Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 71179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Words float around in my consciousness.
Am I asleep?
Awake?
My eyes open.
Two figures.
I try to talk but a mask is over my face. With one hand, I swipe it off.
“Falcon, no.” A voice.
“I’ll get the nurse.” Another voice.
Then the image comes into focus. “Savannah?”
But it’s not Savannah. “Ray, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see my big brother.” Raven rubs my arm. “You look terrible, Falcon. I can’t believe this happened to you.”
What happened to me?
Right.
The McAllisters’ goons.
Or the Bianchis’ goons.
Same difference. They had muscles and fists. And of course the added advantage of tying my wrists together and my legs to a fucking chair so I couldn’t move away from their blows or defend myself.
Cowards.
“Mr. Bellamy,” another voice says, “how are you feeling?”
“Great,” I eke out, my voice hoarse.
“Your oxygen saturation is excellent. We can get rid of the mask and use a nasal cannula for now. At the end of the day, we’ll see if the doctor thinks you can go off of oxygen.”
“Why am I on oxygen?”
“You have a punctured lung. It should heal on its own, but for now the doctor wants your oxygen supplemented.”
“Okay,” I say.
“Everything looks good. Your breakfast should be here soon.”
Ugh. Breakfast. I can’t eat. I’m hungry, but it will be too painful. My jaw isn’t broken, or it would be wired shut like Zion’s was. Still, it hurts like a mother just to open my mouth to talk.
“Broken?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” Raven asks.
“Do you remember what happened yesterday, Falcon?” Savannah asks. “What the doctor said?”
I open my mouth and wince at the pain.
“I’m sorry,” Savannah says. “Don’t try to talk. You have several fractured ribs, but no other broken bones. Other than the punctured lung, all the wounds are superficial.”
Superficial. Right. They sure as hell don’t feel superficial.
“You’re a lucky man, Falcon.” Raven’s soft voice. “Now try to stay out of trouble, okay?”
I close my eyes.
36
SAVANNAH
Raven sat with Falcon most of the day, which allowed me to sneak out to the safehouse and get some clothes and an overnight bag.
One day I have to go shopping for new clothes. Most of mine were destroyed when Abel and Giancarlo ransacked my place, killing Mr. Shaw.
God… Poor Mrs. Shaw. She was released from the hospital and I haven’t been to see her. In my defense, I was holed up at a safe house, but still… I should check in on her. I’ll see about that tomorrow. Last I heard she was staying at her sister’s place while the duplex is being renovated.
Now, though, I’m almost to my parent’s place in Austin. I hope it won’t be a late night because I have to drive back and spend the night with Falcon at the hospital. But I promised Vinnie I’d be here, and I need to be. I need to know what’s going on. Of course, we have to wait for Mom to go to bed to speak privately. Someone should be with Falcon…
Why didn’t I arrange for Leif or Hawk to be there?
I call Leif on my cell.
“Hey, Savannah,” he says.
“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m having dinner with my brother in Austin at my folks’ house, and I may be late. Could I bother you to sit with Falcon tonight?”
“I’m actually here now. He’s looking okay, all things considering. He’s awake and alert.”
“Thank God.”
“The doc says he can go off oxygen, but he’ll be here tonight and tomorrow night for observation. If all looks good with the lung after that, he can go home.”
“That’s good news.” I bite my lip. “But about tonight…”
“It’s taken care of,” he says. “Raven is staying.”
“Raven?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t talk her out of it. She says—”
“May I speak to her, please?”
“Yeah, sure. Don’t you want to talk to Falcon?”
“Not if it’s still hurting him to talk.”
“Yeah, it’s still pretty difficult for him.”
“Tell him I love him, and please let me talk to Raven.”
“She loves you, Fal. Ray, she wants to talk to you.”
“Savannah?” Raven’s voice.
“Hi, Raven. I’m so sorry I’m not there, but are you sure you’re up to staying with him?”
“Absolutely. He stayed with me when I needed him.”
I sigh. “I should be there.”
“It’s okay. He understands. He says there are things he can’t tell me. But are you okay, Savannah?”
“I’m fine.”
“Take care of your business tonight,” she says. “I have your number, and I’ll call you if anything changes with Falcon.”
I smile into the phone. “You’re an angel, Raven. Truly.”
“Falcon’s my angel.” Her voice cracks. “I’d do anything for him.” She clears her throat. “When you get back though, you and I need to talk.”
My heart jolts. “About what?”
“About that gorgeous brother of yours. I didn’t even know you had a brother.”
Dinner is tense.
The coq au vin that Cook prepared looks and smells delicious, but the flavor is lost on me when I’m consumed with thoughts of Falcon and of the conversation Vinnie and I are going to have tonight.