Chapter 28

I stumble onto the floor in a daze. I don't know how to make sense of everything Liz just told me. I could challenge her. I could question her. But in my heart, in my fucking soul, I know everything she's saying is true.

Liz isn't getting anything out of telling me this. I owe her nothing. There is no getting back together with her. But more than that, I think of Cayden. I think of what he's done. The moves he's pulled and the stories he's created. He paid women off to get me fired and ruin my name and reputation. He got fired from Mayo. How did I not know that? Nice of them to not reach out, but that doesn't surprise me.

I left angry and definitely not on the best of terms.

But then he shows up here with a sappy bullshit apology as he tries to worm his way back in, but for what? What is he up to?

Trying to break me and Katy up, or is it?—

"Bennett?" A soft but firm voice comes from behind me as I step out of the locker room. I turn to find a sheepish-looking Cricket. "I wanted to apologize to you. I thought everything over, and I had no business showing up at your house last night. That was beyond inappropriate."

I clear my thoughts for a moment. "Cricket, how did you learn where I live?"

She shifts her weight, a blush creeping up her face. "Didn't Katy tell you?"

"No. We just talked about why you stopped by." And then I took her in the kitchen and after that, all talk about Cricket was over. But before I kissed her, she did say… something, right? Or started to, maybe?

She shifts again and looks off to her right before turning back to me. "Your friend Cayden came looking for you, but he had just missed you. He asked me to deliver this to you. He said he was leaving town and wanted you to have it." She hands me a brown paper bag that I reflexively take. "He asked if I could deliver it to your house, and I should have told him no. Again, I'm sorry."

I press my hand against the bag, trying to figure out what this could be. "Thank you, Cricket. It's not something we need to talk or think about again, okay? As for my relationship with Katy, it's had no impact on our work here nor will it ever. And you should know, I'm no longer in charge of fellowships."

She stares at the center of my chest. "Yes. Katy told me that."

"Are we okay then?"

Her eyes finally come up to mine. "Yes. We're okay. I was shocked and, well, assumed the worst, but like I said, I thought it over last night. You've always been fair with both of us and never showed any favoritism. I'd like us to put this all behind us and move forward."

"Good. Thank you. I'm relieved to hear that." I open the bag and freeze when I get a peek at what's inside. Thunder rumbles through my veins, and my insides shock with lightning. "Cricket, did you open this?"

"No," she says. "I had already crossed enough lines."

With that, she walks off, and I thank my lucky stars that she didn't look.

Because what the absolute fuck? How on earth did he do this? Giving a quick search, I find myself alone in the hall and pull the pictures out. I scroll through them at a rapid pace and then shove them back in the bag, crinkling it up tight.

Those are pictures of me having sex with a woman I've never seen before. A woman I've never met before. But that's my body in those images. My face. It's me on top of someone.

And Cayden handed those images to Cricket with the intent of either her seeing them, Katy seeing them, or me seeing them. Or more likely all three. My heart starts to pound in a way it never has before.

If he's been watching me, then he knows I'm with Katy. And if he showed up here right after I left, there's a chance he heard me on the phone with my mom when I told her I was stopping by before heading home. Jesus Christ. This is the most fucked-up thing I've ever experienced.

Katy is working a night shift tonight. Her plan was to sleep in as late as she could and then go swimming. I need to talk to her, but I don't want to do it over the phone. This has to be an in-person conversation.

I rub my forehead. How will I ever get her to believe me? I know how this looks and how it seems, and she has no reason to believe me other than the faith we have in each other. But is it strong enough for this? I don't know. If it were reversed, would I even listen to an explanation when pictures of her having sex with another man are right in front of me? Pictures dated last week at that. Probably not.

I can't do this. Not again. Never with her. I can't lose Katy. It's not even an option.

But I can't hide this from her either. Hiding them is worse. It looks guilty when I'm not. And I won't lie or keep things from her.

For now, I rush back into the locker room and stuff the bag in my locker. Closing it with a resounding bang, I head back out onto the floor. I text Katy, asking if she can come in thirty minutes early so we can talk. She doesn't reply, and I slip my phone back into my pocket. I do my best to shake out the restlessness that's been dancing in my limbs since Liz called and head for the nurse's station to get report from last night's staff when my boss intercepts me.

"Bennett, do you have a minute?"

Nothing good ever happens when your boss asks if you have a minute. Fuck.

"Of course." I force a smile and a calm demeanor despite the next round of nerves rioting through me.

"Perfect." He slaps me on the back. "Walk with me."

We start to stroll down the hall but quickly find ourselves entering an empty OR. The room is dark and cold, and I fight the urge to shiver and fidget. My skin prickles with awareness. We're alone, far from the ears of others for a reason.

"What I'm going to talk to you about is delicate."

Oh shit. "Okay." I let my arms fall casually in front of me.

"Cayden Craw came to see me yesterday evening."

My jaw automatically clenches. "I see."

"He had before, so at first, I didn't think much of it. A few weeks back he came to see me, asking about a position on the neuro team. I told him I didn't have any openings at the time, but if one popped up, I'd keep him in mind. Last week, I learned that one of our neuro staff is going to be leaving and I called him, asking him to come in for a series of interviews."

My hands climb to my hips, and I bluster out a heavy breath. "Evan, if I may?—"

"Just let me finish," he interrupts, and I harden my stance as well as my expression. "He came in yesterday evening even though his first round of interviews isn't until next week to tell me that you're having a secret affair with one of your staffers and that you got her pregnant."

That filthy, slimy, weaselly motherfucker. When I get my hands on him, I will end him.

"He was trying to get me fired for sexual misconduct. Again."

He nods and then pauses. "Again?"

"Yes." I fold my arms over my chest. "I learned just this morning from a hospital administrator at Mayo that Cayden paid the women to come forward with false allegations against me. He was released from his position there once that truth came to light. That's been kept a secret by the hospital for obvious reasons."

He doesn't look surprised by this, which shocks me a bit. He runs his hand along his jaw. "Originally when he came to see me, he told me how close the two of you are. How he's been your best friend for years."

I shift, looking briefly down at the floor. "He was. He's also the one who slept with my now ex-wife."

He nods as if it all makes sense now. "I see. Well, yes, he came in to try to get you fired."

"Do you mind if I ask what you said to him?"

He holds up a consolatory hand. "I didn't tell him anything other than I would speak with you. What you told me was in confidence, and I don't make a habit of betraying my employees' trust to someone I don't know. Though I didn't know Katy's pregnant."

Well, that's a huge relief. And it doesn't seem as though Cayden used those pictures with him, which means the woman in the pictures doesn't work here. He was trying to get me fired for being with Katy.

"I appreciate that, Evan. Katy is only seven weeks along," I explain. "We weren't planning on announcing it until after her first trimester."

He rubs the back of his neck. "I've known Katy for a long time, as you know. I've only ever wanted the best for her. I know she's had some health issues, so I'm happy to hear that so far she's doing well. I understand your wanting to keep that bit of information to yourselves and frankly, that's personal between the two of you. And since you had already spoken with me about your relationship with her, there is no misconduct."

"And his position here?"

"His allegations made me suspicious. What sort of man calls himself close to someone and then tries to get them fired? After he left, I called around. His former supervisor told me he had been let go, though he could not tell me the reason why. Now I know. Regardless, we will be withdrawing our invitation for an interview, and he will never be a surgeon in this hospital."

"Thank you, sir. I'm very relieved to hear that."

"Bennett, I also want you to know, though I haven't spoken with the board yet, in light of everything I've learned about Cayden and everything you've told me today, I hope you know we value you and your work very highly. You've shown to be a man of honor and respect, and I, for one, am very grateful you're with us."

I'm stunned into a heavy, awed silence as gratitude shoots up through me like a geyser.

Before I can form any semblance of a reply, he takes a step forward and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Be careful with him, Bennett. He has a plan where you're concerned."

"You're the second person today who has warned me about him. Believe me, I intend to take care of it."

The moment I step out of the OR, I call Katy, and after two rings, it goes to voicemail. I try again, and the same thing happens. Is she ignoring my calls and sending me to voicemail?

I shoot her a text.

Me: When you get this, please call. I need to talk to you ASAP.

Only as the minutes tick by, I never hear back from her. And instinctively, I know something is very wrong.