Page 58 of The Last Call
He taps his shoulder, and she looks at the same spot. But immediately returns to watch me. Testing all my restraint not to kick his ass out and engulf her. I have to make sure she’s all right. I can’t fuck up her recovery since we’ve made it this far.
He tugs his tie. She obeys. Tie, then me.
Wrist, then me.
Nose, then me.
Doc nods and smiles. All enthusiastic and encouraging. To me and to her. “You’re doing great. Let’s try a few more.”
I smile too, reminding her I’m here. I love her. I’ll protect her. She never has to worry about anything ever again.
“Is it sunny outside Sydney?”
She flicks her gaze to the bright window and nods. Then back to me. God I need her.
“Are you forty years old?”
A quick head shake before she stares at me again. Dumb ass should have given a lower number. Even I know women get wound up about their age. Easily pissed off if you imply they’re older than they really are.
“Do you have blond hair?”
Another denial with her eyes never leaving mine.
“Good Sydney. You did very, very well.” He nods to the nurse, waiting for his next direction. “Let’s prep to extubate.”
Returning to Sydney, he keeps the same calm and soothing tone. “This means we’re going to remove the tube in your throat. We’ll turn off the ventilator and place an oxygen mask over your mouth and nose to help you breathe during the transition. It might feel weird but shouldn’t hurt. You’ll probably feel like you need to cough and that’s fine. Go right ahead.”
He glances over at me. Straightforward yet cautious because I know my reputation proceeds me. “You might want to step out for this part. Sometimes it’s not easy to watch.”
Fuck that shit. Lion needs me, and I’m never fucking leaving her. “No.”
Only frowning not arguing. Good. Because I’ll fire him too if he tries to kick me out.
Accepting the gloves offered to him by the nurse, he slides the latex over his wrists and grins at Sydney. “Ready?”
So damn brave. She doesn’t even flinch or cringe when the doctor unhooks the coupler and grasps the edge of the thin plastic. Slowly leading the hosing out of her mouth. Weak fingers squeeze mine, and she arches off the bed following his movement while the nurse attempts to keep the mask over her nose. Taking everything I’ve got not to crush her hand as I suffer along with her. “You’re doing great lion. Almost done.”
Luckily I’m not a liar because the tip finally slides between her teeth. She sucks in a huge breath before releasing a shit storm of coughs. Giant tears rolling down her pink cheeks as they shove another fucking tool in her mouth that sounds like a damn vacuum cleaner.
Rage swells in me while panic blooms in her. Terror exploding in her wild eyes. Her free hand fighting the intrusion. Grasping at the wires and the doctor and the instrument. Trying to escape from the constraints trapping her.
Just when I’m about to start massacring people from them taking too damn long, they stop. Removing everything except the oxygen. I fucking hate this for her but so damn glad to see her breathing on her own and the color returning to her sallow skin. After a few more raspy barks, she swallows and sinks back against the pillow. The nurse attempts to attach the elastic cords behind her head to keep the mask in place but Syd’s defiant as usual. Shoving the plastic away.
“You…”
Fighting against her ragged throat, she struggles to keep going with her hoarse whisper. I stroke across her damp forehead. Dappled with sweat beads from her earlier thrashing. “What lion?”
Agony worse than any torture I’ve endured churns through my taut muscles from her flinching from my touch. Recoiling from my palm on her cheek. Wincing from me comforting her.
“You shot me.”
You shot me.
God damn son of a bitch.
You’d think she’s the one I slammed in the head with a bat and lost her fucking mind with the adamancy of her accusation. Of the irrational anger in her tone. Of the fury in her relentless gaze. “I would never shoot you lion. Ever.”
Her face pinches in confusion. Of which she really is damn disoriented if she thinks I’d ever hurt her.
