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)
Doc gave me an exasperated look. “I think I’m more pissed about that than anything else,” he muttered. “Look. That kind of surgery shouldn’t have even been hinted at before they knew exactly what they were dealing with, and the only way to know that for absolute certainty is to do a biopsy. Besides, what you described was pretty radical. Not something I can do in a clinic, no matter what kind of equipment Fury has. This is strictly a biopsy. I’ll get what I need with a small drill and a needle.”
She nodded. Then asked softly, “Will it hurt?”
“I’ll give you enough medicine you won’t care, but I’ll numb you up as much as I can. OK?”
“OK,” she said, then buried her face back in my neck.
“Good,” Doc said, standing. “Let’s get the exam finished so we can get all this other shit done. I promise you, you’re gonna know one way or the other exactly what we’re dealing with and what your options are before you go to bed tonight.”
The next few hours were the longest of my life. El Diablo and Jezebel stayed with me the whole time. Once Doc was finished, his samples collected and given to Mama to take wherever she was taking them, Swan slept. I moved her from the exam table to a bed in the back. I sat beside her on a chair, scooting it as close to the bed as I could and holding her hand.
“I can’t live without her, Liam,” I said softly, knowing my friend would hear me. “She’s become my world in so short a time, it’s laughable.”
“Just let Doc do his work. Don’t give up yet.”
“I’ll never give up on her,” I murmured. “Whatever it takes. If it will get her better…”
“I know. Just have a little faith.”
“You know, I was El Segador before you were El Diablo. Maybe there’s a reason for it.”
“You bring monsters to justice, Reaper. Not innocents.”
“She commented on the irony of my name when we first met.” I sighed, kissing her hand gently. “She loves me. I know she does.”
“And you?”
I glanced over at my oldest friend. “You know I love her. More than I ever thought myself capable of loving anyone.”
Liam nodded, then put his arm around Jezebel, kissing her temple. “Go let Holly know Swan’s going to need to sleep tonight. We’ll bring her to breakfast in the morning.”
“Sure.” Jezebel stood and put a hand on my shoulder. “We’re all pulling for her, Reaper.”
I smiled. “You’re good for Liam,” I said. “A remarkable woman. No matter what happens tonight, Swan’s going to need friends. I’m a jealous bastard, but I want her to have all the friends she can stand.”
“You can count on me. Anything either of you need, I’ll be there.”
With Jezebel gone, it left me and Liam with Swan. Neither of us spoke for a long time. It was a couple of hours before either of us said anything. Then it was me who broke the silence.
“Until I got the call from Doc, her illness was an abstract thing. It was there, but I could see improvements in her appearance with just rest and food and good care. I’d forget about it sometimes unless her leg hurt.” I gave a soft laugh. “I mean, we went to the other side of the fuckin’ world, for fuck’s sake. She never had the first bit of trouble. Never complained about anything other than the occasional bit of pain when she’d been on her leg too much.”
“Doc made it real.”
“Yeah.” I scrubbed my free hand over my face. “Took me out of my fairy tale.”
“We’ll make it through this,” El Diablo said. “How much did you get done on her bucket list?”
“Everything but the fucking shit at Disney World. And getting her drunk and high. Thought she might like to go to Disney with the girls. The other I wanted to wait until we were back here. Need to know exactly what I give her to get her high. And that I can trust it.”
Again, we fell into silence. Holding vigil.
Swan stirred, moaning in her sleep. I stroked her hair softly. “Shh, baby. I’m here.”
“Hurt,” she said, her eyes still closed.
“I’ll go see if Fury can give her something,” El Diablo said softly.
“Thanks.”
I leaned forward and placed my lips on her forehead. “My precious Swan.”
“Reaper?”
“I’m here, baby. I’ll always be here.”
“You promise?” She sounded sleepy, but also scared and utterly miserable.
“I do, sweetheart. I’ll always be with you. No matter what.”
Fury entered the room, a small syringe in hand. “I’ll give her a small dose. Doc said to keep on the pain but to let her get good and awake.”
“Where is he?” I asked, wishing I could talk to the bastard. I needed to know what was going on.
“With the pathologist. He said to give him a few hours, and he’d know exactly what we were dealing with.”