Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
RILEY
I lean back in my chair, rubbing my tired eyes as I pore over the patient records and financial documents scattered across my kitchen table. The clock ticks past midnight, but I can't stop now. Not when I'm so close to uncovering the truth.
Each new piece of evidence makes me feel sick, a confirmation of the corruption that's been festering within the hospital's surrogacy program. It's like a cancer, spreading its tendrils through every department, every file, every goddamn decision made behind closed doors.
My heart races as I connect the dots, the enormity of the situation settling over me like a suffocating weight. And the worst part? I know this is just the tip of the iceberg.
I stare at the computer screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. The evidence is right there, but to access it, I'd have to use Dr. Thompson's login. She'd been a mentor to me, someone I deeply respected. Could I really betray her trust like this, even for the greater good?
My stomach churns as I realize: this is the cost of our mission. This is what it means to fight corruption. With a deep breath, I begin to type, feeling a piece of my innocence slip away with each keystroke.
How the hell did I get myself into this mess? I'm just an ER doctor, for fuck's sake. I'm not equipped to take on a system this broken.
But then I think of the patients, the women who trusted us to guide them through one of the most vulnerable and intimate experiences of their lives. They deserve better than this. They deserve the truth.
And so do I.
I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders as I sit up straight. I can't turn back now. I won't. Even if it means risking everything I've worked for, everything I am, I have to see this through. I have to fight for what's right.
My phone buzzes, jolting me out of my thoughts. It's a text from Nate.
NATE
Hey, you up? Did you find something yet? Can you meet me at the lab in 20?
I stare at the screen, my heart skipping a beat. Nate Russo, the brilliant billionaire who's been both my nemesis and my unlikely ally in this investigation, the man who infuriates me and intrigues me in equal measure, who challenges me in ways I never expected, wants to meet up.
I hesitate for a moment, my fingers hovering over the keypad. Am I really ready to take this leap with him? To trust him with the truth, with my heart?
RILEY
Yes. On my way
I type back, hitting send before I can second-guess myself. I grab my jacket and my bag, my face warm as I head out into the cool night.
My heart pounds as I step into the dimly lit lab, the weight of the evidence heavy in my bag. Nate's hunched over a computer, his face illuminated by the blue glow of the screen. He looks up, his eyes locking with mine, and I feel that familiar flush of heat.
"What have you got?" he asks urgently.
I dump the contents of my bag onto the table. "It's worse than we thought, Nate. The surrogacy program is a complete sham."
His brow furrows as he starts sifting through the documents. "Talk to me, Riley. What are we looking at?"
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. "Falsified consent forms. Women being coerced into surrogacy. Experimental fertility treatments that haven't been approved. And get this—some of the embryos are being used for unauthorized genetic research."
Nate's eyes widen. "Jesus Christ. How deep does this go?"
"I’m not sure. Probably all the way to the top," I say, my voice shaking. "Someone’s been taking kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies to test their drugs on unsuspecting surrogates."
Nate stands abruptly, pacing the room. "This is fucking huge, Riley. We're talking about human rights violations, medical malpractice, fraud..."
"I know," I say, running a hand through my hair. "And that's not even the worst of it. Some of the surrogates have experienced severe complications. Miscarriages, infertility, even death. And it's all being covered up."
Nate stops pacing, turning to face me. His eyes are blazing with a mix of anger and determination that makes my breath catch. "We have to stop this. No matter what it takes."
I nod, feeling a surge of emotion. "I'm scared, Nate. These people are powerful. If we go public with this..."
He closes the distance between us in two long strides. Suddenly, he's right there, his hands on my shoulders, his face inches from mine. "Listen to me, Riley. We're in this together. I won't let anything happen to you."
The intensity in his eyes, the warmth of his hands on my skin—it's all too much. Time seems to slow as I lean in, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure Nate can hear it. Our lips meet, and it's like an ember igniting.
For a breathless moment, Nate is still, and I fear I've crossed a line. But then his arms encircle me, one hand sliding up to tangle in my hair, the other pressing against the small of my back, drawing me flush against him.
His lips are soft yet demanding, and I melt into him, my hands gripping his shoulders for support. Nate deepens the kiss, his tongue teasing the seam of my lips until I open for him with a soft gasp. The taste of him—coffee and mint and something uniquely Nate—is intoxicating.
We move together as if we've done this a thousand times before, our bodies fitting perfectly against each other. I feel the solid planes of his chest, the heat of his skin through his shirt. A low moan escapes me as Nate gently nips at my bottom lip.
The kiss is everything—tender and fierce, gentle and passionate. It's weeks of tension and unspoken desire poured into this one perfect moment. My skin tingles, every nerve ending alive and singing with sensation.
As we break apart, we're both breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against each other. The reality of our situation crashes over me. If we get caught, it won't just be our careers at stake. The lives of countless patients, the integrity of the entire medical system—it all hangs in the balance. The weight of our responsibility is daunting, but I know we have to press on.
Nate's thumb traces my cheekbone, his touch feather-light and reverent. His eyes, when they meet mine, are dark with desire and something deeper, something that makes my heart skip a beat.
"Riley," he murmurs, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down my spine. "We'll figure this out together."
I nod, unable to find my voice, still lost in the afterglow of our kiss. In this moment, with Nate's arms around me and the taste of him on my lips, I feel like we can conquer anything.
"Okay. So now what?"
Nate steps back, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We gather more evidence. Build an airtight case. And then we blow this whole thing wide open."
As we turn back to the scattered documents, I feel a wave of anger wash over me, hot and fierce. "We have to expose this," I say, my voice shaking with rage. "We can't let them get away with it."
Nate reaches out, his hand brushing against mine. The contact sends a jolt of electricity through me, and I look up, startled.
"We will," he says, his eyes blazing with conviction. "But we have to be careful. These people are powerful, and they'll stop at nothing to keep this under wraps."
I nod, swallowing hard. "I know. But I'm not backing down. Not now, not ever."
Nate smiles, a slow, dangerous curve of his lips. "I knew you were a fighter," he murmurs, his voice low and rough. "That's what I like about you, Davis. You don't take shit from anyone."
I feel a flush creep up my neck, my skin prickling with awareness. "Yeah, well, someone has to keep you in line, Russo," I shoot back, my heart racing.
Nate laughs, a deep, rich sound that makes me shudder. "Oh, I think you're up for the challenge," he says, his eyes glinting with mischief.
I roll my eyes, but I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips. "Damn right I am," I say, my voice firm. "Now let's go. We've got a hospital to save."
And as we dive into the data, our minds and hearts aligned in the fight for justice, I feel a flicker of something deeper, something that terrifies and thrills me in equal measure. But for now, I push it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
There will be time for the rest later. Right now, we have a war to win.
I can feel the weight of this investigation crushing me, the stakes rising with every new lead we uncover. It's like a game of Russian roulette, never knowing when the next piece of evidence might be the one that blows our brains out.
I glance over at Nate, his brow furrowed as he pores over the latest batch of documents. The fluorescent lights of the lab cast harsh shadows across his face, but even now, I can't deny the pull I feel towards him. It's like a magnet, drawing me in despite the chaos swirling around us.
"Find anything?" I ask, my voice hoarse with exhaustion.
He looks up, his eyes meeting mine with a fervor that steals my breath. "Maybe. There's a pattern here, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
I move closer, leaning over his shoulder to scan the papers. The heat of his body seeps into mine, and I have to fight the urge to lean in, to let myself get lost in the warmth of him.
"There," I say, pointing to a series of transactions. "Those numbers keep popping up, like they're trying to hide something."
Nate nods, his jaw clenched. "We need to dig deeper. Someone's going to a lot of trouble to cover their tracks."
I sigh, rubbing my temples. "I don't know how much deeper we can go without putting a target on our backs."
He reaches out, his hand brushing against mine. The contact sends a jolt through me, and I look up, startled.
"I told you—I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Riley," he says, his voice low and fierce.
I swallow hard, my throat dry. "I know. But I can't shake this feeling that we're getting in over our heads."
Nate leans in, his face just inches from mine. "Do you trust me?"
I stare at him, my breath catching in my throat. "Yes."
He smiles, a slow, dangerous curve of his lips. "Then let's keep going. We're close, I can feel it."
I nod, my resolve strengthening. "Okay. But if this blows up in our faces, I'm blaming you."
He laughs. "Fair enough. Now let's get back to work."
I stare at the screen as the truth slams into me like a freight train. The numbers, the transactions, the hidden patterns—they all point to one thing.
Dr. Blackwell. The same fucking doctor who dismissed my concerns, who told me to mind my own business has been running this surrogacy scam right under our noses.
"Nate," I whisper, my voice shaking. "Are you seeing this?"
He leans in, his shoulder brushing against mine as he scans the data. I can feel the tension radiating off him, the same sick sense of betrayal and anger that's churning in my gut.
"That son of a bitch," he mutters, his jaw clenched. "He's been playing us all along."
I nod, my hands trembling as I scroll through the evidence. It's all there, laid out in black and white. The kickbacks, the bribes, the cover-ups. And at the center of it all, Dr. Blackwell, pulling the strings like a puppet master.
"We have to take this to the authorities," I say, my voice rising with urgency. "We can't let him get away with this."
But even as the words leave my mouth, I feel a chill run down my spine. If Blackwell is capable of this level of corruption, who knows what else he's hiding? What other powerful players could he in his pocket?
Nate must sense my fear, because he reaches out, his hand covering mine. The warmth of his touch spreads through me, and I look up, my eyes locking with his.
"No matter what happens, I've got your back," he says, his voice low and fierce.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding. I know he means it, but the stakes have never been higher. We're not just risking our careers anymore—we could be risking our lives.
"Okay," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.