Chapter 12: Crossed Boundaries
Two guards stood at the entrance to the examination room. Veronica walked past them without uttering a word.
They tried to follow, but she stopped them and closed the door, locking it in place.
The room had the same aesthetic as the rest of the medical wing. On the wall were medical charts and a glass case with various pills bottles. A water dispenser stood in one corner of the room and a trashbin behind the door.
The middle of the room held a chair and a bed with Nathan in it. His face had a couple of bruises and dried blood crusted at the corner of his mouth
His jumpsuit was unzipped, exposing more bruises across his chest and stomach.
Veronica stood over him, her face creased in a frown as she examined his body.
"Whoever did this..." she muttered, "... They’ll regret it."
Her gloved hand hovered near his hair for a brief moment, before she withdrew it.
She set aside the file she was carrying and brought her stethoscope.
After checking his heartbeat and pulse, she applied bandages to his injuries.
When she finished, she stepped back to inspect her work. But her eyes didn’t stop there.
With his jumpsuit opened, she had a view of Nathan’s body.
He had a lean athletic build, with no visible scars on his fair skin. His broad shoulders framed the jumpsuit and the only thing he wore beneath it were shorts.
He’s in good shape... I wonder if everything else matches.
Veronica’s gaze drifted lower and she looked away immediately, crossing her arms.
A second passed. Then she looked at Nathan.
... Just one look
She bent over, pinching the waistband of his underwear with two fingers and lifted it slightly and peeked.
Her eyes fell at what she saw.
"Enjoying yourself, doctor?"
Veronica froze, snapping her head towards the source of the voice. Nathan was awake, watching her with a frown.
"You’re awake," Veronica said calmly.
"Clearly." Nathan winced. "What are you doing?"
Veronica let go of his underwear and stood up. "I was conducting an examination."
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Is that the excuse you’re going with?"
Veronica crossed her arms. "I’m a doctor. I could simply ask you to show me."
"Then why didn’t you?"
Veronica’s lips thinned. "Why would I?"
There was a moment’s silence before Nathan spoke. "That’s twice now..."
"First the hair thing and now this?" He shook his head. "If you’re that interested, the polite thing to do is ask."
"Ask?" Her eyes grew brighter for a moment. "Why would I? Do you know who I am?"
Nathan kept his gaze. "I don’t care. You’d better learn to ask."
"Or else what?" Veronica replied.
"Or I’ll teach you."
Veronica stared at him for a second, before giving a small smile. "You amuse me, Nathan."
She gestured vaguely at him. "You’re bruised, strapped to a bed and making threats to me."
But Nathan wasn’t smiling. "This is the part where you apologize."
"This is the part where you remember, you’re a criminal on death row," Veronica shot back.
Nathan’s expression darkened. "Just because they labeled me a criminal doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you like."
Veronica opened her mouth to respond but noticed the change in his expression. A tingle ran through her stomach and she looked away.
She turned and walked towards the glass case on the wall, opening it to look for pills.
"I heard you fought three inmates by yourself," she called out as she rummaged through the case.
"Yes?"
Veronica turned to face him with a pill bottle in her hand. "What are their names? I’ll make sure they don’t bother you again."
"I don’t know." There was a pause before Nathan added. "And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you."
Veronica tilted her head. "And why is that?"
"I don’t want your help."
Veronica frowned. "Because?"
"Because I don’t trust you," Nathan replied.
Veronica pursed her lips. She brought the pills and water to him. "For the pain."
Nathan hesitated for a moment then took the pills from her and swallowed them with the water.
"Thanks," he muttered.
Veronica blinked.
"....You’re welcome," She murmured.
A sharp silence filled the room as both of them faced opposite directions.
Veronica unlocked the door and motioned for the guards to take Nathan away.
Neither of them made eye contact as Nathan was escorted out of the room.
Veronica stood for a moment watching the bed Nathan was in a few moments ago.
She scoffed. "Teach me?"
Who does he think he is?
Most people in the prison had various opinions about her but no one had ever threatened her outright.
Nathan, on the other hand, either didn’t know what she was capable of or simply didn’t care.
Furthermore, he hadn’t even shown the slightest interest in her. If anything his actions proved he didn’t care.
A frown creased her face.
He was angry at her but also thanked her for the medication.
She straightened herself and left the room.
—-
Moments later, she was in a car heading home. The bustle of traffic was dulled by her thoughts of Nathan.
She replayed the conversation.
Just because they labeled me a criminal...
The change in his expression when he said that lingered in her mind. As if the words she said had struck a nerve.
Was he really innocent?
She grimaced. That still didn’t excuse the fact he’d threatened her.
Nor did it explain the strange flutter in her stomach when she remembered his face.
Veronica exhaled and pressed hard on the accelerator.