Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
“I’m pretty exhausted most of the time I’m away from work. I’m still getting used to working nights.”
“You know I’d be happy to help you get on the day shift.” His hand comes down on my thigh again. Only this time, he leaves it there. “If that’s what you want, all you have to do is ask.”
“No, I don’t want any favors.”
Dr. Crane says something else, but he’s pulling into the parking lot at work, and I practically jump out of the car when he stops. In the process, I nearly trip over my own damn feet to get away from him.
“Mia?” he calls after me, but I’ve already got my things in my hands and I’m backing away from the car.
“I just don’t want to be late.” I’m on the verge of running, but he hurries to catch up to me before I can enter the building.
“We’re not.” He grabs my elbow and halts my steps. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He continues to touch me even though he knows I don’t like it. The way he’s looking at me makes me think he enjoys making me uncomfortable. My inner thoughts betray me as I remember all the things Jamison did when I told him to stop. But something about Jamison is different, and I don't know why. At least not yet.
“I'm fine.” I force myself to smile again, and thank god, the phone in his pocket starts ringing.
“We’ll talk about this later,” he says before releasing his hold on my elbow.
I walk fast to get inside and hope that I won’t run into him again tonight.
After I put my things in my locker, excitement to see Jamison makes me take the stairs two at a time. It’s almost embarrassing how much of a rush I’m in to get upstairs. My heart races with anticipation, and I feel alive.
When I enter my floor, I hear someone singing loudly. I follow the sound and see a young woman singing and dancing to her own song. She has to be over eighteen if she’s in this wing of the asylum, but she’s petite. Her long hair spins out around her, and the way she moves makes me think she might be a professional dancer. Or at least she was before she came here.
Everyone's watching her, so I do a quick scan of the room to see if Jamison is here. When I find him, he’s sitting in the corner with a book in his lap, but he’s not reading. He’s watching the girl too, and a rush of jealousy fills me.
I step back and go into the nurses’ station because I don’t want to know what his reaction to her is going to be.
“Who’s the new girl?” I ask Olivia as I grab my charts for the night.
"Entertaining, isn’t she?” Olivia laughs. “She’s only been here a few hours.”
Will Jamison leap on her the same way he did me that first day? I detest the overwhelming jealousy and doubt that have suddenly overtaken me.
This is why I shut everyone out. Sometimes it’s just better to be numb.
Chapter Twelve
JAMISON
Chapter 12 Jamison
The new girl is annoying, but at least she’s useful. I think someone called her Karma or Karmen? I couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. I was too busy looking out the window and waiting for Mia to arrive. My perfect, soft, and sweet Mia.
That’s when I saw Dr. Crane turning into the parking lot with Mia in his car. The anger and jealousy that ignited in my chest was like hot lava burning my flesh from the inside out. That’s when I looked over at the new girl and ordered her to make a scene.
She didn’t mind getting into trouble. In fact, she seemed happy for the excuse and started belting out show tunes. It was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears while I watched Dr. Crane and Mia below. The new girl’s singing set off one of the other patients, and I heard Olivia tell Alton she was going to call Dr. Crane to see if they could get a psych consult.
As I waited for Olivia to make the call, I saw Mia rush out of Dr. Crane’s car. Everything about her body language said she was afraid. I should know because I’ve had every inch of her and know her body better than I know my own.
When Dr. Crane touched her and she flinched, I’ve never wanted to crawl through the bars on the windows more. I could see how much she hated it, and when his phone ringing made him let her go, I wasn’t as relieved as I thought I’d be. All it did was make me want to go down there and make sure he could never touch her again.
The new girl is doing some kind of idiotic twirling thing now, and it has everyone’s attention. I keep my seat with my book in my lap and wait for Mia to come upstairs. If I get up I know I’ll do something stupid. Like going after Dr. Crane or fucking Mia on the floor of the group room just to prove she’s mine. I’m not sure either of those things will benefit me long-term, although they both sound pretty great.