by Evelyn Glass
CHAPTER TWELVE
Beast swam up out of the darkness of sleep, an annoyingly happy ditty playing somewhere in the room. The sun was up but he had no idea of the time. Following the sound, he found Shayna’s pants, pulling her phone from the pocket and accepting the call.
“Just a moment,” he mumbled to the phone, blinking madly. “It’s for you,” he said, giving her a nudge.
“Who is it?” she muttered, not moving.
“Who is it?” he repeated into the phone.
“This is Dr. Peter Lowerence. Is this the number for Shayna Shepherd?”
“Just a moment. It’s Dr. Lowerence.” He held the phone out until she rolled over and took it, then tumbled back into the bed bedside her.
“’Lo?”
“Shayna? This is Pete. Can you come by the office first thing this morning? It’s important.”
She yawned as she looked at the bedside clock. It was only 7:15. “Yeah. I’m out of town but I can be there in a couple of hours. Is that okay?”
“Quick as you can.”
“Okay,” she said pulling the sleep from her eyes with her fingers. “Give me an hour or so.” She rolled over and placed the phone on the side table and then flopped to her back. “Shit.”
“What?” he mumbled, his eyes still closed. He’d slept hard, but after last night, five hours just wasn’t enough. They’d fucked almost continuously from about ten last night until nearly two this morning. The bed was a wreck, the sheets pulled loose and tangled around them, and the comforter was wadded on the floor at the foot of the bed where they’d used it as a pad while fucking on the floor.
“I was going to wear you out this morning, but I have to go see Pete. Why can’t we ever have a good morning fuck? Is that asking for too much?”
He took a deep breath and sat up, trying to shake off the cleaning sleep. “I’ll shower first, then you. Then I’ll take you to see Pete.”
“Give me a kiss first,” she murmured, her eyes closed as she waved the air between them, feeling for him. He leaned in and kissed her slowly. “Mmm…that’s nice,” she breathed as he pulled back. She lay quietly a moment, eyes closed, aware that he was still close. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she stretched then reached for and found his hardness before giving his manhood a slow caress. “Shit. Go take your shower before I make us late.”
***
“He’s in his office,” Mandy said with a nod as soon as Shayna and Beast stepped into the clinic. As Shayna turned and headed down the hall, Mandy smiled at Beast. “I guess you want to see your buddy?”
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not. He’s doing a lot better, eating and letting us pet him, but he misses you. Come on.”
He followed Mandy into the back area and as he approached Harley’s cage, the dog began to whine and paw at the door.
“Hey, buddy,” Beast said as he opened the door and lifted the pup out. “Oof, you’ve put on weight. Look how fat you are.”
“Up two pounds. He’s already had his breakfast this morning,” Mandy said as Beast settled to the floor.
***
“Dr. Hench? What are you doing here?” Shayna asked as she paused at Pete’s door.
“Shayna, please come in,” Pete said, then continued as Shayna stepped into the room. “Steve was waiting on me this morning. I called you because we need to get this sorted out.”
“That’s right,” Steve said with a smile. “There doesn’t have to be any more unpleasantness. I was just telling Pete how after further thought, I realized you may not be a good fit for his practice after all. I think you would be better served if you were to go into a larger facility first, get some seasoning, that sort of thing. I’m not sure you’re ready to fly solo, if you know what I mean. I think you need some more mentoring.”
She smoldered with rage. You fucking prick! “I see. Did Dr. Lowerence tell you that I would be working with him for a year, perhaps more, before I would be flying solo?”
“Yes he did. And that’s good. I’m not sure that changes my opinion. I just don’t want my good friend Pete here to make a mistake, that’s all.”
Pete listened but said nothing. There was clearly more going on here than what was being said, but he didn’t want to give away what Shayna had told him just in case she was trying to scam him. “I think I can make up my own mind, Stephan.”
“I agree, and I think Shayna will make an excellent doctor someday.”
She could sense that Pete was reluctant to take her side, perhaps wanting to see how she handled the situation, or perhaps unsure if her story were true. “Dr. Hench…is there some way to convince you I’m ready? Perhaps I could return to WUHS for a few days, to give you a chance to observe me in action. Maybe that could address some of your concerns?”
“I’m sure we could work something out,” Steve said with a smile. “I’m sure with a little effort on your part you can show me you’re the right person for the position and we can put this entire issue behind us.”
“What kind of observations, Steve?” Pete asked. “If you tell me your specific concerns, I could evaluate them for myself.”
Steve smiled. “Nothing specific. Just a few issues I think she needs to address. As I said, I think she will make an excellent doctor someday.”
Pete nodded. “Issues, such as not sleeping with you for grades? Those kind of issues?”
“What?” Steve squawked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“No? Then tell me what your concerns are or get out of my office.”
Steve stared at Pete then Shayna. “Look, old man, I don’t know what lies she told you, but this is strictly business. I’m pulling my recommendation, that’s all. I’m bound to give fair and impartial recommendations and I don’t think Shayna is ready.”
“Fine. Duly noted. Do you have anything else?”
“You’re going to hire her anyway?”
“Of course. What’s happened to you, Steve?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do. Now if you have nothing else, get out. I have work to do.”
“I’ll hold up her license,” Steve threatened.
“You asshole!” Shayna shouted. “I’ll have you up before the ethics committee for this!”
“You can try,” he sneered. “But who are they going to believe. A tenured professor or a disgruntled student that I couldn’t, in good conscious, recommend for a job? All it takes is a phone call to the state. They might like to know that the transcript that you submitted wasn’t the official transcript. Paperwork can get lost and it may take months before the official transcript can be sent.”
Beast appeared in the door, looking between the three of them. “Mandy said you needed to see me?”
“Conor,” Pete said rising from behind his desk. “Escort this gentleman out.”
Beast hesitated then looked at Steve. “You heard the man, let’s go.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Steve snarled.
Beast’s face hardened. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s your choice.” When Steve didn’t move, Beast gave a quick nod. “Hard it is, then.”
Steve jerked his arm away from Beast and took hold of Shayna’s arm. “If you ever want to see that license, you’ll come with me. Nobody threatens me and gets away with it.”
The moment the man touched Shayna, Beast went hot with rage. “If you want to walk out of this office, you’ll turn her loose right now,” he warned, his voice dangerous.
“Fuck y—” He never completed the thought as Beast’s fist flashed out, Steve’s head snapping back as he staggered and fell.
Beast stepped forward and grabbed Steve by his shirt and hauled him to his feet. “You wanted it hard,” he snarled as he dragged the man out of Pete’s office.
Steve tried to rally, digging in and pulling against Beast, but that only lasted until Beast turned and drove a right into the man’s stomach.
; “You don’t learn very fast,” Beast muttered, hauling Steve upright again. When they reached the lobby, Shayna and Pete following, Steve jerked back, trying to throw a punch that missed badly.
“Let me go!” Steve raged, jerking back from Beast. Beast let him go, not wanting to create too much of a scene. Steve spat a bloody glob splattering on the floor. “I’ll have you up on assault for this! And you, you bitch! You’ll never be a doctor! I’ll—”
Beast had been holding back, not wanting to have to drag this dumbass out, but when he threatened Shayna again, that was the final straw. He grabbed the man by his collar and belt and with two quick steps, threw him through the large glass window at the front of the lobby. As Steve tumbled into the grass between the building and the parking lot, Beast stepped over the low ledge of the window to follow him out. The man had instinctually put his arms up in front of his face and broke the glass with his arms as he went through, so none of his cuts were severe enough to require immediate medical attention.
As Steve cringed back, Beast knelt on one knee and jerked him close by the front of his shirt. “I’m a bad man,” Beast said softly, holding Steve’s face close to his. “I’ve killed men who have fucked women tougher than you. If you so much as think negative thoughts about Shayna, I will find you, and I will gut you like the worthless piece of shit you are. If I suspect you have even thought about holding up whatever Shayna needs to become a doctor, I will cut your nuts off with a dull spoon and feed them to my dog as a snack. Am I clear?”
Steve nodded frantically.
Beast hauled him to his feet. “Which car is yours?” Steve pointed to the Silver Lexus and Beast dragged him the ten steps to the car then held his hand out. “Keys.”
Steve rummaged in his pocket a moment, hissing in pain as his cut hand scraped on the edge of his pocket, then dropped the keys in Beast’s hand.
Beast opened the door and shoved the man into the car, then walked around to the back of the car before pulling his cell as he walked back to where Steve cringed in his car. “Where do you live?”
“I’m not telling you that!”
“You can either tell me now or after I drag your ass out of that car and beat the shit out of you. If I have to do that, I’m going to be pissed off. You won’t like me when I’m pissed off. Now, where do you live?”
“Pomona.”
Beast nodded and dialed. “Rache, I need a couple of brothers for escort duty. Yeah, silver Lexus GS300, California plate 6MBV006. They can pick him up on the 15 headed to Pomona. Yeah. If he stops before he gets to Pomona for any reason other than gas or to piss, have them beat the shit out of him and leave him where he lays, but don’t kill him. Thanks.”
Beast tossed the keys into Steve’s laps. “A couple of bad dudes on bikes are going to pick you up on the interstate. I suggest you go home and not stop. These guys aren’t going to like the assignment I just gave them and they’re going to want to take their frustration out on someone. I’m afraid it might be you.”
He slammed the car door and walked back into the clinic, using the door this time. The entire staff was standing in the lobby, the sole customer cowering in the corner. “Sorry about the window, Doc,” he said pulling out his cash and counting off a thousand. He handed it to Pete. “That’s all I’ve got on me. If it costs more than that, let me know.”
Everyone was quiet, staring at him until Pete began to laugh, slapping Beast on the back. “Better get that hand looked at.”
Beast looked at his left hand, blood dripping from a cut. He rolled it over, looking at the edge. “Thanks, Doc. I didn’t even know I cut it.”
“This way,” Shayna said, leading him into the back, then spent a few minutes gathering what she needed. “Who were you talking to?” she asked as he leaned against a table while she cleaned the cut.
“Nobody. I didn’t actually press send.”
She giggled. “My hero. I hope he doesn’t cause trouble.”
Beast smiled. “He won’t if he’s smart. Who the hell was he, anyway?”
“You didn’t know? That’s Dr. Hench. The guy I was telling you about?”
“That was him? Shit! I wish I had known! I wouldn’t have gone so easy on him. Damnit, woman! You have to tell me these things!”
She smiled as she placed an adhesive bandage over the cut. “If that was going easy, I’m glad I didn’t say anything. Seriously, I don’t want you to get in trouble over this.”
He grinned, a cold and deadly smile that didn’t touch his eyes. “If he does, he won’t like it when I pay him a visit. If he threatens you again, if he contacts you again, he really won’t like my visit.”
She kissed him quickly on the lips. “Done.” She’d never admit it, but she secretly enjoyed watching Conor manhandle Hench. Not only did she hope Hench learned his lesson, she also felt a rush that Conor was willing and able to defend her if she were to ever need it. If what he did to Hench was going easy, he wasn’t a man to be trifled with.
“You ready to go? We still need to change.”
“Let me say bye to Pete, and I will be right behind you.”
As she made her goodbyes his phone rang. “Beast.”
“Jack Skellon is dead,” Hightower said without preamble. “Dave Hardy, too.”
“What? How?” The President and Sergeant at Arms of The Scarred killed in one night? It stank of a purge.
“Shot. Jack took two to the body, one to the head. Hardy looks like a hit.”
“Son of a bitch!” Beast snarled, stepping outside for a bit more privacy. “Do we know who did it?”
“No, but you know as well as I do what happened.”
“Yeah. Who’s the new President?”
“We don’t know that either. They’ve closed ranks.”
“This is bad, brother,” Beast said. He didn’t like Jack, but he felt he could trust him. Now, all bets were off.
“Yes. Where are you?”
“We’re in town, about to head back to the tournament.”
“Do you want some extra muscle, just in case?”
Beast thought about it. “No. They wouldn’t be allowed in the room anyway. Find out what you can about The Scarred.”
“Be careful, brother.”
Beast scanned the area but nothing seemed out of place. “You got it.”
***
“Do you have my proof?” Trevor asked.
“No,” Beast said with a shake of his head. “I’m sure The Scarred are behind it, but I have no proof. I met with their President yesterday and laid it all out. He claimed to not know anything about it, and I believed him. I found out this morning he was executed.”
“Are you shitting me?”
“No.”
Trevor looked around his small office, thinking furiously. “This is the last game of the tournament. I can’t cancel it now; I’ll look like an idiot. Everyone is safe here. But what about after the tournament? Do you think these Scarred will go after the winner?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I would certainly let the winner know they may be in danger.”
Trevor grimaced, as if in pain. “Thirty-five years producing television and nothing like this has ever happened before. What’s wrong with this world? Okay, listen. I want to hire you. Once the winner is named, I want you to protect them until they can arrange their own protection. How long will that take?”
Beast shrugged. “If they stay with DRS, instantly. If they get their own security, a couple of days.”
“Okay,” Trevor said with a nod. “Plan on a week, but I want a camera following them around. Can you do that?”
Beast nodded. “Yes, but unless you’re paying for it, your camera crew isn’t my concern and they’d better stay out of the way.”
Trevor nodded. “Understood.”
***
“Kick their ass,” Shayna breathed into Beast’s ear as she stepped back from the kiss. She’d let the kiss linger a fraction longer than her normal post-knock kiss, but this was the final table and she wanted to
give him a full measure of luck.
Beast tossed in the big blind, two million, and waited for his cards.
Two hours in, Greg, the weakest player, had been eliminated and Neil was hanging on by a thread. Orson stared at Beast. If he folded now, he was out of the game. The small blind was a million, and all he had left was the five hundred grand to call.
“Five hundred thousand to you,” the dealer said to Neil.
“Call,” he said, tossing in his last five chips.