𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙

รɦαω

His hold over me is inescapable. Riel must be making a deliberate attempt to bring every ounce of lust stirring inside me to the surface. I can't seem to rid the image of those prefectly pouty lips of his out of my head.

I have flashes back to Riel pulling his fingers between his lips as the glaze of the sticky bun he's eating plays up their blush pink color. I really hadn't the slightest clue what I was getting myself into when I got those sticky buns for him.

He lifts his eyes to mine, smiling as he sucks the carmel glaze from his index finger. He must be testing me, seeing how far he can send me over the edge before I lose the mastery I have over myself and give into each and every crude desire I feel for him.

I splash cold water onto my face and let go of the deep breath that I have been holding.

I screw up my eyes, trying not to see my shameful actions in the mirror as I peek at the hefty tent in my pants. I lower my hand to my boxers, feeling my hard member. I know that what I am about about to do is so wrong but I could not stop myself. I remember clearly the delicate blend of softness and temptation of Riel's lips as they parted, stretched, his mouth opening in a gentle pucker. Eyes bright as he narrows just the right sultry stare at me. I keep that image of Riel in my mind as I find the right stroke.

My release runs over the back of my hand like molten silver, hot, intense and overwhelming, leaving me spent and breathless.

I don't think I will be able to look Riel in the eyes tomorrow. How would I? I turned such an innocent thing into something sexual.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

I jump off my bed to the floor that's tilting beneath my feet. An awful wave of dizziness washes over me and I grasp for balance as against the mattress. I grab for the water on the nightstand but the glass falls out of my suddenly clammy hands.

I stagger out to the hallway, nearly avoiding the snaky trail of scattered glass around me.

A dull ache grabs hold of my left arm as I try to keep myself upright. I take a step back to breathe, counting each of my snappy inhales and exhales. Soon my entire body starts to feel faint. I graze my back against the cold wall, sheer terror gripping me as I fall to the floor. As I struggle to stay conscious, I make peace with the fact I will drop dead to the floor in a manner of seconds and there's no one who cares enough to come looking for me.

Maybe my friends will find me when the business deals need signing.

Maybe my family will find me when the credit card companies ring them up for their monthly payment.

Maybe my fianceé will find me when it's time to fool everyone about how happily in love we're.

I always imagined dying lonely but I never thought I would face loneliness like this, certainly not now, not at this age.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

The thick scent of sterile air and faint smell of alcohol drags me back to consciousness.

It takes a moment but I finally manage to get my eyes open. I try to look around, but a harsh white light pierces my skull, stunning my eyes. I lift my hand to shield them but my effort is resisted by the wires tugging me to the bed.

I gaze at the trail of an IV line leading to a fluid bag suspended over my head. Blinking away the blurriness, I begin to take in my surroundings.

The room wasn't too small, private suite by the look of it, with pale purple walls and a single window covered by thin translucent curtains. The steady beep of heart monitor, clues me into the fact that it's a hospital room.

"Hey there, welcome back," a gentle voice urges me from my left. "You're waking up from surgery. I am Nurse Sarah. How do you feel?"

I turn my head slowly, my vision focuses on a woman. The nurse in her late twenties, her hair is slightly disheveled and her eyes seem

red from being asleep too long.

"What surgery? Why am I in the hospital?" I try to but I could hardly shout the question with my hoarse voice.

"You had a heart attack and the doctors had to perform an emergency procedure called an angioplasty to fix a blocked artery in your heart." The nurse says.

"You're wrong!" I shout, not bringing myself to believe her words. "I am just a just a month shy of turning fourty. It's too soon for me to have an fucking heart attack." I think back to those last moments before waking up. That horrid feeling of being alone, afraid and helpless as my own body seemingly turned against me, sends shivers down my spine.

"I understand that this is upsetting to hear but I am here to help. It's really important for you to stay calm right now, especially since you just had surgery." The nurse puts up a reassuring front.

"I can't be calm," I heave. "You just told me that I had a heart attack."

"Mr. Harlow," the nurse starts, "if you would just allow me to - "

Somewhere in the back of my head, I wish that living out a bad dream but somewhere up at the front, this awful reality is becoming more real by the second.

"Get out!" I yell, hearing as my echoing voice hits the wall.

Though the loudness of my voice still going across the room, I hear a soft snuffle from from the corner. A wide blue blanket falls off the sofa at the side."I guess the anesthesia wore off," Riel's soft stern voice gains my attention.

I think, I might be dreaming. Why would Riel be in the hospital with me?

"You were much more pleasant to be around when you were sleeping," he continues..

Riel sits near me on bed. He takes my hand in his. He turns to the nurse, "I'll get him to calm down . . . just give us a few minutes."

She looks between us with a displeased but agrees with an "Okay," and leaves the room.

Riel glances back at me. "Do you ever quit yelling?" he chuckles softly.

"I do – I don't – " I chuckle.

"You don't," there's a smile in his tired eyes when he says it.

His smile ; His presence. Everything about Riel is irresistibly remarkable. It feels like I am learning to breathe for the very first time whenever I am around him.

I don't know how or why it happens but my world finally seems while with him.

"Huck!" I get distracted by my own coughing before I could confess feelings that I shouldn't be having for my young employee.

"Here," Riel places a straw near my lips. I sip at it and the room temperature water soothes my cough.

"Thank you," I tell him.

" No problem," he looks away from me as he sets the glass of water back on the table near to bed. "Are you calm now ?" Riel tilts his head back up at me, one of his eyebrow arches with eyes probing as if doubting asking his question.

" Yes," I answer." I am calm . . . "

"Okay, I'll go get the nurse to come back in," Riel gives a look, the kind of look a parent would give a child that forces them to stop misbehaving. "And you're going to apologize for yelling at her. And keep quiet when she's talking." He scolds me then walks his prefect behind out the door.

I guess the heart attack hasn't stopped me from being a dirty old man.

Riel returns to the room with the nurse hot on his trail. "Harlow has something he wants to say to you," Riel announces to the nurse. Riel narrows his gaze at me, "Don't you  Mr. Harlow?"

I haven't said sorry to a single person in over twenty years. I had no reason to . . . When you have money ... power . . . influence ... people often give you a pass on having virtues ?

"I am sorry," I tell the nurse in honest tone.

"No worries, Mr. Harlow," the nurse smiles impressed at Riel as if she hadn't expected his scolding to work on me.

After taking my vitals and ensuring that all the lines, drains and tubes hooked up to me were in place, the nurse leaves the room satisfied.

I watch as the clock's hand crept forward at an awful, steady and slow pace. Everything second would find me jumping up from my bed at sound of footsteps, hoping that Riel make his way back from wherever the stupid vending machine he had gone out looking for was.

Finally, I hear the shuffling of footsteps entering in the room but instead of Riel, it was a bald–headed doctor that came to introduce himself as my surgeon. He told me how well I was recovering, and all things that I will need to do to keep recovering when I get discharged.

"And, once last thing," Dr. Diaz says."You're one lucky man to have a partner like Riel. I might've preformed the surgery but from paramedics told us, he kept you alive until they got on scene."

I tried not to think about it but his words kept ringing in my ears. It hadn't crossed my mind that Riel was the one that found. He didn't say anything, and I was too happy about having him with me in the hospital, to think about who had found me at death's door.

It shouldn't but it made me feel embarrassed. I have all these romantic feelings for Riel. And it hurts badly to find out that he saw me in that moment, that moment when I was weak and empty. Honestly, it made me feel inadequate. How could I even win his affections when he seen me at my lowest?

"Mr. Harlow?" Riel calls as he enters the room.

I turn my back at him, not caring answering his call.

"Mr. Harlow?" He calls me again.

"What?" I answer in an aggressive tone. "Can't you tell when someone wants to be left alone? It's almost past seven, you're off the clock. There's no reason for you to stay here. I'm not paying you for staying in the hospital with me."

"Wow!" He scoffs. "I can't tell if you're a grown man or a child. But, it's my fault, I gave you the chance to open your mouth to insult me. You're such a cold, unfeeling man that you can't even see that for some half-witted reason I cared about you, another person." He shouts at me. "You think that a few hours overtime made me come looking for you when you didn't show up to the office?" He heads to the other side of the room to get his jacket. "You know what?" He asks himself or me, I couldn't tell. "Maybe you're just an old dinosaur, who hasn't develop the simple biological instinct to care for someone other than yourself."

A dinosaur ?

He actually just called me a dinosaur.

Riel walks up to the bedside, and I imagine him using the phone in his hand to clobber me over the head.

"Here's your phone," he whispers. "I when back to get it for you. I thought maybe you would want to call your family, before they start worrying." He sets the phone next to me.

I am such a jerk.

Why couldn't I be an emotional intelligent man?

I rush out the small hospital bed, dragging the all lines were attached to my chest behind me. And, I run after Riel as he is heading down the hallway. A few nurses try to get me to stop but I wasn't going to not run after him.

"Riel?"

He looks around, and I manage to grab on to his wrist before he could disappear into the elevator.

"What's wrong with you?" He sighs.

"I am sorry," I tell him. "I shouldn't have behaved like that with you not after you saved my life."

"I didn't do anything," he whispers. "The doctors and the paramedics saved you. I had nothing to do with it."

" You did," I correct him. "You came searching for me when no one else did. And instead of thanking you, I acted like a muppet."

Riel simply looks at me, almost as if he sees through me. "I don't need an apology," he hisses. "Just, let me go home." He tries to twist his wrist out of my hand.

"Mr. Harlow," an out of breath nurse corners us. "You can't be out of bed. You're still recovering. Could you please go back to the room? We still monitoring your heart."

"I think you should listen to the nurse," Riel states in a plain tone.

"I'll listen to anything she says," I heave. "Please, don't leave. I don't want you to leave."

"Why shouldn't I leave?" Riel gets angry. "Haven't you said enough to me? Or is there something worst you'd like to say to me?"

"No, it's not like that –" I try explaining. "I didn't mean any of the things that I said to you."

"Hmm," he scoffs, folding his arms. "Because, you just say things without any meaning?"

"Mr. Harlow," the nurse says calmly. "Your heart is still healing and stress will only make the process harder. You should avoid these types of  arguments with your partner."

"I am not his partner," Riel scorns the thought. "But, I'll get him back to the room."

Riel suddenly loosens the hold, I have over his wrist and switches to a tense hold on my wrist instead. He tugs me back to the hospital room, and pushes me to the bed.  The nurse follows us, gets my permission to reattach the to lines to electrocardiogram to my chest and IV to my heart. I see Riel attempting to leave from the corner of my eye, thinking that I was distracted by the nurse.

"Don't leave," I call after him."I know . . . I'm jerk and, there's no reason you should stay in this hospital with me after everything I said to you, but I really want you to stay with me."

"Why would you treat me like that?" Riel spins on his heels. "After, everything you didn't even give a second thought to dismissing me like a servant."

Hearing that I hurt him like that weighed heavily on my chest, sinking my heart past the floor. I try to pull myself up from the bed. "No! I wasn't trying to make you f–f–e–e–l," I lose track my words as a sharp pain stabs me in the chest. "Argh," I wince in pain.

A loud beep–beep–beep sounds from the EKG before I have to fall back against the pillow.

"Sir?" Riel eyes shot to mine. "Doctor . . . Nurse?" He calls for help.

Within seconds, the doors burst open and the doctor

from earlier, hurries into the room. With nurse Sarah trailing behind his fluttering white coat. The doctor towers over the bed, watching me clutching my hand to my chest. He turns to say something to the nurse,"N. . . N . . . i," but starts stumbling over his words when he sees Riel.

"What's wrong with you ?" Riel fumes at the lovestruck doctor. "Can't you see he's in pain? Do something."

I couldn't blame the guy, there's something about Riel – perhaps the way the light falls across his hair, or the casual elegance about him – that completely absorbs your attention, it's like he made world around him dim and he's the only thing that mattered.

"What the hell?" Riel lets go of a frustrated breath, he turns to the nurse. "Will you go get a different doctor?"

The doctor catches himself . "Nitro," he mumbles to the nurse. The thought of Riel being the death of me never included him stunning the man responsible for saving my life into a blundering beau.

I feel a weight settle into the bend of my arm, a heavy, aching pressure that didn't let up. I didn't even notice that the nurse was giving me an injection until she was backing away from my arm with the needle.

For a few terrifying moments, nothing changes. Chest is still burning, the pain still radiating down my arm. But then, slowly – so slowly – I feel the grip around my chest loosening. I breathe easier, and the agonizing pressure starts to fade.

"Better?" the doctor asks.

"Yes," I grunt, "thankfully your swooning didn't kill me."

His eyes widens slightly but he talk himself out of not looking completely negligent."I apologize for getting distracted. Let's continue with your care and make we covering everything carefully." He says in monotone.

"Mr. Summers, you should leave Mr. Harlow to his rest. I can't trust that both of you won't get in another quarrel that could cause another episode like the one he just experienced." Nurse Sarah tries to get Riel to leave the room.

"No," I insist. "I don't want him to leave. There won't be anymore quarrels between us."

Nurse Sarah, seems unconvinced but nods leaving us.

"Don't you think you should follow suit?" I raise my eyebrows at the doctor.

"Yes," he steps out, the door quietly slamming shut behind him.

"Are you okay?" I say, paying attention to Riel pacing back and forth.

Riel tugs at the hem of his shirt. "I should be the one asking you that . . ." He mumbles.

"Don't worry," I chuckle."It's going to take more than chest pain to stop an old dinosaur like me."

Riel doesn't crack at my joke.

"That's not a very good joke," he whispers.

I am going to have to tell better jokes to get a smile on his face. "I haven't given a joke in over twenty years, so it's very hurtful that you didn't laugh."

He's hard–faced for a bit, then a smile breaks through even though he tries to fight it. "Then why waste your comeback making one that didn't  land?" He giggles.

"Your smile was worth me coming of retirement." I tell him.

"You should call your fiancée," Riel blurts randomly. "I didn't have her number to give the nurses and I didn't get your brother on his work phone so you should call. They must be worried. You've been in the hospital for two almost three days now."

He's going to make flirting with him so hard if he keeps bringing up my so called fiancée. And my fiancée and brother aren't worried. If they were, there would be at least one missed call on my phone.

"Mallory is on important business in Zurich, I wouldn't want her to worry," I tell him. "And this will be a good opportunity for Sebastian to learn about handling the company when I'm not around."

"You're using your heart attack as a teaching lesson for brother?" He asks in disbelief.

"Yes," I lie, it's not like I could tell him my real answer – No, I am using it as excuse to be alone with you.

"You're a difficult man to understand," Riel shakes his head at the thought.

"I think you understand me well enough," I retort.

"You give me too much credit," He says, brushing close to me as he pulls the blanket over my legs.

"Really?" I ask him. "Then, how could you tell my legs were cold without me even saying a word?"

Riel flushes brightly, "You're overthinking. Hospitals are cold, and the gown you're wearing is thin. I'm just a rational person."

"Why didn't you pull the blanket up to my chest?" I set a trap for him.

"Because, you don't like when the blanket covers your chest." He gives himself away.

"What's your rational explanation for knowing that?" I ask him.

His eyes lock with mine as he falls silent, suddenly still.   I stretch my hands out to length of his fingers, tugging onto the side of the bed.

"You know me better than anyone else," I whisper to Riel. "And, I hate that I made you feel anything less than the truly incredible person you're."

"I am over what you said," he chokes. "You should try and get some rest before the nurse comes back to check on you."

I watch a single of his tears fall to the back of my hand.

"Don't cry," I reach up to his face, wiping the tears that fell against his cheek.

"I am not crying ," he lies. "It is my fault, not yours. I never learn. I care too much . . . I make it too easy for everyone to hurt me."

I wouldn't figure what to stay to him. I don't know how else to apologize him. I didn't have enough words to tell him how sorry I am, so I pull him into my arms.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

It's just before 8' o clock, the evening well underway. Riel packs up everything for me to leave the hospital, after the doctor decided to discharge me.

"I hope you don't mind the clothes I chose," Riel says. "Your closet had nothing but confusing suit colors." He shows me the white t-shirt and gray trousers he found in my closet.

"Hah," I laugh. "You don't like my clothes?" I ask him.

"I have no issues with your clothes," he replies. "I just think maybe owning a pair of jeans won't kill you."

"You can always take me shopping," I suggest to him.

"Yeah sure," he scoffs. "And, I'll pay on my magical credit card."

"Your only worry would be choosing about the clothes you want to see on me," I rise myself off the bed. "Or better yet off me,"  I think to myself.

"Dressing you isn't in my job description," Riel pipes, handing me the neatly pressed clothes off the hanger.

"I guess . . . I'll just have to change it."

"You're so obsessed with me," he gasps, covering his mouth.

"I am — " I start, but his focus is elsewhere, tethered to the doctor entrance into the room.

Dr. Diaz pauses halfway to Riel, I could see the man's breath falling short as gapes mindlessly at him.

I fold my palm into a fist. What sort of a doctor is this guy? He never leaves the chance not to drool over Riel. Those rights were reserved to me.

"You're here to tell us, something ?" Riel asks him.

"Doctor Diaz," I swallow my rage. "I am leaving the hospital on your orders. Is there a problem?"

"No problem," he stresses. "I just want to stay cautious of a few things to ensure you have a smooth recovery."

"Like ?" I ask him.

"Is there anyone at home to help with your recovery ?" He arches a brow at me. "I reviewed the nurse's notes and I realized that there's been some confusion. I want to ensure we clear it up right away."

"Confusion ?" Riel panics. "I thought everything when well with the procedure. His recovery isn't in danger, is it?"

"No, it's nothing like that . . ." Dr. Diaz states. "Let me take a moment to ensure we're all on the same page."

"There's a question that you want to ask, right?" I sigh. "So, ask it . I don't have time to waste in the hospital."

"You're right, there's a question that I would like to ask you. I would like to ask you a personal question, if it's alright. What's your relationship with Riel?"

"He's my uhm," I hesitate, remembering that I hadn't jump at the chance to correct Dr. Diaz thinking that Riel's my partner.

"I am his assistant," Riel answers. "Now that's cleared up, can you make certain he leaves the hospital without any concerns about his recovery."

A smug smile forms at the corner of Dr. Diaz's mouth. It's the goofy smile men get when they find out that the person they like isn't spoken for . . .

"That means you won't be able to provide the support Mr. Harlow needs for a full recovery," he tells Riel."I initially thought that you guys were a couple, so I felt comfortable sending him home in your care." He turns to me."Mr. Harlow, are there any family members we should involve in discussing your treatment plan? If not, I would only feel comfortable discharging you under the care of a home health nurse."

"There's no need for all that," I tell him. "I will be fine under my own care."

"Mr. Harlow, if you decide not take my suggestion into consideration." Dr. Diaz says, "the hospital asks that you to sign a form stating that you're leaving against medical advice."

Riel shakes his head. "I am not comfortable with Mr. Harlow doing that," he shrugs at Dr. Diaz. "I don't have any problem with helping with his recovery. You please just make list of everything that I need to know about his treatment plan."

Diaz gets caught off guard by Riel's statement but he doesn't let his shock show his face.

"Okay," he nods. "If that's what Mr. Harlow choses for himself. I am inclined to agree."

"Great," Riel says. "Harlow chooses this for himself."

"I am sorry," Dr. Diaz says, "but I actually need to hear it from the patient."

"Yes," I reply to the good doctor. "I choose this for myself."

"Go change out of the hospital gown," Riel orders me, looking down at his phone. "I am going to call for your driver."

He puts the phone against his ear, then signals me in the direction of the bathroom.

"You know," I hear Dr. Diaz raise his voice from the bathroom."I have an hour before my next surgery — plenty of time to answer any questions you might've about your boss's treatment. . . or just to chat." He tells Riel in a suggestive tone.

"Why we would chat ?" Riel asks in deadpan voice.

"Because," Dr.Diaz drops his voice, "life's too short not to take the chance on a great conversation."

I poke my head through the door that I left ajar. I peek at Riel, taking note of his facial expressions . . . hoping he doesn't fall for Dr. Diaz's silly delivery of a pick up line.

"How great of a conversation?" Riel asks, the impassive attitude to the doctor seemingly disappearing.

"I am going to say 'amazing,' but why don't you let me prove it over maybe a cup of coffee?" Dr. Diaz answers.

"I don't drink coffee," Riel replies.

I smile at Riel's answer.

"I ain't got nothin' against tea," Dr. Diaz tells him. " A smoothie, milkshake, chai latte, kombucha . . ."

How many alternatives to coffee does the man know?

"Tea is fine," Riel cuts him off.

"Great," Dr. Diaz bursts out with joy.

I can't believe Riel is agreeing to go drink tea with Dr. Clean.

I slam my fist against the door with enough force to break it. And, actually breaks at the side.

"Sir?" Riel finally seems to remember that I exist.

I walk to his direction, not carrying my hand too close to my body. I didn't want to get blood stains on the clothes he picked out for me.

Riel looks down at my bleeding hand. He takes my hand in his, brushing away the smears of blood with his thumb. "What's wrong with you?" he asks me. "You can't just go around punching doors for reason."

"Let me take a look at it," Dr. Diaz offers.

"No," I snap.

"Mr. Harlow," Riel hisses." He's a doctor, at least let him see if you hurt it badly."

"I said no," I tell him. " I have other worries. I need you to go into the office and get my laptop. Ask the driver to take you."

"How are you going to get home?"  He asks.

"I'll stay here, and you come get me after." I answer.

Riel glints at me as if to protest, but he turns out of the room. Dr. Diaz tails him, probably so he could get his number to schedule his stupid tea date.

I don't stop the bald eagle from going after Riel. I'm going to make certain that he doesn't even have the chance to make use of  Riel's number.

I head to the nurses' desk. "Where's the office of your medical director?" I ask the first person I see.

"I am sorry, but you can't just walk into his office," the nurse tells me. "You'll need to make an appointment."

"I am making one," I tell her. "Now, tell me how to find his office."

"Take the elevator to the sixth floor," the nurse speaks nervously. "When you exit, make a right, and continue straight to end of the hallway."

"Robert Souter, medical director," I read the label on the wood laminate door. I lift my hand to knock, but the door swings open before my knuckles would even graze the wood.

At my storming into his office, the sixty something year old man straightens in his chair, his left hand grips the armrest tightly and the right stops his round glasses from slipping down his nose.

"Robert," I began, my voice low, dangerous. "We need to talk."

Mr. Souter puts on a smile, the kind that corrupt, old men like him saved for donors, and board members. "Mr. Harlow . . . I am afraid that the staff didn't know who you were. Not everyone has the right upbringing to know Reginald Harlow's grandson."

"I'm not here for a lesson on my lineage," I cut in. "One of your doctors — Diaz — has taken an interest in my assistant."

Mr. Souter blinks, seemingly stumped by the words my assistant. "I don't get it," he says. "What's wrong with Dr. Diaz liking your assistant?"

"What's wrong with him liking my assistant?" I mock his voice. "Everything," my tone darkens.

"I can't interfere in the love lives of my doctors," Souter says. "Hospital policy forbids it. If your assistant isn't a patient of Dr. Diaz's, there's nothing that I can do."

I step forward, hands bracing against as Souter's desk. "Forget your policy. I'm not here to play bureaucrat. I am here to give you two choices,"

"You can either rest well knowing that I will be funding the hospital building a new state of the art cardiac care unit," I drop my tone,"or, you can have restless nights dreaming about the your more younger, hungrier, and obedient successor that your board will find to replace you with when they find out you could have put a stop  to the biggest lawsuit this hospital has ever seen in it's life."

"What do you want me to do?" Souter asks. "Fire Dr. Diaz?"

"There's no need for that," I answer. "Just call him into your office," I check the time."He still has twenty five minutes before his next surgery. I will do the talking."

"Okay," Souter lifts the landline phone at the right side of his desk to his ear.

It's after the call that Dr. Diaz reaches Souter's office.

"Dr. Souter," Dr. Diaz glances from Souter to me. "Mr. Harlow? What's happening here?"

Souter goes to answer but I shush him with a wave of my hand. I get out of the chair, slow, unhurried — straightening to my full height over the Diaz.

I notice Diaz tucks a strip of paper into his pocket. It's almost too easy to figure out what's written on the paper.

"Nothing much," I answer the doctor's question. "I was just telling Dr. Souter about the new cardiac care unit that I'll be donating to the hospital."

"Thank you," he smiles hesitantly with a shaky voice. "You're going to help a lot of our patients."

"Yes," I agree. "And, you're going be preforming a lot more surgeries. So unfortunately, you won't have time to drink tea."

"Hmm," Diaz scoffs. "It makes sense now – why you were so quick to get Riel out of the hospital. I guess he wouldn't approve of you bribing me out of taking him on a date."

"I am not bribing you," I laugh. "Only men with power, status, or influence get bribes. You have none. So, this isn't a bribe , it's a thank you. Thank you, for saving my heart." I give him a pat on the shoulder. "If you hadn't, I wouldn't have realized that it's no longer belongs to me, but to Riel. So, don't even come close to him or even think about him. Or, I'll make you wish you had killed me on the operating table."

Diaz moves away from me. "You're a fucking psycho," he mutters.

"No, I am just a man, getting rid of the competition," I explain to him. "Now," I snatch the edge of the paper that he hide in his pocket earlier, from out of his white coat."You won't needing this," I glance at the piece of paper, confirming my suspicion right — Riel's number is neatly written across it.

I walk out of the office, a smug grin spreading across my face.