Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 839(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
My eyes go to Tyson, needing more of an explanation.
“It’s a type of skin graft. He’s going to take a piece of skin from Sin’s thigh, brand it with the Lords’ crest and then reattach it over the brand the brothers gave him.”
“Use mine,” I all but shout, stepping forward, knowing that I can be of help.
They both frown at me. “Elli,” my father starts, but stops when my shaking hands go to my jeans. I undo them and shove the material down my legs. Gripping my inner thigh, I turn my leg the best I can to show them my brand. “Take it.”
All three look at one another and then back at me. “This is what you need, right? Use it.”
Gavin frowns. “Where did you get that?”
Before I can answer, Tyson speaks, “He branded her with his ring.”
“Goddammit.” My father sighs.
“But you can use it, right? Don’t cut him.” I’m trembling. I don’t want to see him suffer anymore. What skin will replace the piece that Gavin removes? It sounds like a vicious cycle that doesn’t have a good ending. They can take it from me, and he’ll be whole. A quicker recovery.
Tyson walks over to me, yanks up my jeans, and catches my shaking hands in his.
“This is important, Elli.” He speaks slowly, calmly. How can he be this calm right now? “The Lords can’t find out that Sin was ever at Carnage.”
“What if they do?” I ask wide-eyed. My eyes go to Sin, and it breaks my heart to see him lying there. I’ve never seen him look so vulnerable. I want to protect him. Any way that I can. He’s covered in blood. Some is dried to his skin; other parts are still fresh. There aren’t any visible bruises or cuts other than the three sixes and the cuts around his wrists that are still wrapped in pieces of my father’s shirt.
“They won’t,” Tyson assures me, getting my attention, but I don’t believe him. How will they not know? They know everything.
“Although you have the Lords’ crest, it’s too small. The one we wear is much larger in size. I’m sorry but we can’t use it. We’re going to have to make a new one.”
Gavin gets my attention again as he tilts Sin’s head back and begins to feed a tube down his throat. “Why are you doing that?” I go to walk over to the side of the bed, but Tyson grabs my shoulders, stopping me, and pushes me into my dad. He wraps his hands around my upper arms, keeping me in place as Tyson walks back over to stand next to Sin and Gavin.
“I’m intubating him, so his body doesn’t have to work so hard to breathe while he’s sedated.” His eyes meet mine for a quick second. “He deserves the break.”
SIN
I OPEN MY eyes to a softly lit room. The first thing I realize is I’m lying on my back because I’m staring up at a ceiling. The second thing I realize is that I can’t feel much. Why do I feel numb? The tips of my fingers tingle and so do my toes. Swallowing, I flinch at the soreness in my throat. A groan escapes my lips when I try to roll over onto my side.
“Hold on.” A hand touches my shoulder and I reach out to shove it away. “Easton, relax. It’s me.”
I blink, looking up at a face hovering over mine. “Ty-son?”
“You’re fine. But I need you to stay on your back.” He removes his hand from my shoulder, and I relax into the bed.
“What—why are you here?” I ask, my voice rough. Why the fuck would he be at Carnage?
“Here, drink this.” He places a straw in front of my mouth and I take a sip, not caring that I need him to hold it for me.
Pulling away, I nod, and he places it next to me.
“Nicholas, Elli, and I went to Carnage—”
“What?” I snap, making myself flinch. Using my heavy arms, I push myself into a sitting position as Tyson curses under his breath. My heart is racing and I’m breathing heavily once I’m sitting upright. My feet dangling over the side of what I realize is a hospital bed. “Why the fuck would you bring her here?” I demand. “She has to go.” I go to push myself to stand but he places his hands on my shoulders, keeping me sitting on the edge. I grind my teeth that I’m not strong enough to fight him.
“Sin—”
“What were you thinking?” I ask through gritted teeth. “Where is she? I want to see her.”
“You’re not at Carnage. We’re at the cathedral,” he says slowly, as if I’m hard of hearing. When he understands that I can’t beat him, he takes a step back, shoving his hands into the pockets of his bloody jeans. I don’t even bother asking whose it is. It doesn’t look to be his. Nodding behind me, I turn to look over my shoulder and see her cuddled up on a hospital bed. A blanket pulled up to her neck, sound asleep. I let out a deep breath.