“I’m not going to talk about it.”
“Fine. Whatever. Just know I won’t rat you out. You’re a good girl, I can tell, and I’m sure you’ve got your reasons for keeping quiet about such an interesting development.”
An unlikely ally. I desperately needed one. “Thank you.”
He shrugged, and merged into traffic. “I guess I owe you.”
“What do you mean?”
“After the way you were going at me, acting like you were on life support and my body had the oxygen you so desperately needed, I—”
Suddenly feeling a little more like my old self, I reached over and smacked him in the chest. “Shut up.”
He grinned, his entire face lighting with amusement. “We have another vision like that, and Cole might just kill me in my sleep.”
“Highly doubtful. I think he was just upset that I stayed out all night, making everyone worry.”
His snort echoed through the cab. “Yeah, that’s why he spent hours looking for you.”
He had? Not for my benefit, surely, but for the team’s. “Plus—and please hear me when I say this—I’ve been serious every time I’ve told you I have no interest in you.”
His grin only widened. “You realize you’re just making yourself more attractive to me, right? First, do you really not understand how beautiful you are? Even to a guy like me. And second, there’s never been a female I couldn’t win over.”
Me? Beautiful? “Maybe you’ve gotten the women you’ve wanted in the past, but there’s always a first time for failure.”
He clutched at his heart, as if in pain.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t pretend you like a challenge. I had you pegged at moment one, remember?”
His laughter proved to be infectious, and I reveled in the burst of hilarity with every fiber of my being. I wasn’t sure I’d have many more opportunities.
“A guy can change, you know.”
Change.
“Yeah. A guy can. So can a girl.” I cast my attention to the hills outside and ignored him for the rest of the drive.
*
Gavin followed me inside the mansion, citing, “I was told to see you home safely, and I’d be remiss in my duties if I failed to walk you to your bedroom door. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even try to kiss me goodbye.”
“Stay away from my bedroom, you dirty he-slut.”
He grabbed my hand and twirled me, as if we were dance partners. “I’m liking you more with every second that passes, Als. Maybe there’s some truth to the visions, after all. Seriously. Think about it.”
“Will you shut up about the you-knows? This isn’t a conversation safe zone.” I stalked to the staircase and found a note taped to the banister.
My office, Miss Bell. Now.
Guess I wouldn’t be reading the journal right away. I balled up the paper and threw it at Gavin. “You’re dismissed. Apparently I already have a date.” Mr. Holland must have called Mr. Ankh, and his other personality, Dr. Blood and Guts, must have jumped into action.
“Dismissed,” he said. “That’s another first.”
“You’re welcome.” I switched directions and trudged inside Mr. Ankh’s office.
“Shut the door,” he commanded from the desk.
I obeyed without protest or comment.
“Take a seat.”
Again, I obeyed, my nerves razed more with every second that passed.
He walked around the desk to claim the seat across from mine, then opened a black bag filled with needles, tubes, cotton balls and a ton of other paraphernalia I was sure I didn’t want to know about. There was another black bag in the far corner of the room, filled with vials of the antidote. He kept it there for emergencies.
“Try not to scream,” he muttered, reaching for the tourniquet.
“Sure. You try not to poke something you shouldn’t.”
“I’m a doctor. I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re a surgeon. You know how to cut and sew.”