ey

gauze on my neck. The cut t

d off my skin, changing out of my ruined scrubs, and shoving my clinic ID b

e a wreck. My eyes wer

of a sleek, modern building

smell of roasted beans and pastry filled the air. It was a st

the window, surrounded by three other men in identical suits.

ragging. I felt like I w

pull out a chair. He just gestured to the empty seat across from him with his coffee cup.

eyeing me with a mix of

seat uncomfortable. I looked at Warr

an eyebrow. "Don't you ha

tasting like ash in my mouth.

"You know, Haley, I had to pay the bill. The whole bill.

y," I said,

rest. And the tip." He shook his head. "It's fine. I should have known better than to

she can take your blood pressure, W

rned back to me. "So, what's the excuse today? Or ar

ked. "

g since you sat down. It's rude. I'm trying to have a conversation

n the cafe was too loud, the lights too brigh

another time," I said,

cups rattled. "We do this now. You wanted a second chance, y

y thought his little coffee date was more i

I said, the words slipping o

paused.

o kill my patient. He held a scalpel to my t

exchanged uncomfortable glances. Warre

he la

king his head. "That's a new one. I've heard some crazy excuses to get out o

y hands clenching into fists un

ayor. Look, if you didn't want to see me, you could have ju

peeled back the edge of the gauze on my neck, revealing the

t could be from anything. You probably caught yourself with a necklace or scratched it while fixing your

y entire life. I had just shown him a wound from a

as

u're right, Warren. You're not an idiot. You're just a narci

turned red.

ologized because I was trying to keep the peace. But I am done. I am done pre

Warren grabbed my arm, his

ere," he snarled. "Not

ing to pull my arm free. Hi

ey

It cut through the noise of

urn

ace was pale, his jaw set in a hard line, and a sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the cafe's air conditioning. His right arm was in a heavy black sling, he

n to Warren's hand locked around my arm. A red

arren. The look in

said, his voice quiet and deadly

m, stepping back. "W

e me, close enough to block Warren from reach

"This is a private conv

e was a full head taller, and he used every inch of that h

d fury in his eyes, and seemed to decide that his pride wasn't wort

it anyway." He turned to his f

o escape the tension. Warren shot me one last,

ing. I looked up at Knight, c

ou doing he

the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his wallet. He plac

coffee,

he door, pausing to loo

d for only

m out into the col