Chapter 3

Desiree scrambled up from the floor, her hand pressing against her lower back where it had hit the cart. Her face was a mask of pain, but her eyes were darting around the room, calculating. She straightened her rumpled scrubs and lifted her chin.

"This is assault!" she shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at Devin. "Security! This man is interfering with a medical procedure! I want him removed!"

Devin didn't even look at her. He walked over to the counter and picked up a sterile specimen bag. With precise, deliberate movements, he dropped the syringe containing the 5mg dose of Diazepam into the bag and sealed it.

Kenzie watched from the safety of his arms. She turned her head, her gaze landing on Desiree's white coat. The left pocket was bulging slightly.

"Check her left pocket," Kenzie thought, her voice a dry whisper in Devin's mind. "She has an unlabeled vial in there. It's a fast-acting hallucinogen from the black market. She was going to swap it out if anyone asked questions."

Devin's eyes flicked to the pocket. He saw the slight bulge. A dangerous smile touched his lips.

The doors to the ER burst open. A short, portly man in an expensive suit rushed in, his face covered in sweat. Julian Cromwell, the Chief of Pediatrics, looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He saw Devin and practically threw himself into a bow.

"Mr. Ayers! I came as soon as I heard. I am so sorry for this inconvenience-"

"Inconvenience?" Devin cut him off, his voice like ice. He shifted Kenzie to one arm and pointed the specimen bag at Julian. "Is it hospital policy for your doctors to administer lethal doses of sedatives to infants, Julian?"

Julian's face drained of color. He looked at the bag, then at the syringe inside. "Lethal... dose?" He turned to Desiree, his eyes wide. "Dr. Dillon, explain this. Now."

Desiree's lower lip trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over her cheeks. She looked utterly heartbroken. "Dr. Cromwell, I swear, it was a mistake. I've been on shift for thirty-six hours. My vision blurred. I grabbed the wrong vial. I would never hurt a child!"

She sobbed, covering her face with her hands. It was a masterful performance.

Kenzie rolled her eyes internally. "She was doing lines of coke in the club bathroom until three in the morning. Her blood is probably half stimulants right now. Fatigue, my ass."

Devin heard the thought. The corner of his mouth twitched. He looked at Arthur, who was standing like a statue by the door. "Arthur. Search her left pocket."

Arthur moved. He was across the room in two strides. Desiree screamed, trying to twist away, but Arthur was a wall of muscle. He grabbed her arm with one hand and plunged his other hand into her left pocket.

He pulled out a small, amber glass bottle. There was no label. No prescription. Nothing but a tiny, ominous container.

Arthur dropped it on the stainless steel counter. It clinked loudly in the silent room.

Desiree's knees buckled. She collapsed into a chair, her face ashen. The tears stopped instantly.

Julian leaned in, squinting at the bottle. He recognized the type. It was a street-grade narcotic dispenser. Not something found in any legitimate pharmacy. His face turned from pale to purple with rage.

"Medical error?" Devin stepped closer, his shadow falling over the cowering doctor. "You bring street drugs into my hospital and try to murder my ward?"

Julian was shaking. "Mr. Ayers, I had no idea-"

"Seal this room," Devin ordered, his voice echoing off the tile walls. "Freeze all security footage. I want her medical license revoked by the end of the hour. And call the Medical Board. I want a full investigation into this department."

"Yes, sir! Immediately, sir!" Julian stammered, waving frantically at the security guards. "Get her out of here! Detain her!"

Two guards rushed in, hauling Desiree to her feet. She didn't fight. She just stared at the floor, her face a mask of pure, venomous hatred.

Devin turned away from the spectacle. He looked down at Kenzie. The fever was still there, but her breathing had steadied. The fear was gone from her eyes.

"Prepare the VIP suite on the top floor," Devin commanded Julian. "I want the best pediatric team in the city here in ten minutes."

"Of course, sir. Right away," Julian squeaked, rushing for the phone.

Devin carried Kenzie toward the private elevator. The doors slid shut, cutting off the chaos of the ER. The elevator hummed as it ascended. Kenzie nestled deeper into his chest, the heat from his body a comforting shield against the chill in her bones.

"You're not so bad," she thought, a sleepy contentment in her voice. "Better than the last batch of bodyguards I had. They just watched me die."

Devin's hand tightened slightly on her back. He stared at the elevator doors, his expression unreadable. But in the quiet of the elevator, a low, rough sound rumbled in his chest. It might have been a chuckle.

"Little monster," he murmured.