Gentleman Sinner

When we reach the café near the entrance of the hospital, Theo points to the counter. ‘Drink?’ he asks.

‘I’d love a coffee.’ I don’t want to fall asleep on him.

‘I’ll get you one. Go get in the car.’ He nods towards the doors before heading for the counter, and I smile as the lad serving instinctively steps back, his eyes widening at the size of the male approaching. Not for the first time, I wonder where that wariness is in me.

Wandering into the fresh air, I’m hit by the wind and shiver. I scan the cars for Callum, surprised to find him nowhere in sight. Wrapping my arms around my torso, I rush over to a concealed doorway for shelter from the biting wind, remaining close to the edge so I can spot Theo when he emerges from the hospital.

I send Jess a quick message to tell her I’m staying at Theo’s, looking up when I notice a shadow in my downcast vision.

I step back, going from sleepy to alert in a heartbeat. Percy’s son is scowling at me, his chest heaving violently. ‘He’s dead, and it’s your fault,’ he spits, grabbing the front of my coat and shoving me back into the door behind me. I yelp. ‘My father is dead because of your incompetence.’ He tugs me forward and slams me back again, knocking the wind from me.

‘Get your hands off of me!’ I shout, grappling at his grip on my coat and shoving him away. Survival instinct kicks in, as well as anger. The anger is hot, so hot it melts the panic. But he’s lost his father. I need to remember that. No matter how much of an arsehole he is, I must remember that. I wrestle my bag on to my shoulder. ‘If you have a complaint, I suggest you contact the hospital. I was just doing my job.’

He laughs, and it is one hundred percent sarcastic. ‘Your job?’ Prodding me in the shoulder, he moves in, crowding me. ‘He was—’ His eyes go like saucers, and he starts gasping for air, his hands reaching to his neck. It’s only then that I see fingers wrapped around his throat, and he starts staggering back clumsily, choking, the colour draining from his face. Oh, fuck.

I force my feet to move forward, looking up over Percy’s son’s head, finding an expression of pure, frightening rage. Oh, shit. ‘Theo!’ I yell, following him as he drags the man around the corner and slams him into a wall. ‘Theo, stop.’

He holds him against the bricks by his neck, looking murderous, and though I knew he has a nasty side, I don’t think I truly appreciated how nasty. I dare not try to pull him away, aware that he’s blinded by fury and won’t be prepared for my touch. I’m helpless, standing to the side, seeing him squeeze tighter around Percy’s son’s throat as he pushes his face up close, his jaw ticking. ‘I don’t know who the fuck you are—’

‘He’s the son of a patient,’ I blurt urgently, praying the information sinks past Theo’s fog of anger. ‘Theo, stop!’

He doesn’t stop, but instead slams him into the wall. ‘The sign you’ve seen, the one hanging on every wall of that hospital, the one stating that abuse towards staff will not be tolerated. Tell me you saw it.’ Theo leans in as Percy’s son nods as best he can with a huge palm choking him. ‘Well, there’s another sign, one you didn’t see. It’s an unwritten rule. Want to know what it says?’

Good God, a normal Theo is scary enough. An angry Theo is plain terrifying. For the first time since I’ve met him, he’s making me anxious. What is he capable of? Percy’s son nods again, terror pooling in his watery eyes, to the point I’m actually feeling sorry for him.

‘That rule,’ Theo breathes across his face, ‘says if anyone lays a finger on my woman, the consequences will be grave. Want to know what the consequences are?’

Theo’s taunting him, prolonging his pain and his fear. He’s getting a kick out of it, relishing the sight of his victim’s distress.

‘Instant death,’ Theo whispers, keeping hold of him with one hand and reaching to his back with the other. He pulls out his gun and aims it square at the man’s forehead, pulling back a lever that locks with a loud click.

Oh my God.

‘Theo!’ I shout, moving back, instinctively scanning the surrounding area for witnesses. There’s no one; the place that Theo has dragged the man to is deserted, which I now realize was intentional. ‘Theo, please.’ I whirl around when I hear thundering footsteps behind me, finding Callum rounding the corner and bolting towards us. ‘Callum, stop him!’

He takes in the situation, his long legs slowing. ‘Theo, man, come on. Put the gun away,’ he says, moving in slowly and cautiously. ‘Deep breaths, my man. Deep breaths.’ Callum’s voice is soft, soothing, and it seems to be breaking through Theo’s haze of rage. ‘Be cool, Theo. Just be cool.’