Aching for His Discretion (The Discretion Dynasty #1)

37. Teegan

Chapter thirty-seven

Teegan

“ T eegan...” Dr. Wyatt said as the door closed behind him, and I sighed.

“Hi, Dr. Wyatt,” I muttered.

“Your brothers should be leaving soon… Quite the first impression,” he remarked, and I gave a sad smile.

“It’s nothing I haven’t experienced before.” I shrugged and he hummed.

“Would you like to have a seat in my office? I’m sure we’d be more comfortable to talk a bit more. Maybe we’ll even discuss why you were crying a few days ago while you were leaving the hospital as well.”

A blush coated my face as I shook my head. Crying in front of him was bad enough. Knowing he saw me do it before for a reason I know he will think is silly is even worse.

“It’s nothing. It’s stupid. I’ll be fine.”

“First off, don’t invalidate your feelings, and second… I’ll ask again. Why were you crying when you left the hospital? I asked your preceptor if you had rough day and she told me it was great,” he asked, and my heart raced slightly as I felt surprised he would go through such lengths to make sure I was okay.

My bottom lip pouted slightly as I responded truthfully, happy that he wasn’t forcing me to think how to bring up the topic of my “boyfriend” shooting my brother to him.

“Recently, I got a bad score on one of our clinical exams.”

Dr. Wyatt didn’t say anything for a moment as he analyzed me. Eventually, he responded. “Bad as in every other student’s idea of bad, or bad as in Teegan’s idea of what a bad grade is?”

“It was a 78%,” I whispered sadly, and he tilted his head.

“So, essentially, Teegan’s idea of bad then, hmmm?”

Reluctantly, I found myself nodding, and Dr. Wyatt sighed.

“Do you want to know why I was so hard on you during your emergency medicine rotation? Or as the kids would say, why I was such a dick to you?”

My eyes widened slightly, and as a few memories popped up from my time rotating in the ER, I lightly shrugged in response.

“It’s because you needed to be stronger. You were and still are one of the best students I probably will ever have. You learned everything on the first day with ease, had perfect patient interactions and amazing recognition. Hell, I was even able to take a few hours or even a day to myself because you were so amazing. But I also noticed on day one that not only were you a perfectionist, but how doubtful of yourself and beaten down you were when faced with a blow to your perfect streak... You follow me?” he asked, and I nodded. “So I was arrogant, pushy, and mean to make you stronger. Granted, I could’ve done a few things a bit better, but I noticed I probably couldn’t teach you anything you didn’t already know. Despite that fact, I still, however, could teach you responsibility, resilience, strength... so what better way to do so than by making you the head doctor on the floor handling all the patients every now and then?” he said with a slight joke; however, I could tell by the look in his eyes he meant every word… He looked almost… proud of me?

He continued, “And look at you now. You’re breezing by your classmates, gaining all of the respect from hospital staff and patients... all because I knew you could do it on your own if you just had someone to push you and not coddle you for what a great job we already know you’re doing, hmm?” he reasoned.

I bit my lip as I played with the end of my sleeve.

“You were so mean sometimes,” I whispered.

He replied swiftly. “Like I said, I would’ve done a few things differently. By HIPAA standards, too.” I laughed softly at his witty response, and he shrugged. “Your classmates will be even more jealous when they find out you’ve been accepted into an amazing residency program.”

I sighed softly. “I haven’t even decided where I want to go,” I said as it was entirely true. I was still debating where I wanted to work for the next four years of my life. I didn’t know who I wanted to make happy—my brothers, my parents, Levi, the guys... myself.

“Well, there’s Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, UPenn... all of which you will definitely be looking into and applying to, by the way,” he said, and I smiled.

“Dr. Wyatt. I appreciate the enthusiasm and flattery, but I just thought about staying here or moving close to home with my parents. Besides, those hospital programs will be way out of my league.”

“On the contrary, Dr. Monroe: you’re out of the league of this hospital—hell, any hospital in the near hundred-mile range... And if you think I’m going to let you go home to be pressured to do anything other than what you want to do by your brothers, then I might have to start being mean again.”

I shook my head. “I’m not a doctor...” I muttered, and he sighed.

“Yet. One ‘bad’ or rather simply ‘satisfactory’ grade isn’t going to stop you, neither are your brothers… and neither will he .”

Silence . I couldn’t say a word. The look in his eyes was all-knowing and I had no clue what to say in response. How he’d known, I was entirely unsure... but—

“I know Mr. Amante is the one potentially holding you back... Don’t let him,” he said.

I whispered, tears threatening to return to my eyes, “But I love him.”

“And if he loves you, he will understand,” he reasoned.

“How did you know?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“ He threatened to kill me. And working in a hospital emergency room with unjust lawsuits left and right along with death threats… you’ll have to tell him to get in line ,” he muttered.

I sighed as I decided to ignore the fact that Levi threatened one of my advisors.

Thinking back to his suggestion of potential residency programs, I asked, “You really think I can do it?”

“I know you can. With a few letters of recommendation from my colleagues and me, and some additional help with your application, trust me when I say they’ll be begging you to join their program during their interviews.”

Tears rushed to my eyes and I practically jumped from the step as I threw my arms around him, my lip wobbling softly. He paused for a moment, and I whispered as he simply placed a fatherly arm around me comfortingly…

“Thank you for believing in me,” I murmured, and he sighed.

“I always believed in you, Teegan… now, I just made you believe in yourself.”

After arriving home, I greeted my kitty, who lay by the door comfortably waiting for me. Putting my bags down, I quickly washed my hands before bringing out the pre-made tortillas I prepared last night.

Setting them in a baking tray, I placed them in the oven for about twenty minutes, allowing me to take a quick shower as well. Entering the bathroom, I took off my scrubs and jumped into the steaming hot water. My kitty stayed in the bathroom with me for a little while and then ventured off as he most likely got bored.

Today had been eventful , to say the least, much more eventful than it had been in the last few months—but nothing would top the day Beverly and I went into that basement.

Just thinking about her… it made me sad. I trusted her and she couldn’t even see where I was coming from. How I was hurt. How she fell for a boy who practically assaulted me. And now, I don’t know where she is, or if she’s alive. She’s just gone.

Since I went on my break with Levi, the boys didn’t really say much about her disappearance, and eventually, I stopped asking. Though one could clearly connect the dots and notice the pattern with Levi. Anyone who hurts me, physically, mentally, emotionally… he takes care of it.

Though, in theory, the gesture seems courteous, I knew I had to be cautious now. I couldn’t let my emotions for others and the way they treated me show that much… because if I did, Levi and the guys would take care of it. Like they always did for me.

Stepping out of the shower, I finished brushing up before getting dressed in a pair of black tights, a cream sweater, and some socks. Usually, the guys stopped by around seven or eight, and I wanted to be prepared just in case.

Smelling my food, I finished brushing my hair and stepped out of my room to go into the kitchen. However, I paused midway as my eyes caught sight of something.

I felt stuck. I felt as though I couldn’t move. Not only had the tortillas been removed from the stove and placed nicely on one of my plates with sour cream and guacamole, but the aura of my home had shifted—shifted from being carefree and at peace to dark and dangerous… and there was only one person, one man who could make me feel like this without even being near me.

“Tesoro,” he muttered, and a shiver went down my spine as I turned around and made eye contact with the man himself, sitting on my couch, facing me, looking as perfect as ever. He looked pretty much the same, only I could tell he’d been going to the gym just a tad bit more… not that I would complain.

Teegan. The man is in your home uninvited. Please.

“Levi,” I whispered, and he tilted his head as he beckoned me over with two fingers. But I didn’t find myself moving. If anything, I stood as still as a statue.

I debated if I should make a run for it, but I decided against it, remembering my many failed attempts with him. Besides, Grayson was lying beside him and I couldn’t just leave him.

He noticed I wasn’t moving, and a small smile came to his face.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, and he stood up slowly, rolling up the sleeves of his black button-down shirt.

“I missed you, Tesoro,” he admitted, and I gulped softly.

“I thought we were o-on a break,” I whispered, taking a small step back as he approached me.

“And we did take a break. I gave you your space, and I gave you the time you needed.”

“You also shot my brother…” I accused, and he stopped walking, taking a deep breath as he was only a few feet away from me.

“Your brother disrespected you. And I told him before if he ever did again, I’d kill him,” he said truthfully, and I felt taken aback slightly.

“But you didn’t kill him,” I whispered, and he sighed.

“I didn’t, Tesoro… and do you want to know why?” he asked, and I nodded cautiously as he continued walking toward me. “I didn’t kill him because you don’t want me to be that kind of person,” he muttered.

I bit my lip. “He… he said the only reason you didn’t kill him was because you were trying to do better for me,” I muttered.

He was finally in front of me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his forehead against mine as he closed his eyes.

“That’s right…” he muttered, the butterflies in my stomach growing as he caressed my side with his thumb. “That’s the same reason… the girl, Beverly, is alive. I would’ve killed her but I didn’t. She’s transferring schools for the rest of her duration.”

Listening to his words sent a feeling of relief through me. Knowing Beverly was okay despite what had happened was all I needed. And in that moment, I felt as though I could trust him even though part of me knew I shouldn’t have.

“Did you miss me?” he asked.

I thought about it for a moment. I honestly did miss him, but my beating heart reminded me of the trauma I had endured.

“A little,” I said, and he hummed as I ran my hand over his arm. After a moment, he pulled back slightly as he checked the time on his watch.

“Stay for dinner…” I whispered, and he looked away from the watch and back over to me as if he wasn’t sure of what I’d just said. Neither was I. I didn’t know why I wanted him to stay so badly… maybe it was the fact that I was madly in love with him and couldn’t, wouldn’t be able to withstand another day without his dangerous affection.

“Stay... please?” I asked, and he nodded slowly.

I pulled out of his hold and walked to grab him a plate while he simply watched me prepare his food. Avoiding eye contact, I grabbed the two plates and glasses of water before walking him back to the living room.

He helped me, placing the plates down, and I took a seat beside him as I leaned on his shoulder, taking a bite of my tortilla.

He trailed his hand up and down my thigh as I scrolled through Netflix, trying to stop my heart from racing at the thought of the next question I wanted to ask him. Deciding now would probably be the best time to get it out and rip it off like a band-aid, I spoke.

“What do you think about me moving away to another state for residency?” I whispered and gulped softly as he looked over at me.

He remained quiet, and I prayed in that moment as the silence and look in his eyes slowly became more dangerous.