I clear my throat and wipe my cheek on my sleeve. I’ve never been more emotional in my life. Even when I was in prison and Kendall ripped my heart out of my chest, I never shed a tear for her. I hated her, sure.
Awakening with clarity, I realize I never loved Kendall enough to cry over her. Here I am, crying over my son, crying in front of Finley, and I know if anything ever happened to her, I’d lose my damn mind.
Yeah, the right woman brings love and softens a man. I’ve been stone fucking cold for far too long.
“Hey, how much did you hear?”
She sits on my lap and lays her head on my shoulder, smelling like freshly picked fruit from her shampoo. “All of it.”
“I mean all of it.”
“I know you do. And you want to know what I think?” She leans away and places her hand on top of mine and Dillon’s. “I think he’ll be fine.”
Dillon’s body wiggles, and a groan has me out of my chair so fast I nearly drop Finley. I lean over Dillon and stroke his cheek. His forehead creases, and I imagine if he had brow hair, his brows would be pinched together right now. “Hey, buddy. You’re safe. I’m here. Dad is here.”
He blinks his big brown eyes at me and somehow manages to smile. “Daddy,” he says sleepily.
Yeah, I’m not ready to not hear him call me that. If Kendall is the donor, she’s about to be in for a rude awakening. Not only will I take her marrow, but I’ll take her life.
Just like she took mine.
Chapter Twenty
FINLEY
Since Dillon doesn’t have a bone marrow transplant lined up, Grayson wants to take him home. The doctor who flew in from Portland wants Dillon to stay in the hospital until he finishes his last two chemotherapy treatments.
Grayson is yelling at Doctor Gladstone.
Doctor Gladstone is calm, collective, and nodding as if he understands Grayson’s dilemma.
“Grayson is going to get a different doctor and probably hire one to come to the house so Dillon can be more comfortable,” Owen says, standing next to me.
“I believe the doctor knows what’s best,” I reply, leaning against the wall to watch Grayson’s hands fly in the air as he rips the doctor a new asshole.
“Oh, definitely, but Grayson, he doesn’t think with logic. Not like the rest of us. He runs on emotions. If there is one thing that dude does, he feels tremendously. It’s like everything is heightened for him. It’s what makes him so good for the team, in my opinion. All of us are bastards, but he gives a damn, about everything. When sometimes, he shouldn’t.”
“I wouldn’t say he cares about everything,” I mumble, thinking about how deep his hate runs for Kendall, especially now that he needs her more than ever to see if she will save their son’s life.
“Oh, I know,” Owen chuckles. “You have to remember, when it comes to feeling so deep, there are bad feelings too. His vindictive side is ten-fold. Whoever fucks with him and his, he will fuck back. This Kendall bitch has had it coming. It’s about time he laid his past to rest.”
“I don’t know how we are going to get ahold of her. What if we can’t find her in time?” I don’t know Dillon all that well, but I want to know him. He’s such a sweet kid, and if he dies, Grayson will be beyond devastated.
“You let me worry about that,” Sebastian says from behind me, his deep voice causing me to jump in my skin a bit.
“Fine! Then be at the house later with your damn bags!” Grayson shouts for the last time, spins on his heels, and marches into the Dillon’s room where we’re all waiting.
Well, most of us are waiting by the door so we could watch the scene unfold with the doctor.
“Did you get things sorted?” I ask with a smile on my face.
“Yes. He somehow managed to convince me that he could be the best doctor since he’s familiar with Dillon’s case.”
Sebastian and Owen laugh, and Grayson narrows his eyes at them. “Shut up. He made his case.”
“Cause he is a doctor,” Owen says, obvious.
“Cause he is a doctor,” Grayson mocks in a childish voice. “Shut up.”
“Daddy, you’re being silly,” Dillon giggles.
And just like that, Grayson’s annoyance is gone. He walks over to Dillon, who looks so much better than when he arrived, and scrubs a hand over Dillon’s bald head. “I’m a bit on edge right now, but nothing a piggy back ride can’t fix?” he asks Dillon.
“Yes! Piggy back ride!” Dillon stands on the bed and waits for Grayson to turn around.
“I thought you were carrying me?” Grayson asks with a pout of his bottom lip.
Dillon falls over in a fit of laughter, cuddling Grayson’s shoulder. “I can’t carry you. You’re too big!”
Grayson playfully rolls his eyes. “Fine. I guess. But you’ll have to carry me later.” Grayson spins around, and Dillon jumps on his back, wrapping his legs around Grayson’s waist. I walk over to grab the small black duffle bag that has a few of Dillon’s belongings in it and throw it over my shoulder.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Ready! Onward, horsey.” Dillon throws his fist in the air and kicks Grayson’s sides with his feet.
Owen lifts his phone and snaps a picture, and while everyone has a smile on their face, I keep thinking what if these moments are the last?
“Hey, Sebastian? Can I meet you guys out in the car?” The urge to use the restroom hits me. “Can you take this?”
“Yeah, not a problem,” Sebastian replies. “We will send help if you flush yourself.”
Heaven does his little evil snicker that has me smiling, and I roll my eyes and toss the bag at Sebastian, nearly hitting Heaven. “I’ll only be a minute. Go.” I watch Sebastian walk out the door with Heaven dragging his cast behind him. Poor guy. I bet he can’t wait to get that taken off. Just a few more weeks and he’ll finally be able to get that Cheeto out of there.
I slip into the en-suite bathroom and do my business, wash my hands, and when I open the door, I run into a hard chest and a cold knife is pressed against my throat.
“Well, well, well.”
I notice that voice from anywhere and the use of his spectacular vocabulary. “I thought I killed you,” I whisper to Trevor. My eyes flicker to the door, but it’s shut. No one can see me. No one can hear me. I’m trapped.
“You almost did.” He clicks his tongue. “Almost.” He teases the tip of the knife across my throat, and I’m afraid to swallow. If I do, the metal might pierce my skin. “Your mom found me, called 911, and here I am.” He spreads an arm out, proud and thirsty for revenge. He pushes me against the wall and leans his head closer to mine. I can smell his rotten breath and the sweat clinging to his clothes. “You stole something that belongs to me. I want my fucking money back.”
I toss my head back and spit in his face. “Fuck you. Let’s call that hazard pay for all the shit I had to deal with when it came to you.”
He chuckles darkly and wipes the blade across his cheek, and then brings it to his mouth, flattening his tongue along the knife to lick my saliva off. He hums appreciatively. “I knew you’d taste good. That cunt still fresh? I bet it isn’t. I saw your face all over the news for a little bit and then poof. You were gone. Someone is covering up your tracks, and I bet you’re paying them back in pussy.”