with your nurses?" I

e ones who look like they've

answer.

t to keep my hands moving. Just to stop them from trembling

esk if you n

he handle when he said it-c

's you

pau

lt like a doorway. And I wasn't sure

t the space between us clinical

of me. Or maybe it was his eyes. Clear now. Present. Like he w

ck, slower

brie

tasting it. "Gabriella," he

skip. "Rest. You've still got metal in your sho

ike I'd handed him more than just

e room before I coul

art into the tray and stared down at my hands. He shouldn't have

like I wasn't forgettable. I d

few days

ds, and kept moving. I nodded when spoken to, smiled whe

maybe i

it alre

g walks around the unit, refolding blankets that didn't need f

ces. The withdrawal was getting worse,

't subtl

en I thought no one was looking. I was drinking black coffee just to feel s

s not

ways n

decent. We've worked side by side for

king me to the break room like I might fall apart in the hallway. Once, I caught him watching m

y?" he as

Too fast.

m fi

knows it. But

toward that ha

n pretending to chart something I've already finished, whe

ll, dripping in diamonds and sharp in heels

sa

ket draped over his lap, suit jacket over his shoulders li

hand clenches

a crew stationed outside the sliding doors. Her hair is flawless, makeup perf

he says, voice

it lands. His eyes meet mine across

hread pul

a chart. My heart is thudding s

s perfume hangs in the air like some

like that,

d as I stand there. Bed li

let it feel

it

the reason I d

know what's holdi

it wasn't a lie. My head had been pounding all day, from exhausti

down, bag slung over my shoulder, earbuds in but no music playing. Just wal

crept up beside the curb. The windows were tinted so dark I couldn't even catch a refle

he back doo

as

three steps - before an arm hooked around my waist. I screamed, kicked back with all the s

the panic climbing up my t

The street w

seat. The door slammed shut

locked. My bag had fallen outsid

you want?! I don't h

an

nce back. Just pulled off, tires hum

ing calmed me. My fingers trembled against the door seam, and I kept watching the city melt past the windows. The f

adows of a quiet overpass, tucked into a forgotten sl

me out again - rougher this time, like he was tired

! Someo

e next backseat. The

bli

here h

c Lan

calm for a man who'd