Page 4 of Bloom: Part 1

“Based on the appearance of some of the tissue scars, this child has suffered abuse for a very long time. Possibly all his life. His back is covered in scars. Two of his fingers have been broken and not reset properly. Malnutrition has stunted his growth, making it difficult to determine his age, but we would say he’s around twelve.”

“Twelve? He looks more like an eight-year-old.”

“Starvation will do that to you.”

He glanced away, his brow furrowed as if he had a lot on his mind.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I’m not sure if I should say anything, but this child—it might have been better had he not survived.”

I clenched my teeth. “You’re a doctor. How can you say that?”

“It’s precisely being a doctor that makes me say it. The road to recovery for this child will be a tough one. He’s not verbal, and at this stage, we can’t determine if it’s selective mutism or more. And all the physical challenges aside, let’s not even mention how this trauma will affect his psychiatric well-being, but that’s my wife’s domain.”

“Can I see him?”

“Of course. He’s sedated right now, and we’ve had to strap him down to the bed. Follow me, please.”

As we walked down a long hall, he explained the different tests the child would have to go through.

“So it’s best if we let him stay here for a few days.”

“Whatever he needs.”

He stopped at a door and pushed it open. A single bed with crisp white sheets occupied the center. Beside it stood a small metal nightstand on which lay an array of medical instruments, their stainless steel surfaces gleaming under the bright, clinical light overhead. On the other side was a portable IV stand, its slender pole holding bags of clear fluids.

We approached the bed, and I took in the child lying on his back. He was no longer covered in grime. He was a handsome boy. But twelve years old? Maybe Dr. Silvera needed new glasses.

The boy’s eyes fluttered open and stared right into mine. I couldn’t look away. His body looked young, but his eyes were that of an old man who had lived through it all.

It’s okay, little fella. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. One day you’ll show them your bloom.

PROLOGUE 2

BLOOM

A few months ago

It felt strange going up to an actual house and ringing the doorbell just to see Bay. We’d always lived together at our clubhouse, so I was used to him being down the hall from me. And while I had forbidden him and the others from entering my cave, I usually walked in and out of his room without even knocking. He didn’t mind. He always kept it open for his fuck boys anyway, but things had changed.

Everything's changing, and I don’t know how to make it stop.

Although I knew I was being selfish, I longed for the days when we were back in Riverton, just the five of us. Well, four when Sarge wasn’t around. That had been a simpler time. I never had to second-guess my role in our brotherhood. Since the day they’d found me, Crowe and the others had doted on me, the weird kidwho everyone else avoided. Now Crowe, Bay, and Saint were all paired off. Where did that leave me?

The door slowly opened, and Gerald, Bay's new boyfriend, appeared. Even dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt, he still had a stuffy air about him. When I first found out about their relationship, I hadn’t given it much thought. Bay was a man whore who slept with anyone and anything that was willing—often several partners at once.Thatwas a fact. Until it wasn’t.

He hadn’t gotten tired of Gerald like he always did with the rest.

Nope, he’d gone and fallen in love with him, which was the weirdest shit. Gerald was nice and all, but that was the problem. There was nothing nice about us. I could understand Crowe picking Max. He was from the streets despite his brief stint as a millionaire. From the way he’d fought me that first day I’d arrived in Smoky Vale, he didn’t take life lying down. He was a fighter who did what he had to survive. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but I could respect that about him. He was perfect for a man like Crowe.

Gerald, on the other hand, was reserved, with a moral compass that shouldn’t have pointed him in Bay’s direction, let alone to be living with my brother. But the two were disgustingly happy in love. I might not have believed it at first, but the way Bay doted on his new man had erased all my doubts. It was enough to make one sick, and it also left a bitter taste in my mouth, something I would never admit to them.

A moment of awkward silence passed between us as we stared at each other. Normally, I didn’t filter what came out of my mouth, but the last time I’d messed with Crowe in front of Max, he’d scolded me for doing that shit. I didn’t want to cause problems between Bay and Gerald. Not when I might already be losing them.

“Hey.” Gerald fiddled with his glasses. “Bloom, right?”

“Yeah.” I fingered my hair, realized what I was doing, and dropped my hand. “I’m here to see Bay.”

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