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)
With a sigh, I headed down to El Diablo’s office. He needed to know my intentions and what I was asking of him and the club. Of course, he likely already knew. It was his way, and I long ago stopped questioning it.
“Ah! El Segador! How’s little Swan? I heard she had a mishap at the beach.”
“She did, but she’s fine. At least, she didn’t drown and is showing no ill effects from her tumble under the water.”
That raised his eyebrows. “Implying there’s something else wrong with her?”
“Yeah. Says she’s got some kind of bone cancer. Got a mass high on her thigh close to her hip.”
“I see. What does she need?”
I sighed, scrubbing the back of my neck with my hand. “Couple of things. First, I’ve asked Rycks to reach out to Doc at Salvation’s Bane. I’d like him to at least examine her and look at her medical records.”
“Good idea,” El Diablo said. “He’s an oncologist. He may deal with children mostly, but he can probably help point you in the right direction. What else?’
I laid the notebook on his desk, opened to her bucket list. El Diablo ran his finger down the page, taking in every single entry. “Black Reign can help with some of these. I’m assuming you’re taking care of the emotional entries?”
“Absolutely,” I said without hesitation. “I’ve already started, but I need to find out her experience level. I doubt the girl is twenty years old yet. And the way she responds to me…”
“It’s possible she’s a virgin,” El Diablo finished. The man didn’t look in any way like he disapproved of my decision. In fact, he looked pleased. “I have no doubt you will take good care of her in that regard. My only concern is this one.” He pointed to “Fall in love.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I can make her fall in love with me.”
“But what about you? If she’s destined to leave you so soon, falling in love with her isn’t the greatest of ideas.” El Diablo frowned and continued to look at the list.
“I know. But if she’s falling in love with me, then I’ll fall in love with her. No way to prevent it, so I might as well embrace it. Better to know it’s happening than to realize it after she’s gone.”
El Diablo looked up at me, a determined look on his face. “So you’re claiming her as your woman.”
“I am.”
“Good,” he said with a curt nod. “I’ll start planning the trips. She’ll go in nothing but the height of luxury. It will take a day or two to get things together, but, while I’m doing that, you can take her out to dinner. Let the girls take her shopping for a dress and all the accessories. And you, my friend, need a suit.”
I grimaced. I knew that, but I hated them. “At least it’s not a fuckin’ tux.”
“Don’t count it out yet. May come to that before it’s over.”
“Fucker,” I muttered, even as I knew I’d do anything for Swan. If that meant dressing up in a fucking tux, I’d put it on and never say a fucking word.
“I doubt she has time to fully prepare for dinner tonight, so I’ll get you reservations at Mortons or the Four Seasons for tomorrow night. Her choice, so let me know this evening.”
“On it.” I knew El Diablo would take over this once I handed it to him. It was what I’d been hoping for. While I was certainly capable of organizing her list into something I could work with, I was too close. My focus needed to be on Swan. “Thanks, Liam. I owe you for this.”
“No, Reaper,” El Diablo leveled a serious look on me. “This might come close to making us even for all your help over the years, but you do not owe me. Besides, if it makes little Swan happy, it’s worth anything I could do to make this work. You focus on her and making her as happy and comfortable as she can be. Have you talked to Fury yet?”
“Thought I’d tell him when we told everyone else, but I can go to him now if you think it’s best.”
“Do that. She might need something for pain.”
I nodded, then sent Fury a text, asking him to meet me in his office. It wasn’t but just a few seconds later my phone rang.
“Gonna need her medical records.” Fury wasn’t the most sociable man on the planet. Fortunately, I was used to his abrupt manner.
“Ain’t got ’em,” I said. “If she’s got ’em, I’ll have her bring them.”
“Do you at least know where she was treated?”
“I’ll ask her. She’s asleep. Last I checked she looked too peaceful to wake. Probably needs the rest. She’s got dark circles under her eyes, and it’s been an eventful morning. She’s only been asleep an hour.” Then I thought of something. “Hang on a second.” On a hunch, I went to her room and found her backpack. A quick inspection, and I found a folder with a bunch of papers in it. “OK, yeah. Found at least some things for you, including the name of the facility and her doctor. No disks or images, but there’s X-ray reports.”