Page 83 of Three for a Girl

“I don’t care if you do, but afterward.”

She’d gripped his hand, but he shook her off, sending her into the wall. Ally’s expression tightened into a snarl, and she dug her nails into Chad’s arm.

He struggled to free himself from their grip, and burst into the operating room. Two people wearing masks and scrubs looked over. They backed away fast, and Carter moved to stand in front of them. He ushered them out, reassuring them everything was fine, it was a police matter.

It wasn’t, it was a Chad and Romeo matter, a life and death matter.

Chad looked down at the body, his flesh was still in the process of being stitched back together. His face was undistinguishable with the swelling, puffed up and purple, but Chad zeroed in on the piercing in the man’s eyebrow, releasing a rush of pure relief before crouching on the floor.

“Are you done?” Carter said.

His eyes blazed with anger, and next to him stood Ally, her arms folded, and a fierce frown on her face. She was smaller than Carter, but he’d rather face off against him than her. She vibrated with rage.

Ally pointed her finger at him like it were a knife. “Get up.”

He didn’t have a choice, he got to his feet, clutching the operating table for support.

“Ally.”’

“Don’t.” she snapped.

“He’s had an allergic reaction.” Val said.

Chad glanced at her, the only one that didn’t look furious. Her brow pinched with sympathy, but she didn’t move towards him.

“He collapsed in the office.”

“Allergic reaction to what?” Carter asked.

“Seafood,” Ally said. “That’s why his necks purple and swollen.”

Carter tilted his head. “Is it really…”

Chad didn’t reply, a million apologies were trying to come up at once, all getting lodged in his voice box, choking him. A strangled noise came out of him, and the anger wiped from Carter’s face.

He stepped closer, and beckoned Chad toward him, but he did the opposite and backed off, swaying into the tray of tools. He looked down at the scalpels, glinting up at him.

“I’m sorry.”

He’d finally said it, but it wasn’t enough. He was apologizing to them, to the deceased man on the table, to Romeo, wherever he was.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Let me take a look at you.”

Chad avoided Carter’s hand for the second time. He didn’t want his touch, the only person who could make him feel better wasn’t there.

Chad didn’t know where he was, or whether he was even going to come back.

“Go home, Chad.” Ally said, turning away from him.

“What?”

“You heard me, get out of here.”

Both Carter and Val wore pitying expression, but their eyes found the door, leading Chad to the exit.

Ally didn’t turn back to him, she stared at the wall with her hands on her hips as he slunk away, his soft apology only receiving a shake of her head.

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