Page 39 of After the Burn

All the doctors were male, with only one female nurse. She was blonde, dressed in faded blue scrubs, holding folded towels she placed on the old reception desk. Her movements were efficient and practiced, and she looked comfortable in the room. It was clear she had medical training and had most likely been a nurse for several years.

She glanced up briefly as we entered.

Blonde braid.

Brown eyes.

Late twenties or early thirties.

Her eyes were tired but sharp.

Her gaze moved over me once before briefly flicking toward the men surrounding us. Recognition settled into her expression almost immediately.

Not of me necessarily, but of the situation.

A little girl sleeping beneath a blanket in a chair near the back wall lifted her head at the sound of voices, then, after looking us over, closed her eyes and drifted back off.

The nurse’s face softened right away as she rushed over and wrapped the blanket around her like she had done it a million times before.

That had to be her daughter or a child she had in her care.

One of the doctors nearby watched her with a quiet intensity that felt a little too personal to be professional.

Nothing that had any relevance to my present situation, but I’d learned a long time ago that you never knew what knowledge might come in handy.

“We have two new potential citizens for you to process, Finley,” Gideon said in a jolly voice.

The doctor I’d seen, gazing at the nurse in affection, hurried over. “We’ll get it done immediately.”

I couldn’t keep the sneer off my face at his obvious ass-kissing.

The nurse brushed past me on the way to another patient, then leaned in and whispered. “You should withhold judgment until you’ve walked in his shoes.”

I gave her a blank look. Maybe she should keep her opinions to herself.

“What did you say to her?” a short, fat man, who had been one of the guards opening the door, asked in a rough voice.

“Nothing important, Rupert.” She sighed. “I just offered to get them a bottle of water.”

Gideon gave him a look. “Don’t speak to Harper that way. We don’t want to give our new guests the impression that we’re rude.”

I already had an impression, and it was getting worse by the minute.

“Harper, could you grab some alcohol wipes from the back?” the doctor, Finley, asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Finley. I live to please.”

He snorted. “That would be the day.”

Mace narrowed his eyes at them both, but neither paid him any attention. I bet that burned his ass.

Finley approached Lila and me. He had a faded CDC badge clipped to his coat pocket. Dark hair, glasses, probably in his early thirties. Clearly handsome if you prefer the smart, nerdy type who might enjoy doling out a spanking or two.

He didn’t interest me in the least.

Adrian was a beautiful nerd, and I’m sure he’d like to get his hands on my ass if the looks he’d been giving me were any indication. And even though I hadn’t decided whether I was going to let him, I considered the position filled.

“Any bites?” he asked me with professional detachment.