AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I wasn’t thinking about that. I was thinking…” About how much I wish I was going. “A-about President Florraz.”
He smiled. “You mean President O’Connor. She’s a married woman now.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I keep calling her that. Habit, I guess.”
“Trust me, everyone calls her that. Do you know that a few people have started calling me Dr. Florraz?”
I giggled, then bit my lip. It wasn’t funny, but then again, I found it hilarious. “Don’t worry. I know your name.”
“Speaking of names, have you heard from my brother lately?” he asked.
I felt my entire body become tense. “Why would I?” I asked, afraid of what he would say. Had Liam told him what we had shared? I couldn’t picture that. But Shaun and Morgan were a different story. Morgan was the matchmaker type and might have intentionally let it slip just so we’d have to see each other again. I would forgive her, but it still wouldn’t make me happy.
“Liam is here in Tabiq.”
“What? He’s here?” I blurted, not mothering to hide my shock. “I’m sorry. What I mean is, I thought he had returned to Ireland after the wedding a couple of weeks ago.”
“He had. And this morning, he returned.”
“What a nice surprise for you,” I said.
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “About that. He hasn’t contacted me.”
“Oh no, do you think something has happened to him again?” I asked, my heart in my throat. I told you to be careful. I told you bad things could happen here. Please be okay.
He was glaring at me, then sat up and looked me directly in the eyes. “Nurse Marzon, I want answers and I want them now!”
He’d never used such a tone with me, and for the first time, I felt frightened of my chief of staff.
“Dr. O’Connor, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You haven’t asked me anything,” I said. I could feel my hands tremble.
“Let me make it clear. What the hell did you mean by ‘hurt again’?” he snarled. “What happened to my brother that I don’t know about?”
Oh no. I couldn’t believe I had shared that information, knowing darn well that Liam asked me not to.
“Dr. O’Connor, maybe you should ask your brother,” I suggested.
“I would, if he was taking my calls. So if you think something might have happened to him again, then I need to know immediately.”
“I agree. I…met your brother a day or so before you offered me schooling in the United States. He came to the hospital with a knife wound on his side. It was not deep, and I treated him.”
“You treated him? I don’t recall you being a doctor. And you definitely do not work in the emergency room.”
“No. I saw him from a window and I could see he was bleeding,” I said, not sure how to explain it all. No matter what, I came out looking bad in all this. But if Liam was in danger, I didn’t care about my job, or what he would think of me.
“I rushed out to help him. He didn’t want to come into the hospital, so I cleaned and bandaged his wound. I checked on him the next day and there was no sign of infection.”
“And you expect me to be happy with this? You’re a nurse here. We don’t treat patients in the parking lot. Did he tell you how this injury happened?” he asked.
“Yes. He pulled over to help someone he thought had broken down on the side of the road. He was attacked, and during the struggle he was slashed with a knife.”
He ran his hand through his hair and said, “Why the fuck wouldn’t he tell me this shit? Doesn’t he know there are people here who want us out? Some will do anything to get us to leave, dead or alive.”
Tears started to run down my cheeks, and I couldn’t stop them. “Please, don’t say that. He can’t be dead. He must be okay.” I can’t think of my life without him.
Even with my blurred vision, I saw him come around the desk to me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. He’s going to be fine. I’m sure he’s just…distracted by something. I’ll call him again. Don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry?” I asked. I love him.
