Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 42

Angel's POV

I sat across from Thomas and gripped the edges of my tray. He stirred his coffee and stared into it like it held all the answers to life. I waited and tried not to show how nervous I was, how my heart was beating too fast.

"So, you've been here for a while now," Thomas began and stirred his drink. His eyes flicked up and met mine. "You must've noticed some weird things about the staff, yeah?"

I nodded, cautious. "I mean, yeah, but-"

"No, I mean... really weird." He leaned forward and lowered his voice, and I leaned in too. "Like the way they act around the patients. Almost too friendly, don't you think?" I frowned and tried to remember the times I'd noticed it but maybe brushed it off. "What do you mean?"

He leaned in further and I smelled the faint scent of his cologne. "They're really weird, Angel. They're not just here to take care of us."

I looked around and tried to see what he meant, even though I knew already. "Can you explain what you mean?"

Thomas took a sip and kept his eyes on me. "They're too friendly. Too touchy, especially with the patients."

I tried to brush it off, but something in his tone made me press further. "You think it's just part of the 'wellness treatment'?" I joked.

He didn't laugh. "Last week, I saw Nurse Stefan with one of the guys from my dorm. And I mean with him. Hands all over him, right in one of the treatment rooms."

I swallowed hard. "That's... maybe it's just part of her job? Some kind of therapy?"

Thomas shook his head. "It wasn't therapy, Angel. It was something else."

A chill went down my spine. "What do you mean?"

"There's more," he whispered and leaned closer. "I've seen Dr. Joe too. He's always watching, like he's waiting for something. And Dr. Nixon... she's always so stiff around him like she's scared."

My mind flashed back to that look on Dr. Nixon's face, that haunted, terrified look. "You think they're all in on something?"

Thomas nodded slowly. "It's like they're all part of some twisted game."

I stayed silent and let his words sink in, my heart pounding harder. "But why? What would they gain?"

"I don't know yet. But I've seen enough to

a hushed tone. "There's this other nurse-I think her name is Nurse Layla. She's always touching patients, especially the male ones. More than what's

I

The guy who's always smiling like he's in some toothpaste commercial? I

were a bit too friendly,

said and leaned in even closer. "I was in one of the common areas late at night and couldn't sleep. I saw two nurses making out with a patient. Like full-on, not caring if anyone saw. They didn't

gulped and tried to process it all. "Are you sure? Maybe

like a punch to the gut. "And the higher-ups?

head, disbelieving. "That's...

laugh. "Tell me about it. But that's not

could be worse?" I muttered and felt

and he said it made him feel hot, you know? Like really out of it, like he couldn't control himself." "What?" I breathed out, and my heart raced. I was more impressed he knew almost all

drugging us or something," he added and glanced around to make sure no one was listening. "And

fall into place, but it was like trying to assemble a puzzle

something. "I think... I think they're

but nothing came out. I was drowning in the weight of his words,

strange things I'd seen too, all the times something didn't add up. "We

sharply, and his eyes locked onto mine. "We can't

nodded. He was right, but it was hard to wait, to

it-the way his eyes softened and how he leaned in a little closer. "There's something else I need to ask you." "Yeah?" I whispered and felt

and then asked, "What's really going on

beat. "What

mean..." He sighed and looked frustrated. "The way you look at each other.

"We're

my question," he said softly. "Is there

said quickly, too

the table. "I've seen it. The way he gets around you. How he always keeps you close." I shook

is," Thomas insisted. "And you

looked away, my mind spinning. "You don't

raw in his voice, something that made my

opened my mouth, but the words didn't come. What could I say? How could I explain something

out and his fingers brushed