Page 115 of Bloom: Part 1

“One way or another, I’m tying your legs together, but I want to give you a more dignified way to do it.”

“If I sit and let you tie that thing back around my legs, will you explain everything?”

“Yes.”

Shit. I sat with my legs together. Bloom’s jaw was set as he worked the belt around my ankles. I tried to create a space between them, but he wasn’t that naïve. Not in the illegal things. When he was done, he pressed a kiss to my lips. “Thanks for not being difficult.”

“You promised to tell me what’s going on.”

“Like I said, I needed to check what was happening in the hospital. They’re still occupying the rear exit you brought us to yesterday, so that’s out of the question. I need to find a way to get you out.”

“You mean getusout. I can help. I know this hospital better than you. Why do you have to restrain me?”

“Because you’re gonna hate what I have to do.”

“Which is?” I sat up straight, staring directly at him.

“I have to go back out there. Alone.”

“No! No! I will not allow it.”

“You don’t have a choice. This is the one time I can’t listen to you, so don’t ask me to. Too much is at stake. I’ve called Crowe to explain where you are and that if he doesn’t hear from me, he needs to get to you regardless of what those police officers think.”

I shook my head slowly. His earlier words about his life not being as important as mine came back. He didn’t believe that, did he? He wouldn’t.

“I already know what you’re going to say, Logan, so don’t.”

“This isn’t what I want. We made it here together, and we can make it out together.”

“I can’t risk it. You’re the one they want, not me.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“When I surveilled the place, I learned the reason they didn’t come after you. Took a while to get information out of the slimeball I killed, but you’d be surprised what a man will confess with a little motivation.”

“What do you mean?”

“They blame you for their leader’s death.”

“Me? He was involved in a shootout with the cops. How am I responsible for his death?”

“I don’t know who spread the rumor, but they think we killed Two Fingers and left their leader to die alone in the operating room.”

“What the fuck! He was already dead.”

“You and I know that. They don’t. They want you to pay and don’t care how many people they have to kill for that to happen.”

A lump formed in my throat. I’d survived all I had in my past for this? When I decided to become a doctor, I’d been so excited about this career. I was going to do great things and save lives. But this job was the biggest misfortune I’d ever had.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?”

“Well, there’s good news. Since their leader died, some have given themselves up to the police rather than go down with the rest, so I have fewer assholes to kill.”

“Bloom—”

“I have to, Logan.”

“Why? You don’t need to do this.”

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