Page 7 of Bound to the Crime Lord

Adam let out a heavy sigh. “Juliette, we can try some other?—”

I held my hand up, stopping the little speech he wanted to give me. “Don't talk to me like I don’t know how the medical field works, Adam. Tell it to me straight, please. What are we looking at here?”

His eyes softened further, the sympathy flashing across his features. “He’s not responding to the medication. His white cell count is high, meaning that his body is already trying to fight off an infection. So, we will need to get him on antibiotics again. But as you know, that will likely leave him even sicker than he already is. We can try another bone marrow transplant, but I’m afraid you can’t be a donor again, and with his blood type… it could be a while.”

My heart sank to the floor. “Jesus.”

I placed my hands on my knees, the gravity of the situation weighing greatly on my chest. I could feel the walls closing in on me. My heart rate picked up, and my body started heating. The world tilted on its axis as I stumbled to the side.

“Juliette? Are you okay?” Adam’s voice sounded far away, like he was underwater. “Juliette?”

Breathe, Juliette. In and out, nice and easy. Fill your lungs with oxygen and breathe it all out. In and out… in and out… in and out…

“Okay,” I breathed.

I stood at my full height. I pushed back the flood waters that threatened to break past my protective walls. I would not come undone now. Not when Ethan needed me present and strong.

“So, we get him on antibiotics and then we get him the transplant. I’m sure there will be a donor available soon.”

Adam blinked. I was sure that he was shocked at my complete 180 flip. Only a few seconds ago I had looked like the entire world was coming to an end and now I was composed.

“Well, we can do that.” He shook his head, turning his attention to the file in his hand. “But I was doing some research, and there is a clinical trial that uses stem cells in order to rebuild the marrow. It’s still fairly new, but I talked to one of the doctors there and they can take Ethan in. The cost is quite steep, though, I have to warn you.”

“Just as the hope started to bubble up, it was quickly squandered. “How steep are we talking?”

“120,000 dollars.”

My heart nearly exploded. “You’re joking.”

I knew the price of medical care was exorbitant, but that was insane. That was more than my yearly salary, not to mention the cash he would need after. Would I also need to take time off to be with him? But in order to afford such a steep bill, I would need to work.

My mind turned, trying to come up with different ways to make this all work out.

“Juliette?”

“I hear you, I just… I want him to be a part of the trial. I will make the payments. Is there an installment option?”

He nodded. “I can put you in touch with the program head, and you can discuss everything with him.”

“Okay.” I offered him a weak smile even though, inside, I was seconds away from self-combustion. “I should head back inside.”

“Of course.” I knew that look on his face well. It was that deep sympathy look that I offered patients when their situations looked bleak.

I walked back into the room and found Ethan completely immersed in his video. When he was researching something or reading, the world around him faded away. He was always so hyper-focused on what he was taking in, making sure to cement all information he gathered.

He flicked his gaze upward. “All good?”

My heart squeezed at the innocence on his face. The world was such a cruel and cold place. This boy had done nothing to deserve the cards that life had dealt him. He was all things good, and if I could trade places with him that instant… I would.

“All good, E.” I walked back to the chair beside his bed. “What else did you learn about jellyfish?”

He paused his video and started listing off all the cool things that he had learned about jellyfish. I listened to him carefully, knowing full well that he was going to test me. But in the back of my mind, my brain ticked away, trying to come up with a solid plan on how I was going to come up with 120,000 dollars in a short amount of time.

At this point, I was willing to make a deal with the devil himself.

Chapter Four

Juliette POV

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