SEDUCED BY MY DOMS – The fifth book in Jenna’s BDSM Erotic Romance Series: The Doms of Genesis. Coming late 2014/early 2015.
EXCERPT
“Is there a full moon tonight or what? This is beyond crazy,” I mumbled sidling up next to Cindy my supervisor and best friend at the nurse’s station where she stood scanning over patient charts. The Emergency Room of Cook County Hospital where we worked, had been filled to capacity since our shifts began. We’d been kept hopping with patients suffering minor ailments, to trauma bays filled from a six-car pile up on the Interstate. Cindy and I barely had time to utter more than a few words to one another. The waiting room was still full with no end in sight.
Cindy let out a soft sarcastic snort as I waited for the printer to spit out discharge papers for my patient in room twelve. “It’s balls to the wall, that’s for sure. Oh, and Dr. Reynolds just informed me, EMS is in route again, E.T.A.... six minutes.”
“Somebody needs to take away the baton from whoever is leading this parade.” I smirked.
“They will, in two more hours when it’s time for shift change.” Cindy laughed then quickly sobered. “Listen, if you’ll keep an eye on my patients in two, six, seven and fourteen, I’ll take the guy that’s coming in.”
Cindy’s offer seemed benign but I knew something was up—she never passed off her patients. Coupled with the look of concern on her face, my suspicions blossomed. She was trying to keep something from me.
“Who are they bringing in, the Pope?” I joked, hoping she’d come clean with me.
“No, a bunch of drunk frat boys decided to beat the shit out of some guy.”
“Piece of cake. Let me drop these discharge papers off to the patient in twelve, and I’ll get the trauma room ready. My guy in three is being admitted, and the woman in eight is getting x-rays. They’re so swamped down there, she won’t be back for another hour or so.”
“I said I’d take care of the new one.” Floored by Cindy’s snippy tone, I arched my brows, flashing her a look that screamed: ‘bitch please’. “Look, just cover my patients for a little bit. I’ll take them back just as soon as I can.”
“What is it that you think I’m not qualified to handle, Cindy?” My bitter tone drew a scowl from my Bestie. “An hour ago I was sopping up blood from the dude who nearly cut his leg off with a chain saw. I’m more than qualified to assist a guy that’s been beaten up. I don’t know what’s caused your sudden lack of confidence in me, but it’s insulting.”
“It’s not that you can’t handle it, Liz. It’s that I don’t want you to.”
“Why not?” I countered.
Cindy wrapped a gentle hand around my forearm. Her dark eyes swam in a pool of apology and compassion. “Liz, you’re an amazing trauma nurse. Not once have I ever questioned your skills... they’re impeccable. This isn’t about the job. It’s about you. I love you, and I don’t want you dealing with what’s coming through that door. Can’t we just leave it at that?”
“No, we can’t. What is it you’re trying to protect me from?” I demanded.
Cindy exhaled a heavy sigh as a look of resignation settle over her face. “The guy they’re bringing in is gay. At least that’s the excuse the homophobic assholes that beat him up are giving the cops. He’s in pretty bad shape.”
My heart lurched to my throat and I swallowed tightly, trying to detach my personal emotions from my professional duties. Sucking in a deep breath, I squared my shoulders. “I appreciate your concern, but don’t coddle me. Let me do my job, okay?”
As I turned on my heel, she gripped my arm tighter. “Liz, you’ve been through hell and back, after Dayne...” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Killed himself? Yes, I know.”
Simply saying the words brought a rush of anguish so bitter and hot, I clenched my jaw to keep from howling.
“Take my patients. Please. Let me deal with the beating victim.”
I shook my head. “No. I need to do it. I have to... for Dayne’s sake as well as mine.”
Cindy frowned. “Okay, but if starts getting too real, come get me. I’ll take over for you. Got it?”
With a weak smile, I nodded. “Got it.”
The double doors swung wide as the paramedics wheeled in a blonde man covered in blood.
“Trauma room one,” Cindy called out as we both raced down the hall to join the rest of the team scurrying into the room.
After moving the patient onto the exam table, Dr. Reynolds and I began assessing the man’s injuries as another nurse began cutting off his clothes. Cindy scribbled down information one of the paramedics read from the run sheet while I focused on my duties. I tried not to notice the man’s blonde hair—or rather the clumps that weren’t caked in blood—was the same color of sun-bleached wheat as Dayne’s. So were his vivid blue eyes.
Don’t go there. Not now. Keep it together, you can mourn later.
Running an IV, I smiled at the young man. His face was swollen and bloodied. There was a large contusion on his forehead and a deep laceration over his right eyebrow. Blood oozed from his nose and lips.
“Hang in there, sweetheart. We’re going to get you fix up.” I soothed in a calm sure voice. “What’s your name?”
“Ever,” he mumbled.
I lifted his swollen, busted top lip and discovered his two front teeth were missing. His gums were bleeding and so was his tongue from a deep cut on its side.
“Evan?” I asked, leaning in closer.
“Trrevorr,” he sobbed. “I want dadddyyy.”