Enticement

1 | pilot

NEHA MONROE

'There are many doors to be opened and I'm not afraid to look behind them.'

Scrolling through my Instagram feed has now become part of a norm in my morning routine and right now I'm rolling my eyes at this stupid account I follow, but without fail each day I remember to check the quotes they post daily... as if they would help me get through my new job. 

My name is Neha Monroe. I'm the lovechild from a forbidden interracial marriage that took place exactly 29 years ago and then I came along 3 years later making me 26. My parents, Lukshmi Acharya and Neil Monroe, fell in love during their residential years whilst practicing medicine and soon went onto marry to my grandparent's dismay. And here I am, following in my parent's footsteps of becoming the next doctor in our family. 

I have two younger sisters and one younger brother. Being the first daughter and eldest of a mostly Desi family is hard: having to carry the enormous pressure of being the perfect daughter and sister as well as keeping up with my academics in order to be favourable when marriage is on the horizon. 

"Bitch, get your ass here now!" Zander yells out. 

Zander is my flatmate and has been my best friend since forever. I used to think I was in love with him only to discover that he swings the other way when I tried to kiss him when we were both 14. I was and still am deeply embarrassed by that. Zander owns his small business where he sells bespoke jewellery items. To say he is very opinionated and blunt would be an understatement, but that's why I love him.

I rush downstairs to the ground floor of your apartment nearly slipping on the way, stumbling to get up and run to his side. He's engrossed by the news for some reason and then I see the 'reason' standing on the side of the screen.

"Look at this hottie!" He clutches the side of my arm dragging my body to face him. 

I can't lie and say that this man he was talking about wasn't attractive, he was gorgeous. His skin was an olive tone and his high cheek bones accentuated all the right features on his flawless face. His hair was swept back, a little messy probably from wearing a hat and was jet black. I feel my face heating up and I find myself not being able to pull my eyes away from him. 

"And he works at the hospital where you're starting you're internship at!" 

"Zander, calm down. There's probably no way-"

"Shush, he's talking." Zander goes quiet and we both listen to the attractive mystery man speak on the screen.

"My name is Luke Ayad, I've just started my residency and..." Everything else fades into background noise as I hear that name. It sounds so familiar yet I can't pin point it at all. He has an accent, that's for sure. Maybe middle eastern? His name definitely suggests his family is middle Eastern. And he looks around 28 or maybe 29. 

"Zander, I love this interest in trying to find me a new love interest at the moment but you know I can't. We both just moved down from Illinois to Los Angeles. Los Angeles, Zander. I can't have any distractions. This is a fresh start after what happened back home during my first internship, I can't mess up." I tell him and grab my bag before heading out of the door. 

I look at myself in the mirror one last time. I'm not the girl I was before. I'm stronger, I can do this. 

...

Walking into the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles makes me feel sick to the stomach. I don't know how to control my emotions as I step foot into this hospital. Last time I was in a hospital, I made one grave mistake which endangered a patient's life, a child's life. That was a year ago. I went MIA for a year and no one knew where I went, not even my parents. I went off the rails; I partied everyday, did drugs and was an alcoholic and nearly ended up in hospital after getting spiked. Afterwards, I vowed to myself not to ever lose myself again and that I need to not give up on myself or my dream of practicing medicine.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" 

I find myself stumbling towards the wall as I bump into someone. Our eyes meet for a split second and then I find myself gazing over the person's face. I start to see flashbacks in my eyes. The same skin, hair.. piercing eyes. It was the father of the child which had died on my watch. The one who said he would take me to court, how he would sue me of all my money and make sure I never practice again in my life. 

How... how was he here?

"Hey, I don't know who you think you are but just stick to doing your job. Immigrant lowlife, only useful to clean toilets." He shouts back at me as he walks out of the hospital. 

My legs move faster than I can comprehend and I rush to the staff area in the East Wing ICU and make my way into the locker room. I can feel tears swell in my eyes and can feel myself about to break down. This can't be happening. How did he find me? Why is he here? I can't let him take away my qualifications. I'm better now, I know I am. I promise I am. 

Before I sit down, I quickly take off my top and throw it to one side and start rummaging through my bag for my hair tie. I can feel myself on the verge of a panic attack and I know the only way I can stop these is to breathe consistently until I calm down. I start counting to ten softly to myself, shutting my eyes to regain some focus and control over my emotions and suddenly I hear whistles coming from behind me. I turn around to see a man in the women's locker room. The same man who was on the news this morning.

"Why are you in the women's locker room?" I question him and turn away so he couldn't see my tears and steady my voice. 

"The real question is why are you in the men's locker room, missy?" From my peripheral vision I see his trainers in front of my feet and feel his fingers brush under my chin and within a spilt second and teary, glossy eyes meet his deep green eyes with hints of brown swirled into them. 

His demeanour changes instantly as he meets my upset face. 

"What happened, missy?" His tone changes from upbeat to concerned.

"Nothing. Don't worry. I'll be fine." I brush him off and start to feel my breathing become even more inconsistent and my voice begins to get wobbly. 

As I stand up to get past him and pick up my shirt, his arms engulf my topless upper body and his mouth meets my ear.

"Missy, I need to know what's going on with you. After all I am going to be your boss for the foreseeable future and I need to know my doctor's are all right." 

I'm in awe. What's happening right now? The hot doctor is hugging me whilst I'm in my bra and leggings in the middle of a locker room.

I can't respond. I'm in shock of everything. The encounter with the angry father earlier and now this. All I can do is cry even more and let him comfort me. My heart is racing a million miles an hour and all I can focus on is him; his scent, his voice, his touch. It oddly calms me down and I can feel myself getting over this panic attack. 

"Shush, I've got you." He strokes the back of my head as he pulls me closer to his body if that's even possible.

I haven't even started this job and I'm getting drawn into someone. 

...

Hi! New book, exciting!!! Hope everyone liked this chapter, let me know. 

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