Protected By The Soldier Tiger (Special Ops Shifters: Dallas Force Book 2)

by Meg Ripley

  Jack consulted the tablet and gave him the address. “Tomorrow afternoon, actually. The name’s Sabrina Barrett.”

  Max’s vision turned black around the edges, and his tiger surged as he focused solely on Jack. “Sabrina Barrett?” he said hoarsely. It could be a coincidence. Surely, there was more than one Sabrina Barrett on the planet. And the one he’d known hadn’t been such a rich bitch as to need a helicopter to take her out on errands. He swallowed the thickness that was building in his throat. “What, uh, what does she do for a living?”

  Jack frowned at the tablet. “Says here she’s some hotshot cosmetic surgeon.”

  Shit. Shit shit shit. If the client had been some financial advisor or movie star or something, he’d have felt a lot better. But it seemed clear he wasn’t going to be able to escape his past the way he’d wanted to.

  “You all right?” Vance drawled.

  “Yeah. I’m fine.” Max pushed himself out of the chair, his body feeling too heavy. “Just tired. I’d better get some rest if I’m going to fly tomorrow. We done here?”

  “Sure. Go ahead.”

  He stumbled down the hallway, running his hand through his dark hair and wondering how he was going to manage this. It was one thing to play air cabbie for some snob.

  It was a completely different thing to do for the woman he’d practically left at the altar.

  2

  “All right, everyone. Almost done here. I’ve just got to get this closed up, and then we’ll be good to go.” Sabrina Barrett’s fingers moved almost automatically as she carefully stitched up the incision. She remembered a time when she’d had to work much harder to make the stitches even and perfect, reducing the amount of scarring that would be left behind. Of course, it was much easier thanks to finer needles and the right fibers.

  She’d spent the last few hours lost in the world of surgery, and the hours before that had been consumed with other patients. Now that her shift was nearly over, she could feel the ache in her feet and lower back from standing on hard linoleum all day. Sabrina shoved the pain down a bit longer. It was nothing a little yoga wouldn’t fix later.

  Twisting the forceps to create the final knot that would fix everything in place, Sabrina set her instruments on the waiting tray and stepped back from the table. “That’s a wrap. You guys have been great. Thanks again.”

  She sighed to herself as she stepped out of the OR to clean up. She could feel eyes on her, even there at work. The operation had been consuming enough to help distract her, but now it was impossible. He was there again.

  She began to peel off her gloves. It’d been a long day, and she was eager for it to be over. What’d made it even longer was the fact that she didn’t find much satisfaction in the work she’d just completed. Although Sabrina knew she’d done an excellent job with the rhinoplasty, it had felt empty. So what if another Hollywood housewife (the Dallas version, anyway) would have a tiny new nose to show all her friends at brunch in a few months over mimosas? So what if that same spoiled woman would give Sabrina’s contact information to all her friends who wanted implants, lifts, tucks, and complete remodels of their faces and bodies? Sabrina was good at her job, but her heart just wasn’t in it.

  As Sabrina left the surgery wing, she could feel his presence once again. He was closing in on her as she made her way down the hall, skirting past orderlies trying to get their patients to the right places. Sabrina sensed his eyes like a physical presence on her back, pressing against her spine. She instinctively walked faster, trying to keep her body from breaking into a full run.

  Not for the first time, she allowed herself a short vision of what it would be like to show her other form in the middle of this busy hospital. With the sterile white walls and floor, no one would expect to see a wild animal pounding down the hallways, mouth open and brilliant teeth showing. She could practically feel her paws as they pounded the floor and hear the screams of the staff as they backed away from the massive tiger. Sabrina’s muscles longed for the freedom of her big cat, the ease of movement, the pure instinct that could go unchecked.

  But that would have to wait. Dr. Sabrina Barrett was, after all, one of the most prominent surgeons in Dallas, even in the whole state of Texas. She’d had her name in medical journals across the country, and she knew the hospital administration was watching her closely. Sabrina was the rising star they were counting on to attract all the business they could ever want. It wasn’t necessarily a burden she enjoyed.

  “Heading home?” asked a familiar voice as she passed the recovery ward.

  Sabrina turned to find Dr. Lance McCarthy smiling at her. He was a tall and handsome man with dark hair that never seemed to get tousled by a surgery cap. With his sparkling smile, Lance looked more like a doctor from a soap opera than a respected surgeon. He joined her as she strode down the hallway.

  “No, I’ve got one more meeting first. Then I’ll pop back here and check on the day’s patients. After that, I think I’ll be heading home.” Now the stare that she’d been able to feel on her back all day had been shifted toward Dr. McCarthy. The other surgeon was no threat to her, but it amused Sabrina to think he was being watched so closely now.

  “You know, the nurses and the orderlies can take care of your patients for you. This is one of the nicest hospitals in the state, and the patients expect the utmost care. Everyone who works here knows that and they’re willing to give it to them.” Lance flashed that toothpaste commercial smile at her once again.

  Sabrina turned slightly to the side so he wouldn’t see her rolling her eyes. Yes, he was right. The nurses and other support staff at the hospital were amazing, but that didn’t mean she shouldn’t come back and personally check on her patients. “I like to see them with my own eyes instead of relying on whatever someone bothered to write in their chart. All people are fallible, even us.”

  “Even with that expert stitching you’ve perfected?” Dr. McCarthy asked with a raised eyebrow. “Everyone’s talking about it. You’re creating quite the ripple in the cosmetic surgery field.”

  “That’s not why I did it.” Sabrina didn’t want the fame that came with her innovations, but she was pretty sure most of the other people in her field didn’t understand that.

  “You’re making people jealous, whether you want to or not. Someone’s even circulating a rumor that you took a sewing class to improve your work.” Lance laughed as they got on the elevator.

  Sabrina watched the doors close, smiling at the man further down the hall who’d lose sight of her now. It was a small concession for her, since it meant she’d be stuck in the elevator with Lance for several floors, but she’d have to take what she could get. “I did, actually.”

  “Wait. What?” Dr. McCarthy put his hand on the elevator wall near Sabrina’s shoulder and leaned too close. “You seriously sat down with a bunch of old ladies and took a sewing class?”

  “They weren’t a bunch of old ladies, and it was an embroidery class. There were people of all ages there, and they know an awful lot. I think it would benefit everyone to do something like that.” There was no point in denying the rumor because it was true and nothing to be ashamed of.

  “So what? Now you can make a doily when you’re done with surgery?”

  “Actually, Lance, it means I’ve honed my technique to reduce scarring and recovery time, not to mention how it affects the look of the overall surgery. You could benefit from it yourself, if you think you could handle a bunch of women telling you what to do.” She scowled at him as she slid away.

  He was unaffected. “I think I could. I like strong women, and you’re one of them, Dr. Barrett. The two of us would make one hell of a couple. I can see it now—”

  “Before you get lost in fantasy land, I’m not interested,” she interrupted. “I don’t have time to get involved with anyone.”

  Lance moved close once again, his finger touching the underside of her chin. “That’s all right. It doesn’t have to be a relationship, per se. After all, we’re both a
dults. We both know what we want.”

  Was it the movement of the elevator that was suddenly making her nauseous? Sabrina didn’t think so. She pushed her hand against his chest before he could be any more forward. “You should really stop embarrassing yourself now while we don’t have an audience. I’m not about to continue this discussion in the weekly meeting.”

  The elevator dinged and opened its doors, letting in a rush of fresh air that Sabrina hadn’t realized she’d needed until she felt it. She charged through, slowing her steps when she saw the stairwell door open in her peripheral vision. So he’d found her on this floor, too. There was no getting away from either one of these guys.

  “You know, you’ve been single long enough.” Lance was off the elevator right after her, still at her shoulder. “I think it’s time you gave someone else a chance.”

  “Like I said, not interested.” She kept walking.

  “And why not? I’m successful. I’m good looking. These rich people pay me far too much money, just like you. I think we’ve got more in common than you think, and you should give me a chance.”

  Sabrina stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes. There were too many emotions roiling around inside her right now. She wasn’t in the operating room, so she could let them all out if she wanted to. But that wasn’t the time or the place, no matter how much Lance deserved it. It didn’t help that she could still feel the other man’s eyes on her, watching them from a distance. When she opened her eyes, Lance was still standing there, looking confused.

  “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Lance. I don’t know what makes you think otherwise, and I don’t know what your obsession with me is all about. I suggest you get over both of them, and fast.”

  “Look, I’m just concerned about you.” Dr. McCarthy ran his hand down her arm. “You were in a pretty serious relationship from what I understand. It’s not good for a person to go through a bad breakup and then just remain single forever. You’ve got to get back on that horse.”

  “And I suppose that horse is you?”

  One side of his mouth quirked up, and he moved into her personal space once again. “I’m willing if you are.”

  Her jaw hurt from gritting her teeth together so much in the last five minutes. How dare he give her advice like that? This was the man who’d been caught with every nurse on their floor. And how dare he bring up Max when she’d fought so hard to forget about him? Yes, Sabrina had thought she’d found the love of her life. Yes, she’d thought it was something that would last forever, and she hadn’t hesitated to tell everyone just how great their bond was. She’d imagined it was unbreakable, and she wanted the whole world to know about it.

  But she’d been wrong, and she didn’t need this jackass to remind her. “I’m sick of you, Lance McCarthy. I’m sick of the way you think you can just order people around the way you do in the OR. I don’t want to hear any more of your bullshit, and I’m not going to put up with it. Stay the hell away from me from now on unless there’s a patient we need to discuss.”

  “Hey, hey. Easy now. You don’t have to get upset. Let’s get through this meeting, and then we can go out and have a drink. How about that?”

  “Why don’t you shove that drink up your ass!” She felt heat flush her cheeks and spread through her veins as she fought not to shift. Talk about not the time or the place! Granted, getting attacked by a tiger on the fifth floor of a hospital would undoubtedly make an impression on the man, and Sabrina could easily imagine the look of shock on his face if she had the chance to swipe at him with her paw, but that would have to remain a fantasy. “I’m tired of all the fake people I meet in this line of work. You and most of the other surgeons I know are just out to make a quick buck and then get a quick fuck when you’re done. You don’t care about your patients unless they’re some strange case that’s going to get your name in a medical journal.” She felt her eyes flash.

  His eyes widened and he took a step back. “H-hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to piss you off like that. I was just trying to be nice. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He trotted down the hallway toward the conference room.

  Sabrina followed at a more leisurely pace. She should’ve taken pride in eviscerating him like that, but knowing Lance, he’d be over it in less than a day and then start hitting on a nurse or some unsuspecting volunteer. He was a piece of shit, and there were plenty of others like him.

  Entering the conference room, the din of small talk met her ears. Sabrina helped herself to a bottle of water and sat, ignoring Dr. McCarthy as he seated himself quietly at the other end of the table. She listened as they ran through the events of the week, what would be coming up the next week, and upcoming changes to the computer system. The entire time, Sabrina could feel his eyes on her. He was just outside, finding some way to casually hang out in the hallway without being seen. If anyone had noticed, they hadn’t said anything to her about it yet.

  But he finally caught up to her in the elevator when it was time to leave, casually pushing the button to close the doors early before he turned to her. “That was quite the trick you tried to pull,” he said quietly. “You know I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight.”

  “Sorry, Russell. I know you’re just trying to do your job, and I’m not making it any easier on you.” Sabrina sighed as she leaned against the elevator wall and lifted one foot. She’d bought new insoles, but her feet were still killing her after being on them all day. “I just don’t see why the conclave had to send you in the first place. I’m fine.”

  “That’s what everyone thinks until the day they aren’t,” he warned. The elevator let them off at the parking garage, and he stayed immediately by her side as they crossed the concrete floor.

  Sabrina begrudged him having to follow her around like this. It made her feel like a little girl who wasn’t old enough to cross the street by herself. But at least his presence was completely different than Lance’s. Russell was like an overprotective older brother, and she knew he’d never hit on her. He was too professional. Granted, he was an attractive man. Tall and dark, with evidence of his inner black bear showing through occasionally, he was a completely different sort of handsome than Lance was. “But seriously, don’t you think someone would’ve already come after me if they were going to? Why bother waiting around and giving me that much more time to give my testimony? It’s kind of silly.”

  He sighed as he opened the passenger door of her car and waved her inside. “The conclave doesn’t think it’s silly.”

  Frowning at the open door, she turned on her heel and went around to the driver’s side. It was her car, after all. “Then, I guess I should run for a position the next time elections come around.”

  Russell sighed as he slid into the passenger seat. “You’re going to get me in so much trouble.”

  “It’s my car, after all. I might be stuck letting you follow me around like some stalker all day long, but I don’t have to add you to my insurance.” She fired up the engine and allowed herself a smile. Poor Russell. She probably would’ve been a lot nicer if she hadn’t just dealt with Lance for the millionth time.

  “Okay, Sabrina. I get it. You don’t like having me around. You don’t think you need me, and maybe you even think you’re more than capable of protecting yourself. But the fact is that you witnessed a murder, and the suspects don’t exactly have the best reputation. You’re important not just to the medical community, but to the local shifters, too.”

  She glanced sideways to give him a dirty look just before she pulled out of the parking garage. He was right. A shifter’s physiology was different from a normal human’s, so it was essential for them to have a few experts in the field when someone needed medical care. Hell, if it hadn’t been for the way her people needed her, she’d never have been at that medical convention where she’d gotten herself into so much trouble in the first place. “It’s not fair of you to bring that up.”

  He spread his hands in the air innocently. “I’m just being honest. And while
I’m at it, I have to say you did a pretty good job of telling that asshole doctor off. He was driving me crazy. Guys like him shouldn’t be allowed to harass women that way.”

  Sabrina smiled. She’d gotten close to Russell fairly quickly in the week or so since he’d been assigned to act as her bodyguard. She liked him, although she hadn’t imagined she’d ever feel anything but resentment for someone who babysat her all day. “I don’t think ‘allowed’ is the right term, but he gets away with it because he’s rich, talented, and good-looking. I’m sure some women are even flattered by him. For me, I’d rather he just fall down the elevator shaft.”

  Russell laughed, an unusual noise from him. “Just make sure you haven’t ditched me in the break room if you manage to make that happen. I want to see it.” He fell silent suddenly, tapping his knee as he glanced out the window.

  “What is it?” she demanded. Maybe it was just because they were both shifters, but Sabrina had learned to read his body language like a book.

  “Something I don’t think you’re going to like.”

  She turned onto the highway and gunned the accelerator to fit in with the flow of traffic. “Might as well just tell me now and get it over with.”

  He nodded. “The conclave is hiring a professional unit to watch over you.”

  Her eyebrows drew together as she tried to understand what he was saying. “A professional unit? What does that mean?”

  “People with special skills who do this for a living, not just some big dumb guy like me who happened to fall into the right position with the conclave.”

  “You’re not dumb. In fact, you’re quite smart to know I wouldn’t like this news. How do I get out of it?” She could easily envision not just one person following her around discreetly, but an entire entourage swarming around her. That might be how the movie stars lived, but it wasn’t her.