Kissed and Conquered

Chapter Nine: Her Past

Emily Harper barely had time to catch her breath outside the OR before Chad, the patient’s son, barreled toward her like a linebacker on a mission. He grabbed her arms and shook her so hard her teeth rattled. “Doc! Is my dad okay? Surgery went fine, right? Why aren’t you saying anything? Oh God, did you botch it? I knew a rookie chick couldn’t handle it! If my dad’s gone, I’m suing this whole hospital into the ground!”

“Chad, your dad’s fine,” Nathan Brooks cut in, his voice cool as a cucumber but sharp enough to slice through the panic. “Keep shaking Dr. Harper like a maraca, though, and she’s the one who’ll need a stretcher.”

Chad froze, his hands still gripping Emily’s arms. He squinted at her, suspicion written all over his face. “You’re saying… the surgery worked? My dad’s really okay?”

“Textbook success,” Emily said, forcing a smile despite the urge to roll her eyes so hard they’d get stuck. “I’m a doctor, not a used car salesman. No need to spin you a yarn.”

“For real?” Chad’s jaw dropped. “You’re not punking me?”

“Buddy, I just spent eight hours stitching your dad back together,” Emily said, her patience thinner than a cheap paper towel. “I’m not here to play Prank Wars. He’s stable, breathing, and ready to yell at you for forgetting his birthday again.”

Chad’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Oh, man, thank you, Doc! You’re the best!” Before Emily could brace herself, he grabbed her arms again and shook her with all the enthusiasm of a golden retriever. “Thank you, thank you!”

“Whoa!” Emily’s exhausted legs buckled, and she hit the floor with a thud, clutching her ankle. Pain shot through her like she’d stepped on a Lego. Eight hours in surgery, and now I’m eating linoleum. Perfect.

“Harper!” Nathan’s brow furrowed as he dropped to one knee beside her. His hand gently lifted her ankle, his touch clinical but warm. He inspected it with the precision of a jeweler eyeing a diamond. “Sprained, not broken. I’ll get you to my office for ice. Hang tight.”

Emily blinked, her brain snagging on one detail. Did he just call me ‘Harper’… or ‘Em’? The way he said it felt… familiar, like a nickname she hadn’t heard in years. We’re not that close, are we? Her mind raced, but the pain in her ankle kept her grounded.

Chad, still frozen in his shaking pose, looked like he’d just realized he’d broken his mom’s favorite vase. “Uh… crap, did I do that? Dr. Harper, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Move!” Nathan scooped Emily up in his arms, his voice a low growl that could’ve made a grizzly back off. His glare pinned Chad to the wall, radiating a chill that turned the hallway arctic. “Step aside, or you’ll be apologizing from a hospital bed.”

Chad’s bravado crumbled, but his pride kicked in. He was clearly someone used to getting his way—probably a trust-fund kid with a fancy watch and fancier ego. “Hey, what’s with the attitude, man? You’re a doctor, not a bouncer! You don’t get to talk to me like that!”

Nathan took a step forward, still cradling Emily, his height and presence making Chad look like a Chihuahua yapping at a Great Dane. “Attitude? You insulted my surgeon before the operation and nearly broke her after. I don’t owe you a smile and a handshake, kid.”

Chad’s face flushed, but he couldn’t meet Nathan’s eyes. “I… I didn’t mean it like that. And I said sorry, didn’t I?”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” Nathan shot back. “If I say sorry for my tone, you gonna scamper out of my way, or are we doing this the hard way?”

“You—!” Chad sputtered, puffing out his chest. “I’ll have your job, Brooks! One call to your boss, and you’re toast!”

“Knock yourself out,” Nathan said, his voice dripping with indifference. He started to move past Chad, Emily still in his arms.

But Chad, fueled by ego and bad decisions, spread his arms like a human barricade. “Not so fast, hotshot!”

Emily felt Nathan’s body tense, his aura shifting from annoyed to downright dangerous. She’d seen him flip from charming to terrifying before, but this was next-level. If she didn’t step in, Chad was about to learn what “out of his league” really meant.

“Hey, Chad,” she said quickly, her voice cutting through the standoff. “I’m sorry for Dr. Brooks’ tone. He’s wiped from surgery—cut him some slack, yeah?”

Nathan’s eyes flicked to her, his expression screaming What the hell, Harper? She ignored him, grabbing his arm and giving a subtle shake of her head. Not worth it, big guy.

Her soft plea worked like a charm. Nathan’s scowl softened, the storm in his eyes calming to a simmer. Chad, sensing he’d dodged a bullet, straightened up, his ego slightly less bruised. He glanced at Emily’s swollen ankle, guilt creeping into his face. “Look, I messed up, okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you, Dr. Harper. I’ll make it right—whatever it takes.”

“Whatever it takes?” Emily’s voice sharpened. That phrase—responsible—set her teeth on edge. She wasn’t some damsel looking for a payout.

Before she could say more, Chad whipped out a checkbook, scribbled furiously, and thrust a check at her. “Here. For your trouble.”

Emily’s eyes narrowed as she took the check, her blood simmering. Six zeros stared back at her, the ink still wet. A million bucks? For a sprained ankle? She locked eyes with Chad, her voice ice-cold. “What’s this supposed to mean?”

Chad grinned, oblivious to the storm brewing. “Compensation, Doc. If it’s not enough, I can double it. Name your price.”

Emily’s laugh was sharp enough to cut glass. She loved money—who didn’t?—but this felt like a slap in the face, like Chad thought she was some gold-digger faking an injury for a payday. “Real generous, Chad,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “A million bucks for a twisted ankle? You must think I’m running a scam out here.”

Chad scratched his head, confused. “Uh… I just thought—”

Rip. Emily tore the check in half, the sound echoing like a gunshot. She flung the pieces at Chad’s face, where they fluttered down like confetti at a parade. “Keep your money. I don’t need your pity or your insults. Dr. Brooks, let’s bounce—this place is giving me hives.”

Nathan’s lips twitched, a flicker of amusement breaking through his stony demeanor. “You heard the lady,” he said, shooting Chad a look that could’ve curdled milk. He carried Emily down the hall, leaving Chad staring at the shredded check like a kid who’d just dropped his ice cream cone.

In Nathan’s office, he set Emily on a chair and grabbed an ice pack from a mini fridge. He knelt in front of her, gently icing her ankle with the focus of a bomb tech. “No major damage,” he said, spraying some medicated spray on the swelling. “I’ll grab you some anti-inflammatories. Take it easy for a few days. If you don’t want to burn sick leave, I can swing you desk duty.”

“Thanks,” Emily mumbled, her mind elsewhere. She stared at Nathan, his hands steady and practiced, and that nagging feeling hit her again. Why does he act like he knows me? The way he’d called her ‘Em,’ the way he trusted her in the OR—it was like he had a file on her she didn’t even know existed.

Nathan caught her staring and raised a brow. “What’s up, Harper? You look like you’re trying to solve a murder mystery.”

Emily hesitated, then shook her head. “Just… wondering how I ended up owing you again. You’re like a human IOU machine.”

He chuckled, standing and slipping his hands into his pockets. “Stick with me, Harper, and you’ll owe me enough to buy a private island. Rest up—you earned it today.”

As he walked out, Emily leaned back, her ankle throbbing but her mind racing. Nathan Brooks wasn’t just her boss. He was a puzzle, and she was starting to suspect the pieces were tied to a past she couldn’t quite remember.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?