Please… Treat Me

AMELIA

The first thought that crossed my mind was that the caller had typed in the wrong number. But then, she had mentioned my name. And I could remember applying for the position. There was no damn way this was a mistake.

Or could it be?

“Hello, are you there?”

I blinked, swallowing thickly as my heart hammered loudly in my chest. “Sorry, what did you say?”

There was a pause at the other end before the lady spoke again. “Is this Amelia Rhodes?”

“Yes, this is Amelia.”

“Good. We received your application for the position of physical therapist, and you have been selected.”

My fingers trembled on the phone and it almost dropped. I shot out of the bed, almost screaming.

“You mean I have been selected?”

There was a small chuckle on the other end. “We are just as excited as you are. When will you be able to come in for us to process the necessary paperwork?”

I placed my palm against my chest and swallowed again, praying my heart wouldn’t give out. “I can come in right now!” I said in excitement.

“It’s almost seven pm, but if you can get down here before ten, it would be perfect.”

“Thank you,” I breathed. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Alright. Just call this number when you’re there. Good luck!”

When the call ended, I looked at my phone, wondering if this was a dream. If I hadn’t seen Nathan balls deep inside a stranger this evening, I would have tried to pinch myself awake.

I dashed out through the door, screaming at the top of my voice, “Maya!”

My voice drew concerned looks but I didn’t even mind. She was attending to a customer, and at the sound of my voice, she quickly rounded up and dragged me back into the back.

“Why did you scream like that?” She blinked.

“Maya, you won’t believe what just happened! They just called and said my application at the Dark Wolves has been accepted!”

Maya looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “Is this supposed to be a joke?”

“Maya, I swear. I didn’t believe it either. I am going down there right now.”

Maya’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness, Amelia! Do you know how fucking big this is?”

I basically jumped into the air before launching myself into her arms. “This wouldn’t have been possible without you. I need to get home and change and go there right now.”

Maya quickly shooed me towards the exit. “Please leave quickly. I’ll call you, okay? Remember to keep your head up, be confident, act like the smart girl you are…”

I didn’t wait to hear the rest of what she had to say. I was already in my car, slamming on the gas the moment I slid in. I got home and quickly got dressed in my navy-blue scrubs. I was aware that they would have a uniform there for me, but then, I had to give them the impression that I knew what I was doing.

Nathan’s things were all scraped out like he had said they would be. Since I didn’t want to feel sad or negative, I quickly left the house, driving a little faster than I usually would.

I couldn’t believe this. Physical therapist for the Dark Wolves? I could bet my kidneys that the pay would be insane! I would finally be able to get a better place, maybe a better car… maybe—

I screamed as I slammed into something—or someone; I wasn’t too sure. I hit the brakes immediately, palming my chest before my heart collapsed.

What the hell? On closer look, it was a bike and it had rushed into me!

I quickly got out and walked to the front, bending to look at the sprawled man on the floor.

He was on all fours, grunting as he tried to lift himself.

“Are you okay?” I asked, laying a hand on his back. My eyes moved around his body quickly, and I realized that he was bleeding seriously. “Oh no, you’re bleeding. Let me help you.”

I took a quick look at him again. He wore a dark sleeveless shirt that showed off his massive arms and the outline of an even more massive chest. Tattoos ran down every inch of his skin that I could see, stopping just some inches above his neck.

The blood pouring out of him wasn’t from the accident. I could see bullet holes on his vest, and he was looking around frantically like he was being pursued.

The common sense in me almost made me bolt back into my car and drive off. But the nurse in me would never let me leave an injured person—that I’d hit—when I could offer help.

He looked like a wolf, but I wasn't too sure. “You’re shot and you’re not healing.”

“Poisoned bullets,” he grunted, confirming my thoughts. He got to his feet and staggered to the driver's side of my car. “Get in quickly.”

“Excuse me,” I blinked, but he had already entered. “Hey! That’s my car!”

“Get in quickly.”

I rushed into the passenger side without thinking, mostly because I was scared of him running off with my car.

He raked his messy hair back, grunting. “Can my bike fit in your car?” Before I could respond, he looked up and cursed loudly, “Shit!”

He reversed, turned the car, and slammed the gas in the opposite direction.

“Hey! Stop right now!” I yelled, a little panicked. Was the goddess that desperate to frustrate me? “I have to be somewhere right now.”

He looked at the side mirror, cursed softly, and turned onto a street. When I looked at the rearview, I realized that some cars were hot on our heels, their lights flashing menacingly.

This guy was in my car, bleeding on my seat, and pushing my car to limits I hadn’t pushed it to in years.

The route he was taking got more familiar as he drove, and with time, I realized that we were around my neighborhood. He was driving me back!

“Seatbelt, please,” he said softly, slamming harder on the gas.

“Don’t tell me what to do in my car! Listen to me—fuck!”

The first shot made me dive down for cover. The second tore a scream out of my throat, and the third had me praying for the goddess to take me.

The cars following us behind didn’t stop firing. I stole a glance at my driver and his head was ducked a little, but he was still driving.

He looked at me for a moment. “Seatbelt, please,” he repeated, and this time, I didn’t contest. My hands trembled in my lap and I kept trying to glance back to see how many cars there were.

“Are you okay?”

I raised my head a little. “What do you think, idiot?!”

He swerved the car off the road, slamming straight into blades of grass. He didn’t stop hitting the gas, and I didn’t stop screaming. When we finally emerged on the other side, I realized that we’d just run through someone’s cornfield. This was a farmhouse, and luckily, we had lost the pursuers.

“I’m sorry,” he grunted softly, clutching his stomach, even though that wasn’t the only spot he was bleeding from.

He reached over the gearstick to hold me with one of his bloodied hands. His eyes, when he leaned closer, were a beautiful emerald, intense and oddly warm.

“Please,” he muttered, grunting again. “Please… treat me.”