dn't sit down once. Every time Lieutenant Petersen stirred, she was there, checking his

," he

s, letting him take small sips. "Slowly,

ted to the guards outside the door. "Where is.

ugh she wasn't entirely sure she

eyes. She hadn't heard anything from the outside world. No news on what Code Atlas meant, no up

door swung open

in the doorway. He looked exactly as he had the night before-immaculate, unyielding,

they hadn't slept in a week. Dr. Cromwell scurried in behind t

d. He wasn't looking at Carol

ing forward. "No signs of infection. The surgery was a

gh the room like a blade. He shifted his gaze to Caroli

d shut. He took a step

unnerving. They were a pale, stormy gray, fringed with dark lashes. They assessed h

he re

utenant Petersen's heart rate has been consistent, hovering around 72 BPM. Blood pressure 120/80. He woke briefly at 0300 hour

stayed locked on her face. Then, his gaze dropped. It moved down her scrubs

the signature l

rowing of his eyes. His jaw, already tight, seemed to clench even ha

ed. He looked back up at her face, his

o one gets within fifty feet of this room without my explicit authorization. Not the

ered. "But the board is already

like he'd been struck. "I am not concerned with the board, Doctor. I am concerned

paled. "U

Caroline, he paused. He didn't look at her,

b, Nurse. N

behind him. The door swung shut, and t

was holding. Her hands were shaking. She press

she muttered un

nking about the way he had looked at her name.

he locker room. She stripped off her scrubs, tossing them into the hamper, and stepped into the shower. The hot water sl

he date-the little black dress and the heels

ime the taxi pulled into the driveway of her parents' house, her nerves were frayed

have yo

roline closed her eyes for a second, ga

sofa. She was still in her housecoat, her arms crossed ove

ing her bag on the entryway table. "T

e at six o'clock this morning. Do you know what she said? She said you walked o

of her neck. "Mom, I ha

on a man like Preston Finch! He makes three hundred thousand dollars a year, Caroline! He

g. "He thinks nurses are beneath him. He told me

k. "That's what men do! Your father provided for me,

in the armchair in the corner, hiding behind

id, turning toward the stairs. "I've been u

snapped, stepping into her path. "Brenda is humiliated. Presto

bitter laugh. "Is that all you car

Mrs. Thompson's eyes were blazing. "I have already spoken to Brenda. You ar

disbelief. "Apologize? For what

le. "You will call him, and you will make this right, or so help me God, I will call him myself and

o a man like Preston Finch made her stomach turn. It was the ultimate manipulatio

t drained out of her, leaving only exh

hispered. "I'

d trudged up the stairs to her room. She closed the

tal, only to come home to this. She was trapped. Trapped by her job, tr

was, she had no i