Page 44 of Careless Whisper

He put the phone down and looked at me. “I’ll deal with him.”

I sniffled. I really wanted to hide under the covers but I didn’t want to bethatperson, the one who was afraid.

I shook my head. “No,Iwill.”

Luther eyed me carefully and then slowly gave a nod of approval.

The doorbell rang, and I rose slowly. I wiped my face with my hands and walked to the door.

“Hey.” Elias looked at me with stricken eyes. “Are you crying?”

“Wascrying,” I corrected him. “Why are you here?”

He was in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, freshly showered. His hair was still wet.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked softly.

I didn’t let him in. “Why?”

“Dr. Graham,” Luther spoke from behind me. I turned to see him, and he was standing with his arms crossed, like a sentinel protecting me.

“Luther.”

“An attending is bullying one of your nurses, and you do nothing about it?” Luther demanded.

I gave the slightest shake of my head, hating that Luther felt he had to defend me because I couldn’t do it myself. I was so embarrassed.

“Luther, I want to talk to Reggie.”

“Then talk. I’m just here as a witness, in case you want to fuck her overagain.”

Elias gave me an accusatory look.

“Oh, please, your fiancée is telling stories about Boston to anyone who’ll hear them, and you’re annoyed with me for telling my closest friend?” The nerve of the man.

“Maren isnotmy fiancée, and she hasn’t told anyone about?—”

“Yes, she has,” Luther interrupted him. “Told five nurses yesterday in the cafeteria about how Nurse Sanchez’s negligence killed a patient and got her fired. She even shed a tear for the patient, saying she blamed herself because she trusted Reggie.”

My breath caught in my throat. Now, the strange looks everyone was giving me made sense. They knew what happened and…God!

“If she has, I will have a conversation with her,” Elias replied sternly.

“If?” I let out a sharp laugh and leaned back into Luther. “Did you hear that, Luther?Ifshe has. He still thinks she’s innocent in all this.” My tone dropped to a snarl. “Listen here, Elias Graham, and listen well. Yourfiancéescrewed up in Boston, not me. I told her to check on the patient—she didn’t. She told me to stay in my lane. Which, by the way, is something she says to nurses a lot.”

“Said it to Nina yesterday,” Luther confirmed.

“She’s arrogant and spoiled and, thanksto people like you, has skated free of blame every time she screws up,” I continued.

“Don’t make accusations you can’t substantiate,” Elias barked.

“You didn’t support me then, and you aren’t supporting me now,” I screamed at him, feeling hysteria claw at my insides.

“I was trying to?—”

“Do what?” I snapped, my voice hoarse with unshed tears and pain. “You didn’t protect me. You didn’t trust me. You still don’t.”

He looked down like he couldn’t bear the truth of it.

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