Page 30 of The Potter

“What do you mean I don’t need a better look?”

Vance’s hands tremble against me. “I showed you the worst of them. Believe me when I say, her case is out of your scope of expertise.”

Duke chuckles and rounds the opposite side of the table, where Vance lingers like a dark gargoyle standing guard. “I beg to differ. I’ll decide what’s in my scope after a thorough examination. Now, step aside, Dr. Potter.”

Vance doesn’t move. Instead, he tugs the gown over the exposed part of my body. “A good surgeon would have been able to determine the severity of her scars from a mile away. You’re not qualified.”

Duke flashes me a smile. “Halle, would you mind coming back tomorrow? About three-thirty? I think Dr. Potter has a meeting and won’t be able to be a deterrent then.”

I swear Vance growls.

“Does that work for you? Obviously, I’ll get Astor to approve the time off.”

Watching Vance as he stares at something across the room, I nod. “Yeah, that—”

“I’ll take your case.”

I suck in a breath at Dr. Potter’s abrupt words.

“I…” Shock steals my thought process. But then the word “no” reminds me of all the times he turned me down. “I want Dr. Duke,” I say firmly and am rewarded when his hateful gaze snaps down to glare at me.

“Too bad. You get me or no one. Dr. Duke isn’t qualified to take on a case like yours.”

I shrug. “I’ll risk it.”

Duke makes a noise that I ignore. I don’t have the energy to figure out his reaction since I’m elbow-deep in arguing with his exasperating brother.

“You won’t risk it. You’ll allow me to perform the surgery, or you’ll go back home to Georgia and find a surgeon there.”

The annoying tic in Vance’s jaw sets my nerves on fire. How dare he! “Oh, sonowyou’ll take on my case?” I sit up and yank the gown from his grip and stand. “Excuse me while I don’t give a shit. I don’t want a surgeon who can’t stand to look at me.”

Tears threaten to fall, and suddenly, I’m exhausted. Tired of fighting the pain of insecurity. Tired of feeling like I don’t look like everyone else. I just want normality, and anything that Dr. Potter touches is nothing less than perfect. It’s blatantly obvious why he doesn’t want my case. He can’t make me perfect.

Backing away, I grab the doorknob and yank the door open wide. “I’d like to get dressed now.”

Duke is the first to leave, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

I don’t look at him when I say, “It’s not your fault.”

It’s Vance’s.

“Dr. Potter?” I prompt when he just stands there, eyes hard, jaw clenched. “I need to get back to work.”

If anything should make him move, it will be knowing I’m on the clock and not working as he so loves to remind me. But he still doesn’t move.

“Dr. Potter. I’d like to get dressed,” I repeat.

The annoyance in my tone must clue him in to how much I appreciate him crashing the only consult I’ve had since he rudely turned me down because his feet move him to the door. But I should have known he wouldn’t go quietly. “Tell Serena to fit you into tomorrow’s schedule for a proper consult.”

This man. “I already told you. I want Dr.—”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He closes the door behind him, and I’m left with a terrible urge to chase after him and scream. But I don’t. Because Dr. Potter might run this office, but he doesn’t run me.

Vance

“Are you fucking kidding me, Duke? Entering a patient’s room without a witness! We could be sued. Again.”

I slam the door to my office and narrow my gaze at the pain in my ass perched on the edge of my desk, eating a sucker.

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