Page 29 of Grim's Gem

Moving into the new house with my clover has been a dream come true. We’ve fallen even more into a pattern. Wake up together, usually, a few orgasms for her and at least one for me, make breakfast, get ready, head to work, and come home. Usually, she’s there making dinner if we don't eat at the clubhouse. We eat dinner, I have her for dessert, and we fall into blissful sleep. All to do it over again the next day. It's a life I never thought I would have, but I always wished for.

I close my eyes and picture my brother. All smiles and so full of life. Would he have a family by now? Kids? God, if only I knew, maybe it would give me some peace. I hear a machine alarm going off, taking me back in time. One I wish I could forget but always shows up at the worst times possible.

I just started at this hospital as a fully graduated M.D. about eight months ago. My chest puffs out with pride, and I walk the halls of the hospital like this is my heaven, and I am god. Yeah, I have a big head, yeah, I’m fucking cocky, but you know what? I have every right to be. I came from the wrong side of the tracks. I grew up in a community run by drugs andguns, fought my way out of that neighborhood, graduated my schooling early by working my ass off, paid my way through college and even medical school, and I’m finally here. At times it seemed like it would never happen, and now it is all in the palm of my hands.

“Doctor Adams, if you are finished with your rounds, could you look at this patient file? Its…” One of the nurses starts bringing me a chart, but a call goes out, and within seconds we are running down the hall responding to an emergency call. Overdose. Shit, I hate these the most because it could be someone I know. I’ve seen too many overdoses over my life, half of them my best friends, the other my own mother. After my brother died, so did my mom. She couldn't handle the grief, so she found a way to take away the pain. I just wish it hadn't taken everything else from us as well.

“Forty-three-year-old female. Found unresponsive in the backseat of a car over one west side,” The paramedics say, but I start tuning them out immediately because sitting on the gurney isn't just someone I know. It's my mother.

“Not again,” I whisper as the memories of my brother flash at me like an alarm blaring.

I shake my head, not wanting to go down that road. I may have lost her body on that table that day, but she was gone long before that. That day taught me I was no one’s god, but my ego had gotten out of control. After accomplishing something so meaningful in your life, it's easy to let that shit go to your head, and too many of us doctors do, but once you take a step back, see what you've become. That's not who I wanted to be, so I got my head out of my ass, with the help of my brothers, to humble me and became an even better Doctor.

“How are you today, Doctor Adams?” Dr. Ryner asks from beside me.

He hands a chart to the nurse sitting at the desk in front of me. I give him a chin lift and a weak reply, but that's it. We’ve never been close. The first day he started here, he saw me in my boots and vest in the parking lot. As he made his way to the hospital, he gave me a snobbish look. He came up behind me when I got to the break room and put my lunch in the fridge. I hadn't stopped by my office to remove my cut and change into my coat; let's just say he noticed.

“This room is for employees only. Visitors aren't supposed to have access.” He said it so snobbish I almost snorted before turning around. Slowly, I stood to my full height, turned around with a huge smile, took my employee card from my pocket, and clipped it to my vest.

“Good thing I belong here, huh?” I chuckled as his cocky smirk dropped and his face turned fifty shades of red.

“Y-yeah, W-well, maybe I would have known if you were dressed in appropriate attire,” He stuttered. I just smiled, not insulted at all at his time. It happens all the time, and honestly, it's more entertaining seeing their face when they realize their mistake.

“Ahhhh, see though, if I had the proper ‘attire,’” I say with air quotes around the word attire. “Then my tightie whities would be in a bunch, and I’d have an attitude like yours. I’ll stick to what I know.” I smiled as I passed him, shaking my head.

Ever since that day, we have just stayed clear of each other. He sends me snooty looks, and I smirk just to piss him off.He’s fucking harmless and more annoying than anything, but the fact that he is talking to me now has my eyebrows rising.

“Plans for your days off?” He asks, and I take a deep breath to calm myself. I don't like fake fucking people. If you don't like me, steer clear. If I don't like you, I will do the same to you.

“Spending time with my woman,” I tell him, turning to walk down the hall.

“I heard you found you a fatty. Keep her close, or you might lose her while she chases after a piece of cake,” He says, snickering. I stop dead in my tracks before turning slowly.

“What the fuck did you just say?” I ask quietly. I walk toward him slowly. His eyes bug out, and I know he doesn't think I’ll fuck him up in this damn hospital, but the more I think about it, the more it sounds like the perfect plan. Beat his face, make him choke on my fist, bring him back with a few electric jolts straight to the dick, and then start over again.

“W-what are you going to do? Touch me, and I’ll make sure you never work in a hospital again,” He says, raising his chin in the air like I won't fuck him up.

“See, here is your first mistake, talking about the love of my life. The second mistake was thinking I value this fucking job over anything that has to do with my woman,” I growl right before I grab him by the neck and drag him to a side cubby right beside the nurse's desk. His face pales, and he looks around for help.

“Now, I could kill you, but I would rather live inside my girl than inside a pen, so here's what's going to fucking happen. You are going to walk away, you are going to stay the fuck awayfrom me and mine, and you are going to keep your fucking mouth shut about my woman, or I’ll make sure you never open it again. You know my suture skills are world-renowned,” I growl into his face, watching as he struggles to breathe.

I know I need to let him up for air, but I want to fucking kill him. Instead, I step back, pull my hand away and let him drop. He places his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath before looking up and trying to talk.

“I’ll have you fired for…” He doesn't get to finish before I throw my fist straight into his gut. He goes to his knees, gasping.

“Think you have the pull for that? Plus, it's your word against mine.” I shrug, looking around. Kathy raises a brow at me before looking down at Ryner and shaking her head.

“I didn't see anything, but I won't cover your ass again,” she warns me sternly. I give her a bright smile, and she tries to hide her smile behind her tough facade.

“That's why you're my favorite,” I say, winking and turning to walk back down the hall.

I was having a pretty good fucking shift until that ass decided to ruin it. Now all I want to do is go back to that asshat and put him on a fucking gurney. I take a deep breath before putting a smile on my face and heading in to see another patient.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jade

“Is that your last client for the day, baby girl?” my mama asks as I wave and they walk out the door.

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