Chapter 14
14
Dr. Justin Michaels stood at the end of the hallway, partially hidden behind a large cart of medical supplies, his gaze on her as she moved through the ED, consulting with the head nurse on duty. She was focused, her attention fully on the patient charts in her hand, oblivious to the way people—men, women, staff, patients—looked at her as she passed.
Phenomenally beautiful. No denying Dr. Fisher was physical perfection. The woman was model-perfect, after all.
Icily so. There was no other word for it. With blonde hair pulled back in a low, neat ponytail, she exuded confidence and calm. And she was smart. Too smart, he thought irritably.
Smart enough to cause serious trouble for him someday. If she dug deeply enough.
And that could mean a real problem for him now. Aubrey was too smart for her own good.
If she ever looked too closely at what he was doing, he would be seriously screwed.
But he had to just watch her. He wanted her, his body ached to tame her. To put her in her proper place once and for all. To have her begging for it. A lot of men wanted her that way.
Justin wanted that to happen, but he wasn’t a fool. It probably wouldn’t. He had other issues with Dr. Aubrey Fisher now—he just hoped that she didn’t screw everything up for him in the meantime.
“Dr. Michaels. You’re drooling over Dr. Precious again. Imagine that. Hate for there to be rumors about your unrequited love for our beautiful blonde bitch queen going around.”
He turned slightly. Mandy was there, of course. She wore her usual smirk, the one that told him she enjoyed his attention—just not as much as she enjoyed watching him squirm. And she enjoyed making things difficult for Dr. Aubrey Fisher.
Mandy felt inadequate when compared to Aubrey. No surprise. Aubrey was beautiful, successful, and well-liked, well-respected. Mandy…not so much. Except the beautiful part. It was more an innate sexiness than beauty, though. That was what it was. Mandy was hot.
He suspected Mandy was responsible for ninety percent of the lies that were said around this hellhole. The rest were probably due to her trio of cronies that followed her everywhere. On her orders. Mandy liked the small bit of power she had at BCGH.
“What do you want?” he asked, keeping his voice low. Mandy was a damned barracuda, but she was a better-than-decent fuck when he was in the mood. No woman got him hot as quickly as this one—or ever had. As long as they were quick about it. He had a meeting with his friend Dr. Hodges in an hour.
And Dr. Howard. Dale wanted to speak with Justin about something personally. Dale was the real problem.
Justin seriously despised that guy.
Now.
He didn’t like the idea of Mandy working so closely with that asshole at all.
Mandy leaned against the wall, her eyes narrowing as she glanced in Aubrey’s direction. “She doesn’t waste any time, does she? I heard she was playing house this week with Dr. Baby in OB. He drove her home after someone keyed her car, same night as that drunk knocked her and Genny Hiller down.”
The drunk that was Mandy’s cousin. That paint damage had Mandy’s name written all over it. Mandy had keyed Justin’s truck once when he’d pissed her off when they’d first met. He’d made the bitch pay to repair it, on the deal he kept the knowledge she’d done it to himself. He’d known it was her—and she was going to pay for it. She had, too.
He had taught her not to cross him again.
And part of the deal for him not pressing charges was that she had to screw him willingly for a month after. Whether she had wanted to or not—he hadn’t given a damn. Whenever he’d demanded it. No matter where they were—she had to do what he wanted. To take the risk.
He’d liked having that power over her. They’d both known that. She’d been reluctant to let him touch her at first, but she’d gotten used to it. Since he’d not really given her much choice. She’d resisted at first, but she’d come to like it. Now, she couldn’t keep her damned hands off him at times.
He wasn’t complaining. He’d use her whenever he wanted, for as long as he wanted. She’d practically beg him for it.
Movement caught his attention. He turned.
Aubrey Fisher.
Right there, with Guthrie Hiller and Hiller’s little sister beside her.
Justin clenched his jaw, feeling the raw twist of jealousy. Guthrie Hiller, the head of OB/GYN, was the poster child for success at BCGH.
Now Hiller was circling around Aubrey. Justin had seen it for himself. Of course Hiller was, and now they’d be the ‘golden couple’ of BCGH. Hiller was well-liked, well-respected, well-connected, and well-off. All of the women chased him. Aubrey was the most beautiful woman at the hospital, and she was next in line to run the entire place if Alvaro ever stepped aside. Or went to work somewhere else in his father-in-law’s organization.
Everyone knew that was a strong possibility. A man didn’t marry Jordan Carrington’s daughter if he didn’t have greater ambitions.
Everyone was acting as if Aubrey Fisher and Guthrie Hiller were fated to be together or something. Even though they’d hated each other on sight a few years ago, according to the rumors floating around now. There were a lot of rumors flying around about Aubrey now.
Dr. Fisher and Dr. Hiller together— so romantic . He’d already heard that from two of the ED nurses he’d been working with already today.
Like they were a damned romance novel or something. Pathetic.
Small-town hospitals were so pathetic.
Justin had greater ambitions—he was going to play the game, make nice with the Carringtons, and get himself a better position in a city hospital somewhere. With Jordan Carrington’s recommendation, he could have exactly what he wanted for his future. Exactly what he wanted.
“You want to keep mouthing off about her, go right ahead. But if it gets back to you—you really want to deal with Alvaro being pissed at you? He’s ridiculously protective of Aubrey.” He was surprised Alvaro hadn’t already fired him for that night at the Barratt yet. All she’d had to do was go running to the man and Justin would be fired. He’d known that, he’d been waiting for the ax to drop. It just hadn’t happened yet.
Mandy raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Oh, really. As if I haven’t noticed? You think he and his wife and Fisher all get it on together? I’ve heard that one recently.”
“Probably because you started it. Keep up your little jealous bitch game with Aubrey, and you’re going to screw yourself out of a job.” Mandy liked to skate the edge, to push buttons. Power-hungry and mean, this one.
She smirked. Her uncle had been on the board at BCGH for thirty years. She wasn’t going anywhere. Mandy Kirby was incredibly good at playing the political game.
Well, so was he. And he wasn’t above using her when needed. Justin pulled her closer, fast. She had a damned hot body, that she did her best to keep in shape. No denying that. And they both liked to claw at each other. Yes. He could make it quick. It didn’t take much with her.
It might even help him focus. “Quit running your mouth. Or I’ll give you something to do with it instead.”
She smirked again, but her eyes flared. With heat.
Yes. They understood each other just fine.