She shook her head. “No. I’ve never run into him at the grocery store or anything, and I’ve definitely never invited him here. As far as I know, he doesn’t know where I live.”
Miranski took notes on a little notepad as Sam spoke.
““I haven’t done anything to lead him on. I mean, look at me. There are other women at the hospital who are more attractive, more his age, who would love to date a doctor. I… I think I’m a conquest for him,” she admitted, glancing down at her hands in her lap.
No shit.
“I’ve heard from other women on staff that he makes his rounds, and I don’t mean with patients. I always turn him down, and I don’t think he likes being told no.”
“Have you dated anyone else from the hos
pital?” Miranski asked. “Perhaps he thinks he’s got a shot since you went out with others.”
Sam looked to the detective. “No. No one’s asked and well, there’s no one there who interested me. I haven’t even gone out for fun with other women I work with. I’m… I’m not very social.”
“You’re dating Mac then?” Nix asked.
Sam’s face flamed, and she licked her lips.
“And me,” I said. She was new to all this, and she’d jumped right into the fucking deep end. She’d started off her dating life with not just one guy but two. I wasn’t ashamed. Hell, it was going to take both of us to keep Sam satisfied. Once she found her way around two dicks, she was going to be insatiable, especially since she had a lot of catching up to do.
Nix wouldn’t judge. Hell, he and Donovan had claimed Kit together. He knew what it was like. I didn’t know Miranski’s dating history, but if she was partners with Nix, she no doubt knew about his love life.
Sam’s cell rang, and she stood up and went to grab it from the kitchen counter. “Excuse me, I’m on call and have to answer that.”
She answered it, spoke with someone for less than thirty seconds, then put the phone down. “I’ve got to go,” she said, grabbing her boots by the door and bringing them to the couch to put on. “Multi-vehicle accident on the highway, probably a ruptured spleen. If that’s the case, I have to operate.”
Mac stood. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I’m sorry for rushing out, but I have to be at the hospital within ten minutes of receiving the call.”
Yeah, saving a life was something we were going to get annoyed about.
All of us stood. I went to her, gave her a quick kiss. Not the best time for an emergency when her life was a clusterfuck itself. She wasn’t alone now though. “Go. We’ll lock up.”
She nodded once, then left with Mac.
“Sam’s off-limits,” I told Nix and Miranski as I went around and shut off the lights. “The fucker’s going to have to get used to the idea he doesn’t have a shot. He’ll have to get through Mac and me.” No meant no, and I hated douchebags who didn’t listen. This one sounded like a piece of work. If he wouldn’t back off Sam, then he’d listen to me and Mac—or our fists.
“What’s this guy’s name?” Miranski asked.
I came out of Sam’s bedroom and paused. “Shit, I don’t know.”
We left the apartment, and I confirmed the door was locked behind us. We met Mac out on the sidewalk where the cold wind cut along the back of my neck.
“Did she tell you what the asshole at work’s name is?” I asked him.
“Nope.”
I pulled my cell from my pocket, called her. “Hey, baby, what’s the name of the guy from work who’s giving you trouble?”
“Hi… oh, um… Dr. Mark Knowles,” she said.
I pulled the phone away from my ear, stared at it for a second.
“Hardin?” I could hear her voice through the phone and reengaged. Barely.
“Yeah,” I snapped, looked down at the sidewalk.