Page 103 of Play It Sinful

“In the meantime, I’d like to finish your physical and get you ready in case we need to go ahead with a transplant,” the surgeon tells Kenzie.

“I want to retake the blood testright now,” I grit out.

The surgeon and the other doctor exchange a glance. Then the one wearing glasses says, “Of course.”

I jump up from my chair. “Can I see Ashley?”

“She’s still in the ICU, heavily sedated, but perhaps after you finish retaking the blood test, you can visit her for a bit.”

I turn to Kenzie, and she gives me a reassuring smile. “Go on. I’ll meet you later.”

My heart is stuck in my throat as I walk out of the room, but my thoughts are spiraling. What if I’mnottruly Ashley’s half brother? If my father cheated, it’s possible my mother did too. God, after all this time torturing myself, staying away from Ashley and hurting her in the process, finding out our love was never forbidden to begin with would be a punch to my throat. And we’d have a life-threatening accident that might take Ashley away from me forever to thank for it. What a sick joke.

Hope is a dangerous thing though. Hospitals do mess up results sometimes, hence why I insisted on retaking the test. I get a different nurse this time, and mercifully, she isn’t the chatty kind. Once she’s done, I ask to see Ashley.

“If she’s in the ICU, I’m afraid visiting hours aren?—”

“Doctor Murphy said he’d let me go see her after I had my blood test.” I cut her off. I’m not about to be told to wait God knows how many hours until I’m allowed to see Ashley.

“He did? Let me check with him then. One second.” She walks behind the nurses’ station and places a call.

While I wait, I check my phone for messages. There’s one text from Dad saying he’s about to board a flight to Boston. He should land in seven hours. It’s a family group chat, and I see that Kenzie already told them Ashley is out of surgery and she’s stable. She didn’t say anything about a possible kidney transplant though. That would only freak out Marnie and Dad more than they already are.

“All right. I checked with Doctor Murphy. He said you can visit your sister, but only for a few minutes.”

“Thank you.”

I follow the nurse in silence, preparing myself mentally to see Ashley in a hospital bed, hooked up to all kinds of machines. It can’t be worse than the gruesome ambulance ride where she was covered in blood and the paramedics worked relentlessly to keep her alive.

I freeze when we stop in front of her room. There’s a large window facing the hallway, so I can see Ashley. Even though she’s no longer bleeding, the sight makes my legs go weak.

“I’ll be back to fetch you in ten minutes or so,” the nurse tells me.

I nod, then shuffle inside the room. I’m shaking from head to toe, and the knot in my throat feels enormous. She’s so pale, and there’s a small suture on her left cheek where before there was a gash. She’s still intubated and likely won’t wake for hours.

I take her hand in mine and wince at its coldness. “Ash… my love. I need you to get better, I need you to fight.” Hot tears stream down my face, but I can’t be bothered to wipe them off. “I’m so sorry for all my stupid mistakes, for every time I hurt you. Come back to me, even if it’s to tell me to go to hell.”

I don’t expect a response, but when her hand twitches in mine, my heart soars. She doesn’t move again, but I’ll take the first twitch as a sign. I’m getting Ashley back.

CHAPTER 46

SEAN

Imeet Kenzie in the hallway on my way back to the waiting room. “How’s Ash?”

“She was sedated, but I felt her hand twitch in mine.” I can’t help the smile. “She’ll be okay, Kenzie.”

“I won’t relax until she’s awake and out of the danger zone. When are you getting your test results back?”

“I don’t know. Let’s see if they’re ready.”

We return to the nurse’s station, and Nurse Wilson is behind the desk now. “How can I help you?”

“I’d like to know if my blood test result came back.”

She frowns. “Yes, they were ready hours ago. Didn’t you speak with Doctor Murphy?”

“Not the first test, the second one,” I reply.

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