I wanted to fight again.
I rather liked fighting back. I’d held my own despite my size difference. Perhaps I’d enrol in a self-defence course and take my rage out on the very man who’d stalked me, then abandoned me.
Cupping my shoulders with gentle fingers, Zander studied me. “Speak to me, Sailor. You’re scaring me a little. Are you sure you’re okay?”
My skin burned where he touched me, delivering the same prickly electricity that X gave.
My gaze caught on his mouth.
My stomach clenched.
If hewasX, would he kiss me the same as he did in my kitchen? Would he shove me against a car and devour me just like he’d trapped me against the wall and worshipped me?
Kiss him and find out.
The thought blazed like a comet.
I flinched at the thought of being so bold.
My eyes fell on his mouth again—
But the flashing lights of a police cruiser pulled into the car park.
And Zander tripped away without another word.
* 40 *
Zander
Bruised Knuckles Were Worth It
“THANK YOU, DR NORTH, MISS ROSE. WE’LL be in touch if we require more information.”
I nodded at the two police officers who’d arrested Chad Harris and taken our statements. They’d eyed Chad’s bruises and peered at me, noticing my sore hands, but Sailor had jumped in and taken most of the blame.
I would’ve happily admitted I’d beaten him up and barely managed to stop myself from killing him, but it was probably a good thing she’d stopped me.
A doctor with a criminal record was not ideal.
Luckily, one of the officers recognised me from an evening when I’d stitched up his hand in the ER. I vaguely remembered him being stabbed by a housewife with a steak knife.
Apparently, the eighteen-year-old who’d tried to rob Sailor had formed a nasty habit for methamphetamines and had been targeting single theatre goers for a while.
I’d barely looked at Sailor while we went through the process of explaining. I withheld information on how I’d found her and claimed I’d been in the right place at the right time. I’d ignored the throbbing in my knuckles from ploughing my fists into his face and didn’t worry about the day after tomorrow when I had to be back in surgery. Hopefully, the swelling would’ve gone down by then, and I could use my hands for complicated cutting and stitching. If not…I’d have to reschedule.
Colin is going to have a field day with this.
Lost in my thoughts as the police officers nodded politely at Sailor, I didn’t move until the flashing lights of their cruiser drove away, taking Chad Harris with them.
Silence fell over the car park.
Faint thunder rumbled on the horizon, the atmosphere dense with the promise of summer rain.
I needed to get Sailor home before we got drenched. I needed to figure out a believable lie as to why I was here and how badly Lily would blow my cover when she told Sailor that I’d called with rude demands to know where she was.
I’d done a lot of unexplainable things tonight, but if I’d been just two minutes later…Christ, I couldn’t think about what might’ve happened.
But there I went…thinking about it.