Page 4 of The Bad Man

“Why exactly is he here?”

“Trust me, I’ve wondered the same thing.” She gives me a side eye. “I learned to stop asking and to do my job.”

“Okay,” I say, taking the hint. “Does he have a family?”

"His emergency contact is his father, but I’ve never seen him. Come to think of it, I don't recall Jamison ever having visitors.”

Why would someone’s family abandon them in a hospital? That’s cold. Unless there’s more to Jamison’s story. There has to be…and I’m going to figure it out.

Chapter Four

JAMISON

“Would you mind, Alton?” I ask the head orderly, who is standing nearby.

He comes over and glances down at my book and then huffs before turning the page. He’s still got a faint bruise on his cheek from where I hit him last week, but it’s almost healed. I apologized to him when they let me out of isolation, but I think we both know I didn’t really mean it. Given the chance, I’d do it again. Which is why they’ve got my hands bound to the table.

From what I saw of my chart, Dr. Crane ordered close observation and restraints for the next few days. I’m sure they want to make sure I can behave myself before releasing me back into the wild. To be fair, I paid dearly for my actions. Jimmy even showed up to have a turn, but he’s always careful to hide the bruises where no one can see.

That’s the thing about Bellevue: The illusion of control is almost as important as the submission of their patients. I learned to stop dreaming of the day I would leave this place and instead focused on a peaceful monotony.

And then Little Miss Mia fucked it all up. Thankfully I was able to use my time in isolation to get myself under control. Tonight won’t be like last time. No matter how badly I want her.

I watch Alton check on the other patients in the group room before he gets called to assist with a patient. As I watch him go, I think about how he’s long past retirement age. But I know that he doesn’t have a wife and family to go home to. We’re both prisoners in this asylum, but at least he’s here by choice. Well, I guess technically it’s not a choice because he’s being blackmailed, but that’s a secret I’m not supposed to know. Sometimes when Jimmy gets worked up, he lets things slip.

“What are you reading?” The soft voice comes from behind me, and it’s like the purr of a kitten. The sound sends a ripple of pleasure down my spine, and I let myself savor it.

When Mia moves to stand beside me, I nod to the empty chair. She hesitates, and I hold up my hands, showing her the leather cuffs. They’re bound to my feet so I can’t raise them enough to grab on to her. She must realize too because she pulls out the chair beside me and takes a seat.

“The Shining.” She blinks in surprise, and her eyes widen. “They let you read that in here?”

I grin as I lean closer. “Are you worried it will give me ideas?”

“No, I...” she rushes to say, but then she decides to be honest. “Well, yeah, maybe.”

I take my time looking down her scrubs and over every one of her curves that they aren’t hiding. My eyes linger on her neck where I had my mouth, and I drag my tongue across my teeth. She watches me watching her, and I can practically smell her excitement.

“There are many, many things I want to do to you, Little Miss Mia.” My eyes meet hers, and I don’t break the connection. “But killing you isn’t one of them.”

“Is it in the top ten?” she says and then laughs nervously.

“Not yet,” I tell her, and I don’t know if the flash in her eyes is fear or lust. “How’s your neck?”

“It’s fine,” she responds too quickly, and I don’t miss how her hand goes to her hair to make sure it’s covering the mark.

“I like the purple ribbon.”

“Thank you.” Her polite response is automatic, and her fingers twirl the edges of it.

“May I have it?”

Her fingers still, and then she hesitates. “I’m not sure that’s allowed.”

“That’s a shame. I was hoping it could join the other one.”

“You have my pink ribbon?” Her eyebrows knit together, and I wonder if she hadn’t considered that possibility until now.

I’d hoped when she sat down that she didn’t think I would have much movement. If she knew, she probably wouldn’t have sat so close. Before she can move away, I hook my foot around the leg of the chair she’s sitting on and jerk her right next to me. She lets out a gasp of surprise, and although I can’t grab her with my hands, she’s locked in with me.