Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Then I see the shivering seventeen year old who went into shock. That young man, still a boy, really, who shivered in my arms and begged me, without words, to help him. To protect him.
And I vowed I would, just as I did when he was a little kid.
Just as I did when he was a baby and I held him for the first time when Mom was still in the hospital.
Robin and Raven treated him like he was their baby. They were little mommies to him.
But me?
I wasn’t a little father to Eagle.
I was a big brother. A hero. And in the end, a savior.
He’s up to something, but I can’t deal with that right now. I’ve got Savannah to consider, and in the next room, Raven, who may be rejecting my bone marrow.
Raven…who may be relapsing.
Raven…who may die.
“Nice of you to show up,” I finally say to him.
“I love her just as much as you do, Fal.”
I don’t doubt his words. I’ve never doubted Eagle’s words. He always means well. Since that fateful day, I know he’s stayed clean. We got him into rehab and I got updates from Hawk while I was inside.
Hawk watched him like a… Well, like a hawk.
He became his protector while I was gone.
But I’m back now.
“So what’s up with you and the woman?” Eagle asks.
“You heard her.”
Eagle grins. “She’s in love with you.”
“Apparently.”
Eagle steps toward me. “And you return her feelings?”
“I do, so back off.”
He holds up a hand. “You’ve got no worries with me. I owe you a lot.”
Fuck, he has no idea. “I don’t want to go there, Eagle. Not here, and not now.”
“I just mean—”
“You’re up to something. Something that involves Scarlett Ramsey, but it has to wait, Eagle. Raven’s more important.”
And so is Savannah, but I doubt Eagle has a clue what she and I have been through during the last few days. He doesn’t check in the way Hawk does.
You’d think he’d learn after all the shit that went down all that time ago.
A doctor—Raven’s doctor—walks swiftly down the hallway and into Raven’s room, bypassing us.
“Let’s go,” I say, walking into the room. “He might have the results.”
“Raven,” the doctor says. “Are your parents here? I have some answers about the blood work.”
Raven yawns. “They left for the evening. But my brothers are here.” She gestures to us. “What is it, Doctor?”
“Your red count and hemoglobin look great, but…your white blood cell count is slightly elevated.”
“God.” I rub my forehead.
“Easy, Fal,” Hawk says. “Let’s see what Dr. Hayes has to say.”
“Now, it could be nothing,” Dr. Hayes says. “You could still have a virus. As you probably know, when you contract an infection, your immune system responds by making more white blood cells.”
“So you don’t know anything yet, then?” I ask.
Dr. Hayes turns to me. “Your sister has gained weight well, and her hair is coming in. From all standpoints, she looks healthy. She’s responded well to the bone marrow transplant. But she’s still recovering, and viruses will attack when a person is down. It’s likely that’s all it is, but with her history, we can’t be sure without more tests.”
“What more tests do we need?” Raven asks.
“The pathologist needs to look more closely at your white blood cells. If they’re normal, we can be assured this is just a viral infection. If they’re abnormal…”
He doesn’t finish. Why should he? We all know what he means.
Raven doesn’t smile.
Seeing her smile, seeing her feel good was such a wonder once she came home.
“How do you feel, Ray?” I ask.
“Same,” she says. “Sick, but not sick. I don’t expect any of you to understand.”
“I understand,” Dr. Hayes says, “and that’s a good sign. Once you’ve had cancer of any kind, you realize that run of the mill viruses aren’t that bad.”
“Have you had cancer, Doc?” Eagle asks.
I roll my eyes. “Christ, Eagle.”
“I haven’t, and I count myself lucky,” he says. “But as an oncologist, I’ve known more cancer patients than most. I’ve studied the disease relentlessly. I know what patients say.”
“How long until you get the other results?” I ask.
He looks at his watch. “Could be later tonight. Could be early tomorrow. I’ve asked them to rush it.”
“What do we do until then?”
“I’d like for Raven to stay here for the night, no matter what, so we can keep an eye on her.”
“I’ll be staying with her,” I say.
“Falcon…”
I grab her hand and give it a squeeze. “Stop it, sis. I’m staying.”
She nods. “Okay. I’d like that. I feel safer with you here.”
Safer.
I protected Eagle all those years ago.
I protected Savannah when those derelicts came onto my property.
I gave Raven my bone marrow, but I can’t protect her. I can give her my whole body, but I have no say in how it turns out.
I’ve never felt so useless.
But I’ll stay. Especially since Raven wants me to.