Page 53 of Dangerously Deceptive

“Thank you, Stone. Let’s arrange to meet once Viper has the guns. We will see how they react to the heist, and then we will make our final plan. Hopefully by that point I will be less distracted,” I explain to Stone as my brain works a mile a minute while I think through all the possible scenarios, without really focusing on any.

“Whiskey, mate, I’ve already told you I have got a handle on this. Nothing needs to happen until Shayla is more stable. How is she doing? Please tell her I’m thinking of her. Honey and Kelsie are going to this evening's Church, to be given their permission to come and visit her. I have no idea what those assholes will say, though,” Stone states, and I can’t help but smile.

Up until quite recently, Honey and Kelsie were too scared to interact with Shay a lot. They did it in secret, and Honey in particular let Shay know that they were friends, but Pres always kept them apart. He wanted Shayla to feel alone, like she had nobody in her corner, but she does. There’s a whole heap of us, and even if I have to burn the compound to the ground and dance amongst the ashes, I will make this world safe for her. She will always come first. All I have to do is get her to wake up.

A knock precedes Shayla’s doctor as he enters the room. I thank Stone and let him know I will keep in touch. I put the phone back into my pocket, and look up at the doctor. His neutral expression does very little to reassure me that she will be okay. I give him a few minutes to speak, but when he doesn’t say anything, the silence becomes deafening, and I can’t help but ask him all the questions I fear the answers to. “What’s the verdict, Doc? Is she going to be okay?”

My voice doesn’t quite sound like me. It still has the gravely, raspy tone that no doubt came from growing up in a whorehouse bar. But, I can also hear the desperate plea that leeches out of every word. The doctor perches on the bed next to us both when he finishes doing his assessment on Shay. I don’t let go of her hand, in fact, I squeeze it even more to get her to come back to me.

“I do have her test results, and I’m pleased to say they are all very reassuring. She appears to have complete brain function, and other than a sore throat and an upset stomach, she should be okay,” he explains as I release the breath I didn’t even realise I had been holding.

Stroking the back of Shay’s hand, almost like an automatic response now rather than a conscious choice, I finally make eye contact with the doctor. His deep brown eyes stare into mine as I speak. “So, why isn’t she awake? Why did her heart stop?”

Tears fill my eyes, as the pain of almost losing her begins to overwhelm me. The doctor reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder, in support. Most people see the cut I’m wearing, and they don’t want to get too close. The Reapers have a reputation, and it’s not a good one. So whenever anyone spots us out and about, they give us a wide berth. This doctor may be an affiliate, I’ve seen his tattoo, but that doesn’t mean he is brave enough to touch me or my cut. Most of the older Church members would have snapped his wrist for that, which is exactly the reason why we need a change of leadership.

“We put her in a medically induced coma to give her time to heal, but now we know that physically she’s well enough, we can start weaning her off the machines. First, we will dial back the sedative, and then we will remove the breathing tube. Then, hopefully, it won’t be too long before she wakes up. But there is one more thing I want to talk to you about before the nurses and other doctors come in to help wake her up…” his voice trails off, almost like he is apprehensive about what he is about to say.

“Spit it out,” I snap, my tone harsh and demanding.

“Erm… So, when Shayla was admitted, we did a thorough workup on her. You know I am a Reaper associate, and since you didn’t mention it, I kept it off the record, but now I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you about it.” He continues fiddling with anything he can get his hands on. He has some paper in his pocket that he keeps taking out and folding before putting it back in. He’s driving me crazy. I want to yell, or shake him, or fuck it, I want to do both, but I can’t. This man could bring my Shay back to me, so I need to be nice.

“Please, just say it. I’m not like most Reapers. Shayla is my world, and you are responsible for making her better, and in my eyes, that gains you my protection. Now, tell me.” I mean every word I say. I will grant him safety under my name, which isn’t something we do to strangers. It’s usually reserved for friends and family, but this guy deserves it.

“Okay. So when Shayla was brought in, it’s very clear she gave birth recently. I know she was registered under a different name for this stay, but I’m guessing she’s the mum they’re searching for in the maternity ward. I won’t report it, but I will say she had some vaginal bleeding and passed some clots. I treated it like a uterine infection, which is rare in women who have birthed a day or two ago. She is on some antibiotics that should treat it. But, I would recommend her seeing someone who specialises in gynaecology, just to ensure she gets the right postnatal care, particularly because of her stitches. They are dissolvable, but there were some signs of poor healing and infection around the wound. The antibiotics will help with that. But she needs a specialist to look at it in around ten days to make sure it’s healing.

“That’s just the physical side. It’s her mental health that I’m worried about. As soon as I realised she was the postnatal patient that absconded, I realised why she took the pills. You can make as many excuses for her, but the truth is that Shayla tried to kill herself. I’m here as a courtesy because of the cut you are wearing only. If we were going on with my medical decision alone, I believe she should be placed in a secure hold for a short time, just until we can make sure she is mentally strong before she goes home. I also know that’s something you will need to run past your President before he makes any decisions.”

I don’t know why, but that last part, above all the rest, seems to rub me up the wrong way. I push his arm off my shoulder, no longer needing to be comforted by him. Instead, I feel the blood beginning to boil, causing all my nerve endings to prickle.

“I don’t answer to him where Shayla is concerned. I am her husband, meaning legally, I’m her next of kin, and it’s my decision about the care she receives. The pregnancy must remain confidential, and she must continue to receive care under the name Sara Jamieson. Do whatever you need to do to get her better. Not just physically, but emotionally too. If that means admitting her to a mental hospital for a while, then that’s what we do. Find me an associate in the clinic so I can talk to them before I authorise it. But, I want what’s best for Shayla.”

Things move fairly quickly after that, the room floods with people and I’m asked to wait outside. One poignant look at the doctor I just spoke to, and he gives me permission to stay, as long as I remain out of the way. Not being able to hold her hand kills me. But, as they work quickly, each procedure to remove tubes and wires exposes my beautiful girl. Her pale, lifeless body scares the shit out of me, she looks far too dead for my liking. I look around the room, and not one health professional looks worried, which helps to relieve my nerves.

Then, just as I release a big breath I didn’t even realise I had been holding, Shayla’s chest begins to rise up and down all on its own. My heart races, and I can’t keep the giant grin from spreading across my heavily-stubbled face. As soon as they see she is breathing on her own, most of the healthcare professionals leave the room, leaving just one doctor and a nurse. The nurse looks a bit familiar, and the way she stares at Shay leads me to believe she knows her.

“You can sit down with her now, if you like? Talk to her, she will be able to hear your voice. Sometimes that’s all it takes for patients to come back,” the nurse says, and with a smile, I take the seat she is offering.

“All of Sara’s observations look normal, Sir. I am going to leave you in Nurse Annette’s capable hands.” The doctor has put on his professional mask, making sure to hide Shayla’s identity, just like I asked. He shakes my outstretched hand, and accepts my apology before leaving the room. I’m not going to lie, he looked crazy shocked when I offered to shake his hand. I guess the Reapers’ reputation really does precede us. I fully intend to change that.

Once the doctor is out of the room, the nurse potters about in the background, and after a while I just forget she is there. All I can see is her.

“Baby, please can you wake up? I know you have had so much shit going on recently, but that all changes now. I am promising you, just like I did on our wedding day. I promise that when you wake up, I will give you the best life that I possibly can. I love you to the moon and back, and now is our time. This is my time to prove I can be a good husband to you. I need you to give me a chance, a chance to earn your forgiveness. Fight for me, beautiful. Fight for us. You are one of the strongest people I know, and when you don’t feel strong, you will have me standing by your side, giving you all the strength you need. So, all you have to do is open your eyes and come back to me.” I beg and plead with her continuously, but after a while, there’s nothing more I can say. So, I simply stroke the hair off her face, rubbing my thumb across her hand in a soothing gesture as I try to show her how loved she is and always will be.

The moment her eyes finally open, my heart breaks. I’m so glad to have her back, but the pain in her glassy green eyes is almost painful to look at. I knew she would be hurting when she woke up, but I hadn’t realised it would be this bad. My heart aches for her, and I don’t know what to say or do to make her feel better. Luckily, the nurse, Annette, seems to know what to do.

Taking a seat on the corner of her bed, she takes one of Shayla’s hands in hers, and I see the moment of recognition flash over Shay’s eyes. She knows this nurse. Tears grow in Shayla’s eyes and Annette wordlessly wipes them away. “I didn’t expect to see you back here so soon,” Annette says softly, and that’s when I realise, she must remember looking after Shayla when she was admitted before, with Kellan, after Purgatory.

“I can’t…I’m Sara,” Shayla stutters, tears streaming down her face.

“I know, beautiful. I will always protect your identity, but not because I’m scared of him or his cut, but because of you, and Kellan. I was with him when he found out you had left, you know. He found me walking towards my car after a shift, and he invited me to come and meet your daughter. I held her while his world fell apart.” I want to say something, to make her stop, since the pain on Shayla’s face is heartbreaking, but at the same time I want to know. I need to know how she is doing, and if Kellan can step up enough.

“Please…don’t tell me any more.” Shayla’s words stab like a knife and they aren’t even aimed at me.

Annette continues to wipe the tears from her eyes, and holds her while she sobs, but she doesn’t stop talking. “I’m sorry, Shay. You obviously made the decision you made for a reason, but I don’t understand it. The doctor plans to admit you to a mental health ward once you are medically fit, and I think that’s a good idea. Maybe when you are well enough, you can get back to Kellan and Hallie.”

We both freeze and it feels as though the air has been sucked out of the room.

Hallie.

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