Chapter 19
PIERCE
“Are you going to tell me what happened so I can get you out of here?” Dalton’s wife, Nadia, sits across from me, her eyes flitting to the handcuffs that chain me to the desk.
“He got a fraction of what he deserved,” I say with cold detachment. If only I’d separated my personal feelings from my patient today, I wouldn’t be in this predicament.
“Start talking, Pierce.”
“What do you want me to say? I hit the guy. He deserved it. If he’d picked on someone his own size, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“But we are. So start at the beginning.”
“One of the residents came to the operating room to tell me they needed me in the ER for a patient. A young boy with major head trauma.”
“Okay. What happened next?”
“I assessed him. His mom was screaming and begging us to help him. She had some bruises on her cheek… a perfect handprint. The boy needed surgery for a suspected brain bleed. The resident brought me his films, and there was more than enough evidence of old injuries and breaks to confirm he was being severely abused. ”
“Oh God, that’s awful.” How nice it must be to have sympathy without empathy for a fellow survivor. The moment I saw that boy, I became him all over again.
“The boy’s father came in, shoving past my nurses, whooping and hollering that she couldn’t keep him away. That he’d hunt them down if she tried to run. His knuckles were swollen and bloody… from beating his four-year-old son half to death. Without surgery, that boy wouldn’t make it. What kind of man does that?” I choke out past the lump forming in my throat.
“Who threw the first punch, Pierce?”
“I don’t know. It was all a blur. I just saw fucking red. I could see it in that mother’s eyes. She was going to go back to him and let this happen again and again until that little boy ended up in the morgue rather than the ER.”
“I need you to think. If he landed the first blow, then this is open and shut.”
I move to wring my hands through my hair, but I’m shackled to the desk. “Fuck. I could lose my license to practice medicine for this.” Fuck!
“It won’t come to that. I’ll find you the best defense attorney in the state if it comes to that. For now, I’m going to get you out on bail.”
“Thank you. Is Freya here?”
“Yes. Dalton is with her in the waiting room.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Worried about you, but she’s holding it together. Dalton’s got her. You need to focus on yourself right now.”
“She’s my submissive. She shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“You don’t get to pick and choose with people you love. It’s about the good and the bad. This is a minor setback.”
“You think so?”
Nadia reaches out her hand to cover mine. “You need to let her be here for you right now. Just because we are submissives does not mean we expect our Doms to shoulder every burden alone. Don’t shut her out, Pierce. It’s plain for anyone with eyes to see that she’s madly in love with you. ”
“She wanted uncomplicated. You don’t think this…” I say, clinking my wrists together, “… is complicated?”
“I’ll get you out of here tonight. Just hang tight, okay?”
“I’ve got nowhere else to be.” With a curt smile, she leaves me to ponder my life choices in the twelve-by-nine room. I’d be remiss as a Dom if I didn’t notice how anchored to the table I am in these handcuffs. The things I could do to my little one with a setup like this. It’s not dissimilar to the one I have in the playroom, but my rings are on either side of the desk instead of the middle.
I can’t believe I let this happen. Everything I’ve worked for could be gone in one fell swoop. How will I face Freya? She loves my control above all else, and I lost it today. It wasn’t a slipup, it was a catastrophic error in judgment. Seeing that little boy, knowing the look of resignation on his mother’s face, it wasn’t going to stop. She wasn’t going to leave.
I lashed out. I had to save him. To save the boy I once was. The boy who couldn’t fight back.
It’s a few hours before the police officer comes back for me.
“You have friends in high places. Bail has been posted,” he says as he unlocks the cuffs. “Good luck to you, Dr. Harrison.”
“Thanks.”
Still in my scrubs, he leads me out to the waiting area. Freya launches herself off the chair and into my arms. “Oh my God, Pierce, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, little one,” I whisper as I wrap my arms around her, drinking in her scent. I’m not sure how long we stand in this embrace, but it makes me realize everything I could lose. My career. My girl. Life means nothing without Freya.
“Bro, do I need to have security on you twenty-four seven?” Dalton jests. I reluctantly relinquish my hold on Freya to shake Dalton’s hand.
“Thanks for coming.”
“That’s what friends are for, man. I expect it with Flex, but I was surprised to get a call about you.”
“Flex is too smart to get caught.” I quip.
“Well, your lady put me in touch with Dr. Milligan. They are pulling footage from every angle in the ER to piece together what happened.”
“Fuck. I just lost it.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. You were trying to protect the kid. No one can fault you for that.”
“The police can absolutely fault me for it. Even if I get off on the charges, it doesn’t guarantee I have a job to return to. I’m supposed to set the tone for my department.”
“And sometimes the tone is to protect those weaker than ourselves. You’re a good man, and you understand what that little boy faced day in and day out for years.”
“There are better ways to deal with it.” I cut him off. I’m sure I’ve confirmed what Freya has likely suspected for a while now. Putting off telling her my damage seems a little dumb right now, but I didn’t want her to look at me with pity in her eyes.
“Let’s get you a drink.”
“That sounds good.”
“Come on, I’ve got the town car waiting outside. We’ll go to Venom, and Naddie can walk us through your next steps.”
“I need to go back to the hospital and speak with Joseph.”
“I spoke with him in person. He’s expecting you tomorrow morning at eight.”
“What did I do to deserve a friend like you?”
“You’re not a total dick.” He laughs.
“I guess. Flex lowered your standards years ago.” We both have a chuckle as we head outside. I slide into the back of the car next to Freya, and she slips her hand into mine, squeezing tight.
“Are you okay, Daddy?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulder, pulling her tight to my side. “I’m okay, little one. Would you rather go home?”
“No. I want to hear what Nadia has to tell us about your case… what happens next.”
“Okay.”
We ride the rest of the way in comfortable silence, Freya giving me strength just by being here with me.
When we get to the club, Flex is there to point out the obvious. “ Aren’t you supposed to be in an orange jumpsuit?” he says as I stand at the bar, still in my scrubs. I have extra clothes here for Freya and me, so I send her to get changed first, taking the opportunity to have a quiet word with him.
“Very funny. I hope Armani does a good prison pinstripe.” If I don’t laugh, I’ll fucking cry. How to lose your career in twenty seconds.
“Seriously, bro, are you okay? What the fuck happened?”
“How did you know?”
“Celest called me in a panic, not knowing what happened. I called Genevieve, who had already spoken to Dalton, and I called him. Chinese whispers.”
“So, my reputation is well and truly fucked. Great.”
“You’re a fucking hero. Any man who takes a hand to his kid deserves everything he gets.”
“Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward. My job is on the line. I could go down for this if it doesn’t go my way. I’m still training Freya right now, and there are a few things she wanted to try. Do you have a sub right now?”
“Not technically.”
“She wants to try a threesome.”
“Didn’t you guys have a public moment with Celest?”
“She kissed her tits. That was it. On her list, she said maybe to a threesome with another guy. I don’t want her to miss out because I don’t want to share.”
“You’re asking me to fuck your sub while telling me you don’t want to share her? Fuck no. I value our friendship and my cock.”
“I might not get the chance to finish her training, Flex. I need to know that she can walk this journey without me if it comes to it.”
“You’re not asking for a threesome. You’re asking me to take over training her if you go to fucking prison.”
“Yeah, I am. I love her enough to know she needs the lifestyle. It brought her to life, Flex. It’s been so fucking beautiful to watch. She’s a great sub.”
“This is not the time to be discussing this. You’ve had the day from hell, and you’re not thinking clearly. If you still want to let her try it out in a few weeks when everything has calmed down, then come and talk to me. I’m not a Master. I don’t train. A threesome I can do. The rest… it’s too much responsibility for me, bro. I’m not that guy.”
I start pacing the floor, running my hands through my hair, wondering why the fuck I just asked him to train her. The thought of it kills me. Shreds my insides.
He claps me on the back and pulls me into a man hug. “It’s going to be fine.”
Flex, Dalton, and the other Doms here at Venom are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a family. Meeting Freya—she made me realize I really fucking want someone in my life who is my family and won’t run away when the darkness threatens to pull me under. Knowing that I’ve put that in jeopardy is soul-destroying.
We sit down with Dalton and Nadia, letting her fill me in on what happens now. She’s already called her best friend, who is apparently some kind of computer genius, 1950s gumshoe private investigator to find out everything about the deadbeat dad whose nose I definitely broke earlier today.
“Leave it with us, Pierce. This time next month, this will all be a distant memory. If this guy has been abusing his family for years, it’s only a matter of time before we unearth the other skeletons in his closet. You’re a world-renowned surgeon who was defending an abused four-year-old. There’s no jury who would put you behind bars for that, even if it goes to trial.”
I notice Freya’s absence. She never came back from our private room. “Thanks, Nadia. I really appreciate you helping me out. I’m not sure what I’ll face at work tomorrow, but I’ll sleep easier knowing you guys have my back.”
“Always,” Dalton interjects.
“Excuse me, I’m going to check on my little one.”
“Of course,” they say in unison.
Dalton levels me with a knowing grin. “She’s a keeper, bro. Don’t let her slip through your fingers because you don’t want to face up to shit. Trust me, I know whereof I speak.”
“He does,” Nadia confirms with a conspiratorial wink .
“Thanks, guys.”
I take my leave, needing to set eyes on Freya. I can only imagine what she must think of me. When I reach the playroom, a smile splits my face as I open the door to the sight of Freya nestled under the covers.
“Little one…”
No reply. She’s sound asleep, and I don’t blame her. It’s been a long day.
I shrug out of my clothes and climb in beside her, draping an arm over her waist, pulling her tight to my chest.
“Daddy?” she whispers, stirring from her slumber.
“Yes, little one. It’s me. Go back to sleep.”
She wriggles in my grasp, shuffling around until we’re face to face. “Are you okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” I say it as much for her as I do for myself.
“I know. But I’m here if you want to talk.” The softness in her voice is my undoing.
Nothing else in the world matters when we’re together. The darkness is chased away, leaving only the overwhelming love I feel for this woman.
“Marry me, Freya.”
She stiffens in my arms. “Don’t say things like that.”
“I mean it, little one. I love you. Today just proved to me that you’re my family now. You don’t run when things get difficult.”
“And I don’t plan on going anywhere, but until you’re comfortable telling me what happened in your past, I’m not saying yes. I love you, but I want all of you. I deserve all of you.”
“Freya.”
She silences me with a kiss. “Ask me again when all of this is over. I’ll still be here, loving you and standing by your side.”
“I know what I want. You’re everything to me.”
“I feel the same way, but there’s still so much we don’t know about each other. I won’t look back years from now and wonder if you asked me to marry you because of today’s circumstances and emotional turmoil or whether you did it because you want to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“I’ve known the answer to that question for a while.”
“Then a little while longer won’t hurt.” Her lips find mine in a silencing kiss, and I let her quiet the storm raging inside me. I can do this for her. I know she’s my forever if I’m lucky enough to have it, but it’s not fair to her to ask the same of her right now.
I could be behind bars.
I could lose my medical license, and I would no longer be the great Dr. Harrison she fell in love with.
“As you wish, little one.”
I turn her so her back is against my chest once more, holding her close, breathing in the soft scent of her perfume. Tomorrow could end my career and any hope of a future with my little one.
“No matter how noble your actions may have been, Pierce, I have to suspend you until more is known. What the hell were you thinking?” It pains me to hear my mentor so disappointed. “As Chief of Neuro, you set the tone for the department. As an attending, the residents look to you for guidance. I can’t have you go unpunished for this. You can’t go around getting in fistfights.”
“I wasn’t thinking. He was spitting his poison at his poor wife and child. That boy had old breaks in his films, Joseph. We’ve seen it time and time again, and these guys just get away with it.”
“And we call the police and child protective services. We don’t take matters into our own hands, especially when the hands in question are the most valuable in this hospital.”
“My hand is fine. How is the boy?”
“I did the operation myself. He’s going to be fine. His mother is filing charges against her husband, and there is already a restraining order in place. Security guards are positioned outside his room.”
“Can I speak to the mother?” He looks at me like I just grew a second head .
“Are you out of your mind? No . You are to go nowhere near them. Understood?”
“I just…”
“You’ve done enough. Go and brush up on your golf or whatever else you do. You are not to lift a scalpel in this hospital until further notice.”
“And what of Dr. Perrington? I am her mentor. She needs guidance, Joseph.”
“Are you trying to piss me off, Pierce?” I don’t care what he thinks of me at this point. I’m always going to put Freya’s needs before my own.
“She’s gifted. Don’t punish her for my misdeeds. She is the best resident I’ve seen in years.”
He heaves a sigh, resigned to my judgment. “I’ll ensure she has adequate tutelage. I will be operating on your patients until you return. She can work with me.”
“Thank you, Joseph. I’m sorry I let you down.”
“I hate to admit it, but I understand. It can be difficult to see patients being mistreated with no one to advocate for them. Leave it with me, and we’ll see what happens. You know I’ll go to bat for you with the board, but some things are out of my control.”
“I appreciate it, Joseph.” Shaking his hand, I turn to leave and find Freya lurking in the hallway.
“What happened? Are you okay?” She rushes toward me, any past trepidation at being seen with me at work gone.
“Don’t freak out. Everything is going to be fine.”
“Nothing good is ever prefaced with ‘don’t freak out.’ ”
“I’ve been suspended.”
“For how long?” She steps into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I’m sorry.”
“What for? This was my stupidity. I knew better, and I let my personal feelings get the better of me. I’m not sure how long it’ll be. The hospital’s legal department will be in touch. There may be nothing they can do for me. I’m going to meet with Dalton, Nadia, and her recommendation for a defense lawyer. I think their private investigator will be there too. ”
“Do you want me to come?” I can’t believe this woman loves me. She’d drop everything for me, so I have to be strict with her.
“No. I’ve taken enough of your time. Dr. Milligan will be performing my surgeries for now. Your teaching in neuro won’t be affected. You’ll shadow him and assist when asked.”
“I don’t care about that. It’s ridiculous that he’s suspending you. You did nothing wrong.”
“You should care. This is your career we’re talking about.”
“And what about yours?” she says with indignation.
“That’s for me to worry about. I did everything wrong. I should have walked away and let the authorities deal with that guy. I took matters into my own hands. I’m ashamed as a doctor at this hospital and as a man for letting this happen.”
“I should come with you to see the lawyer.”
“No, Freya. I need you here, learning, operating. I can’t handle compromising your teaching on top of everything else. Dr. Milligan is excellent. He was my mentor, and as soon as he sees you in action, he’ll be happy to take you under his wing.”
“I want to help.”
I tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down to kiss her. “You are. Just keep loving me, and everything will be fine.”
“Promise?” I can’t lie to her, as much as I want to shield her from all of this, so I capture her lips to anchor myself to this one port in my life. She’s the calm in the storm that’s coming my way, threatening to rip apart everything I’ve built for myself.
He took everything from me. I won’t let him take Freya.