Page 57 of The Last Call
I find him in the crowd of faces. Swimming together as I fight the dizziness trying to take me down. He better be telling the fucking truth. He better be telling me the straight up fucking honest truth, or I will murder him where he stands. “Take me to her.”
He nods. He’s calm. I’m calm. The doctor sprawled on his ass trying to suck in oxygen isn’t calm and I don’t give a damn. He got what he deserved.
My guys part the way like I’m fucking Moses, and I follow Phillip down the hall. Ignoring the grumbles of shock and disgust and reprimand from the staff. Fuck them. Fuck all of them. They don’t know jack shit, or they wouldn’t have let this happen. They would’ve made sure she was fucking okay before they let her panic and hurt herself.
Phillip pauses, well aware he’s in my damn way. I slam through the gray double doors markedNo Admittance. Ready to scoop her up and take care of her. Never leave her again. Never fucking fail her again.
Garnering disapproving scowls from the staff as I hustle down the hall, I scan each surgical suite until I find her. A blue sheet draped over her frail body as a woman in green scrubs, her face obscured by a huge white mask, blots the blood on lion’s chest. Syd doesn’t move or speak or look. Just lies there mute and motionless. God damn it.
The quiet nurse from earlier stops talking with the doctor next to her and twists around. Giving me the first genuine smile I’ve received since we got here. No reason for her to be fucking happy when they’ve broken her again. When these incompetent assholes have made her unconscious again. “What the fuck did you do to her?”
All of her cheerfulness fades from my question. Actually everyone freaks the fuck out. Standing fucking still as statues while they gape at me. Like I’m the one with the fucking problem for screaming. Like I’m the one who’s fucking crazy. Like I’m the one who shouldn’t be losing his shit.
Only the man next to her is fucking brave enough to approach me. To finally speak up and tell me what the fuck is going on. “I’m Dr. Shelton, Mr. Sabatini. Sydney woke up much quicker than we expected and was in severe distress. We had to take her back under so she wouldn’t hurt herself further. But we’ll bring her back out. This is only temporary.”
Thank fucking god. “You better not be lying to me.”
Seemingly offended by my threat, his expression hardens yet his gaze fails to waver from mine. “I’m sorry you’re upset, but this is what Sydney needs to recover from her trauma.”
This son of a bitch has no idea what she needs. What I need. How much I need her.
“After she…”
He’s interrupted by the ruckus in the corridor behind us. My name being taken in vain. Which isn’t the first time and won’t be the last.
“We need to speak to Mr. Sabatini.”
The physician shakes his head at the furious man who steps inside, denying his request. “Let him stay. Deal with it later.”
Outrage fills the guy’s expression. Weighing the decision in his mind. Determining if he should do what’s best for himself or for Sydney. No worries. I’ll decide for him and reach for my gun. But before I slide out my weapon he nods. Finally conceding to the order and backtracking his stupid ass out of here.
Thank fuck because I didn’t want to have to shoot him in front of Sydney. She’d bitch at me about that until I’m on my death bed.
I cut Dr. Shelton a little slack after his honesty and defense of me. Although he better not think I won’t shoot his ass too if he fucks with me. “What do we do now?”
“We wait–” His palm flies up when I attempt to interrupt. Probably already well aware of my lack of patience and resistance to waiting. Lucky he’s helping Syd, or I’d slice off his hand for his disrespect. “We have to bring her out slowly over a few days. We’ll decrease the sedatives until we can talk to her so we can remove her from the ventilator and check her capacities.”
“She’ll be okay then?”
I sound like a fucking pansy ass. Full of fear and worry. But fuck if I’m not both over her.
“There are no guarantees. But I believe so. And I promise this is the best way to give her every chance for a complete recovery.”
He seems sincere. Not flinching under my scrutiny. None of the other motherfuckers watching us disagree with him or his assertion.
I nod and approve his request to proceed. I guess I have no damn choice but to wait some more for my lion.
After four hellish long days, her gorgeous emerald eyes are finally open. Fucking open and locked with mine. Full of fear that fucking slays me. Giving me the strength not to drop to my knees and thank a god who would laugh his ass off to hear from me. I clutch her hand tighter as she watches me. Fighting against everything in me not to pull her into my arms and hold her with everything I’m worth to ease the trepidation flooding her exquisite face.
“I’m Dr. Shelton, Sydney. You’ve been injured but you’re safe now. The tube in your throat is to help you breathe. Do you understand?”
The lion nods. A fucking beautiful glorious magnificent nod. Tears actually prick my eyes like a pussy but I don’t give a damn. Only this woman has the power to make me cry.
The physician gives her an encouraging smile, matching her head bob with his own. “Good. Now I’m going to perform a few tests and ask you a few questions. Is that okay?”
She agrees with another nod. Never taking her eyes off of me. Glancing down at our entwined hands. Confusion flickering on her face from the ring on her dainty finger before bringing her gaze back to my face.
“Follow my finger Sydney.”
