Page 63 of Ruthless Lullaby

I head back to the luxury suite Mindy and I share, only to find it empty.

I'm about to call out her name when I hear muffled conversation coming from behind the closed bedroom door.

"U-hum," Mindy keeps repeating, her voice strained. "And how long will it take? …Oh, I see. It's trial stage, right? Right… no guarantee. I understand. All new treatments are like that. Thank you. Yes. I appreciate that, Dr. Walker."

She must be talking to her mother's oncologist. I knew her mother's condition was serious, but the heaviness in Mindy's tone suggests it might be even worse than I thought.

After what feels like an eternity, the bedroom door finally opens, and Mindy emerges. Her eyes are red and puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears. She looks utterly devastated, and it takes every ounce of my self-control to not rush over and gather her in my arms.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

“Shit… Sorry, Maron.” She sniffs, using a paper tissue to dry her tears. “I didn’t realize you’re back.”

“It’s alright.” I keep my tone gentle. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Mindy takes a shaky breath, her lower lip trembling. "My mom," she whispers on the verge of crying. "Her cancer has become aggressive and she needs more treatment than we initially thought. But even with that, there's no guarantee that… that she’ll make it. I just spoke to her doctor."

I step forward, cupping her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing away the fresh tears that spill down her cheeks.

"There's no guarantee for anything in this fucked-up thing called life, Mindy," I murmur, my eyes locked on hers. Desperate to offer her some kind of comfort, I turn to the booze cupboard and pull out a bottle of premium vodka. "Want some?" I ask, holding it up.

She manages a weak nod. "Yeah, please," she says, her voice hoarse. "I could really use one right now."

I pour two generous shots, handing one to her before clinking our glasses together. We down the vodka in unison, the smooth, fiery liquid burning a path down my throat.

As I watch Mindy savor the drink and her eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment of respite, I can't help but be struck by her beauty once again. Even in her distress, with her face bare of makeup and her hair tousled from running anxious fingers through it, she is fucking stunning.

My woman.

For life.

"Tell me everything," I say gruffly, my voice harsher than I intended.

Mindy flinches at my tone, avoiding eye contact as she starts to speak. "Well, she’s getting this new type of treatment.It’s only recently been approved by the FDA. But there’s still no guarantee that it’s going to work," she confesses, her voice heavy with worry. “It’s… almost like she’s being experimented on. No one knows how her body will react, not even her doctors."

My mind goes straight to my mother and her illness. I've seen death firsthand too many times growing up in the Bratva. I should be numb to it by now, but the idea of losing someone close still scares the shit out of me. It doesn't matter how tough you are, we're all soft when it comes to family.

"Life can be a bitch, Mindy," I murmur, unsure what else to tell her. I look at her. "Who is paying for her treatment? Do you have anyone to help you?” I ask. “A sibling, a friend, anyone?"

I can see her trying to keep up a strong façade. "My sister, Alexis. She’s the only family I have left besides my mom," she admits with a slight tremor in her voice.

“Is she helping you?” I push. "Do you share the costs?"

“Well, she’s…” Mindy sniffs, new streams of tears forming on her cheeks.

I fix her with a stare. “She’s what, Mindy?”

"Alexis is… it’s complicated, Maron,” she says. “Let's just say, she's dealing with her own troubles right now.”

I feel a flicker of annoyance at her reluctance. And at the way she seems to think she has to handle everything on her own.

“So, nobody’s helping you.” My eyes remain fixated on her. "How much is the new treatment?"

“No, Maron.” She glances at me. “I know what you’re thinking and we’re not doing that. I can handle this myself. And I will."

I step closer and lift her chin. "How much?"

"Well, the insurance covers half, and-"

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