Chapter 1
Justin
Present day
It was three fifty-five a.m. on a Wednesday. My twenty-four hour shift ended at eight p.m. I hit the club for two hours, called Daphne and we body wrestled for another three hours. Yet still, I was up and staring at the soft shadows cast by the multi-panelled ceiling that my real estate agent said was in vogue, for modern architecture.
It didn’t matter to me what the apartment looked like. The only thing I cared about was that it was big enough to hold my shit and was close enough to work. Venetian glass, marble flooring, crystal chandeliers, and concierge service didn’t mean much to me.
But I knew it meant a whole lot to the woman I had smeared over my chest. Daphne was cute, then again, I didn’t do cute. I did gorgeous. Dark lustrous hair, a tight ass, legs that went on for days and super seductive lips. She was a fucking nine and a quarter. I still was to find a ten. A ten was a woman I would keep for life. So far, those who I have met have come up short.
Nine and a quarter she was but I was going to have to let her go. We had only started seeing each other for five weeks and sleeping together for four and a half of those. She had been bugging me more and more these last days about wanting to have dinner. I ate to live, not to dine and have pleasant conversation.
My cell phone went off and I stretched over to answer. “Connors here,” I said.
“Justin, it’s Brad.”
“What’s up, you sound panicky Jacobs?”
“Marlene has gone into labour, I know you just got off just a couple hours ago, but I need someone to cover my shift. I know that I am asking a lot...”
“No need to beg Jacobs, you know I will cover it. Everyone knows that I will cover it that’s why they call me.”
“The trauma bay is slow, not your usual busy night.” he went on.
“Jacobs, are you trying to change my mind?”
“No,”
“Good. Now go and watch your wife’s vagina get ripped apart by your big-headed kid. I’ll cover.”
“You are such an arsehole Connors, but thanks.” he said laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, later mate.” I said hanging up. I smiled slightly. Brad was one of the few people at the hospital who actually talked to me aside from asking me to do something for them at work. That might be because everyone else thought I was a cocky, arrogant bastard, which unashamedly I was. And with my record, it was aptly deserved. They didn’t just pay every doctor six figures a year. I was fucking good and everyone knew it.
My behaviour repulsed everyone, except Brad. He was the Mr. Hyde to my Dr. Jekyll. He was super nice and I was not, but we clicked. Everyone questioned it, but we didn’t so it worked.
I pushed the woman off my chest gently and her eyes flicked open. “I have to go, the hospital called.”
“But you just got off a couple hours ago.” she said bracing herself up.
“I am covering for someone.” I said as I pulled on my boxers and dragged on my pants.
“Again?” she said doing that pout that some men seemed to find endearing. I thought it made her look like labradoodle or schnoodle or whatever those designer dogs were called.
“Again.” I said dragging my shirt over my head.
“And there is nothing I can do to make you change your mind?” she said dropping the sheet and revealing her bare chest to me.
My eyes roved over her body as I took in the view. She smiled lasciviously, daring me to resist. I blinked once and then grabbed my keys and got-to-go bag. “No.”
“Well damn it Justin, you do this every time!” she shouted after me.
“I am a doctor, shit happens, and I have to go. You knew this when we started going out Daphne. If you don’t like the way it is, you know where the door is.” I said coolly.
“Are you seriously breaking up with me right now?” she said shouting.
“I was going to do it later, but since you mentioned it, I will just do it now.”
“You fucking, fuck-faced cunt.” she said throwing a glass tumbler at me which missed its mark by several feet.
“Just don’t trash my apartment before you go. If you do, remember that I have deep pockets and can hire expensive lawyers, and this fuck-faced cunt, will sue for damages.” I said as I walked out the door and closed it behind me.
I stopped at the security desk. “Daphne, will be down soon or maybe later, depending on how much she decides to trash my room, if you don’t mind could you ensure that she leaves before the cleaners get here as it would suck to walk into a messy apartment after a long day of work.”
“No problem Dr Connors.”
“Thanks.” I said tapping the desk.
My Jeep was parked out front and I jumped in. My frazzled nerves started to settle as I headed back to the only place that life made sense.
