Page 52 of Titan

CHAPTER 16

Natalia

The Present…

I spendthe evening pacing my bedroom, worried that I’m getting myself into something I won’t be able to get out of. I face a sleepless night, and I wonder what people at the hospital will think about my reassignment to a different kind of medical training.

I get a text from Hannah.

HANNAH: What’s up? Why aren’t you calling me to explain what’s going on? We were just told that you’ve been assigned a different location. What gives?

I chew a fingernail and remember what Assistant Director McDonald said: I can’t tell anyone about my real reasons for leaving. I have to say I got an offer that I didn’t want to turn down, given my family background.

NATALIA: My father’s old boss contacted me about an opportunity to work with the FBI. I’ll get the same credit as I would working at Bellevue. It will give me the inside track to ajob with the FBI when I’m done. It was sudden but I’m really excited.

HANNAH: OMG you could have told me! That sounds … great! For you, but I’ll miss you. We have to get together and talk. How about brunch on Sunday?

NATALIA: This weekend isn’t good. I’ll text you when I have a weekend off, okay? Sorry about not contacting you but it’s been rather sudden.

HANNAH: No problem but keep me updated from now on, okay? We’ll miss you…

I spend an equal amount of time reassuring Michelle that I’m okay, and that the change in plans with my medical rotation is nothing out of the ordinary. I don’t even tell her that I managed to save a man’s life – or tried to. It’s uncertain what happened to him and surprisingly, the news only mentions an armed robbery in Manhattan, but no arrests or any details.

It’s like the morning never happened, but the state of my nerves tells me it was all too real.

Then, to my utter shock and surprise, I get a call from Mr. Harrison O’Connor himself.

He’s calling me after everything that’s happened to him today? His brother was shot during an armed robbery…

I answer and he asks if he can come over.

Of course, I say yes, glad my brother is working tonight, and Gramps is at the bar until two or I wouldn’t be able to do this. I know that Assistant Director McDonald will be happy that I’ve encouraged Harrison. It will give me points, which I can use to get myself out of any trouble for helping at the bank. Even though I’m obviously not part of his family’s underworld, the very fact he and I have a relationship could be used against me.

Which is why I can’t refuse McDonald’s job offer.

I have a quick shower and am waiting when he arrives, bottle of wine in hand.

Before I even get the bottle opened, he has me in his arms, and is kissing me with a passion that startles me at first.

His brother was shot today, and he’s hot and horny, ready to go.

What kind of monster is he?

He should be broken by what happened, but instead, he’s trying to get into my bed…

I go along and am surprised at how my body responds to him, despite my mind rebelling. I shouldn’t be able to become aroused by his touch, so why am I?

Why does he have this effect on me?

I don’t resist. I turn off my mind and let my body take over but before I do, I think that this will only help me get closer to Harrison.

I tell myself that the closer I get, the more info I can get on him, and the better able the FBI will be to bringing him and his entire crime family down…

“We better go upstairs,” I say. “In case my brother comes home early…”

“Lead the way.”

I take his hand and together, we take the wine and glasses upstairs. Once inside my bedroom, we forget about the wine and instead, return to the passionate kiss we shared earlier.

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