Page 8 of Deadly Intentions

“I wanted to see if there had been any change in his condition.” Alex glanced toward John Doe.

“Johnny is still the same.”

“Johnny?” Alex furrowed his brows. “You gave him a nickname?”

“Yep. John Doe seems so impersonal, and I spend a lot of time with him.” I started toward the door, but he reached out and grabbed my arm.

“You haven’t changed your mind about our date, have you?”

I glanced at the spot where his hand pressed against my skin. Alex was a good-looking man, but I didn’t get the same spark from him I’d felt from someone else. But this was my chance to reinvent myself.

“No. I haven’t.” I forced a smile, still unsure if my decision had been the right one.

Alex tugged me to stand in front of him and brushed my hair from my face. “I can see you fighting yourself on this. What are you afraid of?”

The air whooshed from my lungs, and I stilled. “I don’t trust myself, Alex. I gave my heart to someone else, and it didn’t work out. I came here for a fresh start and wasn’t planning on this.” I waved my hand between us. “I just need some time to…” my voice trailed off.

“To get over your heartbreak.” Alex stepped back. His expression softened. “Then we can start out at friends and if something more comes of it, I’d be thrilled. But Trina—" he shoved his hands into his pockets. “You deserve to be happy. Whatever that looks like. Now.” He gripped the doorknob. “I’ll be at your house Saturday at six.”

“Ok.” My voice came out in a whisper. Alex leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“See you later.”

The door closed as I blew out the breath I’d been holding. This was when I needed my family. Whenever I was confused, I sought their advice. But now—I couldn’t do that.

Looking at Johnny’s broken body made me think of the life I’d run away from. The people I loved were dealing with so much, and I’d probably only added to their stress. The day I left Vegas, I knew it would create a ripple effect of pain I likely could never take back. They were still reeling from the loss of Antonio and Rachel’s partner, Michael. The day I’d met Rachel, I learned he was in love with two people. It was weird, but seeing the love Michael and Rachel had for my brother told me all I needed to know. And then Michael had been taken. Just more of my family's shitty business dealing with ruining the lives of people it touched.

Even as I sat there and wondered about the unknown man lying in front of me, I wondered if his life had been as complicated as mine. There had been speculation that John Doe had been involved with a local gang—even this small town had criminal issues to deal with. But seeing him bandaged up and broken, I wondered if he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like I had been so many times. I smoothed down the blanket covering his still-black-and-blue body and sighed. It didn’t matter the reason. No one deserved to be diminished to a shell of a human.

“Johnny, I think I’ve made more of a mess of my life than I wanted. All I wanted was my own life—my own dreams. Coming here was supposed to be easy. But like they say… the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

five

CATARINA

This day couldn’t dragon any longer than it had. My mind wouldn’t shut off last night after I got home. All I could think about was Johnny lying in that bed alone and how I’d left the people who loved me without a care for their feelings. When I came to this tiny town, I hadn’t expected the guilt of my actions to weigh so heavily on me. And now… walking through the narrow corridor of the hospital, all I could think about was the loneliness I’d subjected myself to.

John Doe—or Johnny, as I’d grown accustomed to calling him—was improving each day. He still hadn’t regained consciousness, but his injuries were beginning to heal nicely. In fact, there was a possibility all the bandages would come off soon. I wondered what he would look like. Would we finally be able to identify him and give his family some kind of peace?

Needing to clarify the newest orders for his treatment, I made my way toward Doctor Brooks’ office. Doctor Brooks was not the most personable man to deal with, but he knew his shit. He’d recently changed around some of Johnny’s meds, making me concerned about the long-term effects the increase might have on him. It wasn’t uncommon for nurses to ask for clarification of protocols when dealing with patients, but Brooks wasn’t particularly fond of anyone questioning his decisions. Which is why Harley sent me on this mission. She hated him—like hated with a passion, hated, Brooks. I assumed there was more to the story, but I never pressed. We all had our secrets.

The door to his office was cracked slightly, giving me a partial view of him inside. I knocked but paused when I realized he wasn’t alone. Another man stood in front of his desk, and it appeared that they were in some kind of heated discussion. Their voices, while slightly muffled, filtered through the opening.

“I told you. It’s taken care of.” Doctor Brooks shifted on his feet behind the desk.

“I don’t need any more fuck-ups, Brooks. If this shipment doesn’t come through, you’ll pay. I won’t be as kind as I was with the last fuck up you made.”

I leaned toward the room, trying to hear more. As I stepped closer, the door shifted and groaned as it swung open. Both men froze, their gazes pinning me with an intense glare that made my blood coil with unease. It was a look I’d seen so many times with my brothers. Whatever I’d just walked in on wasn’t something I was supposed to hear.

My throat constricted as I swallowed the bile. I left Vegas to avoid this feeling. Now, standing here in the tiny town of Lake District, I wondered what I’d stumbled into.

“Um. Doctor Brooks.” I ran my palms down my scrubs and shifted my eyes between the two men. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I can come back later.” I turned to make my escape but was halted by his voice.

“Miss Aniston. Please come in. I was just finishing up.”

I took a deep breath and turned around. “Are you sure?” I glanced toward the man, watching me with daggers in his eyes. “It can wait.”

“Who is this lovely lady, Brooks?” The creepy guy spoke as he stepped closer.

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