Page 118 of Bad Blood

It’s Dax.

I read the text.

And re-read it.

The walls start to spin. Sweat gathers in my armpits and at the back of my knees.

Dax: We need to talk

My phone buzzes again, and I struggle to answer it with the shattered screen. He’s so persistent. “Dax?”

“He hung up on me.”

I rub a hand over the back of my neck, trying to get my body to stop fighting against me.

“Why?” Calm down, B. Get yourself under control. This isn’t good. Why did I blow up like that?

I straighten the stethoscope around my neck as a few pens fall from my front pocket. I stoop to gather them and kick half of them across the floor. The commotion gets me a few wayward glances, but I scoop them up and stand, brushing my sweaty palms over my scrubs before hustling toward Liam’s curtain.

“Hello?” Dax’s voice pulls me back to the present. And I stare at the phone like it’s a foreign object.

I clear my throat, hoping my voice will be steady. I hate being put on the spot. “He’s going through a lot. You need to try to understand this from his perspective.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have left. I want to be there.”

“He’s already started treatment. We have everything under control.”

“Dammit.” There’s a thud, and I flinch, imagining his fist colliding with the steering wheel. “I knew I should have stayed.” His words turn to mumbling, and I only catch pieces of them, making out something about an argument and not wanting to leave.

“Dax.” I make my way across the floor and stop outside Liam’s curtain as he rants. “Dax?”

“What?”

“I need to see him now.”

“Have him call me. I need to know what’s going on.” A part of me wants to be the Brighton Dax needs, but the edge in his voice says I need to be Dr. Fields.

“I’ll leave that up to him.”

“Never mind.” The line goes dead.

I close my eyes, try to reorient myself, and put on my happy face as I slide the curtain open along the track.

When I enter the area, Liam opens his eyes and winces.

“It’s that bad, huh?” I ask as I offer an empathetic smile and close the curtain behind me.

“I thought I’d get used to it, but I think it gets worse each time.”

The curtain slides open behind me, and I whip around to find Kline. I get an irritated glare. Liam gets a reassuring smile.

This is not happening.

“Mr. Blakely, I’ve heard a lot about you.” He pulls the rolling chair out from under the counter and takes a seat before gliding closer to Liam.

“All good, I hope.” Liam glances up at me, questioning what’s going on as his eyes flick to Kline and back to me.

Lauren rushes into the room seconds later, her eyes large and frantic. “Hi, um, I . . . Everything okay?” she asks through broken breaths, keeping her gaze off of Kline as she focuses on my face.

---