Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“She’s been shot, Gem. She’s in surgery.”
My sister bursts into tears. “Call Mom and Dad.”
It’s been what feels like hours. Gemma and my parents sit together nearby, but I’ve taken up residence in a chair near the receptionist’s desk. I’ve been asking her for updates every five minutes. I know I’m driving her crazy, but she’s at least trying to help. I notice Dad speaking to the police chief, Tanaka, and have the urge to pummel that fucker’s face.
Since I don’t know anything or who’s responsible, I’m forced to sit still, waiting for any news whatsoever.
“Sir,” Candace, the receptionist, says to me. “They say she’s out of surgery now and in recovery. You should be able to see her soon.”
Thank fuck.
My eyes well with tears as relief floods through me. I blink my eyes furiously to keep from full-on sobbing. Despite Candace’s assurances, I won’t calm down until I have Sloane’s hand in mine. Until I can witness with my own two eyes that she’s alive and well.
More time ticks slowly by.
“Are you her son?” Candace asks, the phone pressed to her ear but eyes on me. “Family?”
“Her son? What the fu—No! I’m her boyfriend.”
Candace frowns. “But not family?”
Are you fucking kidding me right now?
I rise to my feet and glower at the once-helpful woman. “No. Is that a problem?”
“Sir, only family is allowed back at this time—”
“BUT I FUCKING LOVE HER!” I roar, rage and despair clawing at my very soul. “I NEED TO SEE HER!”
When I slam both fists onto the counter, the woman shrinks back.
“Sir, please don’t make me call security. I know you’re upset—”
I cut her off with a string of curse words that silences her completely. A firm hand squeezes my shoulder.
“Miss,” Dad says, voice calm but brimming with authority. “Who’s Sloane’s doctor?”
The woman looks like she might cry, which makes me feel like a total dick. I shouldn’t have yelled at her, but I’m fucking terrified. I just want to see my girl.
“Uh, Dr. Crow.”
“Ian Crow? Ah. He’s a friend of mine. Tell him Nathan Park is here. He’ll speak to me.”
Candace nods and places the call, whispering softly. Then she passes the phone to my dad. Dad talks lowly, chuckles, and then thanks him before handing the phone back. Candace nods and then hangs up.
“You and I are cleared to go back there,” Dad says to me. “Dr. Crow said they’ve almost got her situated in room number 1238. He said to give them ten minutes and then we can head up.”
Ten minutes may feel like a lifetime, but it’s something. I grab hold of Dad and hug him to me. He squeezes me tight and murmurs that everything’s going to be okay.
I sure as hell hope so.
The beeping within the hospital room has me stalling at the open door. Dad gently nudges me to keep going. I suck in a breath, preparing for the worst. As soon as I walk in and see Sloane attached to various machines, my heart cracks in two.
Her face is bruised—painted blacks and purples and blues. It looks painful as fuck. I rush over to her to take hold of her hand. She’s sleeping and doesn’t stir. I can hear Dad’s soft voice as he talks to someone just outside the door.
“Babe,” I choke out. “Hey, babe. It’s me. It’s Dempsey. You gave me quite the fucking scare.”
A tear races down my cheek. She’s alive. This could have been a lot worse.
I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. She’s so beautiful, even damaged and wrecked beyond recognition. I still see her. Every perfect part of her.
“You’ll get out of here soon and I’m going to be the best nurse who ever lived,” I assure her, forcing a laugh. “Fuck. You better get out of here soon.”
I’m unsure where she was shot. Her arms and upper body appear to be unharmed aside from the big-ass bruise on her face.
“Ian thinks no more than a couple of days and she’ll be out of here,” Dad says, approaching me from behind. “The bullet clipped her spleen, but they were able to salvage it. She’s really lucky it went straight through and didn’t ricochet inside her rib cage.”
Bile burns at my throat. “She was shot in the stomach?”
“Back. Someone shot her in the back, Son.”
What kind of lowlife shoots a woman when she has her back turned? A fucking spineless coward.
“Who?” I demand. “Who did this?”
Dad sighs and makes his way over to one of the chairs in the room. He motions for me to sit down beside him. I lean forward and gently kiss an uninjured portion of Sloane’s face before joining him.
“Well?”
“Hiroshi says—”
“Who?”
“Chief of police.”
“Go on.”
“He said that the two officers were ambushed. Biker gang.”
I snap my head. “Those motherfuckers.”
“Hiroshi said you and Sloane had a run-in with them?”