Page 26 of Bad Blood

He stands, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “You’re the specialist. You know how to treat this, right?” He leans closer, our shoulders brushing, and points at the bottom of the page.

“Yes.” My voice is confident and assured, one hundred percent opposite of how I feel about treating his brother, which is precisely why I’m going to refer him. My skin prickles where his body grazes mine, and I pull away, swallowing. It doesn’t seem to affect him, the zing of electricity emanating from where our bodies touched. I try to stay focused on the chart, but I can’t help watching him out of the corner of my eye.

“What’s next? Why did he need to come here? Does he need more tests? Does he need special treatment? Is he going to be okay?” He grabs the bill of his hat and readjusts it, hiding his face from view.

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. And it’s not wise to go into details without Liam present. He mentioned wanting to know what to expect, but this is an instance where it’s best if he’s not alone. I can afford the time to explain what to expect and pass Liam on as planned.

“We can discuss more when Liam returns.” I glance at my watch.

“You didn’t answer my questions.” Frustration flares in his dusky blue eyes.

“I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” I take the file from him and situate some paperwork inside.

“He needs you.” Was there a crack in his voice at the end of his words? My heart jumps at the urgency in his tone.

“I understand where you’re coming from.” He doesn’t know the half of it. “I assure you, I’ll answer your questions before you leave.”

“Can you fix this?”

I want to tell him what he wants to hear, but I don’t lie. I am, if nothing else, a woman of my word. “I will do everything in my power to make sure your brother has the best care.”

“Is that a yes?” His brow pinches together, and his lips fall into a straight line. “You’re top-ranked, the best,” he adds, exhibiting more confidence in me than I feel at the moment.

My heart whirs like an overheating laptop, and I stare at my crossed arms, trying to decide if now is when I should explain the complexity of the case and how Liam will need to be referred because of his age or if I should wait.

Our eyes meet, and all his resolve slips away. His eyes convey everything without him speaking a word, taking my silence as his answer.

It’s days like this where I second guess becoming an orthopedic oncologist. A mountain of choices, but my brother’s path led me here. And, when I’m honest with myself, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Let’s see what’s taking so long.” I tuck the chart under my arm and motion for him to join me.

“You know what you’re doing? You can fix this?” His eyes narrow, and his lips fall into a thin line. The audacity of this man! It’s obvious he’s accustomed to getting what he wants. But I’m not easily swayed. And It’s not like I can predict the future.

“I’m very good at what I do, Mr. Blakely. I’m sure you’re aware.” My defenses go up, and I clench my jaw from saying anything else. I don’t know why he’s questioning my competency, but he’s not going to get the response he’s looking for with that attitude.

His eyes soften as he reaches for me, pauses for a half-second, and slides his fingers into my palm before squeezing. I’m caught off guard. A jolt of electricity surges up my arm as I yank my hand away.

“Please,” he begs, and my heart bounces against my ribs like a pinball.

“I . . .” I step away from him, cupping my hand to my chest.

“Please.” He squeezes his eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he drops his head. “I need to know you can fix this.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Liam will receive the best care possible. I can’t promise more than that.”

I have seen pain. I have heard pain. I have felt pain.

But very little compares to the agony on Dax’s face when his eyes meet mine. “We need you”—he chokes on the words as he flexes his jaw, and a hollowness fills my chest—“to fix this.”

I’ve seen a lot in the years I’ve been here, but something about his concern for his brother confuses me. The fear in his eyes shadows his laid-back behavior from earlier.

“He’s all I have left.” It’s barely a whisper. A heartbreaking, gut-wrenching whisper.

“Let’s see where they are.” I walk to the door and open it, my eyes bouncing around the floor in search of Lauren. Dax stays a couple of feet behind me and leans against the doorframe. I have a sneaking suspicion this case isn’t going to fit the norm.

“Has he told you anything?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder as I reach for the handle.

He shakes his head. “Everything I’ve found out is from Google. Liam mentioned the bone cancer, but I don’t know the specifics.”

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