Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
JESSICA
“So then, if you divide this, you should get the answer you need,” I explain, pointing at the equation in question before peeking up at him only to find those chocolate eyes zeroed in on me. His face is unreadable, but the silent intensity hiding in his dark eyes sends a shiver down my spine.
“Matthew?” His name comes out as a soft whisper, but he’s still quiet as he watches me. Unmoving. Unblinking. His sharp gaze holding me hostage.
I graze my teeth over my lower lip, unsure of what to do.
Butterflies swarm inside my belly, wild and free, matching the beat of my pounding heart.
Slowly, his eyes lower to my mouth. I bite the inside of my cheek, sucking in a breath as I wait. I’m not even sure for what.
Time seems to have slowed.
Matthew’s gaze is locked on me, silently observing. The intensity in his eyes burns my skin, and no matter what, I can’t escape his hold. I’m not even sure I want to.
And then he touches me.
He lifts his arm, the back of his hand caressing my cheek.
A zap of electricity courses through me at the connection, tingles prickling under my skin.
As his fingers move lower, skimming the side of my neck, a trail of goosebumps appears in their wake.
Those dark, dark irises lift to mine, and his voice comes out gruff. “Trouble—”
“Nothing quite like a lover’s quarrel, huh?”
The muttered words have me jumping in surprise. My heartbeat is erratic as I look up to find Aiden standing next to me. He quirks one dark brow, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Easy there, tiger.” He chuckles, his head tilting to the side as he takes me in. “Did you fall asleep on your feet or what?”
I place my hands on the counter, gripping it tightly as I shake my head to clear my mind. “No, I just got distracted for a little bit. What happened?”
“The couple that just came in. The guy had a gash on his forehead the size of Texas that was bleeding all over the place. He said, and I quote, ‘that crazy bitch,’ which I assume is his wife, was the one who smashed him over his head with a pan. Apparently, he was hungry but didn’t know what he wanted to eat, so…
” Aiden’s expression turns serious. “Are you sure you’re okay? ”
“I—”
Matthew’s surprised face pops into my head again. My fingertips tingle, and I swear I can feel the warmth of his hands on my shoulders even now.
A handful of seconds.
I was only around him for just a handful of seconds, and it was like I was that seventeen-year-old girl all over again, daydreaming about the bad boy she’s crushing on.
You’re not that girl anymore, Jessica.
“Jessy?” A warm hand covers mine, giving it a squeeze, just as my phone starts buzzing on the counter. Damien’s picture pops onto the screen, making my whole body freeze.
Shit.
I just stare at the phone for a few seconds, my ears buzzing.
I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s tried to call me since I hung up on him and the messages he’s sent that have grown increasingly angrier, making my anxiety grow bigger.
Angry Damien is unpredictable, and I don’t need that on top of everything else now.
“You’re not going to answer that?” Aiden’s question breaks through my hazy brain.
“No.”
Quickly, I grab my phone and hang up, turning it off for good measure.
Just that little thing makes my shoulders sag in relief.
Letting out a long breath, I turn around to find Aiden watching me with curiosity. He tilts his head, his brow rising. “Trouble in paradise?”
“I just don’t want to be distracted while at work.” I force out a smile. “What were you saying about the patients?”
Aiden observes me for a moment longer. I think he might insist on probing further, since, just like the rest of my family and friends, he also isn’t Damien’s biggest fan, but he shakes his head and smiles.
“The guy was smashed in the head with a pan. Where does that go on our list of crazy shit that comes through the ER?”
A soft chuckle escapes me. “Probably somewhere between using a screwdriver as a sex toy and accidentally running over somebody’s foot while parking a car?”
“Yeah, probably.” Aiden taps the side of his chin. “Maybe under that woman who threw the bottle at her boyfriend’s head when she found him cheating on her.”
My nose scrunches. “Yeah, that one was a bloody mess that could have ended so badly. I don’t even think the guy realized how lucky he was. I swear, they don’t warn you about the amount of insanity you’ll see here.”
“Do you think anybody would willingly apply if they did?” Aiden bumps his shoulder into mine playfully. “What do you have?”
“Just a twisted ankle that I should really check on.” I grab an ice pack from the freezer. “Time to get back to work.”
By the time I exit the medical center, I’m beat. I had a patient come in just at the end of my shift with a deep cut that required extensive wound care, then I had to deal with all my charting afterward.
Now it’s late, or I guess early, depending on how you look at it.
The sun is just peeking through the clouds and coloring the sky in deep shades of reds and oranges as I make my way across the parking lot toward my car.
I’m ready to get home and draw myself a hot bath so I can soak my aching body and relax before I crash in bed and sleep for the next ten hours straight.
The sudden buzzing of my phone snaps me out of my thoughts and has me tensing up.
Damien hasn’t stopped calling me since I hung up on him yesterday, and I don’t know what to do about it.
I don’t want to answer and listen to another one of his rants about how I’m not good enough or how he doubts me.
I hadn’t even thought about breaking things off until he brought it up, but once the words were out in the open, there was no taking them back.
More than that, there was no taking back the weight that had been lifted off my shoulders the moment I ended things.
The weight I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying.
I’d like to think he loves me and we’ll figure this out, but somewhere along the way, I’ve given up on believing that will ever happen.
Damien:
I was an asshole.
Can we talk?
Please?
I’m sorry, okay?
I had a few drinks with the guys, and I crossed the line. It was a shitty day.
I want to make this right, babe.
My teeth sink into my lower lip as I read the messages that keep popping up. The pleadings and apologies. How long will they last this time?
Damien:
We can make this work.
Jessy, please, let’s talk.
Jessica:
There is nothing to talk about. You said everything you had to say earlier, loud and clear.
Damien:
I didn’t mean it. You know how I can get.
Oh, yes, I know exactly how he can get. I’ve been on the receiving end of his verbal lashings more than once.
When everything I said or did was wrong.
When his displeasure was always my fault.
It didn’t matter if it was something that happened at work, if I couldn’t make it for a date, if I said something he didn’t like, or if I wasn’t adventurous enough in bed.
Damien:
My mouth is faster than my brain.
You know me, babe.
But I want you.
Want you.
Not love you.
Not need you.
Not I can’t live without you.
I want you.
As if I’m a thing to possess.
Jessica:
This isn’t working, Damien. We both know it. Neither of us is happy. Haven’t been for a while. It’s better if we end this now before things get even worse.
Damien:
Better for whom?
I don’t even get a chance to start typing before the three little dots appear again.
Damien:
You can’t just break up with me like this.
Jessy!
I hold my breath as I stare at the screen, waiting, but a new message doesn’t pop up. No, the screen lights up with a phone call.
Damien.
I let out a huff in frustration as my eyelids fall shut for a moment.
I should have expected it. No, I take that back. I did expect it, but I was hoping…
Shaking my head, I open my eyes and stare at his name for a heartbeat before hanging up. It doesn’t take long before he calls again, and this time, I disconnect the call.
Damien:
Don’t you dare ignore me, Jessy!
I know you’re on your phone. We’re going to talk about this.
Jessica:
If you don’t stop this, I’m blocking your number. I’m serious.
Damien:
Who are you to think you can just dump me like this?
Jessica:
I’m serious, Damien.
The three little dots appear on the screen again.
Deep down, I know warnings are useless. He won’t listen. So I do what I should have done from the get-go. I go to his contact and block his number. But not before one last message appears on my screen.
Damien:
This isn’t done just because you say you’re done.