AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mr. Winters nods. “I needed some fresh air.”
“Is it your first time here?” Danai asks. “We haven’t seen you around before. My husband usually joins us, but he had to work tonight.”
I can’t meet his eyes. I’m still embarrassed over the way we parted the other day. Fuck. I can’t cry right now, not in front of my friends and not in front of him. It was a moment of weakness. I’ve helped many people on this island, and I pride myself on my work ethic.
But I just can’t get through to Mr. Winters.
And it messes with me.
“I don’t discuss my habits,” Mr. Winters says, and my friends chuckle in amusement. Smolyakov isn’t amused. He senses something in Mr. Winters. Something we’ve discussed before. Mr. Winters is dangerous, and I shouldn’t bother opening that pandora’s box. He is brutal, determined, and mysterious. In my five years of working with him, I know that his foster parents were murdered. I managed to get him to briefly touch upon his divorce. One day, he even talked about how much he loved his son.
That’s all.
“Will you excuse us? Ms. Lin and I have a private matter to discuss,” Mr. Winters says. I’m about to be beheaded. I did something horrible. What did I do? I’ve reached the end of my wits with Mr. Winters.
We even went to his birthday party. Felicita invited all the doctors that have worked intensely with the royals. Only the new batch of medics ended up attending the party, but that’s beside the point. My friends and I went like the loyal doctors that we are. We even dressed up for them.
I dressed up forhim, but… That’s another day’s sob story.
My friends silently cheer me on while I turn to follow Mr. Winters wherever he wants to take me. When I welcome him into my office, he doesn’t seem as intimidating. He usually wears a sweatshirt or a hoodie, coupled with sweatpants. He comes to me after gym time, and he’s always in a mood, an eerie calm. I can work with that.
However, I can’t deal with him when he’s dressed up and broody. His clothes fit his toned body, accentuating every inch of his power. I’m familiar with how tall he is. I’ve just never seen his broad shoulders from this angle.
I try to keep up while he walks ahead of me. I don’t even notice where he’s taking us.
I rarely get to see his hair. Sometimes he has it braided, but in the last year, he’s gone from buzz cut to today’s shortcut. He always hides his hair under a beanie in my presence. He plays with the beanie quite often, too. It’s one of his coping mechanisms, adjusting his beanies. I study him whenever his fingers trace the number four or the Indianapolis stamps.
“I just wanted to tell you that you have a lovely family. Aris and Valentina invited us over to their house before we went to the party, and it was—”
I trip over my own foot, interrupting myself. We’re outside of Gold Necklace, and I’m positive that I’ll split the skin of my naked knees open on the cold asphalt. I didn’t want to wear a skirt. I haven’t worn one since high school. Malena made me do it. She said it would be a good idea. Why did I listen to her?
Fuck.
I don’t fall on my face, though. In time, Mr. Winters catches me. I don’t even see him coming. He wraps his arm around me, hoisting me up. I’m in shock, panting. He smells like expensive liquor and well-seasoned steak. That last part is probably because Gold Necklace has Steak Sundays.
“I’ve got you,” he says, and I feel his breath on my neck. It tantalizes me, making me pant harder. I’m pressed against him in the worst, most torturous way.
When I told him to leave my office a couple of days ago, I didn’t expect to see him again. Sure, we were invited to his birthday party. Yet, it doesn’t matter how often you visit the palace. Fylox and Mr. Winters are like ghosts. They come and go as they please. They’ll show themselves when they want to be seen.
I’ve never seen Mr. Winters outside of my office, and in many ways, that’s good.
We’re in the middle of the sidewalk. There isn’t anyone else out there. The Gold Necklace is unpopular with the locals. The only person I see is the bouncer, staring us down out of curiosity.
“You’re shaking.” At this statement, I start shaking harder. Mr. Winters makes me nervous. He always has, but when he’s my patient, I maintain a level of authority over him. Out here? I have zero authority. Kamila and Fylox appreciate me as their therapist, but… I’m ordinary.Unowned. As the new Queen of Katantia, Kamila has had new laws written for the country, but if a random man decides that I shall be hisobject, unfortunately, I’m at a disadvantage.
“Are you cold?” he asks, and for the first time tonight, Mr. Winters’ voice softens. I nod, and I feel needy, pressed so neatly against him.
“Can you stand on your own?”
“I-I think so.” I watch as he removes his lavish suit jacket. His long-sleeved dress shirt stretches deliciously as he moves. He helps me slide into the jacket, and I wrap it around me as if it’s an armor of protection. I clear my throat. “Thank you. What did you want to discuss?”
“Am I still your patient?” he asks abruptly.
I don’t know what to tell him. The right thing would be to ship him off to somebody else. The new doctors aren’t on the same level as I am in my field, but perhaps they have special talents that’ll come in handy when dealing with Mr. Winters.
He adds, “I asked you a question.”
“Yes, I’m sorry… I don’t know. The schedule hasn’t been updated yet.” That’s bullshit, and he sees right through it. His suit jacket is too big for me. I lose myself in its warm touch as if it’s Mr. Winters himself.
