The woman just shook her head and crossed her arms.
Jasmine continued, “As I was saying. I picked up on how she would always hover close to him when he was instructing them during rounds, and of course the private lunches … it all makes sense in retrospect. When Doctor Lark told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t interested in her, she just seemed to be really moody and distant and to put it bluntly, sir, bitchy.”
Corey raised his brows incredulously as Jessica aggressively refuted the lies that Jasmine spun. “So you’re saying she wanted to have relations with Augustus?”
“That is what I’m getting at, sir,” Jasmine nodded, brushing back a strand of her thick, curly raven hair. “So, personally as horrible as it sounds, I think she’s trying to get him fired – I mean really, if he was using cocaine—“
“Heroin is what Ms. Parks told me,” Corey interrupted.
Jessica was looking visibly flustered at this point, the red in her cheeks becoming brighter and brighter still. She stared daggers at Jasmine now, shooting up from her chair. “You’re crazy, why the hell are you doing this,” she accused, her voice so loud that if one was outside of the Dean’s office they could likely hear. Now things were starting to roll in the direction that Jasmine wanted.
The Dean of medicine gestured for the girl to take a seat, “Keep your voice down, Ms. Parks.”
Ignoring Jessica in totality, Jasmine continued, “Oh? Well, whatever lie she told you – whatever he was supposedly using, do you really think that somebody wouldn’t notice? I mean, more than us. And for god’s sake! As a doctor I find it sick to know what else she was doing, but I hoped – for my own safety as well – that she would stop after I talked to her.”
Corey turned in his chair, “What are you getting at?”
“Well,” Jasmine said with a strained tone, looking away from the Dean.
“Whatever it is, you know I’ll find it out eventually, Miss Giuseppe.”
“I-I know, it’s just embarrassing,” Jasmine brushed back her hair one more time, clearing her throat. “I found out from one of our pharmacists, not to name any names, but someone used my prescription pad to fill out a bottle of Oxycodone.”
“You’re full of shit!” Jessica decried, gripping the ends of her chair.
Corey gave the woman a stern look before bringing his gaze back to Jasmine. “Really,” he was incredulous, but she knew that it would be easy to strong arm Janet into following Jasmine’s version of events – unless she wanted to be disbarred and or imprisoned.
“She’s lying,” Jessica said, shaking her head. “What proof does she have with any of this?”
“Why would I lie?” Jasmine brought a hand to her chest, pretending to take offense. “What stake do I have in this nonsense? If Doctor Lark was getting high, I’d be the first one here.”
Jessica balked, “You said something very different before.”
Jasmine shrugged, “Keep spinning your lies.”
Snapping his finger and putting a hand up between the ladies, Corey spoke up once more, “Calm down both of you. Now, you know if this … crazy story turns out to be true – I’ll have to suspend you.”
Nodding, Jasmine replied, “I do. I’m not happy about it but I won’t stand to see a good doctor disbarred for something that he didn’t do.” Of course even if the Dean was buying this, he’ll have Augustus tested ASAP. He’ll have to figure that out on his own.
“I want the name of the pharmacist,” Corey declared.
“I don’t know her last name,” Jasmine confessed, “but her first name is Janet.”
The dean checked his watch, “I’ll talk to her myself later,” he insisted.
Jessica pushed out her chest and pressed her lips tightly together, smoldering beneath her surface. “Please,” she fumed, “tell me you don’t actually believe her?”
Corey shot her an intense look, “Right now I don’t know who to believe, now both of you get back to work, I’ll tell you when I’ve come to a proper conclusion.”
Jessica was the first to storm off, practically stomping her feet along the carpet as she left the room. Jasmine rose up from her chair and gave the man a sad, innocent little look, “Sorry about all of that, sir,” she bleated, “I know it’s beneath the hospital to have such drama.”
Corey waved a hand, “Drama is everywhere, and anything else is just a lie.”
Wasn’t that the truth.
Jasmine reached out a hand and shook the Dean’s before turning on her heel and leaving. Jessica was waiting outside in the hall. Great, this girl is going to give me a headache.
Jessica, with water glistening around her eyes, squinted, “I can’t believe you’re trying to throw me under the bus,” she hissed, “you’re such a bitch. Why are you even defending him?!”
Heat rushed through Jasmine’s body, her bones suffering a dull ache and her head throbbing. You did warn her. Opting just to smirk, Jasmine replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, you really should just come clean now – maybe they’ll go easy on you.” She’d never sounded more smug in her life.
Jasmine sauntered away, throwing her hand up at the sound of Jessica going off on her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Jasmine
The water felt good on her face, but it did little to stop the pain gripping her chest. Jasmine looked at herself in the mirror, running her wet hands through her hair. Why couldn’t Luke just stay away from her head and her heart? He’d broken it last night, and yet the shards still yearned for him – for his touch, for his voice …
Augustus was going through a hell of a time, and for as many feelings as she has for him, could she really say that being a rebound had nothing to do with what happened? He was beautiful and smart and had a draw to him, but a sliver of doubt remained.
Luke doesn’t deserve your love, she thought. Augustus does. She wondered then, if she were truly even capable of love; opening up to someone was one thing, but staying that way? That was something else entirely.
Daggers of guilt stabbed at Jasmine, what she had done for the man was underhanded, but she warned that foolish girl. She warned her.
Jasmine stuck her hand in her coat and produced her phone, looking it over – her heart sank when she saw nothing from Luke, but it lifted when she noticed a message from Augustus.
Ugh. It’s like I’m living in hell. Can’t stop worshipping the porcelain God.
Hopefully he’ll get better soon. Jasmine smiled, texting him back.
Stay strong, I’ll come over after work.
Pocketing her phone, Jasmine left the bathroom and worked her way to the clinic where she had heard that a patient was waiting to be seen specifically by her. Jasmine’s clinic duty didn’t start for another hour, but she figured it wouldn’t take too terribly long.
Jasmine looked over to the nurse, “Hey Francine, which room needs me?”
The chubby little nurse smiled, “One sec,” she said, putting up a finger and checking her logs. “22B.”
“Thanks,” Jasmine chirped before walking some distance to the specified room. She grabbed the chart on the middle of the door and looked it over. Mysterious leg pain, requesting Doctor Giuseppe – seems interesting enough. Probably a junkie.
Opening the door, Jasmine was greeted by a peculiar looking woman. “What’s up Doc,” she said, her voice feminine but with a certain hard edge to it, she smiled brightly and chuckled to herself, lifting her chin and restlessly moving her feet. The woman had bright, firetruck red hair, and her lips were pierced on each end. She was beautiful, but in a kind of rebellious way – like a punk rocker type. Whoever was dating her, if anyone, must have been a little crazy to be sticking their dick in that. But damn, did that girl ever have the bluest eyes – like two pale crystals they just kind of drew you in. Her bust was even more impressive than Jasmine’s, what with it nearly spilling out of her black blouse. The woman rocked a pair of dark stonewash jeans, holes cut in places here and there, other ends of the denim
stylistically frayed for maximum ‘I don’t give a fuck’.
Jasmine shut the door behind her, giving her customary smile. “Hello miss … Rochester, is it?”
The girl smirked like a she-wolf, “Yeah you got it,” her eyes practically undressed Jasmine inch by inch, she felt almost naked in the girl’s presence. Weirdoes were common in the clinic.
“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jasmine padded over to her rolling barstool, sliding over to the girl and extending a hand, “I’m Doctor Giuseppe.”
The woman’s smirk, sharp as a knife, never left her face. She rejected the hand shake altogether. Okay … weird. Guess that’s what I get for being polite.
Jasmine raised her brows for a second and backed away, “Anyway, what seems to be the issue? It says on your chart that you’re experiencing pain in your leg?”
“Mmm, no, not really,” she confessed, springing off of the examination board. “I lied.”
Chuckling to herself, face screwing up in confusion, Jasmine asked, “Okay, so I don’t understand? What are you doing here then?”
The woman just laughed to herself with a dark pleasure, “You’re adorable,” she taunted, “gotta say I’m impressed. Never would have expected a six like you to grab my man’s attention.”
Jasmine’s mind turned, stepping back a couple of feet from the girl, who continued to slowly approach her – like a predator would stalk its prey. “Stay back,” she warned, “I don’t know the hell you’re going on about, but you better leave or I’ll call security.”
“Like hell you will,” she took another step forward and produced a butterfly knife from her pocket, finessing it in her quick hand, Jasmine was sure that the blade sang as the two ends came together. “Unless you want me to carve that ugly little face into something approachable.” The woman chuckled, “You know you look like a spick, why don’t you crawl back to the shithole you came from. Thing’sll end better that way.”
It felt like she had just fallen from a ladder, heat kissing the soles of Jasmine’s feet and a sickly warmth rushing all the way up to her head. Jesus Christ, I’m going to be stabbed over nothing. “Whoa! Whoa, whoa,” she shot her hands up. “Just, just put that away okay? Let’s not do something stupid,” this bitch was absolutely insane, there’s no way in hell she would get away with anything. Was there?
The girl scoffed, still approaching Jasmine ever so slowly – she was just within a range that if Jasmine tried to run or scream, it might be enough time for the girl to make a move. “It’s a little too late for that last bit, don’t you think? Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to hit on a woman’s man?”
Suddenly things became clear, “… You mean, Luke Reynolds?” Oh no. You bastard.
“You’re even dumber than I thought,” she huffed, “who else? That much of a whore? Trying to steal one man isn’t enough for you, is it?”
Still retreating, Jasmine hit the table behind her and craned her head back in disbelief. “Look, we’re done and yes, we kissed, but we never had sex and he never told me about you? Okay? I’m sorry just, please, please don’t hurt me – there was nothing between us!” That last part was a lie, but it hurt like hell to know Luke had been seeing someone this whole time. Why didn’t he tell her? Damn that man.
Kayla closed the distance between the two, resting her blade on Jasmine’s neck. Her pale blue eyes searched Jasmine’s, each beat of her heart pumped another round of thick, hot sludge into her system; head pounding with fear and adrenaline. The woman tapped her blade ever so lightly against Jasmine with every word, “I. Don’t. Believe. You,” she whispered darkly, a menace glinting behind those eyes. Jesus Christ, I’m gonna die.
“Listen, just be rational about this,” she couldn’t help but quiver, “if you hurt me, t-there’s witnesses who saw you come in, we have all of your information for God’s sake.”
“So what,” Kayla growled and then chuckled. “I’m shaking,” she joked. The girl laughed lightly, fingering one of Jasmine’s raven curls absently. “Shame if you were to lose this,” she remarked. “Even for scum like yourself I’ll be the first to admit you have great hair.”
“God, please, just let me go okay!” Jasmine raised her voice just loud enough that she hoped someone might hear, she turned her head quickly one more time, spying a glass jar of cotton balls on the counter.
“Shut up,” Kayla hissed. “If I wanted you dead, I’d have killed you already babe,” she chuckled to herself, pulling away slightly, but keeping the blade at the ready. “I’m just here to tell you to stay away from Luke, because if you don’t? Next time I’ll slice your pretty little throat – it pays you know, to have judges in your pocket.”
“I-I understand,” Jasmine bleated.
The woman looked as if she was ready to leave, but she remained, considering a moment longer. “I don’t believe it,” she shook her head in disbelief, another couple of frantic heartbeats passing. “You still have the hots for him, don’t you? You’re pissing your panties but you still want him,” her voice was thick with anger now, not like the coldness she exuded earlier.
“No,” Jasmine decried, “no absolutely not.” She tried to sound confident, but she knew differently – she couldn’t deny it to herself, not even in the face of death.
“You’re lying,” Kayla seethed, bringing the knife to the middle of Jasmine’s throat – just above the suprasternal notch. “Tell me the truth,” Kayla’s eyes searched Jasmines, her brows furrowed now. “Do you still want to be with him you ignorant whore. Huh?”
Jasmine swallowed hard, getting ready for what she felt she had to do. “No,” she answered. If she sticks me with that properly, it won’t matter how fast anyone reacts.
Tense silence hung between the two girls, sinister electricity dancing betwixt them. Neither yet made their move, their eyes locked one another .
When Kayla began to move, Jasmine decided then that enough was enough, and lifted her leg up – kicking the girl off of her with a grunt. As Jasmine’s foot pressed against the woman’s midsection, Kayla’s knife slid along the surface of Jasmine’s neck – leaving a thin trail of crimson across her skin.
Pain blossomed along that sickly warm line and Jasmine’s one hand shot up instinctively to cover the wound.
Kayla was kicked back several feet, growling as she stumbled about trying to get her footing.
Jasmine reached her hand behind herself and frantically knocked off the glass lid of the cotton ball jar, pinching it hard between her fingers and waiting in a breath’s span of time for Kayla to approach once more.
Springing back at Jasmine, Kayla’s butterfly knife was slicked with red. She brought the blade high into the air, elbow level with her chin, preparing for another horizontal slash.
Before Kayla could attack, Jasmine hurled the glass jar at the girl’s face, putting her whole weight behind the throw.
The glass shattered into a hundred little fragments, exploding in what seemed like all directions – jagged pieces viciously puncturing beneath the woman’s face, leaving spots of red. Kayla’s motion swung short as she cried out in a hot, strangled agony. The woman cursed.
Heart racing, Jasmine scrambled to the door, hand shaking and sliding off of it – she tried once more and turned the handle, swinging the door open and slamming it shut behind her. “Help!” She shouted, eyes looking at her from all directions suddenly.
The door opened to a bloodied Kayla, knife still in hand as she darted down the hall past a contingent of confused patients, nurses and other staff.
Jasmine yelled for security, but by the time people realized what was going on it was all too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Luke
Gabriel knocked down a beer like it was nothing, slamming down the glass and raising his chin at Luke, “That’s six to your two,” he remarked, “losing your edge, champ.” Not a chance.
Luke couldn’t help but smile, “I’m letting you get ahead is all,” he replied, “giving you that much need
ed handicap.” Warmth pressed against Luke’s chest. Knots forming, the upcoming gun run danced across Luke’s mind. The Club couldn’t keep doing this shit forever, it wasn’t right – and more importantly, it wasn’t safe. Ever since Martine started cracking down, the boys had to mix things up, start throwing out curveballs so that the shit could get done.
Wagging a finger, Gabriel responded, “Eh, I don’t think so. Think you’re scared, Luke.”
The bar was packed today. Luke, Alex, Gabriel, Benny; four prospects and the old man: D.W Galavante, which was Gabriel’s father. Only a couple other key members of the Steel Knights were MIA. If you had a seat at the table, you were given a riding name; Robert was Chains, Gabriel’s Angel, Luke’s Reaper, Allen’s Godfather, Alex’s Trigger, Benny’s Cloudkicker.
Far behind them a voice like gravel rang out, “Luke,” of course, here we go. “Get your ass over here,” it was Allen, the one and only. Luke shot Gabriel a look, “You’re lucky Gabe, someone up there’s looking out for you.” If only he’d been looking out for you …
Gabriel looked unimpressed, he wasn’t one to believe in the divine or fate or any of that crap. Luke didn’t subscribe either, but he didn’t announce it as much or as proudly as Gabriel – maybe I’m just not that sure sometimes, Luke mused.
There was a voice in the back of his head that would sometimes taunt him, remind him that of all the hospitals and clinics and pharmacies, Luke had picked St. Augustine. What were the odds, really? He was captivated by that vision of beauty, and when he had first seen her – he instantly knew that he had to have her; that every line of her body and soul would have to be charted by his hands. If anything happened to her because of the Life, Luke wasn’t sure how he would live with himself – this is why things had to be as they were.
Luke Reynolds spun in his chair and got up, walking with a swagger to his step as he moved over to Allen. He was waiting by the double doors to the round table. “Lay it on me, Boss.”
Revved Up Soul: A MC Romance Page 14
