‘Who the hell are you? What are you doing? Let go, mm—’
Callie’s protest was silenced by the man’s rough hand clamped over her mouth.
Who would’ve thought that after finishing her night shift and returning home, she’d get ambushed right at her doorstep!
No black belt in self-defence here, but if this guy thought she’d be easy prey, he was dead wrong!
Callie swallowed hard and chomped down on the man’s palm, hoping to inflict some serious pain.
To her surprise, the man didn’t even flinch, not even a tiny groan.
Instead, he tightened his grip.
What was wrong with this guy?
Maybe her bite wasn’t quite ‘chompy’ enough?
Just as Callie geared up for another bite, she heard approaching footsteps and men’s voices.
More accomplices?
Since when did muggers operate in groups?
A man’s slightly nasal voice said, ‘I just got word from HQ. He killed Viper! This time, we can’t let him slip away.’
‘Don’t worry! He’s wounded, ain’t going far.’
‘But if he does escape, we’re screwed!’
…
Callie’s heart pounded so loudly in her chest, she was surprised the men didn’t hear it.
Wait, could the ‘he’ they were talking about be the jerk holding her hostage right now?
Unbelievable! Not only was he injured, but he was also on the run for murder—wait!
So this wasn’t a mugging?
But that didn’t make Callie feel any better.
If anything, it was worse.
This guy might just kill her to cover his tracks!
Just as Callie was panicking, the man leaned close to her ear.
His voice was hushed and ice cold, devoid of emotion. ‘Play along. Or both of us die here tonight.’
Play along? With what?
The man didn’t give Callie time to react.
The moment he finished speaking, he spun Callie around to face him, his hands firmly pressing her against the wall.
Callie was trapped between his warm chest and the cold concrete surface, with no wiggle room.
And then he forcefully claimed her lips, swallowing her objections.
What in the world was happening?
Callie’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she wanted to resist, but the man had arms like steel cables, bulging with strength.
Plus, the conversation she’d overheard and the man’s not-so-thinly-veiled threat gave her pause.
Perhaps it was best to play along, for now.
Reluctantly, Callie placed her hands on the man’s back, seizing the opportunity to give him a hard pinch.
Apart from the scowl on her face, the scene between them almost looked like some kind of wild, hungry lovers going at it in the dead of night.
‘Jesus, please, make time fly!’ Callie prayed silently.
As the footsteps drew near, her heart jumped from her chest into her throat.
Suddenly, she felt the man’s strong hands move to her back and ripped her blouse apart with one swift move.
‘B*stard!’ Callie pounded his back, eyes blazing with anger.
Exposed to the chilly night air, she felt goosebumps crawling up her skin.
The man didn’t make a sound, his lips still glued to hers.
Ignoring her frustration, he just kept going, making the fake make-out scene even more intense.
Their bodies were bathed in moonlight, creating a passionate tableau.
The man cupped Callie’s face with both hands and pushed her deeper into the shadow cast by the wall.
‘What’s going on over there?’
‘Can’t you tell? They’re getting frisky!’
‘Still staring? Stop it! This is no time to get horny.’
‘I just want to see who’s the lucky guy. D*mn, that’s some slick move! Gotta try it sometime!’
‘Don’t disturb them. We’ll be in deep sh*t if the lovebirds call the cops.’
Gradually, the footsteps faded away.
With the coast clear, Callie gave the man a hard shove.
She wasn’t surprised to see the dark liquid seeping from the midsection of his shirt; she had detected the familiar copper smell of blood the moment the man came close.
Callie gently brushed her lips, their swollenness testament to the intense encounter with the stranger.
She wiped them with the back of her hand, her eyes narrowing as she finally got a good look at him.
His hair tousled by the wind, his eyes holding a glimmer of wariness, the man exuded an air of danger and aloofness that sent shivers down her spine.
And yet, there was something mesmerising about those cold, piercing eyes.
Callie had never come across such a captivatingly dangerous man before.
Even the air around him seemed degrees colder.
Elias Westwood was sizing her up just as she was him.
Callie noticed a subtle change in his expression as his gaze lingered on her.
It was a mix of surprise and something else she couldn’t quite place.
Elias hadn’t expected to cross paths with her here, in this moment.
It seemed that she didn’t recognise him at all.
As guilty as he felt for forcing a kiss upon a stranger, as a way to throw off his pursuers, he couldn’t deny the jolt of joy when he realised it was her.
At the same time, he was concerned.
The men after him wouldn’t think twice about eliminating witnesses, even if they were innocent civilians.
Elias blinked and was about to speak, but dark spots started swimming in front of his eyes.
Wounded, bleeding and hunted, he had been running on fumes, powered by nothing but survival instinct and adrenaline.
But now that the immediate danger had passed, he couldn’t hold on any longer.
His consciousness slipped away, and he collapsed.
‘Hey!’ Callie gave a yelp of alarm.
Her knees buckled with the stranger’s 6 feet 3 inches frame weighing down on her, making it hard to breathe.
Callie let out an expletive.
Not only had the b*stard kissed her, but he had also torn her clothes apart.
Now he conveniently passed out without even an apology.
The thought of it made anger well up within her, tempting her to abandon him right then and there.
Yet, she hesitated when she considered the wound in his abdomen.
She was a doctor, after all.
Despite her distaste for his cold, domineering manners, Callie couldn’t stand by and watch him bleed to death.Besides, there was a certain fearlessness in his actions, a determination to shield her from harm.Callie sighed, giving in to her better judgment.Suppressing the urge to leave him behind, she decided to carry him back to her place.Despite the cool, drizzling autumn night, beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she struggled under the weight of his unconscious body.By the time she manoeuvred him onto the bed, her face glistened with perspiration, and she was panting heavily.But Callie didn’t allow herself much rest.She bent down, pulling out the emergency medical kit stowed beneath the bed.Initially, she had planned to rip open his blood-soaked shirt just as he had done to hers, but her strength failed her.With a sigh, she resorted to cutting his shirt open with a pair of scissors.As Callie glanced down, she was met with a sight that almost drew a wolf whistle from
Elias’s eyes zeroed in on a dark bruise marring her pale wrist.It was a stark reminder of the pain he had caused her unintentionally, when his mind was fogged by agony.Elias touched her wrist, feeling guilty.Though she didn’t recognise him, he remembered her very well.He couldn’t resist the urge to caress her lips gently, savouring the memory of their sweet taste from last night.But his touch interrupted Callie’s peaceful slumber, and she responded by biting down on his finger in annoyance.Surprisingly, the sensation sent a jolt of arousal through Elias, his body instinctively responding before his mind could process the complex mix of emotions coursing through him.Reluctantly, Elias withdrew his hand.He got out of bed and stood.She was still wearing the same blouse from the night before.Its back was ripped open, exposing her fair skin to his view.Elias swallowed hard and forced himself to look away, a difficult task.At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a little exa
Callie made a conscious effort to focus on her work, refusing to engage with Abby’s taunts.At least she had the satisfaction of not giving Abby the reaction she desired.But fate had a way of throwing unexpected challenges her way.One day, after finishing her gruelling morning shift, Callie was looking forward to heading home and catching some shut-eye.Just as she was about to change out of her white coat, she received an urgent notice, summoning her back to duty.The hospital had received an order from the military, requiring all available doctors to attend to a group of patients.These were no ordinary patients—they were soldiers wounded in a daring mission, their injuries severe and their lives hanging by a thread.The army made it clear that every effort must be made to save them.Callie hurriedly donned a pristine white coat and dashed into the bustling emergency room at Rosedale Hospital.Inside, she found a total of nine patients being triaged.Four soldiers were in critical
‘Shut up! Shut up! I know!’ Panic washed over Abby as she futilely attempted to staunch the unrelenting flow of blood with surgical sponges, then suction devices.The bright red colour of the blood meant she must have nicked an artery somewhere, but with so much blood flooding his chest cavity, it was hard to identify the exact location of the leak.‘Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!’ Abby’s hands shook violently.Her confidence had misled her into believing this surgery would be a breeze.Disregarding Callie’s warning, she had taken matters into her own hands, operating without proper authorisation.And now, everything had spiralled out of control.Not only had she violated the hospital’s rules, but she had also caused a medical mishap.To make matters worse, the patient lying before her was a soldier.What if he died on the operating table?The weight of the consequences pressed upon her, leaving her paralysed with fear.Her trembling hands failed to halt the bleeding, rendering her helpless.Wendy
Wendy shot out an arm to steady her. ‘Are you all right?’Callie blinked away the black dots. ‘I’m fine. Just needed a sec.’Her entire left arm felt numb, like she had a dead tree branch attached to her body.Enduring the weird sensation, Callie removed her mask with her right hand and walked towards the door. ‘Wendy, let me know if anything changes.’‘Will do, Dr Hawthorne.’Callie beckoned at Abby, who had not made a sound since she entered the operating theatre. ‘You. Come with me.’Abby hesitated, her expression a mix of fear and defiance.But she had no choice but to follow Callie out of the room.Wendy shook her head as she watched the two women leave.Though both were surgical residents, in her mind, only one of them could be called a doctor.As they stepped into an empty hallway, Abby braced herself for a dressing-down. ‘I was only trying to—’Smack!Before she could finish her sentence, Callie’s right hand connected solidly with Abby’s cheek, leaving a fiery mark behind.The
Some distance away, the emergency room buzzed with activity as doctors and nurses hurried past, their scrubs swishing in a flurry of purpose.But the hallway outside the operating theatres was quiet.Callie leaned against the wall, her white coat wrinkled and stained with blood.She tried to compose herself, wiping away the remnants of tears that stained her cheeks.Elias didn’t release his grip on Callie, his eyes penetrating into her soul.‘What happened?’ he asked, his concern seeping through the sternness in his tone. ‘Why were you crying? And what’s with the blood on your arm?’Callie’s guard shot up like a fortress wall.She wiped away her tears, determined not to let a stranger witness her vulnerability.‘It’s none of your business,’ she snapped, her voice tinged with defiance.Elias moved closer, his gaze unwavering.Callie’s breath hitched as she felt his proximity, his presence engulfing her.‘Maybe it is my business,’ he countered, his voice low and commanding. ‘I don’t lik
Callie and Wendy exchanged amazed glances, struggling to process the revelation.Callie couldn’t help but feel a sense of astonishment at Elias being a soldier, as he wasn’t dressed in uniform.But then, it would explain all the bullet wounds and scars on his body.Lieutenant Colonel—a high-ranking position, she assumed, given the young soldier’s respect.There was something undeniably alluring about a man in uniform.Wendy, always the romantic, seized Callie’s hands, her eyes shining with excitement. ‘Oh my gosh, Callie! Are all soldiers that ridiculously attractive?’Callie was about to respond, but a sudden wave of dizziness crashed over her like a rogue wave.Her head spun, the world blurring into a whirlpool of confusion.And then, without warning, her legs buckled beneath her, and she slumped to the ground in a heap.‘Woah, hold up!’ Wendy lunged forward, but before she could catch Callie, a pair of strong arms swooped in and cradled her limp form.‘Callie!’ Wendy reached for Ca
Callie could feel the waves of anger radiating from Elias, like a volcanic eruption about to happen.Why was he angry?What did any of this have to do with him?It was her embarrassment, her pain—it had nothing to do with him.‘Lieutenant Colonel Westwood, this is a hospital!’ Callie’s voice quivered.‘That night, you could have left me on the street. Why did you save me? Why did you take me home?’ Elias’s gaze locked with Callie’s reddened eyes, his own eyes deep and intense‘Because, like I told you, I’m a doctor,’ she replied with utmost seriousness. ‘A doctor’s duty is to save lives and heal wounds. What happened that night, I would have done it for anyone.’Elias’s fingers tightened gradually, conflicting emotions swirling within him.As he looked into Callie’s red-rimmed eyes, he knew she spoke the truth.And yet, the knowledge that she would have done it for anyone agitated him.In the next instant, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.Unlike their previous staged