CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It would have been easy to put her ear to the door and listen to the men talking in the living room, but Tessa refrained from doing it. Her mind was jumbled enough without having incomplete conversations to process on top of it.
At the moment, it was hard enough to think about the suggestion of having sex with both men, and not consider it. What was wrong with her? How had she changed from dedicated doctor to shameless slut? Had she been so disconnected from her own body and needs over the years that it was all coming back on her? It was the most sensible explanation she could think of.
After medical school, she had been so engrossed in her career that relationships were few and sparse and she had only been with other doctors. She never met anyone else. The pathetic part wasn’t who she’d met, or had sex with, but how quickly they disappeared. Having people in her crazy, hectic, busy life wasn’t an option.
Maybe this forced vacation was just that … a way to cut loose, to bring her wild side out for once before returning to work. After all, Mabel may have had a point. A vacation would do her good, even if it was a weird one. Which reminded her that she had to make that call.
Bracing herself, Tessa jumped out of bed and left the room, and saw Gage resting on the couch. Immediately, her mind compared him to Locke as she had seen him earlier. Two friends, brothers on their own terms, charismatic and handsome in very different ways. However, Gage didn’t grip her in the gut the way Locke did, but with his wealth of muscles and ink, raw masculinity and scars, it clashed with Locke’s cool sophistication, honed body, and burning sea eyes. And Locke was clear that he wanted to avoid emotional intimacy of any kind with her. The fact that he’d forbidden kissing got to her, maybe it was a sign that she should detach herself from Locke, and truly consider the idea of a threesome.
Taking advantage of the fact Gage was sleeping, she searched for a phone or even a computer. Turning around, she decided to head to Locke’s office. Another thing she wasn’t supposed to do, but as she entered, and saw the phone on the desk beside the computer, Tessa decided that this little infraction wasn’t going to be a big deal.
It looked like an IP phone, but just to make sure, she hid the phone number before making the call. Her first was quick. Although human resources were pissed as hell with her for making the decision so unexpectedly and without advising them first, her clean record and the fact she had saved their butt more times than they could count, meant they couldn’t deny her request.
The next call was to Mabel and wasn’t as quick. Her friend had clearly been worried sick about her.
“You better have a good explanation! I’ve never been so worried in my life!”
Tessa looked at the door, not knowing how much she could say. “Listen, I’m fine, Mabel. I can’t talk long. Someone told what happened with the girl.”
Mabel’s sudden intake of breath told Tessa that her friend knew the implications. “Are you all right? Where are you?”
Again, Tessa wasn’t ready to tell Mabel more than was necessary. “I don’t have much time. They know about what I did but not where the girl is. You might be in danger too.”
More silence on the line. Mabel may be courageous, but she wasn’t a fool, and it wasn’t something to be cocky about. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious. I’m in a safehouse myself. Why don’t you go to Nigel’s for a while? I’m working on a solution and knowing you’re out of the firing line would help me out a lot.”
“Baby girl, I’m not a doctor, and I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Let me worry about that, will you?”
“Are you trying to piss me off, girl?” Her friend was clearly on the verge of hanging up on her.
“I’d rather you were angry at me and alive.”
“No way. I’m staying here.”
Tessa had no choice. “Then, I’m coming back to the hospital. Now.”
More silence and this time, she could almost hear Mabel’s teeth grinding together. She would never normally use blackmail, but she was desperate to save Mabel and get her out of danger. And she knew very well that she would be safe with Nigel.
“Damn it, Tessa. Okay. I’m gonna call Nigel and make arrangements. And I’ll tell him about the situation. But when it’s all over, I swear to you, girl, you and I are gonna have a talk, and you’re not going to like it.”
As she ended the call, Tessa put her forehead on the cool desk, feeling empty, but also relieved to know that Mabel was okay, and that it would stay that way.
“Glad to see that your friend came to her senses. I would have hated to tie you down until Locke came back so you remained here.”
Gage. She should have guessed that even being discreet wouldn’t work with him. Slowly, Tessa pushed herself upright until she could lean back and relax in the chair.
“Last time I asked, I wasn’t a prisoner here.”
Gage looked okay, still a bit drawn, and the way he leaned against the door jamb told her that he still felt some level of discomfort but was obviously feeling better as he’d removed his bandages. However, as he was able to listen in without her hearing him move, it was obvious he was getting better.
“You’re not. But you made a deal with Locke, and my friend is not the type of man to take you going back on your word well.”
Tessa wasn’t surprised about that. “And he asked you to stay in the apartment to make sure I don’t find a way to leave and disappear?”
The man smiled. “Nope. It’s because I’m wounded and a big baby in need of a doctor.”
Rolling her eyes, Tessa got up, but Gage pointed to the phone. “Replace the desk exactly as you found it, otherwise Locke will know. And I’m guessing he didn’t give you permission to come in here.”
Tessa did as he asked, and it was another part of her debt collector’s personality she found fascinating and incredibly annoying.
