As Alexander drove out of his mentor’s mansion, he felt more relaxed than ever before. The smile on his lips refused to go away as he realized he was a free man now. A year was a long time, and he hardly believed that Beatrix could ever change. Her dad would see it eventually, just as he had. Now he was free to pursue Eva!
The thought of Eva made him steer the car towards her hospital. He had completely forgotten his mission to teach that intern a lesson. What was his name? Yes, Victor Garrett. It was 8 o’clock in the night and he surely had reached the hospital for his night duty. He parked his car and walked down towards the main entrance from the parking lot but froze mid-way at seeing Eva laughing with a group comprising three doctors and two nurses. So this was why she loved the overtime duties so much! He stormed towards them, his face flushed with fury. He was sure that Victor Garrett would be one doctor in the group. The helpless and crazy feeling that he felt every time he caught Eva with the young doctor was back again. He knew it was sheer jealousy! Eva was right in her surmise!
“Eva, I need to talk to you,” he growled, trying to hold his anger at bay. He couldn’t erupt before he dealt with the doctor.
Eva’s smile disappeared at hearing Alexander’s voice. Did she actually hear him, or was it her imagination? Why would Alexander come here?
“Eva!” he repeated and startled out of her wit’s end, she turned around and saw him taking long angry strides towards her. Her heart raced with apprehension as she glanced at the jaw-dropped stare of her colleagues.
“Alexander! What are you doing here?” she asked breathlessly as he neared her, coming to a halt inches away from her. With his angry gaze pinned upon her, Eva could hardly think straight.
“I came to see you, but what are you doing here? Don’t you have a duty?”
“Won’t you introduce us, Eva?” prodded a nurse in the group, eyeing Alexander with interest. Eva looked puzzled, knowing how Alexander would react when introduced to Victor.
“Sure, this is Alexander,” she started, but Victor couldn’t stop the disappointed grunt from escaping his throat, immediately drawing Alexander’s attention towards him. The two men glared at one another as if ready for a battle. Eva shifted in front of Alexander to stop him from doing something stupid.
“Oh, and?” prodded nurse Laura with interest.
“And he’s her boyfriend,” gritted out Victor while Eva’s eyes widened with horror.
“Wow! I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Eva! Hi, Alexander, I’m Laura and these are our colleagues and friends, Dr. Peter Stanton, Paediatrics; Dr. Victor Garrett, Neonatal; Dr. Steve Martin, Paediatric Emergency and that’s nurse Katherine from our Paediatrics Department as well,” said nurse Laura while Eva stood frozen. She could feel Alexander’s hard torso brush against her back, but she was too embarrassed to look at him for his reaction.
“He is..” Eva started, but felt Alexander wrap his arm around her waist, drawing her into his body. It startled her, and she stared up at him with surprise.
“Quite possessive of her!” Alexander completed the sentence for her, his eyes challenging Victor all along.
“She’s yours, dude. I’m off to report to Dr, Grant,” said Victor, walking away with a chuckle. The rest waved at them and followed him into the hospital, leaving Eva alone with a moody Alexander. She turned to face him, but strangely, his arm remained around her waist.
“What’s going on, Alexander? What was that all about? You shouldn’t have lied to my colleagues,” she accused him, extracting herself from his hold, but he gripped her arm instead to keep her from escaping.
“Why are you so concerned? Are you upset that Garrett would stop pursuing you now?” he asked instead, his eyes boring into hers while his fingers tightened their hold on her arm. Eva winced and looked at her arm.
“You’re hurting me, Alexander,” she whispered, wincing with pain, knowing that grip would leave a mark on her pale skin. Alexander released her immediately and strode away, back to his car, leaving Eva gaping at him. What was wrong with him? Why did he have to claim to be her boyfriend in front of her colleagues? Confused, she went inside to start her duty, but throughout the time, her thoughts were on Alexander’s weird behavior.
When she returned home at six in the morning the next day, she dozed off to sleep, unaware of Alexander’s presence in the room. Alyssa had gone to the departmental store and Alexander had come in to check up on Eva before going to work.
A strange magnetic pull had him come down to his sister’s apartment even after she left. He knew Eva was all alone, but the restlessness in his heart since last night didn’t let him sleep. He entered her bedroom and watched her sleep in her tiny shorts and crop top, the mark of his fingers prominent on her arm. Feeling a little guilty, he went near and stood at her bedside. The bluish bruise on her arm was completely his doing. Why did he always lose his shit around her? He wanted to kiss the bruise he had given her, but he feared she might wake her up.
He sat down beside her, his fingers tucking the hair off her beautiful face. The urge to kiss those luscious, pouty lips drove him wild. Why couldn’t he ever get what he wanted? Why was his life so doomed? Even at twenty-eight, all his wishes and dreams were left unfulfilled! Her skin felt so soft that he couldn’t stop himself from caressing her cheeks. She must be so tired! Why couldn’t she take up duty in the daytime so that she could have dinner with him every day?
Eva stirred and turned to face him, immediately alerting Alexander. He retracted his hand but couldn’t move away as yet. The wish to hold her, to lie down next to her, to feel those lips again against his drove him insane. He knew she was bursting with questions because of his impulsive behavior of last night, but he wasn’t ready to answer her yet. He himself did not know why he introduced himself as her boyfriend to Victor. Whatever it was, he loved the idea immensely, unlike the time he was with Beatrix. He used to hate being engaged to her!
Twenty minutes had passed by and with Eva stirring more frequently, Alexander knew it was time for him to leave. With a sigh, he slipped away quietly just as he had entered. Eva woke up a few minutes later and stretched her tired body. She could have slept more, but the scent of Alexander’s signature cologne penetrated her nose even in her sleep, making her restless. She swung her legs to get off the bed but strangely, she could inhale Alexander’s scent all over the room and even on her bed!
How could that be possible? Had he come in while she slept? She went out of her room to ask Alyssa, but she was nowhere to be found. Where did Alyssa go now? She freshened up and went into the kitchen to get some coffee and breakfast, but sadly, there was nothing other than just coffee. What did the girl eat with nothing at home?
Groaning with hunger, she ransacked the refrigerator but found nothing other than two cans of juice. The doorbell rang, and she rushed to open it, expecting Alyssa.
“Alyssa, there’s nothing at home. I’m going to the store now.” She blurted out in a single breath when she froze seeing Alexander carrying two parcels of food.
“Good morning! I thought you could do with some breakfast since there’s nothing to eat at your place. Lisa is at the departmental store. She just called to say she’d be late,” said Alexander, handing her the food packets. Dazed, Eva accepted the packets, wondering how he knew that there wasn’t anything in their house.
“Thanks,” she breathed, checking his formal wear. He might be on his way to work when Alyssa called him and asked him to order some food for her. “Sorry to be a bother. Alyssa could have called me.” Alexander shrugged, knowing that her sister called her while she was fast asleep.
“It isn’t a bother at all. In fact, this breakfast is for the two of us, but you aren’t inviting me inside.”
Eva gaped at him for a few seconds and then, realizing what he just said, she stepped aside to let him enter. “You don’t need my permission to enter your own apartment. Why didn’t you use your set of keys this time?” asked Eva as she walked towards the dining table with the food packets.
Alexander followed her, looking around the apartment as if searching for something. Eva followed his movements, suspiciously wondering what exactly he was searching for. He walked over to her bedroom to her immense astonishment and Eva dropped everything and followed him. What in the name of God was the guy up to?
He suddenly pounced upon a bunch of keys lying at the foot of her bed. Eva’s eyes widened with shock. “Whose keys are those? Where did they come from?”
“They’re mine. I forgot them here.” Eva’s mouth hung open at his admission. What?