***Trigger Warning***

His question makes my entire body go numb from anxiety. "Mr. McGomery, I can't...."

Some unreadable emotion comes across his face. "Oh. You do."

"I didn't say that." I struggle to find the right words. I haven't even thought about if I believe he's guilty or not. I don't want him to be, but I don't know him. I don't think I can legally even have this conversation.

The fact that there are other people in the room left my mind until they scuffed. "Didn't you see how he got caught?" The one guard asks me.

"It's all over the news." The other joins in. I hadn't seen anything, I wish I had time to watch TV but lately I just haven't.

"He didn't ask you." I hate how they are treating him but I am definitely going to check out what the news has been saying after I leave.

Brexton doesn't look fazed at all by their comments. His eyes, like usual, are on me. "Why aren't you afraid of me? Hearing what you've heard, you probably should be. What is this, some kind a tactic?"

I had no good answer for his question. "Stop it. I promise you not everyone is out to get you. My job is not to judge your character, it's to take care of you and it's a job I take very seriously. So let me do that, okay?"

My patient studies my face, taking my words in. After many moments he gives in. "Okay. "

"Good." I walk over to him and reach my hands out, indicating for him to give me his wrist. "Let me see how your wrists are healing."

He's less hesitant to let me touch him this time.

When he says nothing, I speak up. "Aren't you supposed to be back in your restraints?"

He smirks. "Lucy said you made a note in my chart to remind her to take them off for a couple minutes every hour or two. They couldn't get them back on me."

I click my tongue in disapproval as I grab some moisturizer out of his dresser where I left it. "Well, I'm not going to lie to you, they're going to be a lot less willing to do that after you've threatened to shoot an officer in his most sensitive area."

"Yeah, no kidding." An officer chimes in without an invitation.

Brexton and I have an unspoken agreement to ignore the pests in the room. He keeps his words directed at me. "How was your day Lyra?"

I take extra time applying the moisturizer, appreciating all his tattoos. "It was okay. You?" Talking about your personal life with patients is asking for trouble. I always keep what I talk about with my patients about my patients. I'm here to take care of them, not the other way around.

He very gently touches my ponytail then motions to my face. "I don't think you got dressed up to see me." He's observant, I'll give him that.

"I had diner plans, but they fell through."

His eyes soften. "Please tell me you didn't cancel them to come here."

"No, we both got called into work." I can't make myself tell him I have a boyfriend. I don't know why. It's not like I am seriously going to do anything with this guy. I sigh as I realize I have to set boundaries. He's getting too comfortable around me. Things feel too personal to be professional.

"Oh, I'm sorry." His voice is so soft, it makes me feel guilty about what I'm going to say next.

I look him dead in his gorgeous eyes. "Look, I am here to take care of you, but that's it okay? I can't let you keep asking me personal questions and requesting me. The way this is heading, isn't good. It's a bad idea for both of us if we'd become friends and I need you to stop it."

He gives me a look that doesn't seem like he's taking me seriously. "You're not my friend, got it."

I point a finger at him. "I mean it Mr. McGomery." I  keep talking as I tidy up his room. "Why didn't you want Lucy as your nurse? She's a great nurse and I'm sure she was very respectful to you."

"I am trying to get better and I feel like you're the only one who has potential to make me better."

I stop what I'm doing and walk over to him. "I need to check your pulse, is that okay?"

"Go for it."

I place two fingers on his wrist. I'm getting way too acquainted with this man's wrist. I don't really need to get his heart rate, I have another plan that I implement in that moment. I move in a position that prevents the guards from seeing us and lean in, whispering in his ear. "Who's Brant?"

He wastes no time bringing his mouth to my ear. "I thought we were keeping it professional."

Of all of the times he's decided to argue with me, did it have to be now? As curious I was, I was not about to play this game. I step back. "It's a little fast, maybe you did need that Ativan dose up that high. I'll talk to the doctor about it."

"Wait!" He yells as I'm about to walk out the door. "Check it again." He looks nervous as I approach him.

When I place my fingers on his wrist this time, I can feel his pulse is super fast. I move my ear near him. "Brant is the person who raped those girls."

I gasp before collecting myself. I try to play it off as a cough and hope the security guards are too dumb to understand. "Then who killed them?" I whisper back.

He's about to respond when our favorite person bust through the door, talking loudly. "Time to get you back in your restraints boy."

Brexton kicks his feet up in defiance. "Yeah, cause that worked so well for you the last time."

I get control of myself and intervene. "I think it might be a good idea. Just for a while."

A look of hurt flashes across his face for just a moment before it's gone. "Fine, but you put them on. I don't want any of these glorified mall cops touching me."

The elderly guard scuffs. "Good idea, spare us the STI."

I can't let that one go, not after what he just told me. "That's very unprofessional of you to say. If you don't change your attitude, I'll report you."

Silence.

I put Brexton back in his restraints. He doesn't resist.

I clear my throat. "I have some charting I need to start on, the call bell is right beside you if you need anything."

He nods. "Yeah, umm thanks."

I run out of the tension filled room. I promised myself I was going to have a good day and I intended to keep that promise. I was going to chart and then go home. After thirty minutes of charting I found Lucy. "Hey, I think he's calmed down now. Is it okay if I head home?"

She pulls me into a tight embrace. "Yes, thanks so much for helping. You really saved me."

I laugh and give her a tight squeeze before pulling away. "It's no problem!"

"I want you to be careful though, it seems like he's taken a liking to you. I don't know what he's capable of, but don't let your guard down, alright?"

Her words send chills down my spine. I know she's right but I also know I'm already getting too deep. "I will."

Why did he have to tell me that? Why couldn't he have told literally anybody else? If he's being framed, I can't just let him take the fall for all of this. I know the law system is flawed but I'm also in enough danger as it is. Isn't one person trying to kill me and my entire family enough? I need to be smart and stay out of this.

I fully intended to do that until I got home and had access to the internet. Before I know it, I'm typing Brexton McGomery into the search bar. What comes up makes me want to throw up.

Brexton McGomery is a 27 year old male who was found to have 12 women's deceased bodies hidden in an abandoned warehouse . These bodies were found to have wounds consistent with sexual assault. The young man was covered in blood and initially refused to speak. McGomery confessed after the shock of being caught wore off.

Why would he confess if he wasn't responsible? I guess he only said he didn't rape those girls, he never said he didn't kill them. None of this makes any sense.

I get so lost in my research I don't realize when Jeremiah comes home. "Babe, what are you looking at?"

I tense up. What am supposed to say? He's going to freak out if he's finds out this guy is my patient. I can't deal with a lecture right now. I do my best to appear calm even though on the inside I'm anything but.