold himself up. What was he doing down here?
“You better turn around and forget you saw any of this,” Doctor Green hissed.
“Are you okay, Doctor Holmes?” Ares asked me, ignoring the threat.
I nodded. “I can take care of myself.”
Green stormed past both of us. Ares collapsed onto his knees.
“Oh my god, are you all right?” The side of Ares's hospital gown was stained with blood. I lifted it up to find his stitches ripped open. He should have never gotten out of bed.
Ares's face was pale. “I'm fine, just a little woozy.”
“Here, let me help you up.” I put his arm around my shoulder and used all my strength to get Ares to his feet. We stumbled to the elevator. Dr. Green had gone too far. I was seconds away from pounding her in the face. Thankfully Ares was there to stop things from going any further.
“Thank you for coming for me,” I whispered to him, pushing the button for the fifth floor.
Ares waved it off like it was nothing. “You would have done the same for me.”
I let out a laugh that instantly made me feel better. All the tension in my body finally released. What was I going to do about Doctor Green? Should I file a formal complaint with the hospital? Go to the police? My head was swimming with too much. I needed to focus on getting Ares fixed up.
The elevator dinged open and I called out, “Nurse! Little help here.”
Nurse Fiona ran to the other side of Ares and took some of the weight off me. “What happened Dr. Holmes?”
Should I tell her everything? No not yet. I needed to think it through first. “Ares tore some stitches while walking around.” Ares nodded and backed up my story.
We helped him back to his room and set him on the hospital bed. Ares rolled around and groaned in pain. For being such a tough guy, he was acting like such a baby. Fiona left us alone and I began closing his wounds back up.
“You know, you don't have to act hurt to gain sympathy from me.”
Ares grinned and stopped groaning. “It was worth a shot.”
“I hope you know this doesn't mean I'll go on a date with you, Ares.”
Ares scoffed. “Way to bring a guy down after he just became a hero.”
I flushed and smiled. “Definitely not a hero. I had things under control. I can easily handle a scrawny woman.” I sewed the last of his wounds and cleaned him up. “That should do it. Good as new.”
Ares lifted his arm up and rolled his shoulder. “Thanks, Doc. I feel better already.”
Ares reached out and held my hand. His eyes were intense and unwavering. “Let me know if you need my help with her. I'll testify to what I saw.”
“I really appreciate you looking out for me. The good news is that you should be able to go home tomorrow morning.”
Ares smiled and still held my hand. I liked the way he gently ran his fingers in my palm. “It's about time. If I have to eat one more pudding cup, I'm going to bounce off the walls.”
“I'll make sure the nurse brings you a few to take home.” I winked.
This man was bringing emotions out of me I hadn't felt in ages. I tried to shake off that feeling because I knew he wasn't the right guy for me. He might be off-the-charts hot but he'd end up in prison or dead eventually just like every other member of a motorcycle club. I didn't want that life for me.