Page 120 of Aching for His Discretion

Reluctantly, I opened my arms, allowing him to jump into them as he continued purring. Setting him on my shoulder, I entered her space further. It was as if she hadn’t changed. Her soft, girly, beige theme was still going strong, and the smell of fresh lilacs and laundry still filled the air.

Proceeding into her bedroom slowly, my eyes locked on the necklace by her nightstand. Moving over to it, I ran my finger over the diamond pendant as it brought back memories of our time together. It was sentimental this gift I’d given her… for the both of us, really. I’d given her a piece of me, and she’d accepted it. But she was ready to let it go…she was ready to let me go.

That’s why I had to come. It couldn’t have been anymore perfect timing, either. The day I said I was cured and killed my therapist was the same day the love of my life was going to let me go. The day I finally realized I changed... was the day she wanted to give up on us.

And as much as I’d changed… I wasn’t going to let that happen.

Chapter fifty-one

Teegan

“Patient presents with early signs of gestational diabetes with an abnormally high blood sugar level. Her excessive amniotic fluid raises questions about potential polyhydramnios. She will be monitored overnight as per Dr. London’s request. Will update when more information becomes available,”I said into the mic as I watched the words populate in the patient’s online chart. Once I finished, I continued on to my other assignments until I received a message from Levi.

Opening it, I tilted my head as I did my best to hide my growing smile.

Levi: Would you like to get some ice cream after your shift?

If I remember correctly, Mr. Amante, you’re not the biggest fan of ice cream.

You’d be absolutely correct. I am not a fan of flavored frozen milk, especially with all of the unnecessary toppings you get… but you like it, Tesoro. So therefore I love it.

For the record, the toppings are very much necessary.

Tell your patients the same, then get back to me. You are supposed to be living by example, Dr. Monroe. No breaking the rules.

You and I both know some rules are made to be broken.

I sent the last message and heard my pager go off, indicating I was needed in the ER. Signing out of my computer, I placed my phone in my pocket and quickly went over to the room that needed my assistance.

It wasn’t too bad of a case. The woman I had to assist was experiencing severe back pain and was only four months pregnant.

After ordering more tests and doing a few physical exams on her body, it looked to be some mild compression along her spine that blocked some of the cerebral spinal fluid. It would take her some time to recover, and she would need close monitoring of her pregnancy, too.

After washing my hands, I checked the time to see it was close to the end of my shift. Levi would definitely be waiting in the parking garage for me, so I didn’t want to keep him waiting too long. After grabbing my many bags and belongings, I bid goodbye to Abbie and Emma as they miraculously survivedbeing in the clinic all day away from me today. And looking at the way Abbie devoured her sandwich the moment she sat down, the word “survived”seemed to fit the situation well.

As I exited the elevator to the ground floor, I stopped in my tracks as I heard a voice.

“When were you going to tell me?”

I turned to see Jacob dressed casually in a trench coat as he wasn’t working today. It was freezing in the garage due to the weather, and from the look of his slightly pink face, I could tell he’d been out here for at least fifteen, maybe twenty minutes.

“Jacob? What are you doing here? It’s your day off?” I asked, a bit confused.

He approached me slowly. “When were you going to tell me?” he repeated.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. “Tell you what?”

“That you were fucking your ex-boyfriend again,”he said bluntly, and my eyes widened in shock as he waited for my answer. My jaw practically dropped to the floor as he glared at me with pure hatred. “You know, I always thought you were innocent. It’s what drew me to you in the first place. Why I grew to like you so much and why I took your rejection so hard… but now. Now I’m not too sure,” he muttered.

I clutched my bags closer before I walked over to the parking spot Levi was sure to be waiting in for me.

“Run away. That’s it. Run when the truth comes out. Run so everyone doesn’t find out your just a little whore—” he started, and I turned to look at him as tears filled my eyes. His words sounded oddly familiar to the ones my brother, Declan, had said to me before.

“Stop telling lies. He is the only man I have ever been with,” I seethed.

Jacob laughed humorlessly as he put his hands in his pockets.

“I find that hard to believe. I always wondered why you got so much attention from Dr. Lombardi, Dr. Taylor, and Dr. Maxwell. I guess you’re not as perfect as everyone thinks, huh? You knew I liked you… even if you didn’t want me, you didn’t need to fuck your ex and shove it in my face,” he said, rolling his eyes as my tears fell down my face.

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