Page 28 of Lethal Attraction

I hop down before enveloping my sister-in-law in a tight hug. “Do you have something strong in there? Maybe whiskey?”

She hugs me back. “On the rocks?”

“You know it.”

Chapter ten

Reed

Two Weeks Later

Adjusting to New York isn’t as horrible as I imagined it would be. Taryn and I ended up in a mega-rich, privately owned hospital with chains that stretch across the US. Langford Center of Medical Research and Technology is a grand headquarters with a campus that stretches for miles. The collection of glass towers, beautifully crafted limestone pathways, and landscaped gardens with perfectly crafted statues and benches is surreal and overwhelming. It’s breathtaking from the outside looking in, but all I see is money.

Burton Langford, the owner and founder of this healthcare corporation, has this facility pinpointed as his main office. He made sure to stock the hospital with everything one might need. Gyms, churches, a full-service hotel, restaurants as far as the eye can see, shopping centers, and everything else imaginable. I’ve never been in a health center this flashy.

As I walk the polished hallways that smell of light disinfectant and morning-brewed coffee from the little shop that takes up the center of the first floor, none of the glamor can distract from the same thoughts that have plagued me for the last two weeks.

Where is Thalia?

How is her shoulder doing?

I hope she’s okay.

Does she still have my car?

Has she even thought about me once since her abrupt departure?

Every day leads to more unanswered questions. She left as if the night we shared, though I was drugged, meant nothing to her.

It shouldn’t mean anything to me, yet I can’t stop thinking about her. I mostly wonder if she’s treating her wound with care and practicing her stretches, but there’s still that lingering, whispered thought that wiggles its way to the forefront of my mind.

Who is Brooks and why did he shoot her?

Mystery Girl is just that. One big mystery, and sometimes I don’t even feel like it was real—meeting her and experiencing the passion and heat we shared. Taryn has brought it up a couple of times, and that’s the only way I can distinguish that it wasn’t just in my head.

Thalia Kingsley really did a number on me for the short time we knew each other.

I sigh as I trudge through the part of the hospital that’s currently under repairs. There are clear tarps everywhere and ladders posted up under missing ceiling tiles. Burton was boasting about the new wing additions only days ago before a crew swept right in, ready to turn his vision into a reality.

Of all the possible changes he could have made: expanding the research wing, adding more space for patients in long-term care, or even adding a daycare for patients who need childcare.

He chose a fucking movie theater.

Just walking through the construction zone makes my blood boil. Taryn and I had a long discussion about the founder, rolling our eyes as we divulged he should have gone into owning malls or shopping centers instead of focusing on healthcare. Burton is ridiculous with his visions, but he’s my new boss. And as unfortunate as it is, the older man seems to gravitate towards me the most.

It started with a small run-in last week, an accidental chance of me rushing to the OR for an emergency surgery, and we had a small, curt conversation before I shouldered past him to get to my patient. I had no idea who he was at the time, but a few hours after sowing sutures, he was waiting near my desk in the ER with a big, tight smile on his face.

“I like your attitude, Reed! You seem like a man who understands the vision!”

I had no idea what he was talking about. Our previous conversation consisted of a quick chuckle before I dismissed myself to get to my patient. But as with most top dogs in the medical profession, he enjoyed talking out of his ass. Once he introduced himself to me, I could only mentally curse as I plastered on a cordial smile and nodded along with his rambling. He’s been seeking me out ever since.

As I leave the construction site, I enter the main floor of the west wing. Patients and nurses are already bustling around, trying to get to appointments or grabbing a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants lining the walkways. I tuck my hands into my white coat as I slow my pace to take in the morning.

It’s four in the morning, but I’ve always been an early riser. These shifts are the easiest to get through. I enjoy watching the sunrise outside the ER windows as the waiting room begins to fill for the day.

Someone darts in front of me, cutting me off as she pushes to get to the front doors of a coffee shop to my right. I do a double take at the long black hair that glides down the woman’s back, and my stomach flips as I move without thought.

I reach a hand out to her, gently grabbing her shoulder as the world slows. “Excuse me…” The words die on my tongue as the woman whips around.