Careless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 3)

by Michelle Horst

  A knock at the door makes Carter dart up. He opens for Dad, and I hear them whisper before they come into the living room.

  My legs feel weak as I stand up.

  When I see Dad, it feels like I shatter from all the tension of trying to keep it together through the night.

  He wraps me in his arms, and for the first time since we spoke, I feel something familiar.

  I still have a part of my home left.

  I still have one parent.

  I have a father, and I know he will carry me through the next few days.

  “Sweetheart,” he whispers as he pulls back. His eyes search my face.

  He pulls me down onto the couch and holds me tightly to his chest.

  “Dr. Baxter had just finished a nineteen-hour shift. She fell asleep while driving home.”

  My whole body quivers as sobs seize my body. This is what I needed. The facts. No one understands me better than Dad.

  “The car crashed into a tree. A branch entered the windscreen and ruptured her thorax. It severed her aorta.”

  Dad frames my face and makes me look up at him.

  “Do you understand, Leigh?”

  “Traumatic aortic rupture is a condition in which the aorta is severed,” I repeat what he just said.

  “That’s right, sweetheart. There’s nothing anyone could’ve done.”

  I stare at him and see the moment he realizes his mistake.

  “When did she die?” I ask.

  He shakes his head as tears fill his eyes.

  “Leigh, nothing could be done to save her life.”

  “She didn’t die on impact,” I whisper as I pull away from Dad. “Did they clamp off the aorta?”

  “They did, sweetheart,” Dad whispers as his eyes beg me to stop. “She was hemorrhaging and sustained severe trauma to her lungs.”

  “They could’ve used a transplant assist device,” I start to argue.

  Dad frames my face and holds me still.

  “Sweetheart…”

  “They could’ve –”

  “Leigh! Listen to me. I was there. You would not have been able to save her. Her body suffered irreparable damage.”

  I pull away from Dad and stand up, as I say, “You don’t know what I’m capable of doing, Dad.”

  Dad gets up and places his hand on my shoulder.

  “You’re right. I have no idea what your mind is capable of, but I do know it was humanly impossible to repair the damage done to her body.”

  Dad hugs me tightly as everything inside of me rebels. It’s just another word for failure. Impossible.

  “I have no doubt that you’ll prove me wrong one day,” he whispers.

  He eases back and takes hold of my hand.

  “Let’s go home, sweetheart.”

  I hug Evie goodbye before I turn to Willow.

  “I’ll take the first flight tomorrow,” she promises as she hugs me.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  Carter helps to carry my bags to the car, and I’m surprised when he rides with us to the airport. When we get there, he makes sure everything is in place for our flight back home.

  I press a kiss to his cheek, truly thankful for everything he’s done for us.

  He smiles at me, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a look of awe on his face.

  “If I ever need a doctor, I pray I get you. You’re going to do amazing things, Leigh. I have faith that you will perform miracles.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, and whispers, “Jaxson cares about you.”

  Chapter 6

  JAXSON

  One year ago…

  Marcus strides into my office and unbuttons his jacket before he sits.

  “Where have you been? I went to your office to check if you wanted to grab something across the road for lunch.”

  “I had a meeting,” he says distractedly.

  “I take it the meeting didn’t go well?”

  He gets up and walks over to the window. He stares outside, instead of answering my question.

  A couple of weeks ago I overheard a phone call where he was talking to a doctor. Marcus doesn’t know that I know. I’m hoping he’ll tell me when he’s ready. Knowing that my friend is terminally ill is killing me. I’ve started researching, hoping I’ll find something that can help him. So far I’ve had no luck and the feeling of helplessness grows with each passing day. It’s hard to keep up pretenses around him.

  “Have you ever watched people, Jax?”

  “What?” I ask as I try to catch up after my thoughts drifted off.

  “I wonder if there’s a person out there who doesn’t pretend.”

  I don’t answer him because right now we’re both fucking pretending nothing’s wrong.

  “I’m breaking things off with Willow,” he whispers.

  “Again? Isn’t this the third time?”

  I glance away from my computer and look at Marcus. The way his shoulders hang tells me he’s being serious.

  “Why are you breaking things off? I thought you were in a good place with her.”

  I get up and walk over to him, and placing my hand on his shoulder, I turn him so he’ll face me. Willow makes him happy and right now he needs her more than ever.

  The look in his eyes scares the living shit out of me. They’re glassy, as if they’ve been drained of all life.

  Fuck! Don’t you dare give up, Marcus.

  “I can’t be with her. I have to let her go, the same way you let Leigh go. It would be stupid of me to allow things to go any further than they already have.”

  “Is this about your father?” I’m hoping he’ll open up to me. “You’re breaking things off with Willow because you’re scared you’ll turn into him?” I shake him, hoping to get some sense into him.

  Talk to me, Marcus! Let me in so I can help you carry this burden.

  “We’ve talked about this, Marcus. We are not our parents. You will not become your father, and I won’t be a fucked-up mess like my parents. We decide what to do with our lives. Don’t push people away when you need them most.”

  Please read between the lines.

  “I’ve decided, Jax. I’m cutting her loose.”

  I throw my hands up in the universal sign for I give up.

  “I can’t tell you what to do,” I say as I turn off my computer. “But I can go with you for beer.”

  I fucking need one to take off the edge.

  We agree to meet at our usual bar before driving there in separate cars. Marcus gets there before me and I’m glad to see he’s managed to grab us a table.

  As I sit down and loosen my tie, he says, “I’ve ordered the beers.”

  “You mentioned a meeting earlier,” I say. “How did it go?”

  I unbutton the top two buttons of my shirt and roll up my sleeves before I sit back and relax.

  “As well as it could. We talked shit and never actually got anywhere.”

  A waitress places two beers on the table. I know their faces but I can never remember their names. She pouts when I ignore her and down half the beer.

  “Who’s the lucky girl tonight?” Marcus asks as he scans the bar for potentials.

  “I really don’t care. As long as she bends over, I’m happy. It’s been a fucking long week. I still can’t believe what happened to Mia.”

  “Yeah, that’s fucked-up. How’s Logan handling it?”

  “Okay… I think.” I take another sip of the beer and signal to the bar for another round. “Rhett’s not taking it well at all.”

  Marcus starts to peel the label from the bottle.

  “I don’t blame him.”

  He squints as if the dim lighting is hurting his eyes.

  “You have a headache again?” I ask.

  He’s been getting them a lot lately. That’s how I knew something was wrong in the first place.

  “Yeah.”

  He takes a few sips of the beer before he continues to remove the label.

  “Have you had your eyes tested?”

 
I keep probing, hopeful that he’ll stop hiding his illness and come clean with me.

  “I’ll go next week,” he sighs. He finishes his beer, and before the next round is delivered, he gets up. “There’s a brunette at your two o’clock. Have fun with her tonight. I’m going to break things off with Willow and head to bed.”

  My eyes find the brunette as I say, “Good luck, bro. I’ll see you at the office.”

  I smile at her, and that’s all it takes to get her to walk over to me. She slips into the seat Marcus just vacated.

  “Hi, I’m Gia.” Her voice is high pitched, as if she’s had too much caffeine.

  “Jax.”

  The waitress places two beers on the table, and I settle the bill before I push Marcus’ beer over to Gia.

  “Drink the beer and go if you’re not into one night stands,” I say as I bring my own beer to my lips.

  A seductive smile spreads over her lips as she drinks the beer. When we’re done, I get up and taking her hand I walk out of the bar.

  “Your place,” I say, hoping it’s nearby.

  “This way.”

  We walk two blocks when we reach her building. As we get into the elevator, she leans in to kiss me. I turn my face away while grabbing a handful of her ass.

  “No kissing.”

  She smiles wickedly as she trails a finger down my chest.

  “Rules,” she purrs. “I’m good at following rules.”

  Yeah, and that’s why you’re a one night stand.

  She’s shorter than Leigh, and her tits must be twice as large. I’m a fucking asshole for comparing every woman I fuck to the only woman I’ve made love to.

  The second Gia opens the front door I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back. I keep my chest pressed against her back as I kick the door closed.

  Her hair reeks of smoke, and I quickly shove it over her other shoulder so I don’t have to inhale it.

  I push her towards the couch and bend her over it. The short dress she’s wearing pulls up, exposing her ass.

  “So you’re an ass man?” she asks as she grinds back against my thighs. I take a condom from my wallet and place it between my teeth so my hands are free to unbuckle my belt. I pull the zip down and don’t even bother shoving my pants down. I won’t be here long enough to get naked. I pull my cock free and quickly roll on the condom.

  I push her dress up until in bunches around her waist. Shoving her panties to the side, I position my cock and shove easily inside. It’s disappointing how stretched she is.

  I grab hold of the couch, not wanting to touch her more than I have to. Closing my eyes, I picture Leigh’s face as I start to move.

  My Doc.

  I can still see her clearly. Her hair scattered over my pillow. Her lips parted while her breath fans over my face. The tight grip her pussy had on my cock.

  Fuck.

  “Yes, baby. Fuck me harder,” Gia groans, yanking me from my fantasy. “Oh yes, yes, yes,” she screams as if she’s coming.

  Disgusted, I pull out and zip up my pants. I don’t even know why I keep trying. I never come.

  Well, there was that one time, but the poor woman had to suck me off until she was blue in the face.

  I walk out of the apartment, not looking back. I just want to get home, take a shower, and get myself off to my memories of Leigh.

  ◆◆◆

  LEIGH

  (Present Day…)

  “Baxter, you’re going solo today.”

  I almost fall off my chair as I swivel around. Dr. Magliato holds a file out to me, which I take.

  “It’s a valve replacement,” she throws over her shoulder as she walks away.

  “But I still have another six months to go.”

  “You’re ready, Baxter.”

  I grin at the huge compliment and do my best to stay professional. It will be frowned upon if I jump all over Dr. Magliato with happiness.

  I’m left standing at the nurses’ station, holding my first solo file.

  “Congrats,” Sebastian sings, winking at me.

  I look at him as the gravity of the moment sinks in.

  “As of right now, I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon,” I whisper.

  “You deserve it, baby-girl,” he says, getting up and hugging me.

  Sebastian has become one of my best friends over the last five years. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been late on my first day. We got into the elevator together and by the time we stepped out on the right floor, I knew I was going to enjoy working with him.

  “Sebastian,” I whisper as a tear spills over my cheek. “It means I’m the youngest cardiothoracic surgeon.”

  “We’re celebrating tonight,” he says, already picking up the phone to call Ryan. They’re the most adorable married couple I’ve ever seen. “Hey, delicious, our girl just received her first solo op. We’re celebrating tonight.” He rolls his eyes which makes me chuckle. “Yes, babe, it’s fine if you dress up. I have to go now.” There’s a pause, then he says, “I love my delicious chunk of hunk, and I can’t wait to bow-chicka-wow-wow with you later.”

  I grip the file tighter as my eyes start to water from trying my best to keep from laughing.

  When he ends the call, I wiggle my eyebrows at him. “Bow-chicka-wow-wow? Sounds like someone’s getting lucky tonight.”

  “You know it. Now get your pretty ass down to surgery so you can prep, you don’t want to be late.”

  I stand on my toes and press a kiss to his cheek before I walk away. I open the file and look at the patient’s details.

  “Sixty-five-year-old male. Calcific tricuspid aortic valve stenosis. Coronary vasculature with minor lesions. Peak gradient 62 mmHg, Mean 40. PA pressure: 49.”

  I stand to the side as they wheel a patient out of the elevator then step inside. As I examine all the information, I feel a sense of calm wash over me.

  I’m going to do this on my own.

  Clenching the file to my chest, I do a quick happy dance before the doors slide open.

  Adrenaline rushes through my veins as I close up the patient. There were no complications. At risk of sounding vain, even I have to admit that I did an amazing job.

  I remove my scrubs and then go over the patient’s postoperative care.

  Walking out of the OR, I switch on my phone so I can call Dad. He’s going to be so proud of me.

  I see a message from Carter and decide to return his call first. I’ve kept in touch with him after his father passed away. We suffered the same loss only months apart, and because of that, we became good friends.

  “Mr. Hayes, I haven’t listened to your message. I saw the missed call and thought I’d just return it.”

  “Leigh, I need your help,” Carter gets right to the point. His voice is laced with anger.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “It’s Marcus. I don’t have all the details because the fuckers hid it from me. There’s something wrong with his heart. He’s in really bad shape. I need you to come and see him. Please, Leigh. It’s Marcus.”

  I stop walking as my mind starts to race. Carter wouldn’t phone unless it were an emergency.

  “I’ll have to get approval for a few personal days. Carter, I have to warn you. I can’t just walk into a hospital and takeover. I can talk with the doctor treating Marcus. I can advise you on what to do, but I can under no circumstances interfere.”

  “Get your personal days approved. I’m sending the private jet for you. If you can help Marcus, I’ll have him transferred to where you are.”

  It will be a waste of time to rationalize with Carter right now. He’s clearly upset. Once I’ve taken a look at Marcus’ file, I’ll talk to Carter.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  It takes me two hours to arrange for personal time off. I hurry home and pack a few items before I leave for the airport. When I’m settled on the plane, I call Dad, so he’ll know where I am.

  Then I dial Carter’s number.

  “I’m on the plane. Wh
o’s treating Marcus?”

  “Dr. Barnard. I don’t know anything about him. I got more information for you. Did you know Marcus was shot?”

  “No,” I whisper, shocked to hear that. Willow never mentioned anything about Marcus being shot.

  We’re still close friends, but we’ve both been so busy that we’re lucky if we speak once a month.

  “He was shot when he was ten. They removed the bullet but apparently, fragments were missed. He has lead poisoning. I’m not sure where the fragments are. Fuck, I wish I knew more.”

  My mind races to process all the information.

  “I’ll have to look at his files, scans, blood work,” I take a breath and remind myself that Carter has little to no medical experience. “I have a number for Dr. Bokeria. He’s a leading specialist in Europe. Give it to Dr. Barnard and have him make the call. I’ve only done one solo surgery, Carter. Marcus has a better chance if Dr. Bokeria gets involved.”

  “Send me the number.” I hear him walk into a quieter room. “I need you here. I trust you.”

  “I’ll be there soon, Carter.”

  “Willow will bring you to the hospital.”

  When I walk through the doors, a huge smile spreads across my face. I rush to meet Willow halfway, and we hug.

  “Oh, my gosh,” I gasp as I hold onto her shoulders so I can look at her. “Your hair! It’s gotten so long.”

  “Yours is gone,” she teases. “I love the short style.”

  “It’s been too long,” I say as I notice the sadness in her eyes. “How are you holding up?”

  She shakes her head and glances away.

  “I know you’re not dating Marcus anymore, but it’s understandable that you’re worried about him.”

  I don’t know what else to say to comfort her.

  “It’s been a rough couple of weeks. I haven’t even told you that we’re back together.”

  My eyebrow shoots into my hairline. They’ve been on and off more than I care to remember.

  “I’ll fill you in on the details on the ride to the hospital.”