Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“This is bullshit.” I shook my head, unable to believe that we were already at this point, talking about pulling the fucking plug on Sadie.
“Such fucking bullshit. She needs to wake the fuck up.” I said the words more to myself than to Thomas, who was on his feet at my side, one hand gripping my shoulder.
“Relax, Jasper. The doctor is just doing his job, making sure you know what your options are.”
I shrugged off his touch. “My options are for Sadie to wake the fuck up,” I told him and started back toward my car.
“She will. You know your mother does everything in her own fucking time.”
It was true, but right now, that thought didn’t bring me much fucking comfort. “You keep saying that, but she isn’t waking up, Thomas.” I reached my car and leaned inside, pulling out the gun that was always at my hip except when I went in to see Sadie. “It’s time I forced the issue.”
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Jasper. I know this is your hospital, but this isn’t the answer.”
Thomas kept up with me as I stormed inside the hospital, ignoring the loud buzzing sound of the metal detectors going off.
“It’s all right,” I heard Thomas say, his hand back on my shoulder. “Calm the fuck down, Jas.”
“Not now. I can’t. This is too fucking important, Thomas, and I need answers. Don’t you?”
“Damn right I do, but there has to be a reason she hasn’t woken up yet. Her body is almost fully healed, so there’s no reason other than pure fucking obstinance.”
I stopped and stepped onto the elevator. “What the fuck is the reason, Thomas?”
He stepped in and punched the floor button. “I don’t fucking know, Jasper. Sadie has a lot of demons. Maybe she’s making peace with them so she can enjoy the next stage of her life.”
“That sounds like some hokey shit Kat would say.”
“Maybe so, but think about it. All she did in the Green Zone? The way she focused on Lucky Lopez, making sure everything was just right? She’s ready for what comes next. First, there’s Ava Rose, and soon Kat and Maisie will start to have babies. You know your mother. Her focus will be on protecting her grandchildren, the next generation. She can’t do that now.”
We stepped off the elevator at the same time, Thomas still talking shit as if he could stop what was about to happen. We walked up to the nursing station, and I leaned over the counter and snapped at the young woman sitting at a computer.
“Dr. Purcell, where the fuck is he?”
The nurse blinked, terrified, when her brown eyes landed on my gun.
“Sir, I’m going to have to call security. You’re not allowed…”
“This hospital has my name on the front of it. Call Dr. Fucking Purcell now, or your job is toast. Ma’am.”
The nurse paled and looked to Thomas, who nodded, and she took that to mean she should get on it. “Uhm, yes, sir. I’ll page him now.”
“Tell him to meet me in Sadie Ashby’s room. Now.”
She scurried off, leaving Thomas and me to go in the other direction toward the room that looked like it might become Sadie’s tomb.
“Don’t do anything that will take you away from this family, Jasper. They all need you.”
“Goddammit, Thomas, this is my mother.”
“And the woman I’ve loved since before you were born. I know. If I could shake her awake, I would.”
The door opened, and the brown-haired man with a stethoscope around his neck strolled in. “I’m Dr. Purcell and—”
I raised the gun so he didn’t have to look down at it, so he was looking right at me as I made my request. “And you’re the man who’s going to wake my mother up.”
The doctor froze just inside the door, his pleading gaze bouncing between the gun and Thomas. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Do it,” I growled. “You want to pull the plug on my mother. Prove to me she’s beyond help.”
Purcell shook his head. “I didn’t say that. I’m just giving your family the options.”
His hands trembled, but incredibly, he turned to me with steel in his eyes. “Sadie needs to wake up on her own. The fact that she hasn’t means she isn’t ready to, for whatever reason. All we can do is monitor her and keep her comfortable, Mr. Ashby.”
“Wake. Her. Up. Now.” I adjusted my grip and stepped forward to press the cold metal against his flesh. “Now, goddammit!”
“Mr. Ashby—”
“Now. You medically induced her, so that means you can wake her up. Do it.” I pressed the gun against his head harder and harder until he tried to crouch away from it.
“I can’t.” Purcell stood tall and smoothed the sides of his white coat. “She hasn’t had any meds for a while now. Ms. Ashby has to wake up on her own. If you’re going to shoot me for that, then shoot me. This is ridiculous.”