As Paige was walking down the corridor, an orderly came up to her. “Dr. Taylor…”
“Yes?”
“Dr. Wallace would like to see you in his office.”
“Thank you,” Paige said. She wondered who the new senior surgeon would be. Anybody will be an improvement, Paige thought. She walked into Benjamin Wallace’s office.
“Well, you look much better today, Paige.”
“Thanks. I feel much better.” And she did. She felt great, filled with an enormous sense of relief.
“I talked to Dr. Barker.”
Paige smiled. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“He won’t let you go.”
Paige’s smile faded. What?
“He said you’re assigned to his team and you’ll stay there.”
She could not believe what she was hearing. “But why?” She knew why. The sadistic bastard needed a whipping girl, someone to humiliate. “I’m not going to stand for it.”
Dr. Wallace said ruefully, “I’m afraid you have no choice. Unless you want to leave the hospital. Would you like to think about it?”
Paige did not have to think about it. “No.” She was not going to let Barker force her to quit. That was his plan. “No,” she repeated slowly. “I’ll stay.”
“Good. Then that’s settled.”
Not by a long shot, Paige thought. I’m going to find some way to pay him back.
In the doctors’ dressing room, Ken Mallory was getting ready to make his rounds. Dr. Grundy and three other doctors walked in.
“There’s our man!” Grundy said. “How are you doing, Ken?”
“Fine,” Mallory said.
Grundy turned to the others. “He doesn’t look like he just got laid, does he?” He turned back to Mallory. “I hope you have our money ready. I plan to make a down payment on a little car.”
Another doctor joined in. “I’m buying a whole new wardrobe.”
Mallory shook his head pityingly. “I wouldn’t count on it, suckers. Get ready to pay me off!”
Grundy was studying him. “What do you mean?”
“If she’s a lesbian, I’m a eunuch. She’s the horniest broad I ever met. I practically had to hold her off the other night!”
The men were looking at one another, worried.
“But you didn’t get her into the sack?”
“The only reason I didn’t, my friends, is because we were interrupted on the way to the bedroom. I have a date with her Saturday night, and it will all be over but the shouting.” Mallory finished dressing. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me…”
An hour later, Grundy stopped Kat in the corridor.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he said. He looked angry.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s that bastard Mallory. He’s so sure of himself that he’s telling everyone he’s going to get you into bed by Saturday night.”
“Don’t worry,” Kat said grimly. “He’s going to lose.”
When Ken Mallory picked Kat up Saturday night, she had on a low-cut dress that accentuated her voluptuous figure.
“You look gorgeous,” he said admiringly.
She put her arms around him. “I want to look good for you.” She was clinging to him.
God, she really wants it! When Mallory spoke, his voice was husky. “Look, I have an idea, Kat. Before we go out to dinner, why don’t we slip into the bedroom and…”
She was stroking his face. “Oh, darling, I wish we could. Paige is home.” Paige was actually at the hospital, working.
“Oh.”
“But after dinner…” She let the suggestion hang in the air.
“Yes?”
“We could go to your place.”
Mallory put his arms around her and kissed her. “That’s a wonderful idea!”
He took her to the Iron Horse, and they had a delicious dinner. In spite of herself, Kat was having a wonderful time. He was charming and amusing, and incredibly attractive. He seemed genuinely interested in knowing everything about her. She knew he was flattering her, but he really seemed to mean the compliments he paid her.
If I didn’t know better…
Mallory had hardly tasted his food. All he could think was, In two hours I will be making ten thousand dollars…In one hour, I will be making ten thousand dollars…In thirty minutes…
They finished their coffee.
“Are you ready?” Mallory asked.
Kat put her hand over his. “You have no idea how ready, darling. Let’s go.”