Page 5 of Rage

He raises an eyebrow, unconvinced.“You’re living on coffee and adrenaline.That’s not sustainable.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Dad holds up a hand.

“I know, I know.You’re an adult.It’s your life.”He leans forward, eyes intense.“But you’re still my little girl.I worry.”

The waitress returns with our food.I pick at my salad, appetite suddenly gone.

“I’m doing important work, Dad.Saving lives.”

“At the cost of your own health?”He shakes his head.“There’s more to life than work, Meadow.”

I bristle.“Says the man who built an empire.”

Dad’s eyes flash.“That’s different.”

“How?”I challenge.

He’s silent for a moment.“I had people.A support system.You…”

“I have colleagues,” I interject.

“It’s not the same,” he insists.“You need friends.A life outside the hospital.”

I stab a piece of lettuce.“I don’t have time for that.”

Dad sighs heavily.“Make time.Or you’ll burn out.”

Before I can respond, my pager beeps.I check it, relief and disappointment warring within me.

“I have to go,” I say, standing.“Emergency C-section.”

Dad nods, resignation in his eyes.“Be careful, sweetheart.”

I lean down, kissing his cheek.“Always am.”

As I rush back to the hospital, Dad’s words echo in my mind.But I push them aside.

Some of the older doctors glare at me throughout the day as they pass, they don’t respect me and think of me as too young to be a resident.

I busted my ass, finished high school in my early teenage years, and went to college, so I was way ahead of normal kids.

It’s after another surgery that went better than the first one this morning when Konrad, the chief of surgery and a member of the Grim Sinners MC, approaches me.

“Hi, Meadow, how are you handling everything?”I have a sneaking suspicion that my dad called him to check up on me.

My dad is extremely protective over me.Even when I was in college, he would visit my dorm every week, fill my fridge with food, and make sure my oil was changed.

I will never get mad at him for being this way; some girls would get pissed at their father meddling, but I’d rather have my dad caring about me than not.

“I have a case I want you to look into.I’ve got the ball rolling but she is needing a new OB,” he explains, handing me a file for me to read over.

I recognize the name at the top and smile at the thought of Elle being pregnant.She is a Grim Sinners princess and a few years younger than me.

I flip through Elle’s file, scanning the details.Konrad watches me, his expression unreadable.

“Thanks,” I say, closing the folder.“I’ll take good care of her.”

He nods, then hesitates.“Your father called me.”

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