Page 39 of Twisted Ruck

I raised an eyebrow at Atlas.

"He's fun to toy with," Atlas said. "Every time I throw out the bait, he takes it. I guess his mother didn't teach him to ignore guys like me."

He looked amused as hell. Having four older sisters, he must have learnt young to have a thicker skin when being teased. Between that and being in the public eye, he had to let it roll off his back like it was nothing. I suspected it got to him more than he let on. He wasn't like Storm who wore his heart on his sleeve. And his attitude.

"My father told me to use my fists with guys like you," Storm said. "If they give you shit, you give them bruises. Or broken bones.” His sidelong glance at Atlas suggested he'd happily givehim both. Not in the same way he liked to leave bruises on me. They were a handful of words from coming to blows, and now was not the time for that. Not in the infirmary and not with everything else that was going on.

"It's time to put that behind you," I said. "You can't go around punching people just because you disagree with them."

"I don't," Storm said. "I use my verbal fists. If I used my real ones, Atlas would look like dog food." He seemed impressed at his own restraint. Me, I was just glad he held back and hoped like hell he continued to.

"You're all class, Keller," Atlas told him.

"Fucking right I am," Storm agreed. "The classiest." He stood up a little straighter, even though he clearly understood Atlas was trying to push his buttons yet again.

Atlas waited until I lowered my hands from his nose and leaned down to brush his lips over mine. "The only classy person I see around here is Chelsea."

He leaned down further to whisper in my ear. "I promise, you can trust me. I'll tell you everything. Just to do me a favour and stay safe until then." He straightened up and his gaze flicked toward Skinner's office again.

A shiver travelled up and down my spine. Skinner was a closed book, but was he a threat? Atlas certainly seemed to think so. His explanation couldn't come soon enough.

"I'll be okay," I said lightly.

Maybe Frost was right and I should start carrying around a scalpel strapped to my thigh. Or maybe I was paranoid.

The question was, would that get better or worse, depending on what Atlas had to say?

It was going to be a long afternoon, waiting to hear what that was.

Chapter Fifteen

Chelsea

"I trustyou can attend a training session without supervision." Skinner appeared from his office the moment Atlas stepped out the door. "I have two more patients to see this afternoon." He looked weary, like he didn't want to bother with me.

I managed to keep myself from bristling in irritation. I'd completed my exams and passed everything. Graduation was just a formality at this point. As was receiving my degree to frame and hang on my wall.

"I can deal with whatever arises," I said with a confident nod.

"Arrogance won't get you far here," he remarked.

I blinked at him a couple of times. "Excuse me?"NowI was bristling. I forced myself to be calm, reminding myself how dangerous he really was.

"Your certainty that you're equipped to handle any injury or emergency that may take place during a rugby training session," he clarified. "When you have no true idea of the complexity of cases we'll be faced with."

"I have a reasonable idea," I said. Where did he get off being a dick? "I did my practical training here, and I've been following the code all my life." I stuck to a respectful tone, colleague tocolleague, but wished I knew what Atlas was going to say about him. I should have insisted he tell us, regardless of the chance of being overheard.

Skinner gave me a look down his nose like I was saying I'd graduated to pencil, having previously only been allowed to write with crayons. Maybe he was right, I didn't have the experience he had, but I wasn't clueless either.

"I see," he said slowly. "Well, that makesallthe difference."

What did he want me to say? Would he have preferred it if I said I wasn't ready, or was incompetent? Because I sure as hell wasn't going to say either of those things. I was mindful of Atlas' warning, but he seemed determined to make me feel like shit.

"I realise I'm new at this," I conceded, "but I am a fully qualified medical doctor. If an injury occurs, I'm confident I can manage it. If I can't, I'll be sure to ask for your assistance. Assuming you're not too busy to give it."

His eyes narrowed. "If you're going to be difficult, I might have to have a word with the GM about your employment."

Was he threatening me? If he thought I'd be intimidated, he was wrong. Even if it got me fired, I wasn't going to let him walk all over me.

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