Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
“Why would you help a kid that wasn’t yours? What do you want from me lady?”
Natasha closed her eyes and tried to count to ten while taking deep calming breaths like the therapist taught her to do.
“Hey lady I’m talking to you.”
Angelo was not surprised when her beautiful brown eyes snapped open to glare at him, if looks could kill his body would be riddled with bullet holes.
“First of all My name is Natasha not lady and secondly I don’t want anything from you… Mr. Salvatore.”Angelo was impressed.
The woman stood her ground when most sane people would cower in fear of him. She had said his last name like it was a curse but damn did it sound sexy as hell coming out of her mouth.
Before Angelo could say another word she turned on her heels and brusquely walked away, Leaving a stunned Angelo to watch her hips sway.
Natasha walked into the room that housed her favourite patient.
“Good afternoon Christopher how are you feeling today?”
Christopher beamed up at her.
“I’m doing good. I feel much better and my dad says I can go home today.”
Natasha frowned.
“He did, did he?”
Christopher nodded enthusiastically at her.
Natasha smiled at the child but she was livid. How on earth did his father expect him to go home at such a critical time in the young boys recovery.
Checking his chart for a moment Natasha’s mind drifted back to the week before when she met Christopher for a routine check-up that morphed into the discovery of a life threatening disease.
She and Christopher shared a bond from the moment she met him. So when she discovered that he needed a kidney since both of his were to be removed, she looked into donating hers and thankfully it was a match. she dreaded watching Christopher’s health decline as he waited for a donor on a transplant waiting list which could have taken years.
“Well I’m glad you are feeling better, wouldn’t want anything to happen to my favourite patient.”
Christopher smiled at her words, then looking up at the door he noticed his father standing in the doorway.
“Hey dad I was just telling Ms. Roberts that I am going home today.”
Angelo nodded at his son. Silently watching Natasha purposefully ignoring his presence.
She took his blood pressure, checked his reflexes and called in a lab tech to run a few tests before bidding Christopher goodbye.
As she exited the room Angelo followed her out.
“Mr. Salvatore, your son will not be leaving the hospital tonight. He may be feeling better but he still needs to be here so that if something happens he has the best care available 24/7.”
Angelo arched his brow at her.
“Well Doctor Roberts I have already taken care of everything, my son and I will be leaving this hospital in an hour or 2 and you will be going with us.”
It was Natasha’s turn to arch her brow at him.
“Well Mr. Salvatore you must be sadly mistaken because I have a late shift tonight, my boss would never agree to this and you must be out of your ever loving mind for thinking you could just take me away from my job.”
Natasha’s hands were on her ample hips and her eyes were ablaze with anger.
“You are to come to my home and take care of Christopher until he is better. Your boss and I have an understanding, so don’t even try going to her for any help.”
Natasha rolled her eyes. She should have known her boss would sell her out. Felicia was a great administrator but the women was a sucker for a fine man with a sexy accent.
“Well Mr. Salvatore…”
Before she could continue Angelo held a hand in the air stopping her from speaking further.
“Id like to think of us as beyond that formality, you may call me Angelo.”
Natasha huffed at his condescending tone, this man was so used to getting his way she bet he hadn’t heard the word “no” in his entire life.
“Well Mr. Salvatore you can not bully me into coming to your home, I have other patients that need me here at the hospital. I will not abandon them.”
Angelo admired her assertive attitude and the love for her patients were evident in every action. He would bet his last dime she didn’t even know that she stomped her foot when she told him off.
“Your other patients will be taken care of, the other paediatrician will be filling in for you. ”“Dr. Mitchell has been on vacation for three weeks and he has another three to go before he is expected to be back at the hospital.”
Angelo smiled at her.
“He is in your office waiting to relieve you of your duties, you have no excuses Natasha.”
The way he said her name caused her to shiver slightly. Damn this man was a walking, talking, anger inducing wet dream.
“You had no right to do this, I am quite capable of taking care of my patients Mr. Salvatore.”
Natasha turned on her heel stomping away from Angelo walking with a purpose to her office where she knew the other thorn in her side would be waiting to stick it to her one more time.
Richard would use this as yet another way to undermine her.
When she took the position as chief paediatrician at the hospital two years ago he seemed to think she was his enemy and would do anything in his power to cause trouble for Natasha.
She stood at the door and took a deep calming breath not even noticing that Angelo had followed her and was watching her every move.
When Natasha stepped into her office Richard was sitting behind her desk with his feet propped up in front of him.
“Well, well, well…I was called back to work half way through my vacation because you need to do a house call. How pitiful is that Natasha? You are the chief paediatrician here and you cant handle a little house call and the patients you have here…I told the board you weren’t the most competent candidate for the position.”Angelo stood behind her the entire time the worthless and obviously jealous male spoke. Angelo never felt himself stepping forward his fists clenched at his side until he looked up and saw Howard’s wide eyes which shone with recognition.
“Dr. Mitchell this is Angelo Salvatore. He is the father of the patient whom I will be doing the house call for.”
Richard almost tripped over himself to stand and stick his hand out to Angelo who just stared silently at the man. After a minute of holding his hand out Richard withdrew his hand.
“Its great to meet you Mr. Salvatore, You have done so much for the hospital. Your donations to the ICU have been a great help we really appreciate it. Doctor Roberts has patients to take care of here so I offer my services to you.”
Angelo noticed the man could not meet his eyes. Like a dog he smelled the mans fear and it made him extremely proud of his reputation as a soulless bastard.
“Dick, May I call you Dick? I’d like to make it very clear why I chose Natasha as the paediatrician for my son. She is the best doctor in the country and I only deal with the best, I will not have some second rate wannabe breathing the same air as my son let alone taking care of him so if you will excuse us, Doctor Roberts and I have some private matters to discuss. Please close the door on your way out.”Natasha waited until Richard left the room before she dropped into the chair behind her desk threw her head back and began to laugh.
Angelo noticed this was the first time she let her guard down around him and she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.