Page 11 of Bound to the Crime Lord

My brother’s life was on the line right now, and I was being gifted the cure on a silver platter. All I needed to say was yes. One single word, and my entire world would change. Ethan’s entire world would look a lot different—brighter, if you would. His dreams wouldn’t seem so bleak and mundane. He would have hope for the future, a hope that he could cling to.

There was only one logical thing to say at this moment. But for some reason, my brain went against all logic.

“No. I can’t accept your offer.”

He wasn’t expecting my answer the same way that I wasn’t, either. It made sense to say yes to his deal. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. But something in my gut was holding me back.

“I will have you discharged.” I looked him dead in the eyes as I spoke. I turned to leave, but his voice followed me.

“You will come back to me eventually,amor. They always do.”

I didn’t turn around. I just walked out of the room without so much as another word.

The others he had dealt with may have come running back, but I would not. I would never be one of them.

Chapter Five

Juliette POV

Iwalked into the break room with Grace hot on my heels. She had been bugging me about Manuel since he left the ER.

“He is literal sex on legs, J,” she wined. “How can you not think he’s hot?”

“Oh my God, Gracie,” I said, exasperated. “You need to get over this bad boy phase of yours. That man may be beautiful to look at, but he is the devil through and through.”

“Then he can drag me to hell!” She swooned before flopping down onto the couch. She stared up at the ceiling with a wistful gaze in her eyes. “I’ve never met a Frug Lord before.”

I palmed my forehead and shook my head. “You cannot be pining after a man who kills people for a living.”

She nodded her chin to her chest and looked at me. “Allegedly. We don’t know that for sure.”

“Tell me you’re joking.” I reached into my locker and grabbed my bag. “You cannot be swooning for a man who would not hesitate to kill you if you cross him. How low is the bar now when it comes to men?”

“In hell, Juliette. In. Hell.”

Even with my back turned to her, I could see her face. When I turned back around, she had a pout on her lips and her eyes held so much anger it was almost comical.

“I think you should give the nice guys a chance.”

“I gave a nice guy a chance, J. He nearly ruined my life. I mean, he wanted me but he was treating me like a second option? Appalling, if you ask me.”

I rolled my eyes. “How about I find you a nice man in the hospital?”

She scrunched her nose up in disgust. “A doctor? No offense to you, my friend, but I cannot date a doctor. You guys are too… what’s the word I’m looking for, here?”

I crossed my arms over my chest and waited. This was going to be good.

“You know what.” She stood from her seat and smiled at me. “I think I have some charts to look over. You know how these junior nurses are. Okay, love you, bye.”

She bolted out of the break room without looking back. I laughed lowly under my breath and closed my locker.

Grace was a character and a half, but she was also one of the best people I knew. When I matched to Grace Memorial three years ago, she had taken me under her wing. She had befriended me and made the transition here easier. I liked the other doctors, but I never quite clicked with them the way I did with Grace.

I walked out of the break room and said my goodbyes for the night to the staff. Today had been a long day, and thankfully, I wasn’t volunteering at the clinic. I could go home and binge-watch Animal Planet with my little brother.

Oh, Ethan.

My heart always got a little heavier when I thought of him. I only learned about him when he was 14 years old, and I was in my last year of med school. Our mother had left him to the windwhile she shot up with her then-boyfriend. When social services called and asked if I wanted to take him in, there hadn’t been an ounce of hesitation in me. He was the only true family I had left, and I wanted to keep him close.

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