Page 71 of Fury

She scoffs. “If he has, he hasn’t told me. But why would he? I’m just the nurse.” My heart twists at her bitter words.

“Hey, you know that’s not true, Xanth,” Axel says, his tone laced with sympathy.

“Oh yeah?” she asks with an unamused laugh. “So, why does he pretend to be asleep whenever I’m in here?”Fuck. My game’s up. The door opens and closes again, and I risk opening one eye to find Axel glaring at me. I shrug helplessly.

“She’s finding it hard,” he says.

“Me . . . too.”

“We’ve made a decision,” he continues. “We’re ending Donnie and Ripper tonight.” I growl in frustration, and Axel sighs.They’re mine to end.“I know you want this, brother, but we can’t keep them down there and risk them being found. Donnie’s already been there a week.” I turn my head away, done with this bullshit. “I know you’re frustrated, brother, but as long as they’re dead, what the fuck does it matter?”

It’sanother hour before Xanthe returns to check me over. She’s checking my pulse when I grab her wrist. She startles, inhaling sharply. “Donnie,” I say, and she waits for me to continue. “I need . . . I want . . .” She continues to stare, and I’m getting pissed she’s not helping me. I glare hard, but she continues to stare until I sigh in frustration.

“If you want to say something, say it,” she snaps, and I arch a brow. Surely, that’s not professional knowing my history. She rolls her eyes. “If you think I’m going to talk for you, think again. You want something, you fucking ask me.” And then she continues to read my pulse.

I swallow, but as the words enter my head, they disappear just as quickly. “Fuck,” I yell, and she startles again then glares at me. “I want . . .” I growl, “to kill.”

She almost smiles, shutting it down before it gets too wide. “Who?”

“Donnie.”

“And how the hell do you plan to do that?” she asks, looking amused. It only annoys me more. “Besides, I thought Axel had taken care of him.”

“Base . . . ment.”

She glares at me. “What?” There’s no way I’m repeating it. “Basement? Donnie is in the basement?”

I nod and add, “Ripper.”

“You have to be shitting me,” she snaps. “Why the hell are they down there, so close?”

“Help me.”

She’s already shaking her head. “No.”

“Please.”

“Absolutely not, Reese.” Why does my heart swell whenever she says my real name like that? “You can just about walk to the bathroom without getting dizzy.”

“Help me,” I say more firmly.

“Let Axel deal with him.”

“Xanth,” I hiss, and this time, she smiles.

“You said my name.”

I press my thumb over her tattoo. “Fury’s property,” I whisper. “Xanthe May Hart.”

Her smile is the widest I’ve seen it. “That’s the biggest sentence you’ve said since you woke.”

“Help me,” I repeat.

She groans. “How?” I haven’t thought that far ahead, but she checks her watch. “The guys are in church. I could ask the women for help?”

I don’t like the idea of involving them, but I won’t make it that far without help, and Xanthe isn’t strong enough to get me down to the basement. I nod, and she takes a breath. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Xanthe

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