Page 64 of Day Shift

His face turned red with anger. “Goddamn it, Conan! Look what you’ve done! You’ve pushed her too far. Sit down and shut the fuck up.”

I watched in horror as Samantha went into a full-blown panic attack. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, and she couldn’t seem to get enough air. Atticus gently guided her to a chair and had her bend over. Then he scurried around the kitchen and found a paper bag for her to breathe into. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as he whispered to her gently.

“Samantha, you’re okay. Breathe with me. In and out, slowly,” he coaxed, his voice calm and steady.

Feeling like a complete asshole, I slumped into a chair, watching helplessly as Atticus took care of Samantha. “Sam, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

When Samantha finally calmed down, Atticus shot me a glare that could melt steel. “We need to think rationally. No more yelling. We need a plan to figure out how to protect the house and Samantha.”

Braxton had walked in during the commotion and now stood next to the island, a look of shock on his face. “What the hell is going on?”

Quickly, Atticus filled him in while I rubbed my temples, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

Atticus looked at me. “No rash decisions, Conan.”

I nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But we can’t leave Angel to fend for herself.” I took a deep breath, trying to get my thoughts in order. “There’s got to be a reason she ended up in our emergency department the very day we were all working. Of all the hospitals in all the towns in all the world, she ended up in ours. I have to go save her. She’s mine to protect.”

I clenched and unclenched my fists, seething but trying to rein it in. I told them, “After we lock this place down, I’m still going to New York. I’m getting Angel back, and I’m not taking no for an answer. I don’t care about the risks. She’s worth it. I’ll put my life on the line for her just like I would for any of you.”

Samantha shook her head. “Conan, you can’t just up and leave. You need to think about this. Think about your job… You’re already on probation.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take some time off from the hospital. I’ve got tons of sick leave and vacation. And if they refuse to let me go, I’ll quit. I don’t give a fuck. No job is more important than saving Angel from those mobsters.”

Atticus and Samantha exchanged a look, clearly taken aback by my determination. I pushed on, my voice unwavering. “I can’t describe it, but since the day she came into the ED, I knew she was mine. No woman has ever affected me like this.”

Samantha said cautiously, “Conan, now that she has her memories back, she may see things differently. You might get your heart broken. She’s not the same person we’ve gotten to know since the wreck. She seems resigned to her arranged marriage.”

“I got to know the true person she is,” I argued firmly. “Not the one manipulated and controlled by mafia dynamics. I have to go to her and do all that I can. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t. My mind is made up. What is life worth if you can’t protect and provide for the people you care about? I don’t have many people I’m close to, but for those I am, I’m a hundred percent loyal.”

Braxton, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward, grasping my shoulder. “You can’t go alone. Atticus needs to stay here with Sam to keep her safe, so I’ll fly to New York with you. You’ll need someone to watch your back.”

“Braxton, you should stay. I’ll be fine,” I said.

But he shook his head. “I’m going with you, brother. This isn’t up for debate. You’re not doing this alone.”

Braxton may have been the quietest of us brothers, but he was also the most empathetic. He was the one who always kept us tied together with his levelheadedness. I honestly could never recall him getting angry or losing control of his emotions. I guess that was what made him such a good EMT. No matter the scene, he would calmly assess the situation and deal with it. Nothing could fluster him, and he handled even the worst accidents with kindness and professionalism.

A tense silence settled over the kitchen. Samantha finally broke the quiet. “I’ve never seen you so enthralled about a woman before.”

I shrugged. “There’s something about this entire situation. It’s fate. She’s mine to protect and care for. What more is there to say?”

Atticus gave me a knowing look and chuckled softly before returning his attention to Sam, brushing his knuckles along her cheek and then pulling her to her feet. She melted into his chest and hugged him fiercely. My knees felt like jelly as I watched them. God, how I wished I could hold Angel in my arms right now.

We all sat down at the table and began to plan the best strategy, determined to bring Angel back and keep everyone safe.

Chapter thirty

After stepping off the plane at JFK, I dragged myself through the terminal, my body aching from the long flight. I barely managed to hail a cab, slump into the backseat, and murmur my Chelsea address as exhaustion seeped into my bones. As we drove through the streets, I watched the city’s neon lights flicker brightly against the backdrop of the setting sun. After a month away, the lights seemed more colorful, the smells more pungent, and the bustle of the city more chaotic. It was like seeing an old movie in high definition.

My memories of the past month flooded back, intermingling with memories I thought I’d lost forever. The sudden return of my past, things I’d experienced with Conan—from the way he’d played his guitar to the way he’d played my body—was all too much. I just needed to get home and collapse. When the car finally pulled up in front of my brownstone, I paid the driver, stumbled out, and stood for a moment, gazing up at the familiar building. It felt like a dream, like I was watching someone else’s life. I punched in the security code, grateful my mind had retained that detail.

When I stepped inside, a pile of mail that had accumulated during my absence greeted me. I barely glanced at the mountain of envelopes and flyers; all I wanted were comfy clothes and my bed. Coming home after a month of being away was surreal. There was a layer of dust on everything. The place I’d called my own for the last six years didn’t feel like mine any more. The memories of my life here were mine, but I was no longer connected to them—to my old life.

God, it had been a long day. I was spent, ready to collapse into bed and drift off to blackness. I prayed there would be no dreams tonight. I just needed some peace.

I headed to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. When I opened the door, the stench of spoiled food hit me hard. The fridge was full of rank, moldy leftovers, a testament to how long I’d been gone. Wrinkling my nose, I grabbed the water and quickly shut the door. That was a problem for tomorrow.

Once upstairs, I changed into an old T-shirt and shorts and sank onto the bed, pulling out my cell phone to check my messages. Nik had left a bunch, each one more anxious than the last. I sighed and sent him a quick text, letting him know I was safe and back home. I told him I needed to return to my life and get my head wrapped around what I wanted to do next and that I was too exhausted to talk about it tonight. Promising to touch base in the morning, I silenced my phone and crawled into bed.

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