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But of course, he had, as the man missed nothing. And it was something he looked far too pleased about. However, it was too late now, as it wasn’t like I could take it back.

They were quick to get him up because he didn’t resist it. Then they walked him out and he didn’t say one word against it. He didn’t fight and neither did he once look back at Briggs. But what he did do was look back over his shoulder as they took him through the double doors and instantly, he found me watching him through the hatch.

And then he was gone.

“Jason. Look at me. Can you move it at all?” The charge nurse had hold of his wrist and was not letting him pull it away, so she could check it, but one look was enough to tell anybody that the fingers were broken.

“All right. Somebody take him downstairs and get him checked out. And then get someone to take you home, Jason. We’ll do your statement in the morning.”

As for me, I stood behind that hatch with a chart in my hand and I didn’t take one single step toward a man who was in genuine pain only feet in front of me. But thankfully nobody noticed, because there were four other people doing it and one of them was Roz.

After that it took about twenty minutes to put that room back together and it was like clicking the switch to autopilot. Because violence in a place like Corwin wasn’t shocking. It was paperwork.

And then, because there were still sixteen men waiting on their medication, we went back to the hatch and carried on as if the whole thing had never happened. Because that was the job but for Roz and I, it was also a job we talked about. So, I wasn’t surprised when she came and stood beside me as I picked up the next chart and the first thing out of her mouth was,

“Okay, so what the hell was that?”

“I don’t know,” I lied, unsure as to what else to say.

“Erin, he crossed that entire room.” I almost winced at this before muttering a quiet,

“I know.”

“I looked up and he was already halfway.” She drew up a dose and set it down ready for me to hand to the next patient, who looked only too eager to take it. As for her comment, I didn’t reply to it, because what could I possibly say?

“Nobody moves like that.” She carried on, not willing to let it go and honestly, I couldn’t say that I blamed her.

“I don’t think any of us saw it coming,” I finally said, even though once again, it felt like a lie. Because I had seen his reaction to Briggs in the treatment room the day before. I had heard him make a rule about Briggs and not bother to explain what would happen if it was broken.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” It came out strained enough that even I heard it. “Why?”

“Because from where I was standing, it looked like Briggs put his hand on you being his usual creepy self, and your patient really did not like it.” She handed the next pot through the hatch and smiled at the man taking it and turned straight back to me with the smile gone.

“You must have made quite an impression on him, to have him wanting to be your protector.” I shot her a look and argued weakly,

“That’s not what that was.” But of course, that was exactly what it was and there was no point trying to fool myself. And as for Roz, she wasn’t convinced.

“Isn’t it?” She shrugged, “Because I have to say, I’m liking him more and more. And I’d already put him at tall, dark and dangerously handsome before he went and did that.”

“Roz.” I hissed her name making her grin.

“What?” She looked genuinely amused by my reaction. “The man wants to protect you. What exactly is wrong with that? And let’s be honest with each other, Briggs had that coming since about my third week here.”

“Can we not talk about this,” I whispered looking around to check that no one was listening.

“I think you’ll find half the patients on this ward agree with me,” she chuckled as she drew up the next lot of medications but one look from me and she raised her hands and said,

“All right, fine. I’ll be quiet.” This lasted for about four seconds, and I would have laughed if it hadn’t been for what she said.

“Anyway, you can always ask him yourself.”

I looked up. “Ask him what?”

“Why he did it.” And then, because she had already worked out where this was going and I had not, she told me,

“He’s in seclusion for twenty-four hours with a review in the morning. Which means continuous observation.” My eyes widened as it finally sank in.