Page 121 of Toxic Temptation
I stop walking and turn to face him, finger shaking in his face. “A seven-year-old girl almost died twenty minutes ago because I didn’t have a defibrillator. A mother watched her daughter turn blue. If she had died, it would have been your fault.”
“But she didn’t die.”
The careless way he says it makes me see red. “No, she did not. No thanks to you.”
He steps closer, close enough that I can smell his cologne. It makes me nauseous. “I’ve had enough of your attitude, Vesper.” This close, his teeth are gray and small and malformed, like melted little TicTacs. “I’ve got lawyers who would love to destroy you.”
“Are you seriously threatening me right now? Withlawyers?Are you not man enough to deal with problems yourself? Are you?—”
His eyebrows fly up his forehead. He grabs my wrist and twists it behind my back. Pain shoots up my arm. “This is my hospital, you uppity little bitch. You either follow my rules, or?—”
“Is there a problem here?”
We both turn. To my surprise, Pavel stands at the end of the hallway, his usual boyish charm replaced by an aura of cold competence.
“Who the hell are you?” Jeremy demands, but his grip on my wrist loosens.
“Someone who looks out for Vesper.” Pavel cracks his knuckles deliberately. “So I’ll ask again: Is there a problem?”
Jeremy drops my hand completely, his demeanor shifting back to fake professionalism. “No problem at all. Dr. Fairfax and I were just having a discussion.”
“Looked like more than talking to me.”
Jeremy’s jaw tightens, but he forces a smile. “We’re finished here.” He turns and whisks away, his coat billowing behind him.
I stand there, my wrist throbbing, watching him disappear around the corner. Wondering how much longer this game can continue before tragedy strikes all of us.
41
VESPER
When Jeremy is gone, I look in the other direction. “How long have you been following me?”
Pavel sighs as he walks up. “Hello to you, too.”
“Don’t deflect. Why are you following me?”
“Because I’m considering a career change. Always wanted to be a doctor.” The joke falls flat when he sees my expression. “Look, it’s not a big deal. I’m just making sure you’re safe.”
“You’re spying on me.”
“I prefer ‘protective surveillance.’ It’s really nice of me, wouldn’t you say?” He reaches for my wrist. “Let me see this.”
I jerk my hand away. “No. And tell your brother that next time he assigns me a babysitter, he should at least have the courtesy to inform me first.”
“Come on, admit it. I came in handy just now.”
I want to stay angry, but Pavel’s ridiculous charm is already chipping away at my defenses. I hate how the Krayev brothers do this to me—make me feel things I don’t want to feel.
“Where are you going?” he asks, falling into step beside me when I start striding away from him.
“To restock the supply room. Where do you think?”
“At least let me push that cart. I look like an ass letting the lady do all the work.”
“I’m perfectly capable of handling this myself,” I snap as I wheel it down the hall. “I don’t need a man to rescue me. Contrary to what you and your brother seem to think.”
“He’s trying to keep you safe.”
