He Died for His Lover, Then Returned to Win His Trust novel · Chapter 23 of 40

Chapter 23: The Visiting Surgeon

The visiting surgeon was named on the program as a senior fellow of the cardiac unit at the capital's main hospital.

He gave the morning lecture to the whole third year, forty students in rising rows.

He spent the last ten minutes of it looking at Javier.

At the end he came down the steps and shook Javier's good hand and kept it a moment.

"You're the one who caught the dose error," he said. "I read your case notes."

"I'd like to talk about your research over dinner."

Javier's ears went pink.

"I'd be glad to, sir."

"Wonderful. Eight o'clock. I'll send a car."

"I can walk."

The surgeon laughed.

"Of course you can," he said, and put his hand lightly on the small of Javier's back as they walked to the doors.

Dante stood in the third row with his notebook closed.

He felt the heat start low in his stomach and climb.

By the time he caught up with Javier in the corridor, it had reached his jaw.

"You're not going to dinner with him," he said.

Javier stopped.

He turned around slowly, with the sling pulling at his collar.

"I'm sorry?"

"He put his hand on you. He's thirty years older. He asked you to dinner with a car."

"He asked me to talk about research."

"He asked for a car."

"Dante."

"I'll call someone. I'll find out where he's from and who he's been to dinner with."

It came out of him before he heard it.

He heard it a half second later, in the silence, and he wanted to take it back.

Javier's face had changed.

It wasn't angry.

It was flat, and very still, and he took one step back.

"You'll find out," he said.

"I didn't mean..."

"You will call someone. About a surgeon who read my case notes."

His voice was soft, and it shook.

"That's what you promised you wouldn't do. It's the same grip, in a nicer coat."

"Javier, listen."

"I'm going to dinner at eight. I'm going to talk about the heart."

"If you follow me, I'll know."

He walked away down the corridor.

Dante stood alone in it for a long time.

He thought: term four.

Never show anger at who Javier likes.

And behind it, much worse: he had not even asked whether Javier liked the man.

He hadn't asked anything.

He did not sleep that night, and he did not follow the car.

At nine the next morning, in the great lecture hall, Javier and forty students sat for the surgeon's second lecture.

← Chapter 22 · All chapters · Chapter 24 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend