Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
By the time we got to New York, Swan confessed to being ready to head home. She looked great. Her face had color where she’d been pale before. I took it as a win, even if she was tired. Hell, after being gone so long, I was feeling it, too. And I wanted to ride. I needed my bike, and I suspected she’d love it. It was first on my agenda when we got back to Palm Beach. Then Doc could do whatever Swan was willing to let him do.
We landed around noon. I’d had Swan sleeping as much as I could, distracting her from the fact I wasn’t letting her have anything to eat or drink. It had been part of Doc’s instructions. Instead of a waiting car, Tank and Iron were there with my bike and a truck. We disembarked, Swan using me for balance so she could put as little pressure on her leg as possible.
“What’s this?” she asked, looking up at me. “Are we taking the truck or the motorcycle?”
I stepped forward and took Tank’s hand, then Iron’s. “We’re takin’ the bike, darlin’. It goes against everything I believe in, but I’ll even let you not wear a helmet if you promise to hang tight to me.”
“Oh, boy!” She practically squealed as she bounced in her excitement. “I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle!”
“It’s a bike, baby. My bike.”
“Figured El Segador could use all the help he could get. Three weeks with him by yourself? Well, we were takin’ bets whether you’d killed him yet.”
She laughed. “He was wonderful! We went ballooning in Germany, went to Paris and Rome and England… He took me on a cruise using the Cunard line! It’s historic!”
Tank and Iron, the bastards, just looked at me and chuckled. Tank said, “Looks like you got him pussy-whipped, girl. See you keep it that way.”
“Don’t know about that, but if he’s pussy-whipped, I’m dick-whipped. I’d do anything he wanted if he promised me his cock at the end of it.” Her smirk said she’d meant it to counter them.
Tank and Iron threw back their heads and laughed. Both of them. Iron pulled her into his arms, hugging her gently. “You decide you don’t want him, little sister, I’ll take you on. If for no other reason than to listen to that sassy mouth of yours.”
“That’s enough,” I growled. “Give her back.”
“Take your time,” Tank said. “Fury said Doc’d be at the clinic around one with Mama, Alizay, and Blade.”
That brought me up short. “At Fury’s clinic?”
“Yeah.” Tank shrugged. “He wants this done now. Something about not making Swan suffer needlessly. Had a few things to say about her previous care. I already told him you landed, and that you guys were takin’ the bike home.”
Fuck.
“What’s going on?” Swan looked up at me with big eyes. I could see fear there. Resignation.
“Don’t know, babe. Doc’s been lookin’ into your case. Blade is another doctor at Salvation’s Bane. Mama and Alizay are both from Bones. Mama was a surgeon back in the day, and Alizay is a trauma nurse and the wife of one of Bone’s patched members. If I had to guess, Doc’s assembling his own team to help you.”
“Do you need to call him?”
I pulled her into my arms. “I can if you want, babe. Otherwise, we can just ride and enjoy the trip until we get to the compound. Up to you.”
She appeared to think about it. “Maybe we could just go. I’ll find out soon enough, I guess. I want some time to enjoy the new experience you’re getting ready to give me.”
“OK, then.”
Part of me wanted to purr in satisfaction at her desire to have this with me. Another part wanted to rage at Tank, Iron, and Doc for making her worry without an explanation.
“Did Doc say what he thought the problem was? Why he was assembling everyone?”
Tank shook his head. “I only know he was pissed as all get out.”
“About having to look at my case?” Swan looked horrified. “Reaper, I’m so sorry! I never intended to put anyone out --”
“Hush, sweetheart. It’s not that. If it were, he’d just tell us all to fuck off.”
“I don’t want to be a problem, Reaper.” She looked up at me, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. Which made me want to punch someone. Probably Tank for saying something in front of her instead of to me directly.
“Honey,” Iron said, glancing at Tank and me. “I didn’t get the feeling he was upset he was called on to help. I think he was pissed because he didn’t think you got the care you should have before you came to us.”
“If that’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. The doctors wanted to do more stuff, but I couldn’t afford it and didn’t want to drag this out and be miserable the whole time.”