Page 51 of Embrace
Julia tugged the hem of her suit jacket and pulled her shoulders back. Then her lips slowly formed a smirk. “See you around, Dr. Sparrow—and my sister too.” She winked.
I stared daggers at her as she strolled out of my office, but I kept my composure, not wanting her to see that I was indeed alarmed.How did Valentine fucking know about Bryn?There was supposed to be no paper trail left behind.How did Arthur Valentine find one?I almost didn’t believe her, but still, it would’ve been negligent to ignore her threat. So I took my phone out of my pocket and called my brother, Jasper.
* * *
Penina wasthe second person I looked for. No one I asked had seen her. I found Deb at the care station, combing over charts, and asked her too.
“No, but don’t you feel you owe me a conversation?” she asked.
“Not now, Dr. Glasgow.” I was shorter with her than I wanted to be.
“Don’t you want to know why I don’t know where she is?”
I tensed up. She had regained my full attention. “I’m listening.”
“She’s no longer a resident as of”—she checked her watch—“twenty minutes ago. She’s now a fellow. As always, it’s who you know, or more.”
Whoa.She sneered like she wanted to spit in my face. I’d never seen Deb that angry. The time she came to my office when I was with Penina, I’d known what her visit was concerning. However, Penina would never have guessed that her boss was coming to make her play for me. Deb was always acutely aware that I was within proximity. Even seconds ago, when I walked into the care station to find Penina, she’d gone rigid and doubled her efforts to pretend as though she hadn’t noticed me.
Her reaction toward me was fine. Over time, my newness would wear off, and she would point her attraction elsewhere. However, facing Julia that morning had incited an aggression within me that had been long dormant. I found myself wanting to remind Deb of who was in fucking charge and that there was no one higher to report to than me. But I took a beat to get a grip on myself. Even though my pervading desire to torture Julia, the feeling that kept me tethered to her, had dissipated, she still brought out the worst in me.
“Do you think it’s fair what you said about Dr. Ross?” I asked, keeping cool, calm, and collected.
“She’s suddenly Dr. Ross again and not Penina?”
She was snarling, showing teeth, and that discombobulated me. I cleared my throat, wondering if we would be able to reach an amicable conclusion to this conversation.
“To me, she’s both, and she’s been saving your department’s ass for the better part of three years, performing surgeries that only full-fledged residents should’ve. She finally gets a break, and you want to attribute it to her relationship with me?” I leaned closer to Deb so she wouldn’t miss one word of what I was going to say. “And we are in a relationship. I love her, and that’s that.” I stood up straight.
Deb’s face turned as her gaze bounced around the hallway. I waited patiently, giving her more time to think before responding. Then she coughed into her fist to clear her throat.
“Well, I still don’t know where Dr. Ross is. I haven’t seen her since this morning. But—” she said in a way that seemed like maybe it hurt to let go of her self-righteous condemnation of Penina—“I agree. Dr. Ross has been a credit to our department and to the hospital in general. She deserves that fellowship.”
She glared at me as if she wanted me to get away from her. I was happy to oblige.
After a sharp nod I said, “Thanks, Dr. Glasgow,” and shuffled up the hallway.
Satisfied it ended amicably between Glasgow and me, I went to Si’s office, but Penina wasn’t there either. I went to the eighth floor, room 809, where he was supposed to have met up with Greg Carroll. The room was empty. I stopped to think. I was in a race to keep Penina from running into Julia. Only God knew what Julia would say to her. Julia could vex anyone, even if he or she had the resolve of the Dalai Lama.
Standing in the middle of another hallway, unsure of my next move, I took my phone out of my coat pocket and sent a text to Si, asking where the hell he was.
I’m in the planning meeting, brother. Where are you? he replied.
Agitated, I rubbed the back of my neck.Fuck, that’s right. I was supposed to be there.
Where’s Penina?I typed.
With Carroll. They’ve gone to East River Medical Care Center for privacy. Get your ass here.
“Fuck!”I shouted loudly enough to shatter glass.
A few heads poked out of rooms.
I turned away from them and stomped toward the closest elevator as I called Penina and once again reached her voice mail.
“Call me when you get this,” I said.
On the way up to the top floor, I decided to look on the bright side. She wouldn’t be running into Julia while at the private facility. And I trusted she wouldn’t take the bait for whatever trap Carroll was laying. The guy was more transparent than plastic wrap.
