for me in the next room.
I won’t let Ace think he has any hold on me. Men like him won’t ever let me go if he thinks he has any power over my body.
I tug on his IV again, this time not being sneaky at all about it. It’s clear it’s not an accident.
“Stop calling me sweetheart or I’ll—”
I don’t finish.
His rough hand finds the nape of my neck, and he closes the distance between our lips. I gasp, my mouth opens as he swallows me.
I hate him, I think.
I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. I repeat the mantra in my head. Trying to convince myself to not fall into his trap.
Too late.
I’ve fallen. I’m lost in his kiss. The kiss is as rough as I expected a kiss from him would be, but also softer. Sweeter. Gentler.
The way his thumb presses at the base of my jaw is less controlling than I expected the gesture to feel. It’s tender like he knows how his touch is radiating down my neck and into my core, persuading me to keep kissing him instead of pulling away like my head is telling me.
“You’re fired.”
I blink several times, not registering the words I just heard.
The kiss ends. I don’t know if Knight or I was the one to end it, but it ends. And I’ve never felt sadder to face an end.
I lean back, my eyes focused on Knight’s. His dark brown eyes aren’t on mine though. They are behind me.
How could he think about anything but me at this moment?
His eyes slowly drift back to mine, and that’s when I see it. The sadness. It matches mine. I don’t understand why he’s sad or where it’s coming from. But it’s there. Same as mine.
“Mila? Did you hear me?” Felicity asks.
Felicity!
I turn toward the shrill woman.
“I’m sorry. No, I didn’t hear you.”
“I said, you’re fired. Go to your desk. I’ll have security meet you to take your badge and change your computer logins.”
“Wait? Fired? I’m not an employee here.” Stupid. It doesn’t matter if I’m an employee here or not. I’m no longer finishing my clinical rotation here. I might not even be graduating this winter at all.
She smiles like she has been waiting for years for a reason to fire me and the moment has finally come, even though she’s only dealt with me for four weeks. “It’s against the rules to kiss patients. I’m failing you. You’ll be lucky if another hospital takes you after the report I write.”
She walks over to the bed. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Knight. That was highly inappropriate for her to behave that way. I assure you the rest of our staff will behave with the utmost professionalism toward you the rest of your stay. We will ensure you get the best care while you are here. And as I said, she will be let go for her indiscretion.”
Knight glances my way. But his eyes barely focus on me before he glances at Felicity. His eyes focus in on her cleavage.
Asshole, I think as I walk out of the room, my lips still tingling from his kiss.
I feel tears welling, my heart clenching. This can’t be happening. I did everything I was supposed to do. I planned. I’m a few months away from graduating. From being forgiven by my family. I did everything I was supposed to.
And now…
Now, I’m going to end up with nothing. Living on my sister’s couch. I’ll be a nanny for the rest of my life. Trapped and unable to leave the sanctuary of my family.
I will never be on my own. Never live up to my potential.
I’ll never graduate college now. I know that. I know, without even talking to the administrators, I’ll be expelled. Who kisses a patient and then gets to become a nurse still? No one.
I watch as a tear falls and lands on the linoleum floor. I did everything right, and I still fucked up.
I look up and see Henry staring at me. The disappointment plain on his face. He doesn’t know what happened. He doesn’t have to. He knows me too well. It’s why he’s here.
I always fuck up. I ruin everyone’s lives. But this time, I just ruined mine.
I won’t ask my brother for money. I won’t live on my sister’s couch. I’ll live on the streets under an underpass before I ask for their help again. Not after everything I’ve put them through.
I walk past the door of Cole Traver’s room.