It was another long week spent waiting. Juric was no longer around, and where he had gone was a mystery. He had left enough men behind to guard the hospital, and they still allowed the locals to attend the clinics they held. Chloe didn't believe that the men who were coming were locals, though. She found most of them to be men who had been injured in the previous battles.
Chloe felt that the reason the men were coming was that the only remaining medical personnel were the Americans, and the Americans didn't have a side in the fight, which meant that they were more likely to get the medical treatment they needed and not be turned away. The soldiers eyed the new patients but didn't give them any trouble when they arrived.
She had been tempted to ask if any of them knew how Dimitrie was doing, but she didn't dare. After the previous week's battle was over, Dimitrie was no longer there when they returned. Either he had taken his chance to escape or been rescued. Chloe would have preferred to keep him in the hospital a little longer to make sure he healed and didn't get an infection while he was recovering.
It was late one evening after Chloe had her dinner and retired to her cot with a book when Cindy came in to get her, telling her that Juric was back and he wanted to talk with them about what was next.
Chloe was wearing a pair of cut-off jeans and an old cotton t-shirt, and she looked down at herself, wondering if she had time to change into her scrubs. Her hair was a tangled mess of mahogany waves that hung around her shoulders. It could only be described as bedhead.
She picked up her brush in an attempt to tame it, but Cindy grabbed her telling her there was no time.
Feeling extremely self-conscious, Chloe followed Cindy into the tent that housed the dining room. There were long tables with chairs, and it would be an easy place away from the few patients they had for Juric to share whatever news he had.
They were the last ones to arrive, and it felt as if every eye in the room turned to look at them when they entered. Chloe's eyes quickly met Juric's, and he let his glance take in her attire before returning to the man who was standing next to him. He was someone Chloe didn't recognize, and as she looked around the room, she realized that there were about ten new people that had joined them.
The man next to Juric pulled his gaze away from Chloe and refocused on what Juric was saying.
"You two like to make an entrance, don't you?" Don teased as he slid down the bench he was sitting on so that they could join him.
"What's going on?" Chloe asked softly, noticing a lot of people were still looking at her and Cindy.
"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing they sent us reinforcements," Robert said as he joined them, pushing them down further and making it a tight squeeze for the four of them on the bench. He was pressed uncomfortably close to Chloe, who had pressed herself uncomfortably close to Cindy. Don was on Cindy's other side and appeared oblivious as his eyes remained glued to Juric. Chloe was sure that Don was a little bit in awe of Juric.
Chloe turned her attention back to Juric. Since he was addressing them, she could look her fill without anyone being the wiser. He looked tired but not as tense as he had before he had left. Juric finished talking with the man and turned his attention to the crowd of twenty people gathered before him.
"Thank you all for responding so quickly. I promise I won't keep you long," he assured them. "I have brought in a new team from the best hospital in the country. They are here to relieve you. Tomorrow you will spend the day teaching them what they need to know, and then the following day, you will all be sent to work in the hospital from which they arrived."
He looked around, attempting to determine how they were taking the news. "I know this wasn't planned, but with the continued fighting in the area, I do not feel comfortable keeping aid workers on the front lines."
He was met with continued silence. No one dared to say a word. "I realize that many of you came here for the experience and to learn, and I do not want to rob you of that experience. The hospital you will be moving to is a teaching hospital, and I promise you that you will learn a good deal while you are there."
Chloe felt her heart rate increase at his words as blood rushed to her head. She was going to see her father. Valentine was honoring his promise. She blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop the tears that had formed.
If Juric had noticed the effect his words had on her, he didn't let it show as he went around the room, introducing the new medical crew that had joined them. Then he, in turn, introduced the Americans, and when he came to Chloe, he introduced her by her full name. As he said, Lockwood, every eye from Drevniye was again fastened on her in interest.
Juric made a few more remarks and then ended the meeting. Those at her table stood and started to wander away, but Chloe wasn't ready to move. She needed time to absorb the news that she was finally going to see her father once again.
"Are you coming, Chloe?" Cindy asked, looking over her shoulder.
"I'm going to sit here for a minute. I feel out of place in my current get-up." It wasn't a lie, she was extremely underdressed, but she was also hoping for a minute with Juric so that she could thank him.
Cindy nodded and walked away with Don, leaving Chloe alone at the table.
The man who had been standing next to Juric approached her. He had been introduced as Doctor Alec Volkov.
When he reached her, he held out his hand. "You are related to Doctor Thomas Lockwood?" he asked in a thick accent.
"Yes." Chloe nodded.
"And you are a nurse?" He looked her over with disbelieving eyes, taking in her long legs that were poking out from under the table in front of her.
"I am," she assured him, trying not to let the question upset her.
"She's an excellent nurse. She has an instinct for it that she inherited from her father." Juric assured the man.
Juric had leaned against the table in the front of the tent, crossing his arms, which made him look huge. Chloe swallowed hard as she looked at him. She didn't remember him being that muscular twelve years ago.
"Your father?" Dr. Volkov's eyes grew wide at the information. "He never mentioned a daughter."
Chloe tried her hardest not to be hurt by his words as she gave him a tight smile and remained silent. She and this man were not going to be friends. He had now insulted her twice. Chloe opened her mouth, about to ask him an impertinent question about what he did to get sent away from the best hospital in the county and to the front lines, but before she could say anything, Juric interrupted.
"Would you mind giving us a minute?" Juric had spoken in Russian.
Alek Volkov nodded, giving Chloe one last glance before he left.
The silence that descended on the tent after he left was strained.
Chloe stood and moved towards Juric, leaning against the table across from him and crossing her arms as well.
"Were you saving me from myself?" she asked with an arch of the eyebrow.
"I remember your sharp tongue, and I thought it best that you do not make an enemy." She swore she saw his lip twitch. It drew her gaze to his lips, where it lingered a little longer than was comfortable.
Chloe cleared her throat. "Thank you for keeping your promise and taking me to my father," she said in a gruff voice as she tried to fight back the tears once more.
"You know your father doesn't talk about you to keep you safe, don't you?" Juric reached out and placed a finger under her chin, lifting it so that she met his eyes.
"My brain knows it, my heart, not so much." Chloe shrugged, trying to brush it off. "It's hard to be dumped by both your lover and your father on the same day. It's not something you ever really get over."
Juric's face was a mask, but she could see he was not happy with her revelation by the way his jaw muscle was jumping as he clenched and unclenched his teeth in response to her words.
It was time for a change of subject.
"Do you know what happened with Dimitrie?" she asked.
"I couldn't say." This time Juric shrugged as he stood. "I hope you choose to wear clothing tomorrow that is more fitting with the job you are required to do," he said in a cold voice.
Chloe tilted her head as she studied him, debating if it was even worth defending herself. She decided it wasn't and turned to leave. That made three times she had been insulted in one night. She was done.
Chloe got halfway across the tent when she felt Juric's hand on her arm. It was bare flesh on flesh, and it was electric. He must have felt it, too, because he dropped her arm as soon as she stopped.
"I'm sorry, that comment was uncalled for on my part."
The great Valentine Juric had apologized. Perhaps there was still a human in there somewhere.
"Then why did you say it?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms once more. As Juric's eyes fell to her breasts, she realized what she was doing and quickly dropped her arms.
There was a familiar heat in his gaze as it traced her body from her bare legs up to her wild hair. When Juric reached out, wrapping a curl around his finger, his hand brushed her cheek, causing her knees to almost buckle. It took all of her willpower not to turn her face into his palm.
Chloe cleared her throat and stepped back. "I don't think it is appropriate for an engaged man to touch another woman in such a manner."
Juric's eyes narrowed, and he studied her for a minute before nodding his agreement and leaving abruptly.
It was not the response Chloe wanted, and she gritted her teeth as she marched herself back to her cot and buried her head under her pillow.
She could still feel the warmth of his hand on her cheek.
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