"But the guys don't know," Victor said in a snooty tone. "What would they think if they knew one of their own was a multi-millionaire running a security firm on his off days?"
"They'd probably congratulate me and then ask for a job," I scoffed. "You're the only one who seems to have an issue with it, Vangel. So, now's the time for you to get over yourself."
"Does HQ know that you sunk your insurance check into the business?" Victor asked. "And does your little girlfriend? She's quite the hot piece of ass. If she’s got a friend, maybe we can do a double date some time and switch it up, eh?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Vangel?" I growled as I moved closer. "You're just a disgusting little troll who can't do anything right, so you have to tear everyone else down to make yourself feel tall? Is that it? No girl in her right mind would ever agree to go out with a loser like you.”
"Fuck you, Connor," he said, throwing the rag to the ground and stepping closer. "You're an arrogant prick who thinks his shit doesn't stink. I'm sick of watching you walk around here like you're holier than the rest of us. You're act like some kind of saint."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I laughed. "I've never acted like I'm better than anyone. Jesus, Vangel, who put that bug up your ass?"
"I've been watching you, Connor," he said menacingly. "You think you're above it all. You're not, you know. You're just like the rest of us. And one of these days, you're going to find that out the hard way."
"You're delusional, Vangel," I said, shaking my head as I walked back toward the common room. "We might have to work together, but I'm going to recommend you stay as far away from me as you can. We'll both be better for it."
"You're going to pay for your arrogance, Connor," Victor hissed as I walked away. "One of these days, you'll get what's coming to you. Just wait and see."
I shook my head and walked away, even though what I really wanted to do was pound some sense into that thick skull of his. Instead, I headed to the kitchen and began helping Danny get dinner started.
Half way through the preparations, my phone rang; it was Alex, but I was elbow deep in ground beef and couldn't answer it. I made a mental note to call her back as soon as we'd put the lasagna in the oven. We'd been apart less than twenty-four hours and I already missed her. I shook my head as I realized that if I wasn't careful, I was going to get soft.
And then I smiled at the thought.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Alex
Around seven the next morning, we were sitting around the nurses’ station talking about the last patient who had come to the ER seeking treatment for a self-inflicted branding injury. He'd decided that it would be a good idea to brand his phone number on the inside of his forearm in case he was incapacitated for some reason. The heat and the metal had caused a bad burn and he'd let it go for days without treating it. The burn had developed into a nasty infection that threatened to turn into gangrene if left untreated.
The resident had nearly vomited into the trashcan when he'd seen the severity of the burn, but we'd kept him on track and treated the man.
None of us had the heart to tell the patient that it would have probably been wiser to tattoo the number of someone other than himself on his arm in case of emergency.
I'd been checking out my phone waiting for a message from Cam, but when none came, I figured he was busy and didn't have time to be texting. I wanted to talk to him. We had unfinished business, and I wanted to discuss it with him. And then there was the constant ache I felt as I remembered what it had felt like to be curled up in his arms on the huge sofa in his living room. I'd wanted so much more, but I also knew that if I wasn't prepared to accept the fact that he had more money than I'd ever imagined, I couldn't go there with him anymore. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. The money scared me, but Cam seemed so level headed about it and didn't use it to get what he wanted or to pressure me. Maybe there was hope for us.
The phone at the nurses’ station rang several times before Leslie picked it up. She spoke briefly and then said, "Alex, phone for you," as she held out the receiver.
"This is Alex Pierce," I said in as professional a tone as I could.
"Ms. Pierce, is Ms. Baker down there with you?" Mrs. Rikka asked.
"No, ma'am, she is not," I said, looking at Leslie wide-eyed and worried.
"I see," Mrs. Rikka said, hesitating for a moment before adding, "If you see her, please tell her to come to my office. This does not bode well for her internship."
"Yes, ma'am, I will," I replied as my mind started racing. I hung up and looked at Leslie as I said, "Liz is missing. I have to find her."
"Get changed and go," Leslie said as she shooed me out of the nurses’ station.
"But I'm not off shift for another hour," I said. "I can't leave or Mrs. Rikka will have a fit!"
"I'll cover for you," Leslie said. "Go! Go find Liz!"
I made a run for the locker room where I quickly stripped out of my borrowed scrubs and tossed them in the laundry. I had just pulled my pants on when Violet, Jessica, and Lydia rounded the corner of the lockers and saw me.
"Oh, hello, Alex," Violet said in a voice dripping with distain. "I thought you'd be up in the ER until nine."
"I...I'm...Leslie told me to go," I stammered as I tried to avoid talking about what I was doing down in the locker room. "I'm going home."