MasukCharles was shocked to the bone. The names Chris and Ivy echoing in his ears like gunshots.All this time, he had known that his brother and Spirit had formed a close bond, but he had never in his wildest dreams imagined that it had crossed into this territory. He didn’t know it had reached this stage, where she was weeping in the dark over him, crushing on him to the point of breaking.Chris, Charles thought to himself, his jaw clenching so hard that a muscle ticked in his cheek.You sure know how to have your way with women, don’t you? First it was Ivy, and now her? Seriously?A strong wave of envy washed over him.Chris had always been the golden boy, the charming, emotionally available brother who smiled easily and drew people in without effort, while Charles was labeled the cold, clinical robot.As Charles sat there, buried deep in his own spiraling thoughts, trying to piece together the puzzle of the past few weeks, he felt a shift in the air.The weeping beside him suddenly qui
Every bit of discipline Charles thought he had was drowning beneath the whiskey, the sight of her, and the fact that his body didn’t give a damn about consequences.What the hell are you doing, Charles? he reprimanded himself, snapping out of his lustful thoughts.He immediately looked away, disgusted at his own lack of self-control.Get a grip, man.This is a nurse in your department. She’s in a vulnerable state, and here you are, standing in the middle of the street, staring at her like some pathetic, degenerate pervert.You’re better than this, Charles.He dragged a hand over his face, trying to force the alcohol-fueled haze out of his head before it made him do something he would regret later.Locking his discipline back into place, Charles leaned in, wrapped his strong arm around Spirit’s tiny waist, and hoisted her over his shoulder in one swift motion.Spirit squealed, her fists weakly thumping against his back as he marched her to the front of the car. He opened the passenger
The ride was dead silent at first, except for the low purr of the engine as Charles navigated the quiet city streets. He gripped the steering wheel with one hand while his other hand repeatedly tapped his phone screen against the console.He was dialing Chris’s number for the fifth time in five minutes.It rang out before sliding straight into voicemail.Charles muttered a curse under his breath, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat.“Petty, dramatic child,” he growled to himself.They still hadn’t properly settled the argument they’d had a few days ago, and Chris was clearly ignoring his calls out of spite.Frustrated, Charles pressed the overhead button, flooding the car with bright LED light.The sudden glare acted like a shockwave to Spirit in the back seat. She gasped, blinking rapidly as she snapped out of the deep alcoholic fog she’d been drowning in.Charles caught her eye in the rearview mirror.“Good. You’re awake,” he grunted, already regretting his act of benevolence.
Devon blinked at Chloe rapidly. “Get her home?”“Now that is exactly where the issue lies. I don't know where she lives." Chloe admitted, a sudden gust of wind hitting her face.“I’ve never been to her house before. I have no idea what her address is.”Devon blinked again, but this time In confusion.“Wait, really? What are we supposed to do then?”“I’m thinking of just taking her over to my apartment,” Chloe reasoned, adjusting her grip as Spirit began to slide downward.“She can sleep on my couch until she gets her bearings back before the next shift. I know she’ll be back on her feet by 8:00 a.m. once the caffeine kicks in. But what if she has an emergency or something important she needs to attend to at her own place? Let me try to ask her.”Chloe shook her friend’s shoulder gently.“Hey, Brownie, look at me. Where do you live? What’s your address?”Spirit just blinked lazily, a goofy, lop
But to their greatest surprise, Charles didn’t even utter a word, nor did he react. He just sat there quietly, watching it all unfold. Chloe saw the impending arrival of doom hanging over her friend’s head, and she tried snapping her back to her senses before things spiraled further. “Spirit, oh my God,” Chloe whispered, kicking her right under the table. But Spirit was lost in her own world. She leaned closer into Charles’s space, waving a hand in front of his face. “Seriously. Do you not like fun? Are you allergic to happiness? Look at us! We are merry, we are celebrating, and you’re just sitting there looking like a concrete wall.” The residents collectively held their breath, terrified Charles would tear into her. But Charles’s calmness kept proving them wrong. He just folded his arms across his chest, leaning back against the leather booth with his face perfectly neutral as he watched her
Twenty minutes later, the local pub was buzzing with low-volume music and the chatter of a typical Monday evening crowd winding down after a long, stressful day.The team sat around a large wooden booth, cold drafts of beer, whiskey and cocktails arriving in quick succession. They were all dressed casually now, stripped out of their depressing-looking hospital uniforms.Charles was still in his black shirt and trousers, and an expensive-looking chronograph watch wrapped around his wrist. Even dressed casually, he somehow still mangee to look intense.Spirit had changed into a simple sleeveless midi dress with her black flat shoes. She still managed to look stunning regardless.Devon had gone for a more stylish look, like he had actually been waiting all day for an excuse to go out.Chloe, however, was still in her scrubs.She had never been the type to keep a spare outfit in her hospital locker, and apparently, she wasn’t about t
Spirit had spent the remainder of the afternoon tucked in the bedroom, the television playing in the background while her tired eyes tracked the slow hands of the wall clock. Despite the ridiculous luxury surrounding her, her stomach was beginning to growl with hunger. Chris had told her to u
For ten agonizing seconds, the only movement in the room was the slow drift of dust in the morning sunbeams.Spirit’s hand remained suspended in mid-air, the palm burning as if she had struck an open flame instead of human skin. The vibration of the impact rattled right up to her elbow. Then, t
A mocking chuckle vibrated through Charles’s chest. “You’ve got a lot of nerve for a rookie, Nurse Browne,” Charles murmured, straightening to his full, imposing height. He took a step forward, using his tall body to crowd her into the glass side table. “But let’s get something straight. This is
“I don’t care where or how you’re gonna do it, John! Find someone!” The furious voice cut right through the silence of the lobby where Spirit Browne was seated with her messenger bag strapped to her shoulder. It was her first official day at Voss Memorial Hospital as a licensed Registered Nurse r







