His Target: The Downing Family Book 4

by Wild, Cassie

  She squeezed her arms inward, which served to plump up her tits. A coy smile curved her lips. “You sure you want to talk to him? I bet I can help you out with just about anything you need.”

  I just stared at her.

  Her smile didn’t waver as she slid from the stool. “I’ll go get him, honey.”

  I was left to wait nearly twenty minutes, but if Waddell thought the delay would get to me, he was in for a rude awakening. I’d been in this business too long for power games to affect me.

  I took the opportunity to sit down on one of the hard, plastic seats and stretch out my legs. With one fist gripping the straps of my pack, I closed my eyes and settled down to relax.

  I didn’t let myself sleep, not in an unknown place surrounded by people I didn’t know.

  A heavy tread caught my attention, and I opened my eyes to see a big guy coming my way. His face was set in a tight scowl, and it deepened when I remained sitting.

  “Are you McTavish?” he asked, his voice almost as big and deep as his chest. His dark skin seemed to grow even darker as the muscle popped in his jaw.

  “Yeah. I take it you’re Waddell?”

  He gave a short nod.

  I shoved myself upright, and the two of us stared at each other. It was pretty much instant dislike on both sides.

  We were professionals, though, and didn’t do much more than give each other the once over. He jerked his head toward the back. “Come on.”

  Hauling my pack with me, I followed him through a door and down a dark, narrow hallway to a small, cramped office.

  “Wow. You got some nice digs here,” I said, my voice caustic.

  He didn’t respond as he took a seat behind the battered metal desk. “Drop your shit and have a seat. I already wasted enough of the day waiting around for you.”

  “Yeah, well, I tried to make the pilot go faster, but he didn’t listen.” I dropped my pack and settled down in a busted-up, old armchair that had seen better decades. It was comfortable, though, my ass sinking deep into the worn cushions as the rest of it molded to my frame.

  He made no response to my smart-ass comment, and I hadn’t expected one. He leaned back in his seat, dark eyes on mine. “How much do you know about the job you’ve been hired for?”

  I hitched up a shoulder. “Not much. I was told you’d give me more information once I got here.”

  He ran his thumb down his jawline, eyes still intent on me. Finally, he nodded and leaned forward.

  “So, this is what’s going down…”

  It took him almost twenty minutes to finish. Once he was done talking, he lifted a hand as if inviting me to reply.

  I had only a few questions and focused on the most important one. “Where am I staying?”

  He jerked a thumb to the roof. “There’s a studio apartment over the shop. You’ll be crashing there.”

  I nodded as I rose, grabbing my pack. “Is it okay to head on up there?”

  “Need to grab the key.” He watched me closely. “No other questions?”

  I shook my head. “I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I want to dump my shit somewhere. If I can’t figure my way through this, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

  “If you can’t figure your way through this, you’ll be flying back to Miami on your own dime,” he advised me.

  I gave him a sharp-edged smile. “I’m sure I’ll manage, Waddell.”

  He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just rose. “Come on. The key to the apartment is out front.”

  I followed him out there, pack settled back over my shoulder. As he rooted through one drawer after another, the pretty blonde came up to me. “Are you leaving already?”

  I studied her, taking in the light in her eyes and the way she dragged her tongue across her lower lip in invitation.

  “I’ll be around a while,” I said, letting my gaze drop to her mouth before looking back into her pale gray eyes.

  “Oh, goodie.” She reached out and trailed a finger down my arm.

  “Give it a rest, Melia,” Waddell said.

  I looked up to see him standing behind the cute blonde, an irritated look on his face.

  She gave him a look of pure innocence, which he ignored. As he came toward me, she stepped out of the way and wiggled her fingers at me.

  I didn’t bother to respond, just looked at Waddell expectantly.

  He tossed the key at me. “Back down the hallway. Stairway is on the right. It’s the only one up there.”

  “What, you’re not going to give me the grand tour?”

  His mouth folded down in a sour scowl. “Get your ass back down here by two. Rudy will be in by then, and he can give you the rundown about what you’ll be doing in here.”

  With that, he turned away and ducked through a door I hadn’t noticed until that moment.

  “Are you staying upstairs?”

  I looked over at the blonde. Melia. I debated on how to answer for only a split second. “You know the place?”

  “Yeah.” She beamed at me.

  “Maybe you can show me around?”

  * * *

  Ten minutes later, Melia was on her knees in front of me, and I had my hands fisted in her hair.

  She sucked on my cock like it was the tastiest thing she’d ever had in her mouth, making low noises of pleasure when I tugged on the soft strands.

  She worked me straight into an orgasm, then settled back on her heels to look up at me. Her mouth glistened wetly, and under the thin material of her tank top, I could see her nipples. They were tight and hard. Catching her arms, I pulled her upward, then shoved the shirt up out of the way, ducking to catch one of those sweet tips in my mouth.

  She squealed and shoved against me, her fingers digging into the bare skin of my hips. She shoved a hand between us and caught my cock, wrapping her fingers around my flesh and stroking me back to a full erection.

  She teased my balls as I shifted my attention over to her other tit, then gasped as I grabbed her hips and boosted her up onto the kitchen counter. The small, cramped kitchen wasn’t exactly conducive to much of anything, including cooking. But there was room enough for a good, hard fuck, which was exactly what I needed.

  She’d already stripped out of the skinny, short denim skirt she’d been wearing, and nothing impeded me as I slid a hand up her thigh, then stroked my thumb over her.

  Melia whimpered low in her throat.

  I grabbed the condom I’d retrieved earlier and pulled away long enough to tear it open and put it on.

  Melia leaned back on her hands, her thighs spread wide to reveal her wet cunt. I moved back between her thighs and pulled her closer.

  She whimpered, then cried out as I fit the head of my cock to her entrance, pushing deep. I hauled her closer until her ass was just barely on the counter, forcing her weight down on my cock.

  Her head fell back, and she stared up at me with lust-fogged eyes.

  It was hard, fast, and rough, and I came just seconds after she did.

  A few minutes later, Melia sidled up to me, once more dressed. She went to rest her head against my arm, but I pulled away. I enjoyed a quick fuck as much as anybody else, but cuddling wasn’t in my repertoire.

  She made a sulky moue with her lips, but it faded fast.

  “I guess I’ll see you around,” she said, rising up onto her toes to press her lips to mine.

  I turned my face so that her mouth hit my cheek. “Guess so. Thanks for the tour.”

  Once she closed the door behind her, I dropped down on the couch and looked around at the place that would be my crash pad for the foreseeable future.

  Five

  Briar

  My eyes were gritty with fatigue, and it was only the middle of the morning. Of course, I’d been on my feet pretty much without pause since I’d come on shift last night.

  I was on my third double this week, and I was so tired, I hurt.

  I plastered a smile on my face as I pushed open the curtain to the cubicle whe
re my next patient waited. She lay curled on her side, clutching her belly, and at the sight of her, my smile faded. The fog of fatigue faded just as quickly as I witnessed her clear misery.

  I caught the wheeled stool and rolled it over to the edge of the bed. “Hi. I’m Dr. Downing.”

  She gave me a wan smile, her hair falling into a pair of pretty, bright green eyes. “Hi.”

  “It looks like you’re hurting pretty bad,” I said softly. “Mind if I do an exam?”

  She gave me a weary nod, the dread in her eyes clearly apparent.

  She went to her back and lowered her legs, her face tightening in pain as she did so.

  “My neighbor thought it might be appendicitis,” she said, voice weak. “But I had my appendix out when I was like nine or ten, so it can’t be that.”

  I nodded, encouraging her to keep talking as I gently palpated her belly. She immediately tightened up when I probed on the right lower quadrant, a sharp noise of pain escaping her before she could stop it.

  “I’m sorry,” she said weakly.

  “It’s okay,” I assured her. I finished quickly, my mind already narrowing down the options. There was one, in particular, that stood out, and it had me concerned. “I read in your history that you have an IUD. Is that right?”

  “Yeah. The pill makes me sick. Go figure.” She rolled her eyes, a weak attempt at lightening the situation.

  “I need to do an exam,” I told her gently.

  A few minutes later, my suspicion was all but confirmed. I gave her a quick, reassuring smile. “We’re going to get an ultrasound. I’ll get you down there as quickly as possible.”

  Even though I kept my face and voice neutral, she picked up on something. “What do you think is wrong?”

  I patted her hand. “We’ll have a better idea after the ultrasound.” I stood, scrolling the data of her electronic chart. “I’ve got the names of your current doctors down here.” I read them off, then asked, “When was the last time you saw your gynecologist?”

  “A few months ago. I was having a lot of issues with cramping.” She all but doubled over before she could finish. A spasm of agony twisted her pretty face, and I wanted to pat her back and promise we’d make it all better. “But those cramps were nothing compared to this.”

  “We’ll get you fixed up, Maria,” I told her. “Just give me a few minutes to work on that ultrasound. I’ll send the nurse in with some pain medication too.”

  “Thank you,” she said, relief clear in her voice.

  As I was walking out, I noticed one of the entries made by the nurse who’d worked her up. After reading it, I wanted to hurl the tablet I was holding into the closest wall. Numerous requests for pain medication. Not too far after that entry, there was another notation. Patient refused to discuss prior drug use.

  I heaved out an aggravated breath. There hadn’t been any notes directed toward one of the doctors that she’d been requesting pain meds. Apparently, the nurse who’d done her work-up took it onto herself to decide the patient was just in here seeking drugs.

  The opioid epidemic striking the country was causing so many problems, and not just for the addicts who were constantly seeking their next fix.

  The patients with a legitimate need were often made to suffer needlessly due to the ever-more stringent guidelines put in place in an attempt to help curb the growing drug problem.

  I found the nurse and gave a verbal order.

  She blinked at the request. “You did read my notes, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.” I gave her an insipid smile. “I also did my exam and noted symptoms that point to a possible ectopic pregnancy. We need to get an ultrasound, and she needs to have her pain dealt with, so we can get a better idea of what we’re dealing with. Are you done questioning my orders, Samantha?

  She huffed and walked off. I ignored her and took care of the orders for the ultrasound, then to make sure she wasn’t left to wait any longer than absolutely necessary, I called the imaging department and advised them that the patient had priority status.

  Before I finished, Samantha came bustling up and shoved a report in my face. “She can’t have the pain medication. She’s pregnant.”

  I stared at Samantha for a long moment before taking the report. I’d already skimmed the results in her chart so I didn’t bother reading it. “I know. I just told you that. It’s highly likely she has an ectopic pregnancy and will soon have surgery to save her life. Give her the medication. We’re getting her worked up for an ultrasound.”

  “But—”

  “Have you looked at her blood pressure? Her pulse rate? Her blood pressure is sky-high, and it’s most likely related to the pain she’s dealing with. I’ve weighed the risks, and pain medication is the best option in her current condition.” Narrowing my eyes, I added, “Are you going to do it or do I have to do it myself?”

  Once more, she stomped off in a huff. With some people, I truly wondered why they’d chosen any career in the medical field. It was mind-boggling.

  * * *

  Once I knew Maria was on her way to get the ultrasound after having received proper medication, I retreated into the lounge. It was a slow morning, with Maria being the only truly urgent case, so I had a few minutes to get some downtime while I waited for the results of the test.

  My break was interrupted a few minutes later by an annoyed—and annoying—voice.

  At the sound of Henderson addressing me from the doorway, I rolled my eyes before turning to face him.

  When I saw who was standing next to him, I felt the thin threads of my control snap. Through sheer force of will, I kept my face blank as I studied Samantha. After a long moment, I looked at Henderson.

  “Yes?”

  “Did you threaten this nurse?” he bit off.

  I blinked at the absurd question. “I suppose if telling her to do her job or I’d do it counts as a threat, then yes.”

  Samantha’s round face was a dull shade of red. “Dr. Henderson, I was just trying to explain my concerns about giving narcotics to a pregnant woman who has displayed drug-seeking behavior. And she attacked me.”

  “Oh, really?” I demanded before Henderson could respond. “And just what did I say in this alleged attack, exactly?”

  She opened, then closed her mouth, reminding me of a fish gulping for air. The pause was almost unnoticeable, but it stretched on just long enough to be suspect.

  If one had the ability to reason.

  “You told me that if I didn’t do what you said, you’d have me fired,” she retorted.

  “Oh, bullshit,” I snapped.

  She blinked, looking aghast. “I do not have to listen to your foul mouth or your foul temper. I’m within my rights as a nurse to refuse to comply with orders that I find questionable.”

  “Then why did you give her the pain medication?” I asked dulcetly.

  “Enough,” Henderson said, cutting in. “Samantha, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Why don’t you get back to work?”

  She gave me an arched look, which I ignored, shifting my attention back to Henderson. Once we were alone, he closed the door completely behind him and approached, the scowl melting away from his face.

  “You’re getting yourself into a lot of trouble lately, Briar.” He gave a sad shake of his head. “And you’re just starting out too. Are you sure this is how you want to begin your career as a doctor? Somebody who pushes the nurses around, insults patients, and causes conflicts with fellow physicians?”

  “Expecting a nurse to do her job isn’t pushing anybody around,” I said coolly. “I did not insult a patient. And I addressed a man who grabbed his nurse by the butt and requested she give him some special treatment.” He went to cut me off, but I didn’t stop talking. “And the only conflicts I’ve caused are between the people who feel it’s okay to demean me because I’m female.”

  “Nobody’s been demeaning you,” he said with a wave of his hand.

  “I beg to differ.” I glared at him, leaving him no
doubt that I saw him as one of the demeaning ones.

  He opted to play the idiot, pursing his lips. “Is this about Dr. Wayne?” He shrugged, unconcerned. “You’re a pretty young girl, Briar. It’s to be expected that some doctors won’t readily realize you’re a licensed physician.”

  “I’m hardly a girl,” I said stiffly. “And my looks have nothing to do with this. It’s their behavior that’s the problem, not the face I was born with.”

  His eyes dropped.

  It was brief but unmistakable.

  Horrified, I demanded, “Did you just look at my breasts?”

  “Of course not,” he said. But there was a faint smile on his face.

  “You sure as hell did!”

  “Briar, this complex you have is going to cause you problems. The world doesn’t revolve around you.” He checked his watch and turned on his heel. “I expect you to apologize to Samantha before her shift is over.”

  “Like hell.”

  At those two words, he swiveled back around and stared at me with a cold look. “You need to get something through that pretty skull of yours. I am the medical director in this ED. Not you. Not your family money. Me. If I tell you to jump, you damn well better start asking how high.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  His response was cut short as the door was shoved open. An agitated imaging tech came through, and when she saw me, a look of relief crossed her features.

  “There you are, Dr. Downing.” She hurried over, not sparing a single look at Henderson. She shoved a paper in front of me. “We tried calling the desk, but after a few minutes of waiting, Dr. Ling asked me to bring this report. Your patient most definitely has an ectopic pregnancy. He recommends surgery immediately because of some damage to the fallopian tube he detected on the sonogram.”

  I took the report, and without saying another word, I left the doctor’s lounge.

  * * *

  By sheer chance, Maria’s gynecologist happened to be in the hospital making his rounds, so he handled the minor surgery.