Cathleen Cole - Alls Fair In Love & Juárez (The Vikings MC Book 3)

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I hurried through the parking garage toward my car. It was already eight-thirty, and I knew Id never hear the end of it from my mother. No wonder Burke had pawned those two patients off on me. They both needed me to go through an endless array of questions. Normally I wouldnt have minded, but since Id already been in detective mode, it was hard not to check out on them.

The sound of something clattering in the shadowy garage made me pause. Listening hard, I scanned my surroundings, trying to peer into the dark corners where the lights didnt reach. Theyd spared no expense on the remodel of the hospital a few years ago, but the garage was a whole other story. They wouldnt even spare the money to change out some of the burnt-out bulbs.

It made walking alone at night beyond creepy. Most of the nurses were quite vocal about not wanting to work night shifts because of it. When nothing else happened, I slowly continued making my way, still looking around and staying alert.

It was only a short time ago that my friend Bridget had been kidnapped by a cartel, and then wed all been run off the road by an MC working for themthe Lycans. Since then, my friends and I had been living with the Vikings. Two of my friends, Remi and Bridget, were dating members, and since we all lived together, they decided it was best to move all five of us in.

Cade had club members watching over me at the hospital since we found out that Bridgets dad was mixed up in a situation involving the cartel, mafia, and God knows who else.

Id told my bodyguards to take off once I found out I was going to be late, though. They insisted they could wait, but there was no reason we all had to be late getting home.

Scraping sounds filled the air, and a shiver skittered down my spine. I glanced longingly in the direction of my car, but it was still a ways away. The scratching sound came louder. I wasnt about to have someone jumping out at me from the dark when I was unprepared.

Biting my lip to keep from calling outgirls who did that in horror movies always diedI slowly pulled a little pocket knife out of the purse that was slung across my shoulder. There were many doctors who took their Hippocratic Oath to do no harm very seriously. I, on the other hand, totally planned to gut anyone who thought theyd hurt me. I wasnt above a little bloodshed, and I knew exactly where to strike to do the most damage.

I turned on the flashlight app on my phone and pointed it toward where the sounds were coming from. Stepping out of the wavering light of a single bulb that was still desperately battling the darkness, I shuffled forward. The scraping sound came from my left and I whipped around, holding my phone out in front of me as if that could ward off any evil.

The rat squeaked and scurried away into the dark. Bleh, disgusting, I muttered. My heart was racing, and I tried to even out my breathing. Sneaking around and playing detective was more Remi and Bridgets speed than mine. I didnt like the anticipation or excitement that came along with being scared. Thats why I was a bummer at amusement parks. I preferred to keep my feet on the ground and off the unstable death-traps those rides were.

What the hell are you doing?

My scream echoed loudly in the parking garage as I whirled around and faced whoever had come in behind me. Axel winced, both at the sheer volume of my scream and at the bright light that was now blinding him. He didnt seem nearly as concerned as he should have been about the knife.