Chapter 43: Six Years later III
"All done," she said, stretching her arms, one leg bent over the other as she leaned on the desk, relaxing.
Alex glanced at her and smirked silently. He didn't often dwell on it, but this little clinic—run by a demon hybrid and a battle-scarred ex-nurse—had become something real.
Though Maria was his assistant, she was also a bit of a tease. Sometimes, she even flirted with him while managing their paperwork, and Alex wasn't entirely sure whether it was unprofessional or just part of her charm. Either way, he let it slide.
Besides, Alex wasn't exactly single. He had two women in his life already, both strong and unpredictable in their own ways. So, whatever was going on with Maria, he kept it respectful.
But today… Maria seemed a bit more playful.
"Alex," she said with a slight smirk. "You know, if you ever get tired of patching up the city… you could always settle down. Maybe add another to your collection."
She winked.
Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous."
"Oh, come on," she teased, voice light. "I'm already here every day. Why not make it official?"
Alex sighed dramatically but couldn't hide the grin tugging at the edge of his lips. "Fine, fine. But only if you promise not to turn the break room into your personal dressing space again."
She laughed and playfully flicked a tongue depressor at him. "Deal."
With a teasing smile, Maria stood up and walked over to Alex. Without hesitation, she slid onto his lap, her hands gently cupping his face as she leaned in and kissed him softly.
After a moment, she pulled back slightly, her lips hovering near his.
Alex blinked, slightly stunned. "I still can't believe you're the same woman who once cut off some creep's—well, manhood—for trying to force himself on you," he muttered, shaking his head with a smile. "And now you're sitting on my lap, kissing me like you own the place."
Maria smirked, resting comfortably against him. "That guy was bald, ugly, and couldn't take a hint," she said casually, running her fingers through Alex's loosely tied silver hair. "You, on the other hand... are handsome, dangerous, and way too serious for your own good."
Alex chuckled, his hands resting lightly on her waist. "And you're bolder than I thought."
She leaned in again, her lips brushing along his jawline. "I don't scare easy," she whispered.
Then, without hesitation, she kissed him again—harder this time, more aggressively. Her hand slid down his chest, fingers trailing toward the waistband of his pants.
But Alex gently caught her wrist, stopping her.
"You know," he said with a calm but firm voice, "this sort of thing isn't complete unless I get approval from the other two."
Maria raised an eyebrow, tilting her head in amusement. "Since when do you ask your women for permission?" she teased, her voice laced with curiosity.
Alex let out a slow breath, eyes soft but serious. "I'm not controlled by them," he said. "I just… love them. Deeply. And I don't want to hurt them, not even by accident."
Maria's expression shifted slightly—less teasing now, more intrigued. She sat back a little on his lap, considering his words.
"They know about me?" she asked.
Alex nodded. "They know you're here. They've seen the way you look at me. Honestly… they might even approve. You're strong, bold, and you've fought your way through hell. They'd respect that."
He leaned back in his chair, giving her a half-smile. 'It's weird,' he thought. 'In my past life, I was barely able to talk to one woman without stammering. And now… I've somehow got two goddesses who are okay with letting me live like this.'
"I guess being handsome really is a damn good perk," Alex thought to himself with a smirk.
He gently lifted Maria from his lap and stood up, steadying her by the waist. "You should head to my place," he said, his tone even. "The other two live there. Talk to them. If they both approve... then tonight, we'll have ourselves a four-way fight tonight. And if that happens, you'll be mine—from today onward."
Maria blinked, stunned for a moment. Then she gave him a sly smile. "Okay," she said casually. She leaned in, kissed him once more on the cheek, and then turned to grab her bag. With one final glance, she walked out of the clinic.
Alex watched her leave, then checked the time. 1:00 PM.
"Hm… Today work was done faster than I thought," he muttered. "Fiev more hours then today work is done."
Shaking his head, he sat back down in his chair, sorting through medical files again. The waiting room was calm. For now. Maria had prepped the supplies before leaving, and the hum of the ceiling fan buzzed softly above him.
An hour passed quietly.
Then, the clinic doorbell rang. Alex looked up as a man walked in—tall, mid-30s, hooded sweatshirt. There was blood on his leg, but it wasn't gushing. More like a steady trickle.
"Come here and sit," Alex said, already reaching for gloves.
The guy nodded and limped over to the exam table, sitting heavily. "Didn't have time to call," he muttered.
"No need," Alex replied calmly. "There is no rush anyway."
He crouched beside the patient, examining the wound. A deep knife cut to the thigh. Not fatal, but close to the femoral artery. Lucky hit—barely missed the worst of it.
"You'll live," Alex said simply, beginning to clean the wound. "You got money?"
The man pulled a thick roll of bills from his pocket and handed them over. "hmm," he said. "No dirty cash."
Alex nodded, accepting the cash without bothering to count it. By now, most people who came through his doors already knew his rates. Those who didn't? They usually learned the hard way—with broken ribs or bruised egos. He was kind to the poor, to the desperate, and to good-hearted kids like the one from earlier. But to everyone else, he was strictly professional—and sometimes brutal.
Especially the criminals.
Word had spread across Hell's Kitchen and beyond: if you were a thief, a predator, or a lowlife trying to buy mercy—you didn't step into Alex's clinic. Because if you did, you weren't walking out.
Alex had killed too many of their kind to be considered just a "doctor."
Word had spread throughout Hell's Kitchen and beyond: Alex's clinic wasn't just a place of healing. It was a line in the sand. Cross it wrong, and you wouldn't just get turned away—you might never walk again.
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