Page 35 of Risky Desires

I’d never been sohappy to hear a man’s voice before. And it wasn’t just any man. A stunned Doctor O’Connor came barreling into the room, barking at the nurses to step away from me. They did, glaring at him as they tried to explain.

“She needs to be sedated. She’s dangerous and–”

“And she has several broken ribs and from what I was told, she was recently attacked! Are you trying to kill her? Because one wrong move could puncture her lung!”

They both blinked several times. “She was… telling the truth?”

With a growl, he pointed out the door. “I brought the x-rays with me. Go see for yourself while I check on my patient. And you better believe I’ll be filing a complaint about her treatment. Who manhandles a psych patient with broken ribs? Do you even have a license to practice medicine?”

Carol lifted her chin, indignant. “Excuse me, Doctor, but unless you work in a place like this, you have no idea what we go through on a daily basis. Some patients need their meds administered forcibly for the safety of the staff and their families when they visit. You can’t just–”

“I don’t want to hear excuses. Now go. I want to check on my patient.”

Abigail rolled her eyes, leaving the room without question. Nurse Carol was a little more suspicious, looking like she wanted to argue, until Doctor O’Connor glared at her. She spun on her heel, storming off while shouting over her shoulder.

“I’ll be calling her husband about this!”

Doctor O’Connor slammed the door, ignoring her. When he spun to face me, I choked on a sob.

“P-Please. Don’t leave. They were trying to sedate me so that Carson could have a conjugal visit.”

His eyes went wide, and he took a few steps forward, helping me off the bed. “No, Rosie. I won’t leave. Jesus, this place is fucked up. They said you were attacked. Are you injured?”

I shook my head quickly. “It was sore for a bit, but nothing too bad.”

He grimaced. “Shit. If it was worse, I could’ve demanded you be taken for an x-ray or something.”

“That wouldn’t work. They have a machine here.”

He scowled, looking around helplessly. He hadn’t let go of my hand and I clung to it tightly.

“Doctor O’Connor…”

Swinging to face me again, he forced out a small smile. “Please, call me Sean. I know you’re scared. I promise, I’m going to do everything I can to get you out of here. When I got the request for your files, I thought I was imagining things. You told me your name was Rosie.”

“It was a nickname… to keep me safe…”

He squeezed my hand gently. “I get that.” He sighed, looking around again. “Unfortunately, the only plan I had to get you out of here was contingent on you still being hurt. I’m not really sure how to get you out without leaving and coming back, and we can’t do that.”

No. If he left, I knew that they’d sedate me and probably move me to a new hospital. If Carson found out that someone knew I was here, he wouldn’t wait around for them to come back to get me.

“I… I have an idea…”

I just wasn’t sure he was going to like it.

He frowned at me. “What do you have in mind?”

Biting my lip, I twisted my fingers nervously. “If… If you were to re-break my ribs, they’d have no choice but to bring me to a hospital.”

His face paled. I felt bad suggesting it, but he was right. We were limited in options on how to get me out. He was a doctor. And not even one at this hospital. His power was limited. But if I was actually hurt, they wouldn’t be able to argue with him. They’d have to let him take me.

“Rosie, I…”

“Please, Sean… I can’t stay here. The psychiatrist said if I didn’t start cooperating, they were going to give me shock treatment therapy.”

Stunned, he whipped his head in the direction of the door, then back at me. He studied my face for a moment before dipping his chin. “Alright. We’ll go with your plan.” He stepped up to me, uncertainty painted across his face. I moved my arm out of the way so he could aim for my ribs and shut my eyes. One hit and I could leave this terrible place. I could take one hit.

The room was quiet for a bit, and he made no move to go through with it. When I peeked at him, I could see the struggle in his eyes. His fist was clenched at his side, trembling almost as badly as I was. I dropped my arm, shaking my head. I couldn’t ask him to do this. It was unfair.

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