Suddenly, his fingers still biting into her wrist, he moved her hand from his crotch up to his face. Angel tried to slap at him with her other hand, but he ignored it; the angle was too awkward to do any damage. Instead, he shut his eyes, revealing veiny, fluttery eyelids and white eyelashes. Then he placed his papery lips in the center of her palm.

She jumped when he ran the tip of his tongue out, traced a wet circle on her flesh. The doctor sighed. “An appetizer. I knew you’d taste good.”

She jerked frantically.

Then he opened his eyes and released her.

She was so stunned—by the freedom, but also by the weird hand licking—that her feet were frozen for a beat. After what felt like an eternity, she jumped behind a chair, giving herself a buffer, and eyed the door, dithering over her options. If I go now, I’m not getting my evaluation. Damn sure I’m gonna kick him in his saggy balls if he tries to get close. He’s not getting the drop on me again.

Turning away, the doctor picked up an inhaler from the desk. Then he did surprise her, again, this time by throwing the inhaler at her.

Not expecting an object to come flying her way, Angel didn’t lift her hands. The canister hit her chest with a thump and then dropped to the ground. She gasped. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

He smirked and moved behind his desk.

The ball of hate and self-loathing in her throat only grew harder and larger as she bent to retrieve the medicine and struggled to corral her rage. It popped and bubbled and sparked from the ends of her hair. If she’d been at the club, or anywhere else, she’d never let anyone get away with what Dr. Collins had done to her in the last few minutes. She’d bust their ass and pay for the consequences later.

She was afraid of Dr. Collins and what he could do. But did her response have to be an all-or-nothing thing, an all-out attack or total submission?

“You know what?” she said as she stood. “I’ve worked hard for this clinic. For you. I deserve to pass the practicum without you molesting me.” Angel shuddered. She couldn’t decide whether the touch of his penis or of his tongue was the most horrifying. “And you should be helping Jose out of the goodness of your heart. I don’t get you. You’ve settled with Duke—you should be happy.”

Dr. Collins ignored her, dropping into his desk chair and picking up a pen as if everything were normal. The monster who dwelled inside his pasty skin now hid behind a professional demeanor.