Page 41 of The Chance

He shot her a glare. She paled.

Eva was definitely on the quiet side, though. Easily intimidated. And she didn’t like Mandy at all. He could use that, if he had to. Mandy was a very powerful tool around this place.

“Are you on a witch hunt about drugs for some reason?” Justin asked, just wanting to see the two women’s reactions. Before things escalated. “Was Dr. Hodges selling drugs, too? Is this place that unsecured? Doesn’t everyone have more important things to do than count pills? We’re stretched thin, as it is. Do you plan on hiring someone to replace Doug? Or are we going to be pulling extra hours indefinitely to save Carrington a few pennies?”

He wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t heard making the rounds before.

But Aubrey Fisher didn’t like him one bit, and while she was a very quiet, reserved woman—she wasn’t a pushover, and the expression in her eyes made that very clear. Justin needed to be very careful here. “I’m aware of the pressure everyone is under, Dr. Michaels. We all feel it now. You do your job, and I’ll do mine. Part of mine is watching prescription inventory. Any more questions?”

Eva looked between them. Justin gave the nurse a hard glare—just enough to send a message. She wet her lips nervously—she had a really pretty mouth.

“Thanks for your help, Eva,” Aubrey said, turning back to the nurse. “If I have more questions, I’ll be in touch.”

Eva nodded quickly, mumbling a response before she hurried off. She’d keep her mouth shut—he’d bet on that. If not… he was going to have a word with her as soon as he could. She was new here, it was time she learned how everything worked. She didn’t need to be watching him all the time.

And it wouldn’t hurt to have a word with her when he had a chance about what she may or may not have seen. Just to make sure she understood…

Justin was trying to fix things. That was all.

“Is there something else you needed, Dr. Michaels?” Aubrey was still looking at him. Like she was trying to see into his damned soul or something.

“Just wondering how much longer you’ll be conducting these little interviews,” he replied, keeping his tone neutral. “They’ve been taking up a lot of time, we’re a physician short, and we all have patients to attend to.”

“As long as it takes to ensure we’re following protocol. Do you have an issue with the Carrington Group requesting audits whenever they want? Something to hide in your department?”

He reached for her arm, before he could stop himself.

She jerked back. She was afraid of him. His own damned fault. Justin really didn’t want a woman afraid of him. Not truly. Games he played in the bedroom—yes. Mandy knew exactly how to play that particular game the way he liked. But he didn’t want women afraid of him. He wasn’t a jerk like that at all.

He hadn’t forgotten that night at the Barratt.

Second-best with other women was never good enough for Mandy.

He’d known that.

He’d just been stupid. He had followed Aubrey home after she’d rejected him—he shouldn’t have done that. Hell, maybe he should even apologize? Aubrey was his damned boss, after all. And Justin needed this damned position if he was going to move up as quickly as he wanted.

He wasn’t content to be a damned grunt forever.

“I just see so many ways the ED could run more efficiently. For the patients, of course. You seem to be a bit distracted lately. By your… personal… issues. Dr. Hiller’s doing, I presume?Should I offer congratulations?” Not exactly the apology he’d intended. But hell, Justin was so sick of internal politics.

Beautiful blue eyes narrowed. Her lips pursed. He’d pissed her off. No denying that.

But nothing really seemed to rattle the woman. Nothing at all.

Justin just turned and walked away. Before he said or did something stupid. This woman had the power to fire him, after all. And he’d be smart not to forget that.

32

It was almost over.The day would finally end and she could get out of this place.

Aubrey had one more meeting to get through, and then… she had plans.

She was going to go home, try to lure one Dr. Guthrie Hiller back to her place—and send her precious baby sister to his sisters. Genny was hovering over Greer right now. So were Hala and Ayla. And Aubrey was going to do her best to seduce that man. She was ready.

There was no man on the planet she trusted more than Guthrie. And that mattered. No matter what, that mattered.

She was ready to take that chance. Maybe not rush right to the end, but… baby steps. She was going to do baby steps.

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