FOUR

JJ

Six months earlier

Juggling my car keys, satchel, and the pile of charts my cross-shift dumped in my arms on her way out, I push my way into the junior medical officer’s locker room, yawning widely.

It’s ridiculous, but I couldn’t sleep after my run-in with Lucas last night. I feel awful for basically blaming him for Joel’s injuries. I did a little bit of research last night and learnt that being the Sergeant-At-Arms is a vital protection role in a motorcycle club. The position is usually reserved for the most violent, toughest members. Men who either enjoy, or are good at, inflicting serious pain on others. I basically delivered one of the nastiest insults I could’ve to a man who was already hurting because one of his brothers was hurt on his watch. That’s what they call each other—brothers. The whole concept of outlaws is abominable to me because I believe the rules that dictate society were implemented for a reason, however I have enough compassion within me to feel bad for insulting someone else’s way of life.

Dumping my belongings into my locker and pulling on a clean pair of green scrubs, I run through my list for the day. With another hour before I need to be in an operating theatre, I’ll have time to catch up with yesterday’s patients and grab another coffee and something to eat.

“I hear you witnessed one of the bikers from last night threatening Dr. Carter, JJ?” The quiet voice breaks through my thoughts.

“Huh?” I shoot her a quizzical look. Nobody was threatened in front of me.

“Dr. Carter reported it to management this morning. Said you were there when it happened.”

Glancing around to make sure no one is close enough to hear us, I lean in to question Gwen. She’s the closest thing I have to a best friend at the hospital—in life really. I have lots of acquaintances and some people I would call casual friends, but I find it hard to let people in enough to become good friends. Gwen is exuberant and one of life’s happy-go-lucky forces of nature, so it’s hard to ignore her when she decides she likes you and wants to be your friend.

At the moment, worry creases her full face as she regards me with concern.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nobody was threatened in front of me. Nothing happened to Ollie.”

“You’d better find out what’s going on quickly, JJ. Admin were here, with Ollie, looking for you about ten minutes ago. I told them you were doing your handover and wouldn’t be free until after ten. Ollie was pissed that he couldn’t find you.”

We share a look that transmits everything about our feelings toward Ollie. The man is a sleaze, and everyone knows it. He gets away with it because he’s a brilliant surgeon and mentors the upcoming surgeons better than anyone else could.

Thinking back over our run-in last night, it becomes clear to me that the imaginary threat he’s reported is his way of heading off any fallout from Lucas’s intervention last night.

With that sobering thought, I squeeze Gwen’s hand in thanks. “I think I know how to fix it. Thanks for the heads up, Gwen.”

She salutes me as I grab my charts and slip out of the room. Keeping my head down, I rush down the corridor, intent on heading to the third floor before anyone else sees me.

*

“I’m sorry for what I said last night. It was uncalled for.”

Ice-blue eyes meet mine in surprise as I slip into Joel O’Brien’s room. Lucas slides from his slumped arrangement in the uncomfortable looking visitor’s chair. Pulling himself into an upright position, he regards me with unrestrained interest.

“I come bearing a gift, though.” I pass him the coffee I brought for him from the kiosk I passed on my way here.  “It’s black since I had no idea how you like it.”

He takes a large gulp, nodding his thanks. We stare at each other for a few moments until the silence—except for the steady beeping of Joel’s monitors—overwhelms me.

“I said I’m sorry, Lucas. Don’t you have anything to say?”

He winks at me before breaking into a grin. “You talk a lot, Doll.”

I huff. There’s that name again. And still no apology from him for punching the doorframe last night. His grin grows bigger at my reaction.

“How’s this? I’ll call you Juliette if you call me Timber? Every time Lucas rolls off those pretty lips of yours, I’ve gotta fight the urge to turn around and look for my mama and her damn rolling pin.”

Laughter falls from me unbidden at the visual of this giant man being chased by a motherly looking woman wielding an oversized rolling pin.

“Deal. I’ll call you Timber, but you can call me JJ. I’m not a fan of my given name either.”

Shifting my coffee into my left hand, I reach out and shake his proffered hand with my now unencumbered right hand. His big, warm hand swallows my small one, and I can’t help imagining how it would feel to have his huge body engulf my much smaller frame.

Breaking contact at that unsettling thought, I perch myself on the edge of the second visitor’s chair. “I didn’t come here just to apologise. I have a small problem that I need to discuss with you.”

“Sounds serious—” He chuckles.

“It’s not funny.” I give him my no-nonsense, pay-attention-to-me face. “You know how you put my boss in his place last night?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I’ve been told that he made a complaint to management about you. He said that you threatened him. And he said that I witnessed it. I thought I should give you a heads up before I meet with them.”

Draining his coffee and throwing the empty cup into the trashcan, he rises to his feet and rolls his shoulders. He cracks his neck from side-to-side before stretching his arms above his head, and I try my hardest not to moan when the bottom half of his stomach comes into view as his T-shirt lifts.

Holy, tatted six-pack, Batman.

Grabbing his things from the back of the chair I’m sitting on, he slides his leather vest over his shoulders before draping his jacket neatly over the back of the chair he vacated.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“I did, Doll. But since we both know I didn’t threaten the asshole, I don’t see how this is a problem?”

“Lucas—” I begin.

“Timber,” he interjects.

I narrow my eyes at his terse correction. He just called me “Doll”, yet he thinks he can remind me to call him Timber. “As I was saying, Lucas, he told them that I witnessed it. I’m kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place here. He’s my boss, and I’m hoping to become a resident next year. If I get on the wrong side of him now, then I’ll probably lose my chance.”

“So, what exactly are you saying? That you want my blessing to lie for your piece-of-shit boss?”

“No! That’s not what I’m saying.”

I can’t believe he thinks that. I’m simply trying to warn him what’s about to happen, and to explain my predicament.

“Yeah, I don’t follow. It’s pretty fucking simple in my eyes. You tell them that he wouldn’t take no for an answer when you told him he wasn’t welcome in your pants. That he told you that ‘releasing your tension’ with him would help your career. You tell them that I stepped in, and that he’s made this bullshit complaint to cover his own ass.”

“It’s not that easy. If I do that, my chances of a surgical residency under him next year will be ruined.” I stand, bunching my fists and bouncing on my toes.

This man is infuriating.

“Why would you want to work under someone like him?”

I fall still.

It’s a good question.

Ollie’s a brilliant surgeon. I could learn so much from him. My parents would be happy if I managed to gain a residency at the same hospital as my daddy, and since it’s always been my ambition to be a surgeon like him, my life would be perfect. The realities of working under Ollie are completely different. Constant indecent proposals and innuendo will become my life. If I back him in this lie, then I’m complicit in his games, and I’ll have zero recourse in the future if he becomes more persistent. When he becomes more persistent.

“I don’t want to work under Ollie per se. It’s more that I want to be a surgeon, and he’s one of the best to learn from. That’s why this is such a big deal to me.” I cede his point.

“It’s a big fucking deal because I’m not gonna stand by and let him accuse me of something I didn’t do. He pushes it, and he’ll find himself on the wrong side of my Club. We know plenty of people in this city and this hospital.”

“So what? You’re threatening me now?”

My previous fury is returning. I’ll be damned if I throw my career away for a man I just met, no matter how attracted to him I may be. I know that Ollie’s doing the wrong thing, but I’ve worked too damn hard over the last nine years to lose it all now.

Lucas didn’t even need to step in and defend me last night.

I was handling it.

Maybe.

“No, I’m not, Doll. Since you’re not gonna back his bullshit and get me banned from this hospital or charged by the fucking cops, I don’t see where we have a problem?”

“And if I do?”

His eyes narrow as he takes in my taunting glare. I don’t know why I threw this challenge at him. I’m pretty sure that I know what he’s going to say, and I’m not going to like it.

I’m also certain that I’m going to plead ignorance when I’m questioned. Then I’ll only be lying by omission. Lucas will probably be banned from the hospital, but I doubt he’ll end up charged over a he-said, he-said situation.

I can live with that outcome.

Instead of answering, he stalks toward me, and I instinctively back up. My back hits the wall near the ensuite door, and I’m forced to stop. Placing his hands under my armpits, Lucas picks me up with ridiculous ease until my eyes are level with his. He steps between my thighs, leaving me with no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist when he settles me on his hips.

“Put me down,” I try to ask this with authority, but my voice betrays me, coming out as a sultry purr instead.

“No.”

Leaning into me, Lucas meets my lips with his and kisses me with skilled finesse. He gently prods my closed mouth with his tongue, but I refuse his request for admittance.

My mind is screaming at me to pull away.

To make him put me down.

To tell him to stop touching me.

The feel of his huge, warm frame pressing against me addles my wits, dampening my logic, and against my better judgement I wrap my hands around his neck and kiss him back.

His beard is a contradiction, both smooth and coarse. It feels wonderful against my skin. I’ve never kissed a man with facial hair—never wanted to before. It feels so much better than I thought it would. Cupping my ass with his hands, Lucas rubs his growing bulge against my core, over and over until we are grinding against each other. When he runs his tongue across the seam of my lips again, I don’t hesitate to let him in this time.

Our kiss deepens into something I’ve never experienced before, and I lose myself in it.

I’m in another world when he pulls away from me, so without thinking, I follow his head to continue the kiss.

“Now, Doll, I’d love to kiss you again, to take you home to my bed and fuck you into next week, but it’s not a good idea if you’re gonna back your jackass boss and his lies.” Lucas’s gruff, slightly breathless voice brings me down to earth. 

“You’re an absolute prick,” I exclaim. Pushing against his shoulders, I’m left frustrated when I can’t dislodge myself. The man’s a bloody mountain.

“Hey—there’s no need for language like that, Doll. All you need do is tell me that you’re not gonna lie for your boss and then ask me nicely to let you down. It’s easy.” He chuckles.

Quickly weighing up my options, the decision is a no-brainer.

“All right, Lucas. I’m not going to back Ollie’s complaint, but I’m not going to tell them the full story either. I can’t risk it. My career is on the line here. That’s the best I can do,” I tell him with resolution. His eyes narrow again in response. He doesn’t like my answer.

Drawing in a deep breath, I beg, even though my pride rankles as I do it. “Please let me down now. It was so rude of you to toy with me like that just to get your own way.”

At my admonishment, he throws his head back, roaring with laughter.

It’s loud enough to wake the dead. If Joel wasn’t in an induced coma, I’m certain he’d have woken in shock.

“Fuck. Princess’s always telling me that I’m shit at this flirting crap, but I didn’t believe her until now,” he mutters to himself.

Who’s Princess? Does he have a girlfriend? A wife? I don’t think he’s married, I checked his finger last night.

Once his laughter subsides, he meets my eyes. His eyes are the lightest, clearest blue I have seen, and right now, they are hooded with desire.

Desire that’s directed at me.

“Doll, a man kisses you like that, he’s not toying with you. He’s fucking into you. Hot for you. Wants to fuck you bad.”

“Oh—” No man has ever spoken to me so frankly. His directness shocks me, but I decide I like it. “Will you let me down now please, Lucas?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not fucking happy with your answer. I need to be here to keep Joel safe. And so do my brothers. If any of us are banned because of this bullshit, then shit’s gonna hit the fan. You must tell the truth. We’ll protect you from any fallout. I promise.”

He seems so sincere. So self-assured. So used to making promises to women he barely knows. Promises I doubt he can keep. I don’t see how he can stop Ollie from ruining my chances at residency if I tell the truth. Ollie’s a respected medical professional. Lucas belongs to a biker gang.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. It’s impossible for you to prevent the fallout. You’ll just have to be satisfied with me pleading ignorance when I’m interviewed. I know it’s not very fair, but you’ll probably end up being banned. I doubt the rest of your Club will be. It’s the best I can do.”

Shaking his head at me, he presses his lips against mine for a second. “No can do, Doll. You don’t tell the truth, then you go down with him.” I gasp. He can’t be serious? “The director owes us a favour or two, and the biggest benefactor of this hospital is the son of a founding brother of my Club. You tell the truth; we’ll make sure you’re protected from your boss. Fuck, we’ll make sure you get the fucking residency if you want it that bad,” Lucas promises me.

He sounds adamant, making me believe his promise.

Maybe I have a way out of this without losing either my integrity or my career prospects?

A way to stop Ollie and his sleaziness in its tracks.

“Truly?”

“Truly.” He smirks, lifting his eyebrows up and down like a movie villain. His devious expression makes him even more gorgeous. “Welcome to the dark side, Doll. This’s where the winners live. Your piece of shit boss can’t do anything to you.”

Pausing, I weigh his words. “Does this mean I owe your Club a favour?”

I can tell by his widening eyes and the way his mouth drops open slightly, that I’ve surprised him. I guess my research from last night is paying off. “I’m not sure what you know about outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, but that’s exactly what it means. We don’t usually tell you in advance. We just pop up and collect.”

It’s my turn to be left open mouthed with surprise, but only for a moment, because his offer is too good to refuse. “I accept, then.”

“Thought you would.” He laughs, and I join in. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off me. A weight that I’ve become so used to carrying that I didn’t even remember what it felt like to be without it.

“Ahem.” The sound of a throat clearing interrupts us. We both turn to see who the interloper is.

Standing before us is another monster of a man. Although he’s older and has the beginnings of salt-and-pepper hair, he’s still a very handsome, albeit scary-looking man. I recognise him as the President of the Black Shamrocks—and the father of my patient. The patient who I haven’t even checked yet this morning. Lucas has proven to be too much of a distraction.

“I’d hate to fucking interrupt you, Timber, but you need to swap with Murray.” He doesn’t sound the slightest bit sincere as he gestures to the smaller, brown-haired man standing behind him, one jet-black eyebrow raised, and his top lip curled as he takes in our position. “I’ve called Church, and I want you there for it.”

Lucas nods, and with one last—hopefully subtle—squeeze of my ass, he puts me back on the ground. I adjust my scrubs and my hair before facing the two newcomers.

“Good morning, Mr O’Brien,” I address Joel’s father.

“It’s Beast, girlie. How’s my boy this morning?” he replies in a tight voice.

Damn, this man is intimidating.

“He’s doing as well as can be expected. Still sedated and will continue to be for the next six or so days.”

“Good.” He dismisses me by turning to Lucas. “You ready? We need to get this done.”

“Yep, Beast. Gimme one minute.”

Beast—what’s up with all these names—lifts his chin in reply and leaves the room with the guy he called Murray. Lucas looks down at me, his expression serious.

“What time do you finish up, Doll?”

“I thought we agreed you weren’t going to call me that anymore.”

“I think it’s too late. It’s stuck.” He grins at me.

“Well, I guess Lucas is going to stick as well.” I flash him a cheeky smile, making him laugh. “I finish at five today.”

“Pretty sure I’m already getting used to the way my name sounds falling from your sexy mouth. I’ll survive.” He winks at me and my pussy literally clenches. I haven’t had such uncontrollable responses to a man since I was a teenager in the first flush of puberty. “I’ll pick you up from the foyer.”

Making an impulsive choice, I decide that I’m going to take whatever this sexy man offers me tonight. Just for tonight, though, because there’s no way anything long term could happen between us. I’m a healer, and he’s for, all intents and purposes, a butcher. A butcher of our fellow humans, if the newspaper articles I read last night are to be believed.

Maybe even a killer.

“I’ll see you then.”

Grasping me by the back of the neck, he pulls me onto my tiptoes. I stretch as far as I can when he leans down, planting a kiss on my lips before he pats my ass as he leaves.