Dr. Fake It - A Possessive Doctor Romance - Page 59

“How was your day?” I felt odd talking to him like nothing was happening, but I was so sick of being on edge all the time, and it felt kind of good to pretend for a second.

“Busy,” he said. “Unfortunately, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

“Did you see my mom?”

He nodded. “Checked in on her a few times. No change, but she seems okay.”

“Good.” I let out a breath and I’d hoped some of the tension would go out with it, but I still felt like a bundle of raw nerves. “It’s been pretty quiet around here.”

“You should come to the hospital tomorrow and hang around.”

I shook my head a little. “I’m not sure they want me sitting in that room all the time, you know?”

“So long as it’s visiting hours, you can hang as much as you want.”

“Thanks. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”

He gave me an appraising look then put his wine glass down. “Speaking of trouble, I had a visitor today.”

I felt my stomach drop. I tightened my grip on my wine glass, so hard I thought it might break. “Yeah? Who?”

“Dr. Chen.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Who?”

“The doctor that works for the mafia. And the guy whose job I’d be taking if I accepted their offer.”

I cleared my throat and felt a silly, stupid laugh bubble up from my throat. “Seems like he wouldn’t want to see you then.”

“He seemed like a pragmatic man. Seemed to understand that I don’t want to get involved with the mafia at all, and would rather find another way to make things right.”

“What did he say?”

“He thinks I can offer them something else. Apparently there are some buildings they want to get rezoned, but the zoning board’s been dragging its feet.”

I chewed my lip. “And you can help?”

“Dr. Martin sits on the board.”

I laughed again, feeling stupid and giddy. “So you think you can ask him for a favor?”

“That’s the idea.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “But you have to understand, this might not work.”

“There’s a change though, right? Dr. Chen thinks you can pull it off?”

“He thinks it’s possible.” He watched me as I drank some wine then put my glass on the table and paced in front of him, heart racing.

“You wouldn’t owe them forever then,” I said, staring down at my feet. “You could convince Dr. Martin to help them out, then you’d be free to do whatever you wanted. No getting stuck in their clutches.”

“That’s the idea.” He stepped toward me and I stopped walking. “I’ll do it for you. I’ll go to Dr. Martin and ask him—but you have to be sure this is what you want.”

“What do you mean?”

He spread his hands. “We have an answer already,” he said softly. “I can work for them, give them some of my time in exchange for your freedom. This can all be over if you want it to be.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t want that, I don’t want that at all. It wouldn’t be over, far from it. You’d be stuck.”

“Maybe. I’d be working for them for a long time, at least, and Dr. Chen might be put in a bad position. But, Erica, you have to understand, this might be your only chance. They might not take this offer.”

“I can’t exchange my freedom for yours.” I stared at him, heart racing, and he came closer. I wanted him to stop, to back off, but I also wanted him to press his lips against mine. I felt so confused, so broken and shattered but he was offering me a way to put myself back together.

He was offering a way out of this hell. I had to take it, even if the chances were slim, even if it might blow up in my face.

I couldn’t drag him down with me.

“If this is the only option that means you don’t end up their pawn, then do it.”

He nodded and let out a frustrated sigh. “I’d do it for you, you know,” he said. “I’d happily give my services to those bastards if it meant your freedom and your life. I wouldn’t hold you to anything, wouldn’t keep you, wouldn’t hurt you. I’d make sure you were free.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“But I would.”

“Just understand what I’m willing to give for you.” He came closer then and I backed up, stumbling against a chair, then running into the wall. He kept coming, eyes locked on mine, and I could smell his shampoo, the soft scent of his skin as he came so close that I felt a shiver run down my spine.

I wanted him, wanted him so badly it almost hurt. He was offering me so much, was willing to do so much for me, and I barely understood why—at least until he looked into my eyes. Then I saw what he wanted, what he meant, and how he felt, and I felt the same thing, churning deep inside me, yearning to break free and come out into the open.

Tags: B.B. Hamel Romance
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