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“This is Dr. Gardner,” she answered after seeing the hospital number on caller ID. Though she was not on call this weekend, she would never leave them hanging and always answered when they called. To be honest, some of her residents really needed to learn a few things before she would trust them to take care of her kids.
“Dr. Gardner, this is Dr. Michaels.” Of course, it was John, one of the most arrogant men she had ever met, and that was saying a lot considering all of the surgeons she worked with.
“Yes, John, what can I do for you?” She should have used his title but couldn’t resist the opportunity to make sure he understood just where he stood in the pecking order. A second-year resident, he seemed to think he ran the show.
“It’s Gracie in 1404. Her white count has dropped significantly, and I’m concerned about her risk for infection...” Was he waiting for her to respond before continuing?
She remained silent, with no intention of making it any easier on him. Hell, he should have called his chief resident, yet he was calling her. Arrogant asshole.
“What do you want me to do?” His voice was strained. She could practically feel his agitation through the phone.
“Well, John, I want you to do your job. You’re her doctor. What do you think is going on with her, and what do you need to do about it?” She refused to spoon-feed him the answers. Samantha rubbed her forehead like she always did when her stress level was rising. It didn’t help she’d had no relief last night.Becausethe rat bastard kept it from me.
“I realize I’m the doctor, but her father is becoming more and more upset. Kicking him out of the hospital hasn’t seemed to help because he keeps calling. He’s making it difficult to manage her care.”
“Why am I just now hearing about this?” They would call her for things that didn’t matter, but something like this, and no word. This made no sense.
“I had security remove him from the campus until he could calm down. I am not calling about her father. I am calling because Gracie’s numbers are worse even despite everything we have done.”
She took a deep breath to center herself. “I will be at the hospital within the hour.” She hung up before he could respond because she was losing her patience.
3
Derrick was unsettled when he arrived for the Monday morning breakfast meeting. The owners got together to discuss any issues that may have come up during the previous week. He was responsible for giving a security report and discussing new member applications. Lucky he kept meticulous notes because his mind was still on Samantha. Seeing her after all these years was like a punch in the gut.
He knew all about her life due to the extensive background check he had personally performed. Sure, he had let his staff do the majority of the checks, but he wanted to do hers himself. And it may have been a little more in-depth than the rest. He couldn’t help himself. After seeing her playing in the old club when he didn’t have the time to stay and do anything about it, he needed to know everything about the woman who had once been the girl he fantasized about.
The girl he remembered had been short and always wore her beautiful hair in a ponytail. In fact, he couldn’t remember a time he ever saw her with it loose, not even in the club. He couldn’t wait to take it down and wrap his hand in it as she kneeled before him with his cock in her mouth.
Where the hell did that thought come from? He not only didn’t want a relationship, but he couldn’t afford one considering he could be called back into service with any number of alphabet agencies at any time. He was not a safe bet as a permanent Dom, something he made clear to any sub he played with. That was why he was having such a hard time understanding why she had captured his attention in such a massive way.
“Hey, Derrick, where are you? Because you definitely aren’t here with us.” Ian’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. He hadn’t realized he had stopped in his tracks while thinking of the sexy redhead. Lucky his jeans hid the hard-on that grew when he thought of her.
“Yeah, man, I’m here, just a little distracted this morning.” He hated admitting that.
“You? What would your SEAL team think about you ever being distracted to the point someone could sneak up on you? Dude, you are losing your touch.” He might be losing his touch, but he could still take Ian in the time it took to take his next breath. He had to concentrate to keep a grin from forming.
“Could still take you,” he mumbled under his breath, but Ian grinned.
“Are you two finished, or do we need to keep the food in the kitchen so it can stay hot while you work out your shit.” Leave it to Alex to be an asshole.
“Hangry this morning, Alex? No need to be a dick. We’re coming.” Ian never seemed to mind putting Alex in his place.
“Get your asses in gear. We need to get this meeting underway. I don’t have all fucking day,” he grumbled as he walked to the table set up in the middle of the open area.
Derrick needed to get his shit together. He had a job to do, and he could think about the redheaded goddess later. The other four owners of the club along with Matthew’s submissive, Lainie, moved toward the buffet and filled their plates, while he watched the way they interacted. Ian was right about one thing. He usually missed nothing, training a part of him. He’d always thought it was one of the things that made him a good Dom.
Once everyone else was seated, he grabbed some fruit and orange juice and sat in the empty chair next to Matthew, who held his sub in his lap. Though this was Derrick’s first Monday morning meeting, these guys had been gathering like this from the time they opened the original club. He planned to sit back and observe before jumping in.
“So, Derrick, what happened opening night? I heard there was a situation with you and John in the main room?” Matthew peered around the lovely woman in his lap, to look him in the eye.
So much for waiting to participate.
“No situation, just a little setting the record straight.” Short and to the point. Maybe they would take it at face value and leave him alone.
“If you think we are going to let it go at that, you don’t know us very well.”
“That Dom wannabe needed to see reality, so I showed him,” he grumbled, fixated on pushing a strawberry around his plate.
