Read Online Patient Privilege by Allison Cassatta - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Allison Cassatta
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something that horrible and heartbreaking alone.
Rounding the corner, Erik saw Jon sitting on the floor beside Angel's door, head hung low as he hugged his body, sobbing like he'd lost the only thing that ever mattered to him. As Erik's feet slowed, Jon raised his head. In a tearful voice, the kid said, "He's gone."
That stopped Erik dead in his tracks. "What do you mean 'he's gone'?"
"I came back after I called you and he was gone. He'd ripped everything out and left."
"Shit," Erik hissed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "How long has he been gone?"
"The nurses said he left about thirty minutes ago."
"Do you know where he might be?"
Jon took a deep breath and stood from the floor, but stayed against the wall. "He kept saying he wanted to get high. I know the area he hangs out in, but I don't know if that's where he would go, especially if he thought I would be looking for him."
Erik reached out and gripped Jon's shoulder. He offered the poor kid whatever strength he could. "Don't worry. We'll find him. I'll do what I can to help him."
As Jon's tears fell faster, he threw his arms around Erik's body and hugged him tight. Clearly, the kid desperately wanted to save his friend, but would his friend ever be desperate enough to save himself? If the doctor in Erik were to be completely honest with himself, he'd let it go because Angel was obviously a lost cause, but the humanitarian in Erik couldn't watch anyone slowly kill themselves, even if chasing down a patient who didn't seem to want the care slightly bent the rules.
Something about the two boys kept Erik from letting go, though. Maybe he saw a little of himself in Angel. Maybe he saw a little of Marshall in Jon. Maybe the hopeless romantic in him had a need to kick his ass into proactive mode.
"Come on," Erik said in a low voice. "Let's see if we can't find him. Maybe he got high and he'll be more willing to come with us."
"When he's high, he likes to…" Jon's face flushed. Erik's brow arched. "He, um… might be a little easier to deal with," Jon finally said.
"Easy is good," Erik said with a compassionate smile. "Addicts don't like to hear how bad they're screwing up, especially not from someone they care about." He walked Jon out to the car. "I lost the love of my life to alcohol. I lost my practice, my home and my dignity, all in one night." He opened the passenger-side door and Jon climbed in. Erik closed the door then leaned down to the slightly opened window. "I regret everything I did to Marshall and if I had to spend the next fifteen lifetimes making it up to him, I would."
Jon gave him a confused look and said, "You don't know me. Why would you share that with me?"
"I want you to have hope, Jon. I'm not perfect, but I changed my life. I live every day to right my wrongs. Have hope Angel will do the same. Give him the chance my ex didn't give me. Be his strength. Don't abandon him, okay?"
Jon nodded slowly then Erik went around to the driver's side of the car. The engine groaned and whined as it came back to life. The headlights circled the drive as he backed out of the parking space and pulled out onto the road. This time, Erik wasn't heading back to Westwood to spend the night in his ex-partner's arms. He had a much higher purpose. He needed to save a life.
Chapter Fourteen
Angel's hands trembled. Sweat beaded on his brow. The trick didn't seem to notice, didn't ask if he needed help. Good thing. Angel might've ripped his head off. He wanted to get this shit over with, get his drugs and go back to the motel so he could get high before the cavalry came. Yeah, Angel wasn't stupid. He knew Jon would come searching for him, and he could deal with that as long as Angel got his fix first.
He dropped to his knees in the damp, filthy streets of some random alley, bringing the john's pants down with him. An excited little cock bobbed in his face. If it wasn't for the dragon he wanted to chase, Angel would've laughed and walked away. He had to
Rounding the corner, Erik saw Jon sitting on the floor beside Angel's door, head hung low as he hugged his body, sobbing like he'd lost the only thing that ever mattered to him. As Erik's feet slowed, Jon raised his head. In a tearful voice, the kid said, "He's gone."
That stopped Erik dead in his tracks. "What do you mean 'he's gone'?"
"I came back after I called you and he was gone. He'd ripped everything out and left."
"Shit," Erik hissed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "How long has he been gone?"
"The nurses said he left about thirty minutes ago."
"Do you know where he might be?"
Jon took a deep breath and stood from the floor, but stayed against the wall. "He kept saying he wanted to get high. I know the area he hangs out in, but I don't know if that's where he would go, especially if he thought I would be looking for him."
Erik reached out and gripped Jon's shoulder. He offered the poor kid whatever strength he could. "Don't worry. We'll find him. I'll do what I can to help him."
As Jon's tears fell faster, he threw his arms around Erik's body and hugged him tight. Clearly, the kid desperately wanted to save his friend, but would his friend ever be desperate enough to save himself? If the doctor in Erik were to be completely honest with himself, he'd let it go because Angel was obviously a lost cause, but the humanitarian in Erik couldn't watch anyone slowly kill themselves, even if chasing down a patient who didn't seem to want the care slightly bent the rules.
Something about the two boys kept Erik from letting go, though. Maybe he saw a little of himself in Angel. Maybe he saw a little of Marshall in Jon. Maybe the hopeless romantic in him had a need to kick his ass into proactive mode.
"Come on," Erik said in a low voice. "Let's see if we can't find him. Maybe he got high and he'll be more willing to come with us."
"When he's high, he likes to…" Jon's face flushed. Erik's brow arched. "He, um… might be a little easier to deal with," Jon finally said.
"Easy is good," Erik said with a compassionate smile. "Addicts don't like to hear how bad they're screwing up, especially not from someone they care about." He walked Jon out to the car. "I lost the love of my life to alcohol. I lost my practice, my home and my dignity, all in one night." He opened the passenger-side door and Jon climbed in. Erik closed the door then leaned down to the slightly opened window. "I regret everything I did to Marshall and if I had to spend the next fifteen lifetimes making it up to him, I would."
Jon gave him a confused look and said, "You don't know me. Why would you share that with me?"
"I want you to have hope, Jon. I'm not perfect, but I changed my life. I live every day to right my wrongs. Have hope Angel will do the same. Give him the chance my ex didn't give me. Be his strength. Don't abandon him, okay?"
Jon nodded slowly then Erik went around to the driver's side of the car. The engine groaned and whined as it came back to life. The headlights circled the drive as he backed out of the parking space and pulled out onto the road. This time, Erik wasn't heading back to Westwood to spend the night in his ex-partner's arms. He had a much higher purpose. He needed to save a life.
Chapter Fourteen
Angel's hands trembled. Sweat beaded on his brow. The trick didn't seem to notice, didn't ask if he needed help. Good thing. Angel might've ripped his head off. He wanted to get this shit over with, get his drugs and go back to the motel so he could get high before the cavalry came. Yeah, Angel wasn't stupid. He knew Jon would come searching for him, and he could deal with that as long as Angel got his fix first.
He dropped to his knees in the damp, filthy streets of some random alley, bringing the john's pants down with him. An excited little cock bobbed in his face. If it wasn't for the dragon he wanted to chase, Angel would've laughed and walked away. He had to
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