Page 88 of Romeo

Romeo just got her “started.”

Resist, Maddie.

She hoped like hell that Chuck did not hear the last thing Romeo said.

“Are you okay? You look really flushed. Are you having a hot flash?” Chuck asked.

“I’m not old enough for a hot flash.” She pressed a hand to her hot cheek. “I’m just a little warm.”

“Maybe you should cancel the rest of your appointments and go home and rest. You might be catching something.”

She caught something all right.

When she heard “Mad!” yelled through the building, she actually thought Chuck’s suggestion might be a good one. Because that voice only belonged to one person.

Aquick glance at Romeo showed her that he was searching the room for the one bellowing her name.

“Mad!”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

She heard a muffled growl—that did not come from Chuck—over the sound of her gritting teeth.

She needed to find Roger before he found her. And before he continued to spew shit loudly. Maybe she could head him off and quiethim down.

It turns out she didn’t move fast enough.

Roger beelined over to where they stood, appearing out for blood. Only she worried it wouldn’t be her blood spilled.

“Your patient is waiting for you. What are you doing?” His eyes dropped to the peach. “Not only making your patients wait but eating out on the floor? You know that’s not allowed. Besides, it’s piggish. Are you a pig, Mad?”

She waited for him to start oinking. He had done it before when someone spilled their snack.

“You know the rules. I’m going to have to write you up for that. That’s your third write-up this month. You know the three-strike rule, now I’m going to have to dock your pay.”

This was nothing new. Roger purposely looked for excuses to write up his employees. Even for the most trivial reasons so he could dock their pay. That put more money back in his pocket.

Greedy asshole.

“Remember me, Roge?”

Oh shit.

When a searing heat hit her back, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Roger had awakened the beast. The whole reason she wanted Romeo to stay out of it. If he handled this badly, she could lose her job and, knowing Roger’s pettiness, he could blackball her everywhere.

This could turn into a complete nightmare.

“Mr. Carter… How could I forget? Hopefully, your therapy is proceeding nicely.”

“Would be if I wasn’t so fu— disturbed with how you speak to your employee. Makes me wonder if I made the right decision comin’ here.”

“We have rules, Mr. Carter. Just as I’m sure your employer does, too. Without rules, it’s mayhem.”

Oh good lord.

“It’s a fuckin’ peach, Roge.”

“While it might only be a peach this time, if I let it go, what about next time? I maintain strict rules for a reason. If Mad can’t follow them, then she doesn’t belong here.”

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