Page 3 of Resist Me Not (Bloody Desires #4)

Even this early, the day is on the warm side, but I still wear slacks, a button-down, and a blazer.

A well-groomed but not too flashy appearance makes it easier to blend in and seem harmless to passersby.

I also like the tailored look, but mostly for myself.

In male partners, I prefer the ruggedness of a T-shirt and jeans, just like Handsome Med Student.

As he is entering my mind again while I am debating between public transportation and walking, he and his ex burst out of the apartment building’s front entrance.

This isn’t a busy street, more a detour than a main drag, so other than me, there is no one around to bear witness to his ex’s rising ire.

And it is rising. I have seen such men erupt too many times, and the torrent of vitriol when a volcano like him explodes always damages the least deserving.

“—jealous, controlling—” Handsome Med Student is mid scream as they pause along the sidewalk. Neither notices me across the street, easily within eavesdropping distance.

“Like you don’t beg to be told what to do?”

“I fucking do not!”

“The only reason I’m even jealous is because I’m your lowest priority!”

“Lowest? I sacrificed every free night—”

“And then begged me to take care of you whenever you finally graced me with your presence instead of ever giving back!”

“Because all you do is take like a fucking pathetic leech—”

The ex smacks the end of that sentence out of Handsome Med Student’s mouth with a backhand to his cheekbone. An immediate cut blossoms in bright vermillion.

I start across the street. I can see the shock on the ex’s face that his watch slid down enough to add a sharp blade to that slap, but his surprise quickly shifts not to remorse but vindication. He is far from satisfied.

“You asshole !” Handsome Med Student cries. “I am calling the cops—”

The ex’s hand flies back for another slap, but I catch his wrist as it reaches its momentum. I squeeze mercilessly and wrench his arm around behind his back, twisting it as hard and as painfully as I can. I came up from behind him, where neither saw me until I was right there.

Handsome Med Student meets my gaze over his ex’s shoulder. Gray eyes. Especially gray, storm cloud gray with how wide they have become, matching his heather gray T-shirt with what I take for his alma mater emblazoned on the front.

“The fu—?” the ex tries, but I twist his arm harder to silence him.

“Shush now. There is nothing worse than something hideous marring something beautiful,” I growl, not moving my eyes from all that gray. Then I keep twisting until I hear a telling snap.

“ Fuck !”

I release him, and he groans in agony, pulling his wrist in front of him to cradle it.

“You broke my wrist, you freak!” He looks back at me with confused fury. “ I’m the one calling the cops, you—”

“I doubt that very much, given it was in defense of your friend who now has a witness who saw you strike first and prepare to strike again.”

Handsome Med Student looks even handsomer with a growing smile on his face. He has a messenger bag like mine, which I imagine holds his textbook. I bet he’d like to swing it at his ex’s head, but he doesn’t seem bothered by being rescued.

“Better go get that looked at and run along,” I say to the ex, “or you might come to regret it.”

We have him boxed in and outnumbered, so he makes the smart choice by turning tail and heading back into the apartment building. Hopefully, he continues to be smart and calls an ambulance instead of the police.

I turn my attention to Handsome Med Student. He is maybe an inch shorter than me, beautifully buff and bronze, and those gray eyes, almost silver, seem to be appreciating my form as much as I am appreciating his.

This day is proving better than expected.

“Thanks.” He beams at me with a clutch of his bag and bat of long eyelashes.

“That was incredible. I felt so stupid for letting him trap me in that argument. My ex -boyfriend, if it wasn’t obvious—” It was.

“—and a complete creep. Something I learned way too late. I really appreciate the save, even if I’m not usually the damsel in distress type. Or whatever the guy version is.”

“There isn’t one, which I have always felt was a severe disservice.” I close the gap between us with a swift stride. “Aren’t men allowed to be saved?”

He chuckles, the color in his cheeks remaining a perfect pink. “ Dude in distress doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

I feel my own smile widen, because he is beautiful, undoubtedly intelligent, and absolutely captivating.

My interest will likely wane after a week, but while I am enamored with a new obsession, I never feel more alive.

“That looks rather deep.” I raise a hand toward the cut on his face but only to indicate it.

I never touch someone until they ask for it or give me permission, because I do not like being touched without being asked or giving permission.

Aside from my victims. But they don’t deserve courtesy.

Handsome Med Student raises his own hand and hisses as soon as he brushes the cut. It is indeed deep and starting to drip like wet paint.

“Shit. Now I’m feeling it. Stupid adrenaline crash.”

“Do you want to contact the police to press charges?” I ask.

“No. Much as I appreciate the broken wrist, because he definitely deserved that, he’d only try to use it for sympathy and turn things against me. He still might.”

“I am sorry if I made things worse by intervening.”

“No!” He lowers his hand and summons a smile again, much as the strain makes his injured cheek twitch. “I’m just a terrible judge of character. He’s never hit me before though.”

“From my experience, if someone can hit once, they can and will again.”

“Yeah. Well, luckily I’m done with him. I only came back for my textbook. I never plan to see him again.”

“Good.” That means he has no reason to go back inside that apartment building, which could have complicated things for me later on.

He also doesn’t seem to be in too much of a hurry.

“Listen, I’m staying across the street. I always keep a first aid kit with me if you’d like to avoid a hospital visit. ”

“Oh, I just finished my residency.” Which means Handsome Med Student is actually Handsome Doctor . He clutches his bag again, and if I am reading him right, which I usually am, it’s from nerves, not defensiveness. “I wouldn’t want to bother you. I can take care of it myself.”

“You live nearby?”

“No. I took the bus here.”

“Then my room is closer, and if you happen to need stitches, you can let me know how good of a job I do, Doctor . I promise it won’t be my first time.”

He chuckles again, and his cheeks flush redder.

His body language tells me he doesn’t date much, but when he does, he is all in, which is probably why he is hesitant to accept my offer so soon after a breakup, but still interested enough that he eventually blurts, “Why not? Going up to a stranger’s hotel room is probably the stupidest thing someone who just admitted they’re a bad judge of character should do right now, but I don’t think you look like someone who secretly wants to tie me up and keep me in their basement. ”

“Oh, not you.” I grin. “And if you, certainly not for anything other than mutually beneficial reasons.”

The louder laugh that escapes him finally banishes the lingering tension in his shoulders. “So you’re the knight in shining armor type who only saves the prince so he can bang him later?”

“Not on a first date. I would wine and dine you until at least the fourth.”

I have him in stitches now, which makes him hiss again, since the constant smiling is increasing the need for stitches on his cut. But as he resists touching it again, his brow scrunches with the most adorable pinch of concentration. “Why the fourth date and not the third?”

“Everyone expects the third-date rule. By making someone wait, they know to not expect the ordinary from me. And it usually makes them want it more once we get there.” Given how quickly my interest in someone diminishes, I don’t waste time before making my intentions clear.

And being blunt either prompts my object of desire to be on their way or keeps them right where I want them just like I have Handsome Doctor on my hook.

He teeters forward, gray eyes darkening to near navy, as if I have twisted him up in silk bindings and tugged him forward by the neck—a tempting image.

“Now you’ve gone and spoiled the surprise by telling me what to expect on the fourth date. ”

“Guess you’ll have to agree to four dates then to find out if I follow through. But saying yes isn’t a prerequisite for me helping you with that cut. If the answer to a date is no, I’ll keep my hands to myself, other than as needed on that handsome face of yours.”

His heated expression cracks with another surprised chuckle.

He isn’t used to this level of candor, but I think he is starting to realize he likes it.

“Okay. As in I agree to the free first aid and putting way more faith in a stranger than I should, but any dates will have to wait until I see your bedside manner.”

“Deal. And may I ask my doctor in distress’s name?” I gesture him across the street. A distraction of mutual satisfaction is always worth a slight change in the day’s plans. I can still make my lunch date later and save travel writing for the afternoon.

“You first, sir knight.”

“Trey Fisher. A pleasure to meet you.”

“You too, Trey. I’m Walker. Doctor Walker Hammond.”