Page 4 of Toxic Temptation
“He’s my nephew. And you’re not going to be able to do shit with thosemudakipopping off like the Fourth of fucking July out there.”
She cranes her head towards the nurse’s station. “Sonya, initiate lockdown procedure.”
Her order is direct, confident. Not once does her voice shake.
I can’t say that the nurses she works with have the same presence of mind. Sonya, the willowy twig of a woman I was yelling at earlier, merely gulps. Her eyes are dinner plates, huge and round. They see, but they do not compute.
The doctor tries again. “Sonya! Lockdown! We have to make sure the shooters can’t get into any of the patient rooms.”
Another nurse, whose hair is streaked with grey, jumps into action and reaches to smash a button under the station that I can’t see. I’m guessing it’s a silent alarm because I can’t hear anything except more gunshots and distant screams.
“Shit, shit, shit,” the doctor mutters. She glances all around us and then down the long, empty corridor. “There’s a medical room just down the hall. I should be able to find an EpiPen in there.”
She shrugs me off again and crouches low like a sprinter in the starting block.
“At the risk of repeating myself,” I growl, “where the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
She doesn’t even bother looking at me. I’d be irritated at her disrespect if I didn’t almost admire the sheer audacity. Not many people in my life would follow in her footsteps here.
“If he doesn’t get a shot of epinephrine in the next few minutes,” she explains, “his throat will close up completely and he won’t be able to breathe. Which means he will die. I have to get to that medical room ASAP. Unless you’d prefer the former option?”
I look down at the boy. He’s got my nose, a little too big and far too proud.A Roman emperor’s nose,I always tease him.You and I, we’re ancient royalty.
Or at least, that’s what I used to tease him with.
If he doesn’t get this EpiPen, I might not get to make that joke ever again.
“Fine.” I nod shortly. “But not without cover.”
I balance Luka tight against my chest, using one hand to hold him up while my free hand reaches for the gun holstered at my hip. The moment I pull it out, the doctor’s eyes go wide, a flush of panic zooming up to stain her cheeks pink.
It’s probably not the right moment to notice, but she’s extremely fucking pretty.
“They’re here because ofyou,” she gasps.
I’m surprised it took her this long to put two and two together. She’s no idiot; that much is certain.
“They’re certainly not here for the fucking cafeteria food,” I grumble as I rack the slide and pop off the safety.
She starts scooting away from me, eyes never leaving my gun. “Don’t even think about squirming away,” I warn her. “You have to help me.”
Her lips curl back from her teeth. Feisty even now. Again, I find myself admiring it more than I do despising it. How strange. “I don’t have to do a damn thing.”
“You realize I have a gun, right?”
Her eyes widen but her jaw only tightens with defiance. “You think I’m afraid of your big metal toy?”
“I’m not asking for me; I’m asking you to help my nephew. He’s eight years old and innocent in all this. And if you don’t save him, he’s going to die. You said it yourself. So, come to think of it, I’m not really asking at all.” I point the gun at her. “Go get the fucking EpiPen, Doctor.”
Her eyes go wide. But I can tell that I’ve said the magic words. She’s back in patient saving mode.
“Fine. Let’s get to the supply room.” She doesn’t wait for my instructions. In fact, she seems to think thatshe’sthe one in charge. “Give me your nephew. What’s his name?”
“Luka,” I grit without relinquishing control. “And he stays with me.”
“Don’t be stupid. You can’t cover me and hold him at the same time. Give me the boy and for fuck’s sake, point that thing at the bad guys, you idiot.”
So be it. I won’t argue with good reason. Not at a time like this.
