Page 4 of Born Wicked

“You deserve just as much credit as I do,” I say, pausing over my notebook with all the tasks written down that I need to complete. “I still don’t understand how you get from pirate to hospital administrator assistant.”

“The Bonnys have many talents,” he says with a charming smile, given ten times more character by the hooked scars on his cheeks.

“Someday soon, I want you to tell it to me. All of it,” I say as I rest my elbow on the desk, propping my chin in my hand. “The pirate stories. How you died. All of it.”

“I will,” he promises. “Soon. Any applicants on the new positions yet?”

“Seventeen, actually,” I say with a shocked raise of my brow. “The payroll lady told me once that positions don’t open in this hospital often. This hospital has an impressive reputation. I already had to take down the job listing. I’ll be starting interviews tomorrow.”

In one week, Dr. Holmes is retiring and focusing on his own cancer treatment. With him gone, and Sebastian, we’re about to be exceptionally short-staffed in our emergency room. I’m covering all the shifts every single night for the rest of this week.

It’s a good thing I don’t need that much sleep, because I won’t be getting any until I’ve hired at least one new doctor.

“I don’t know if I’ll be all that helpful, but I could start with phone calls, try to weed out a few of the weaker options,” Jon offers.

“Thanks,” I say as I stand. “But I think I’d rather have your help narrowing it down to finding me an assistant.”

“I can’t believe you’re firing me,” he says in mock offense as he follows me out the door.

I chuckle. “You might only look a few years older than me, but you’re still technically my dad. It feels weird to have you as my assistant. You should find something you love. If you’re really staying in this city, I want you doing something you enjoy.”

“I don’t need the money, so I’m not exactly dying to go and get some random job. Don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere, Juliet,” he reaffirms. “Like I said, I spent twenty-nine years looking for you. Now that I’ve found you, I’m ready to stay put.”

We step into the elevator, and I press the button for the next floor. “It just… It might take me a while to get used to people staying. I’m better with trust than I was, but the habits of twenty-nine years take a bit to unlearn.”

I regret the words as soon as I say them. Will this ever go away? This pain that exists between us? Because I grew up with no one. I’m a little messed up because of how my childhood was. But that’s not actually Jon’s fault. He would have been there if my mother hadn’t cursed him so he couldn’t find us.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Jon simply repeats, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

I give a nod, reaching across and giving his hand a squeeze.

The elevator opens. As soon as we step into the hall, there is a heavy feeling in the air.

It’s so quiet on this floor. This is the intensive care unit, but it’s been quiet the last few days, thank the dark. The only patients currently occupying this floor are silent as the grave.

I push the door open, and instantly chills wash down the back of my neck, over both arms, all the way down to my toes.

Dozens of beds are set up in this long room. There’s an aisleway down the middle and medical equipment is set up between the beds.

Lying on each of them, is a vampire, trapped in a coma.

And it was Sebastian, the man I once loved most, who put them there.

For me.

To protect me.

No gifted. No vampires. No threat to Juliet.

Damn him.

Every one of their faces is familiar now. I’ve never spoken to most of them, but I know every one of their names, except for the two who staggered into the emergency room on their own, each on separate occasions. They’d had no ID on them, and no loved ones came in with them. But the others, I know them all now. I’ve studied their faces. I’ve imagined what their lives were like before they ended up here.

I walk over to one of the beds closest to me and stare down into the face of my best friend.

Mason and I moved Elena here just a few days after she fell into her coma. She needed to be put on a ventilator, and I wanted to make sure there was always someone around who could monitor her. Mason now has double duty to pull at Godfrey Enterprises. So, she’s been here, and I’ve come to see her every single day.

“I hate that vampires are still getting hurt, even though Sebastian isn’t even in the city anymore,” I say. My throat feels tight, and my stomach feels full of acid. “Whatever he did, it’s outlasting his presence.”

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