Page 9 of Rage

“Is there a problem here?”he asks, his tone making it clear he expects a negative answer.

“No, sir,” Dr.Thompson says quickly, plastering on a fake smile.“Just a friendly chat.”

I nod in agreement, not trusting myself to speak without letting my anger show.

Konrad looks between us, clearly not buying it.“Good.Because I’d hate to think two of our most promising residents were engaging in unprofessional behavior.”

With that, he walks away, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

Dr.Thompson glares at me one last time before storming off.I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

As I turn to leave, I notice Mason leaning against the wall, watching me with an amused expression.My heart skips a beat.

“Quite the firecracker, aren’t you?”he says, pushing off the wall and approaching me.

I feel my face heat up.“I don’t like bullies,” I mutter.

Mason chuckles, the sound sending chills down my spine.“Clearly.”He pauses, his expression turning serious.“Thank you for taking care of Elle.It means a lot to all of us.”

I nod, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.“Of course.It’s my job.”

“Still,” he says, reaching out to touch my arm.“Thank you.”

The contact sends electricity through my body.I step back, needing to put some distance between us.

“I should go,” I say, gesturing vaguely.“Patients to see.”

Mason nods, a knowing smile playing on his lips.“Of course.I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other, Dr.Beckham.”

The way he says my name makes my knees weak.I manage a nod before hurrying away, feeling his eyes on me the entire time.

As I round the corner, I lean against the wall, taking calming breaths.What am I getting myself into?

Around the corner, Konrad is leaning against the wall with a massive grin on his face.“You are your daddy’s daughter, aren’t you?”With that, he winks and goes into his office.

I rub my hand across my forehead, trying not to laugh.My temper is one thing I have fought, trying to push it down and stay professional.

The day crawls by, each minute stretching into an eternity.Dr.Shithead’s glares burn into my back, her disdain palpable, but I grit my teeth, focusing on my patients instead of her petty bullshit.

two

Meadow

Finally, my shift ends.I race home, shedding my scrubs and grabbing my medical bag.My phone buzzes as I text Elle with anOn my way.

The drive to her place is mercifully short.I pull up to a modest house, a miniature version of the grand residence looming behind it.Must be the guest house.

I haul my equipment from the car, grateful for once that it’s only a small set of stairs.My arms still ache as I lug the heavy bag up each step.

“Elle?”I call, knocking on the door.Elle is the one that comes to the door and opens it.“Evening!How are you feeling?”I ask her, smiling.

She rubs her stomach.“Much better, thanks!”She does look a ton better, no longer as pale and with some color to her face.

Christopher is standing behind her and he nods at me.

“Wow, your place is gorgeous,” I tell her, wanting to make her feel more comfortable by making small talk.

“Follow me,” she tells me, and I follow her to a room.She sits down on the edge of the bed and I open my case that is stocked full of everything we may need.

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