Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 164838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
After that, I could go home and rest.
And spy on Sailor.
I scowled at my half-empty cup. Somehow, I’d gone from catching glimpses of her in the window to actively searching for her across the fence. I couldn’t rest worrying about her over there on her own, especially seeing as she hadn’t left her house in over a week.
She had food delivered, groceries delivered, and yesterday, a huge van had turned up with two men who’d unloaded boxes and paint buckets, hauling them around to the back deck.
I recognised the supplies as tools for a renovation, which made sense seeing as Sailor hadn’t updated a single room of Melody’s place. However, the fact that she’d jumped into the project right now? It worried me.
Groaning, I yanked my glasses off and buried my face in my hands.
Not your place, Zan. How many times do I need to say this!
I’d repeated that phrase so often that it’d become a fucking mantra at this point. Yet it didn’t stop the incessant urge to check on her.
The way she ran away from me repeated in my mind. I didn’t know what caused such a reaction, but I had no intention of making matters worse by going over there unwanted.
But what if she’s spiralling?
What if no one helped her before it was too late and—
“Fuck it.” Snatching my phone from my pocket, I logged into my home security cameras. Two days ago, I’d angled the cameras to stop recording my front and back door to record hers instead. I felt disgustingly seedy for pointing a video feed at Sailor’s home, but not enough to stop myself.
I’d checked with the local police that her ex was still locked up, but I couldn’t erase the concern that he’d get out soon and finish what he started.
Inputting the password, I sucked on my bottom lip as the feed refreshed and showed me her house etched in buttery yellow, thanks to the afternoon sun.
No movement. Nothing for the sensors to narrow in on.
Dammit, what are you doing?
If anyone caught me spying on her, I’d be in just as much trouble as Milton.
The door to the staffroom swung open as a nurse I’d seen around but hadn’t spoken to shuffled in wearily. Her eyes lit up on the fresh coffee pot, and she gave me a smile that widened as she looked me up and down.
My stomach knotted. I couldn’t spy on my neighbour with someone else in the room. Giving her a half smile back, I put my glasses on and went to log off.
Only…the cameras suddenly sensed motion and zoomed in automatically as Sailor stepped onto the back deck and tipped her face to the sky. Dressed in paint-splattered jeans and a grey t-shirt, she’d wrapped a flower-printed handkerchief around her head with her sandy blonde hair in a high ponytail.
Thanks to the high resolution of the camera—that’d cost a fortune but delivered exactly the quality I’d been promised—I could almost count the bruises marking her bare arms. Her black eye looked particularly dark, and the way she took a shuddering breath and shook out her hands as if forcing herself to shed some heavy emotion hinted that all my fears were warranted.
She’s not okay.
“You’re Dr North, right?”
Exhaling heavily, I clicked off my phone and looked up. The nurse smiled and sat across from me at the large round table, sipping her coffee. “Alexander North?”
“Zander,” I corrected, then forced myself to grin. “And you are…?”
“Elisabeth. I’m usually in paediatrics but was sent to help in the ER.”
“That reminds me.” I glanced at my watch. “I better get back.”
“Oh, okay.” Her shoulders deflated.
I stood and looked down at her.
And felt nothing.
No reaction—visceral or sexual, friendly or interested. She was pretty with an empty wedding finger, yet I couldn’t have cared less. With big dark eyes, sleek brown braid, and a muscular form that said she’d be sought after in the ER when manhandling unruly or unconscious patients, all I could see was my goddamn neighbour.
Her eyes lingered on mine, simmering with a familiar look.
I recognised her signals of interest and invitation. Reacting to that invitation might be exactly what the doctor ordered. I desperately needed to learn how to balance a love life as well as my career. But the thought of kissing this pretty girl, of getting to know her and falling into bed together…all I seemed to want was another.
Fuck, I have got to get myself together.
“Enjoy your break,” I said softly.
Not waiting for her to reply, I headed toward the sink, washed my cup, placed it on the draining board, and slipped back into the chaos of healing.
* * * * *
Eight p.m. and I still hadn’t gone home. My last routine surgery went well, but I’d been roped into helping with a few emergencies. I’d decided to stick around just in case anyone needed anything else so I didn’t have the nightmare of being called back later.