ey
gauze on my neck. The cut t
d off my skin, changing out of my ruined scrubs, and shoving my clinic ID b
e a wreck. My eyes wer
of a sleek, modern building
smell of roasted beans and pastry filled the air. It was a st
the window, surrounded by three other men in identical suits.
ragging. I felt like I w
pull out a chair. He just gestured to the empty seat across from him with his coffee cup.
eyeing me with a mix of
seat uncomfortable. I looked at Warr
an eyebrow. "Don't you ha
tasting like ash in my mouth.
"You know, Haley, I had to pay the bill. The whole bill.
y," I said,
rest. And the tip." He shook his head. "It's fine. I should have known better than to
she can take your blood pressure, W
rned back to me. "So, what's the excuse today? Or ar
ked. "
g since you sat down. It's rude. I'm trying to have a conversation
n the cafe was too loud, the lights too brigh
another time," I said,
cups rattled. "We do this now. You wanted a second chance, y
y thought his little coffee date was more i
I said, the words slipping o
paused.
o kill my patient. He held a scalpel to my t
exchanged uncomfortable glances. Warre
he la
king his head. "That's a new one. I've heard some crazy excuses to get out o
y hands clenching into fists un
ayor. Look, if you didn't want to see me, you could have ju
peeled back the edge of the gauze on my neck, revealing the
t could be from anything. You probably caught yourself with a necklace or scratched it while fixing your
y entire life. I had just shown him a wound from a
as
u're right, Warren. You're not an idiot. You're just a narci
turned red.
ologized because I was trying to keep the peace. But I am done. I am done pre
Warren grabbed my arm, his
ere," he snarled. "Not
ing to pull my arm free. Hi
ey
It cut through the noise of
urn
ace was pale, his jaw set in a hard line, and a sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the cafe's air conditioning. His right arm was in a heavy black sling, he
n to Warren's hand locked around my arm. A red
arren. The look in
said, his voice quiet and deadly
m, stepping back. "W
e me, close enough to block Warren from reach
"This is a private conv
e was a full head taller, and he used every inch of that h
d fury in his eyes, and seemed to decide that his pride wasn't wort
it anyway." He turned to his f
o escape the tension. Warren shot me one last,
ing. I looked up at Knight, c
ou doing he
the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his wallet. He plac
coffee,
he door, pausing to loo
d for only
m out into the col
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