Page 43 of Rogue

“Come quick,” I tell him after I rattle off the address and tell him what we found. “Bring ambulances.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” he snaps. “Didn’t we say you’re gonna stay out of this from now on.”

“That would’ve been a mistake,” I tell him. “Come quick. Some of these women might still make it. We were too late for most of them.”

Then I end the call before he can ask any more stupid questions and slow it all down.

We shouldn’t have waited a week before hitting the rest of Clive’s properties. If we hadn’t these young women might still be alive. It’s another thing that will stay on my conscience forever.

But this time, we’ll finish it right. Because now it’s personal. And Clive and those tight suit-wearing goons of his ain’t got a prayer trying to hide from me.

18

Melody

The ER was so quiet all day today that even those who had worked here for decades started letting superstition get the better of them. By the time night fell, they were all expecting some sort of terrible, mass casualty event to occur in the night.

I couldn’t get on board with their doom and gloom. Mostly because I spent much of the day reminiscing on last night, replying it all in my mind until every detail will probably be burned into my mind forever.

Rogue’s touch, rough yet gentle when it needed to be. His kisses, passionate yet sweet and tender at the same time. His cock deep inside me, bringing me the best orgasms I’ve ever had. If I concentrate, I can still feel him inside me. And I have no idea why I left him so early this morning. There was no need to. My shift didn’t start until noon.

But I’ll make up for the lost time as soon as I’m off again in a couple of hours. I’ve barely known Rogue for two weeks and I already can’t imagine not being with him. Which is dangerous. Very dangerous. But invigorating too. Because it means I can still fall in love at the drop of a hat. Just like I used to be ableto. Back when I was still young and innocent and still believed in true love and soulmates andthe onewaiting out there for me. I gave up on that kind of thinking a long time ago. Now I think maybe I was wrong to. That maybe he’s been waiting here for me all along.

The curtain behind me slides open, startling me almost bad enough to miss the stitch I’m putting into the forearm of a sedated old lady.

“Heads up, Melody,” ER Chief Howie says. “We’ve got four incoming. GSWs and stab wounds. All at death’s door.”

“What does that mean?” I ask. “Some kind of gang war thing?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. These women were apparently left for dead.”

“OK, I’ll be done in a minute,” I say and finish up the stitch, then call a nurse to wrap it all up.

By the time I reach the ambulance bay the first of the ambulances is already rolling in. Howie rushes towards it as soon as it stops and I’m right behind him.

“We got two,” the paramedic informs us as he jumps out the back. “Female, early twenties, maybe late teens. Unconscious, pulse weak and thready. Gunshot wound to the stomach. At least a few days old.”

“A few days old?” I ask glancing at Howie who looks as confused as I feel.

The smell of death is almost unbearable even in the fresh air as they wheel the first victim out.

One of the Attendings, Dr. Lewis, takes her inside, while the paramedic rattles off the status of the second victim, which is nearly identical to the first.

A second ambulance has already arrived and the women they roll off it are in no better shape than the first two.

“I’ll get this victim,” Howie says. “You wait for the last ambulance. I told you this would be a night to remember. Nothing good ever comes at the end of a quiet day in the ER.”

A siren is already wailing in the distance. But a much more familiar sound precedes is—a Harley rolling in a top speed.

Rogue stops just inches from where I’m standing.

“Did you find these women?” I ask him. “What happened?”

He takes off his helmet and shakes out his hair, his smell—leather and fire—hitting me right in the chest. “I fucked up.”

His eyes are almost black, but glowing like a lake in the moonlight.

“We should’ve finished what we started right away,” he adds. “These women… they killed them to cut their loses… because we were after them and we didn’t finish the job quicker.”

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