Page 71 of Savage Seduction

She strokes my hair. “Baby, you saved us.” London joins me on the floor, grabbing my hand to hold it tight.

If it hadn't been for me, none of this would have ever happened in the first place. I hug her tight and absorb her loving touch. We sit like that for as long as we all need, no one bringing up what had just happened or why. I wipe the tears away and sigh. London and I lock eyes, she smiles and mouths, "Thank you." I squeeze her hand tighter.

Red and blue lights from outside flash through the windows and curtains. Someone called the police, but who? A neighbor? A knock at the door sounds. "Los Angeles Police Department," the cop shouts into the home.

"You'd better get that," Nana says.

London and I sit on the edge of the bed, flanking her. "Let them come to us."

She pats me on the knee and chuckles. "I like how you think."

"In here, officers!" I holler. "We're in here."

CHAPTER 28

Ben

I'm staring blankly at the array of instruments laid out for the next surgery when my phone vibrates insistently in the pocket of my scrubs.

Nurse Lawson says, “Might as well answer it, the surgery has been delayed. Something about the patient’s bloodwork didn’t come back looking right. You’ll need to rescrub in anyway.”

I nod my acknowledgement and retrieve my phone from my pocket. A quick glance at the caller ID shows it’s from the hospital liaison office, an unexpected call that knots my stomach with a mix of curiosity and dread. Excusing myself, I step into the nearest empty consultation room and answer.

"Dr. Ben Cooper speaking."

"Hello, Dr. Cooper! This is Angela from the hospital liaison office. I’m calling with some exciting news regarding the Doctors Without Borders partnership program you applied for." Angela’s voice is bubbly, infused with an enthusiasm that feels jarring against the sterile quiet of the room.

"Oh, hello, Angela. Yes, I remember applying, but that was quite some time ago…" I trail off, a wave of memories flooding back—the grueling night in the ER with Max, the emotional aftermath, and the desperate need I felt then to do something, anything, to escape the replaying images of that night.

"Well, I’m thrilled to inform you that you’ve been accepted into the program! Your placement begins in six days, and it will indeed secure your path towards the chief of surgery track you’ve been discussing with Dr. Moore." Her words should elicit joy, professional fulfillment, a sense of achievement. Instead, they strike a chord of panic.

"That’s… that’s incredible news, Angela. Thank you." My words feel hollow, automatic as my mind races. This is what I wanted, isn't it? A prestigious role that not only catapults my career but also serves as a testament to overcoming the trauma of that night years ago.

Yet, as I hang up the phone, my thoughts immediately dart to Max. We’ve just begun to explore the depths of our relationship, navigating through the shadows of his past, and now mine threatens to impose a new distance between us. The irony isn't lost on me—I’d applied to get away from a past that now, ironically, includes him.

Walking back to the surgical wing, my steps slow. How do I even begin to explain this to Max? Would he understand why I need to go, why this is not just a job but a stepping stone to the pinnacle of my career? Would he wait for me? Our relationship, still so new yet profoundly significant, might not withstand the strains of a long-distance engagement. After all, Doctors Without Borders is a prestigious organization doing miraculous work around the world for the under served communities.

Unfortunately for me, these communities are thousands of miles away and if I take this job I’d not be back for quite some time.

After scrubbing back in, I push open the doors to the OR, the familiar scent of antiseptic filling my lungs,grounding me for a moment. Surgery is straightforward; you cut, you repair, you close. Relationships, however, are messier, harder to stitch up neatly.

Throughout the surgery, my mind isn’t entirely on the precise movements of my hands; it’s on Max. On us. The excitement of a new challenge is there, lurking in the back of my mind, but it’s overshadowed by the dread of what accepting it might cost me.

Post-surgery, I find a quiet corner in the lounge, pull out my phone, and start to text Max.Can we meet tonight? Something important has come up.I need to see him, to explain everything face-to-face. It's the only way. But then, I slowly erase the message and return the phone to my pocket. I don’t know what to do.

My stomach is in knots. I want to eat my feelings but also vomit away the rising stress.

Maybe, just maybe, there's a way to have both—the career I've always wanted and the man I'm falling for. As I head back to my duties, I cling to that hope, knowing that whatever decision I make, it needs to be one that I can live with. One that doesn't leave me wondering "what if?" every time I step into an operating room or look into Max’s eyes.

I’ll need to give this some more thought before I proceed.

CHAPTER 29

Max

Afew days later, I sit in the laboratory, lost in thought. The events of the attack replay in my mind over and over. If I'd just shoved the ankh in my pocket, I'd probably still have it as evidence. Surely, if I'd kept it and handed it to the police when they arrived, we might have had proof of who attacked us. I run my fingers through my hair and let out a long-held breath. Despite losing potentially damning evidence, I couldn’t be happier with the positive outcome. London, Nana, and I all escaped with relatively minor injuries. In fact, Nana refused to go to the hospital and is recuperating well at home with London’s help. I check my phone—no messages or texts from Ben. I tried calling, left him a message yesterday and sent a text this morning. Nothing. It’s not like Ben to not respond. I thought we'd left things in a pretty good place the last time we saw each other.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Bretton says as he walks up to me.

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