Messy Ink (Get Ink'd Book 2) -Ali Lyda

Christian

I was sitting in the breakroom after a long emergency appendectomy and drinking coffee when my phone rang. Normally I didn't answer when at work, but with Channing as a new element in my life, I decided to check it, not really expecting it to be him—only to have my blood freeze at his name on the ID.

"Is everything okay, Channing?"

"Something's wrong with Dane," he said in a rushed, shaky voice. "He passed out, and now he's awake but he won't let us take him to the hospital but he looks so sick and I'm really freaking out."

Passed out? Suddenly my feelings began to mirror Channing's obvious panic. What had happened to Dane? Why wouldn't they take him to the hospital?

"I'm going to send an ambulance," I said in my authoritative "doctor" voice.

"You can't, please. He'd never forgive me and oh, God, Christian, what if something is really wrong with him?"

There was a reason the dispatch operators received a ton of training. It was because staying calm when someone else was panicking was vital. Normally I didn't struggle with this, but I also wasn't normally listening to my brother panic over my former boyfriend's health. It made it difficult to stay level.

"Is he awake now? Has anything else happened to make you this upset?"

Channing sucked in a quick breath. "He's awake on the couch in the office, but he just looks bad, Christian. I'm just...when the other homeless kids I ran with for a while got hurt, no one ever helped them. I guess. I don't know, this is bringing up a lot of those memories and I'm so worried about Dane, he's the only person who's tried to help me—" I tried not to take that personally, knowing family must feel different, and Channing and I didn't have a tight connection yet "—and I think I'm gonna puke."

I stared at my coffee and the half-eaten sandwich I'd been shoveling in during my quick break. I'd just taken some time off getting Channing settled in, and leaving the hospital again so soon wouldn't be great, but this was my brother. And Dane. Family came first.

"I'm going to be there as soon as I can. I want you to sip some soda while you wait—and tell Reagan that if anythingchanges with Dane before I get there to call the damned ambulance, okay?"

"Thanks, Christian," Channing said, the gratitude carrying through the phone line.

I walked into the chief of staff's office. "Dave, I'm sorry to do this, but I have another family emergency and need to leave for a few hours."

Dave frowned, but he was notorious for never cracking a smile. He was a good guy, though, and one of the smartest men I knew. "I'll call up someone to cover and you can pick up one of their shifts later this month, okay? Anything else I can do?"

"No, thank you. I'll text you when I know what's going on in more detail."

I was lucky enough to only be working eight twelve-hour shifts in the ER a month, but I ended up being at the hospital frequently in addition to that to follow up on patients or take over more complex but routine surgeries. It wouldn't be too difficult to cover another doctor's shift or two as far as scheduling went, but I felt tired already from the upcoming extra stress.

Before I left, I grabbed my doctor's bag, stocking it with a few extras I thought I might need, including candy bars. Never underestimate the power of sugar in high-stress situations.

Reagan met me at the door of Get Ink'd, face grim and eyes burning with anger. My curiosity was piqued, but I had a patient to see to, so I didn't ask any questions. As Reagan walked me through the shop, I couldn't help but notice how strained and silent Trinity, Mateo, Javi, and Bryce were. Normally the shop would be buzzing with activity by now.