Dr. Alex Reed turned, his face flushed a deep crimson, and he looked at me, a soft plea in his eyes: “I’m not… quite sure how to use this… Is this right? Could you… could you help me with it?” A smirk played on my lips, my eyes darkening. My voice came out a low rasp, “Didn’t realize you were so… *adventurous*, Dr. Reed.” I was inspecting my bar as usual when I spotted a man at the counter, completely wasted. I sighed. I walked up to him, grabbing his collar, feeling a surge of irritation. “Why are *you* always here, getting hammered?” But then I actually looked at him, and my grip loosened. I swallowed, feeling a pang of apology. “My bad. I totally mistook you for someone else. Hi, I’m Noah Hayes, the owner of this bar.” The man squinted at me, his voice soft and slurred. “Hi. I’m Alex Reed.” *Ding-dong.* Alex’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered it, swaying precariously, then stumbled out. I picked up the business card he’d dropped on the floor. The bartender came out from the back, looking a little troubled when he saw me. “Mr. Hayes, that customer… he didn’t pay his tab.” I just brushed a speck of dust from the card, a strange glint in my eyes. “Put Dr. Reed’s tab on my account.” I got a call and rushed to the hospital. My heart sank when I saw my father lying in the hospital bed. I stayed there all night. In the morning, the doctor who came to check on my father arrived. I stood up, and my gaze shot up, landing on a familiar face. I was surprised, but also a little pleased. It was the man I’d met last night. Dr. Reed looked at me, explaining the situation. “Dr. Miller, your father’s attending physician, has been transferred. I’m Dr. Reed, and I’ll be taking over his care now.” I looked at the man before me, now dressed in a crisp white coat, which gave him a cool, detached aura. I nodded to Dr. Reed. “Then I’ll be relying on you, Dr. Reed. But you look a little familiar. I think I saw you at a bar last night. Were you there, Dr. Reed?”
Dr. Reed paused for a beat, then shook his head. I yawned, said goodbye to Dr. Reed, and headed home to sleep. I was soaking in the tub, twirling Dr. Reed’s business card between my fingers. The photo on it, a younger version of him in what looked like a prep school uniform, flashed a confident, slightly mischievous smile right at the camera. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alex. Reed.” The next morning, I bought breakfast and headed to the hospital. I ran into Dr. Reed on the way, so I walked up to him and offered him the food. He was a bit distant with me, but I didn’t give up, pestering him every day. He always maintained a cold, indifferent attitude. One day, I bought breakfast again, looking for Dr. Reed. I ran into Dr. Miller instead. Dr. Miller smiled. “Looking for Alex again, huh? Alex isn’t on duty today. He should be resting at home.” I asked Dr. Miller for Dr. Reed’s home address. I reached an old, rundown apartment building, the narrow street reeking of… everything. I frowned, pinching my nose slightly. I knocked on Dr. Reed’s door for what felt like ages, but no one answered. So I just… kicked it in. Inside, I found him lying on a small, worn cot, covered in bruises and cuts. I had no choice but to carry Alex back to my place and call a private doctor. Seeing him so battered, a wave of pain washed over me. I went out to the balcony to clear my head. The weak figure on my bed slowly opened his eyes. I looked at him. “I’m awake?” Alex looked at me, his voice hoarse. “Where is this? How did I get here?” I sighed dramatically. “This is my place. I carried you here. Seriously, you’re so damn light. I’m not short, but picking you up felt like nothing. Like I barely used any strength at all.” Alex started to get up, ready to leave. I stopped him. “It’s already evening. Stay for dinner before you go. Don’t tell me you’re not hungry?”
Alex froze, but then followed me into the kitchen. I served him a bowl of porridge and some pasta. He sat stiffly, a little uncomfortable. I glanced at him. “Relax. I made it for both of us, and it’s not *that* bad.” Alex ate slowly. I watched him finish, then cleaned up. I couldn’t resist asking him, “Where did those injuries come from? If you don’t want to talk about it, then…” Dr. Reed cut me off, his voice flat. “Thank you for your hospitality. I know what you’re trying to do, but please, stop bothering me. You’re… a nuisance.” I froze, disbelief washing over me. Alex turned and left. I watched his retreating back, lost in thought. The next morning, I went to the hospital as usual, but instead of seeking out Dr. Reed, I headed straight for my father’s room. The door opened, and I looked up, surprised to see Dr. Miller, not Alex. Dr. Miller seemed to read my mind, offering casually, “Oh, Alex was transferred back to internal medicine. I’ll be handling your father’s case from now on.” I nodded absently, then, as if drawn by an unseen force, found myself at the bar. The moment I walked in, I saw Dr. Reed, his arm around another man. My gaze sharpened, my eyes darkening as I fixed on them. I didn’t know why, but a wave of irritation washed over me. I went to drink alone, getting a little buzzed. Then a hand snatched the glass from mine. I spun around, my gaze locking on Caleb Hayes. My irritation flared. “What are *you* doing here? What, aren’t you going to go find your ‘friend’ anymore?” Caleb seemed slightly embarrassed by my words. Then, without a word, he slid his hand beneath my shirt, his fingers trailing across my skin. I’d just been drinking, and his touch instantly set me on edge, a low hum of arousal stirring deep inside me.
I grabbed Caleb’s hand, my eyes narrowing, piercing him with a cold stare. “Stop it. Just stop touching me. I told you I’m not interested. So stay away from me.” Caleb immediately deflated. I glanced at the empty seat next to him, my face cold, and drank until midnight, finally stumbling home and collapsing into bed. My phone on the nightstand wouldn’t stop ringing, but I ignored it. When I finally woke up, I saw Alex Reed’s face hovering over mine. It took me a moment to realize I was in my own house. Seeing him there was unbelievable. I spoke calmly. “What are you doing at my place?” Alex placed a freshly made breakfast in front of me, taking his time. “Your father’s condition suddenly worsened yesterday, and I called you, but you didn’t answer. So I had no choice but to come find you. Your father’s condition is stable now.” I nodded in thanks. Alex left, and after resting for a while, I headed to the bar. Passing through a small alley, I heard a familiar voice. I stopped and walked into the alley. I saw Alex, someone grabbing his hair and slamming his head against the wall. I lunged forward, beating the guy senseless. The thug was furious. “Who the hell are you?! How dare you interfere!” I looked at the bruises on Alex’s face, my eyes darkening dangerously. I turned to the thug, my voice cold. “Did *you* do that to him? What right did you have?” The guy spat, a sneer twisting his lips. “Yeah, I hit him. That lowlife owes me loan shark money. I’m his creditor. Why *can’t* I hit him?” I let out a cold laugh, then unleashed a flurry of blows right to *his* face. The thug reeled back, blood gushing. It was only when Alex grabbed my arm, pulling me back, that I finally stopped. I pulled a card from my wallet and flung it at the guy, a sneer on my face. “This covers his debt and *your* medical bills. Don’t let me ever see you again.”
I carried Alex back to my place. I cleaned his wounds, my face remaining impassive the entire time. Alex, carefully, almost whispered, “Thank you. I… I’ll pay you back.” After I finished applying the ointment, I turned and went out onto the balcony for some air, ignoring Alex completely. He looked a little awkward, wanting to leave. I saw his hesitation, my voice flat. “I doubt you can even go back to your place right now. So, you want to sleep on the street?” Alex stopped, then finally conceded. I went to the bathroom to shower. Seeing the photos hanging on the wall only fueled the anger churning inside me. After my shower, I found Alex sitting on the couch. I walked up to him, pushing him down onto the cushions, fighting to control the rage in my heart. “Alex Reed, do you think you’re some kind of martyr? Letting yourself get beaten like that without fighting back, playing the saint? And then you’re canoodling with other men? Bravo, really. Just *bravo*.” Alex avoided my gaze, still unresponsive. I stared at him, a cold laugh escaping my lips. “Fine, fine. Good for you.” I roughly twisted Alex’s face towards me, my mouth crashing down on his. I bit hard, and he let out a muffled gasp. I seized the opening, my tongue plunging in, tangling with his like a furious storm. He pushed back, but I slammed his hands against the couch, pinning him. My hands, no longer innocent, roamed freely over his body. His fresh-from-the-shower scent, combined with the raw hunger inside me, ignited a desperate heat that burned through every inch of my skin. That night, reason crumbled, utterly consumed by a raging inferno of desire. The next morning, I woke up to find the spot beside me empty. I’d gotten up early on purpose, heading to the hospital to find Alex.
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