Page 106 of Obsession

“The doctor hopes he can put a stent in the artery and not have to open him up, but if not, yes.”

Sam nodded and turned to Jenny. “Where’s Jace?”

“I dropped him off at a friend’s house.”

The Ryker name was called, and everyone turned toward the nurse who approached them. “Mrs. Ryker?”

Rachel nodded.

“He wants to see you before we take him to the cath lab,” she said.

His mother turned to Sam. “Come with us. Please.”

He stiffened and shook his head. “I ... I can’t.”

Emma didn’t know how he could turn down the pleading in his mother’s eyes. Then his mother’s shoulders dropped and she lifted her chin. “No. You’re choosing not to go with us.” Still holding her head high, she followed the nurse through the ICU doors.

“Come on, Sam,” Jenny said. “It won’t kill you, and it may save his life.”

His head jerked back as though she’d slapped him. Emma touched his arm. “You don’t have to say anything, but your presence might make a difference. Give him something to fight for.”

She thought he was going to refuse, but just before the doors closed, Sam swallowed hard. “Hold the door,” he said.

59

They stopped outside a room with a curtain pulled across the window. Sam’s mother looked up at him. “Thanks, son. I know this is hard.”

He pressed his lips together to keep from asking how she could be there. And why was she taking care of her ex-husband now after the way he’d treated her? While Sam had never seen his mother physically abused by his father, Sam had seen him ridicule her, and he knew for a fact he’d cheated on her.

When his mom discovered the lashes on Sam’s back, she had kicked his dad out of the house until he got help with his anger issues and drinking problem. Then his old man had conned her into letting him come home after completing an alcohol rehab. She’d finally divorced him when she caught him cheating with a neighbor, but by that time Sam was out of the house. What in the world had he said to get back in her good graces?

Sam was drawn to the bed in spite of his resolve. The man lying in the bed was pasty with dark shadows under his eyes.Brokenwas the only word Sam could think of to describe how he looked. How much had he actually changed?He apologized.Sam had to admit the man he remembered never believed he’d done anything to apologize for.

His dad’s eyes fluttered open, then widened, and became shiny.

“You came,” he whispered.

Sam waited for the dig to come, words likeYou must think you’re going to get something out of this.OrWhat do you want?

Instead his dad simply smiled. “Thank you.”

Sam nodded curtly as his mother and sister crowded closer to the bed. “You’re going to be fine,” his mother said. “The doctor is very optimistic that he can patch you up.”

“Yeah, Dad,” Jenny said. “Just hang in there.”

“You’re a good woman, Rachel. You too, Jenny. I don’t deserve you.” His gaze never left Sam’s face. “You either, son.”

Sam couldn’t keep from flinching, and pain crossed his father’s eyes.

“Could you leave me and Sam alone a minute?” he asked.

Panic surged through him. He didn’t want to be alone with this man. Sam may have already caused him to have one heart attack. Maybe what his dad said was true, and he couldn’t do anything right.

“You sure?” his mother asked, looking from her husband to her son.

“If he’ll stay...” His dad’s voice trailed off.

“I’ll stay.” He had no choice. But it didn’t mean Sam had to believe anything his father said.

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