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He studied her face. "You look tired."
A humorless laugh escaped. "I am."
Her refusal to elaborate made him tighten his lips. "I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Things will blow over and get back to normal soon. I've been thinking about us."
"So have I."
"I'm glad." Determination carved out his features. "I'm going to do better. We're going to be better. I figured out how I was expressing myself and intend to change. I also think the wedding was too much pressure. This time, we'll elope. My parents will be disappointed, but this way it'll be more subtle and stamp out some of the negative press. When things settle down, we can throw a tasteful party when we can both enjoy it."
Nausea clawed at her stomach, and her heart thundered in her ears. Why didn't he get it? She shook her head hard, frantic to make him see they couldn't keep going on like this. "You're not listening. I spent my time thinking about us, and what I want. We're not good together. This is not something we can change. I'm ending it."
The shock emanating from him was almost palpable. "No. We love each other."
"Not anymore." She forced herself to hold his gaze. "This type of love is wrong. It's not healthy, and I'm unhappy. We can't do this to each other anymore. You have to let me go."
He stared at her hard, assessing, then shook his head. "You're mine, Genevieve. Always will be. I picked you when I could have had anyone because I see you in me. Our drive. Our purpose. Our need to be better. You're wrong about love. Love is pushing the limits, not accepting."
"David--"
"I will not allow you to push me away anymore because of your fear. You need me."
Dread slithered in her veins. "I don't want to marry you. It's over."
"No. It's not."
He moved so fast she never saw it coming. Grabbing her around the waist, he dragged her against his body and kissed her. Forceful, brutal, a stamp of ownership and not an ounce of care. By the time she tried to fight him off, it was over.
She panted, clenching her fists. "Don't ever do that again."
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do." The ugliness was back, turning him into a man she didn't recognize. "You've humiliated both of us enough. Are you willing to throw away your entire career on a whim?"
"This has nothing to do with my career!"
"Your mental state has everything to do with your career. Everyone knows about your consistent panic attacks. Your own family backs me up. Do you know I documented your breakdowns with the hospital?"
She pressed a shaking hand to her mouth. "You know I don't have panic attacks. You're a liar."
He shrugged. "You've been a wreck since the engagement. Everyone saw it. I told HR you were having some episodes but I believed you were still safe on the floor. Told them I urged you to look at some medication, but that the wedding had been adding to your stress. It's too late to back out of this. We're meant to be together. If I have to, I'll prove it to you."
"You're insane. You'll never get away with this. You can't force me to have feelings I don't have!"
David shook his head. "You're still not understanding me. I will do everything in my power to show you we're meant to be together. I've fought for what I wanted in my life without fail. You are no different." He turned from her. "Think, Genevieve. You're under my direction. Your career is in my hands. We can have the life we dreamed of if you would just give me another chance."
"I will never get back with you." Her body trembled with rage. "I will not let you bully me anymore. I'm getting my stuff today and reporting you."
"Go ahead. I've already told key people at the hospital about your mental state. I have witnesses to back me up. As for your stuff, I already changed the locks in my apartment. You'll be moving back in with me eventually. This will just give you the proper motivation."
"Fuck you."
He frowned and glanced back. "You know I dislike gutter language, Genevieve. You've been hanging out with trash for too long. Wolfe is a problem between us. Get rid of him." He paused. "Or I will."
He left.
Her knees shook. And for the first time, she was truly scared.
What was she going to do?
Her first instinct was to call Wolfe, but she battled back the urge. He'd been so sweet and supportive, sacrificing his own work schedule to babysit her. They'd been growing closer since they returned and she was tired of him consistently rescuing her. He was prepping for a business trip and didn't need the distraction. No, she'd handle it. David was probably in a temper and would back down in a few days. He'd never follow through with his blackmail threats to HR. Right? They'd shared too many things together for such ugliness.
No need to blow it out of proportion yet. She'd dig in, focus on her work, and avoid him as much as possible. Another week and things might be completely different.
Genevieve prayed she was right.
twelve
WOLFE PUSHED AWAY from his desk and paced his lush inner sanctum. He'd learned young to follow instincts. Civility and society did a good job trying to cover up the truth of gut instinct, but he'd take the primitive anytime. It had always served him well, told him of danger, a bad deal, or the way to survive.
Now it was telling him Gen could be in trouble.
He had to work late tonight and prepare for a three-day conference he couldn't get out of. He'd be locked up nonstop in a train of meetings focused on growing their clientele and sifting through all their investors. The time away with Gen had given him a fresh perspective on Purity, and a few things needed to change. Usually he'd pick a good business deal over a person's character. After the episode with David, Wolfe decided he didn't want any weak links in his chain. Odd, he'd always had a unique ability to be ruthless in the pursuit of profit. It made sense. It was cut-and-dried and clean. But lately, he decided Sawyer's heart and soul were in the hotel empire of Purity, and it ran deeper than money. Both deserved more. Maybe it was time to clean house.
He grabbed his cell and hit her number. The hell with it. Her first week back at the hospital had been brutal. Fortunately, he'd cleared his schedule and been able to spend plenty of time in the evenings with her. Things should be a bit better this week, if he could get over this strange feeling something was going to happen. Of course, Kate and her crew would watch out for her, but he'd gotten used to being the one she depended on.
Wolfe wondered why the fact satisfied him. Maybe because he'd never been needed? Gen was the strongest woman he knew, and her faltering only made him respect her more. There weren't too many people in the world who dug deep, tried hard, and didn't make excuses. Everyone lately was full of whiny crap. Poor me with my dead mother or alcoholic father or crappy sibling. Poor me for not getting a job and not having money and getting bullied. Poor me period.
He had no patience for the climate lately. It was much easier to blame your junk and issues on someone else. Gen owned it and wanted to do the work.
He got connected to her voice mail. "Hey, it's Wolfe. Call me when you get a minute." He clicked off.
When was the last time he worried about a female other than family? The only thing he ever worried about was if she orgasmed fast enough so he could get home. He didn't mean to be cold or cruel, it was just how he was built. He had stopped trying to be someone else a long time ago.
The voice taunted. Then why do you want to be more for her?
Shut up.
The voice grew quiet.
He didn't trust David. This was bigger than wanting Gen back--this was about retribution for trying to leave and humiliating him. He knew how abusers worked, and how easily it could escalate behind closed doors. Better be safe than sorry. Another cliched motto he believed in.
After this conference, he'd keep a close eye on things. For now, he needed to focus. Gen could take care of herself. They were friends, not lovers. No reason to blur the lines and make things complicated.
Complicated for who? Her? Or you?
This time he didn't snap at the inner voic
e. Just got back to work.
GENEVIEVE WEAVED HER WAY through the chaos of the ER and headed toward the next patient. ER rotation was sometimes a bitch, and today was one of the worst. They were short beds and staff, and since she'd gotten back there'd been no time to pause.
The whole thing was a nightmare, but she figured she would hunker down like it was the Alamo and battle through.
Gen pulled the curtain back and read the chart for bed three. Susan Avery. Age forty-two. Symptoms of abdominal pains. No allergies. She smiled and met the gaze of a pretty blonde with big brown eyes and a thin face. "Hi, Susan, my name is Genevieve. Are we having some stomach issues today?"
Susan looked slightly flushed. "Yes. I really didn't want to come to the ER but the pains aren't going away and I got a bit nervous."
"Of course. Any other symptoms?"
"Not really. I took some antacids last night but nothing worked."
"And when did this start?"
"Late last night."
"Okay, let's check a few things out first." She retook Susan's blood pressure, which seemed slightly elevated. "Any past history of high blood pressure?"
"No."
She noted the chart, but numbers were sometimes a bit high due to anxiety. "I'm going to do an ultrasound on you, Susan. We want to rule out acute abdomen so we'll set that up. Just relax and I'll have a tech here in a few minutes."
Susan shifted position. "I don't have any insurance." She lifted her chin as she uttered the statement, as if trying to protect her pride. "Is that a problem?"
Gen hated the massive inflow of patients who needed certain tests but couldn't afford it. The hospital did its best, but there were too many gaps in the system and no way to stave off the leaks. She shook her head. "Not a problem. Let's take it a step at a time, okay?"
"Thank you."
Gen ordered the test, noting the glare the tech gave her as if he hated being the one to help her. She hurried to the next bed, finishing up two more patients, and her phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. She glanced at the screen and saw Wolfe's number. Juggling charts, she listened to his brief voice mail, and couldn't help the smile on her face. She'd kept the confrontation with David to herself, and things seemed to have settled a bit in the past few days. Though she was still treated like a leper, David kept his distance. She quickly sent a text saying she was fine and would be working late.
