Page 154 of The Billionaire's Fake Wife
"Don't talk Dad. Please." I wring my fingers. He doesn't look well at all. "I'm going to get the doctor."
"No." My father wheezes. "Stay with me, Summer." He holds out his arm. I step forward, grasp his palm, twine my fingers with his.
He trains his gaze on Sinclair, "The same faction that was behind the kidnapping of you and your friends." His chest heaves.
The beeping in the room intensifies further.
My pulse begins to race. "Dad, don't exert yourself, please."
Sinclair comes closer. "Who is it? Tell me."
My father's eyelashes flutter, his lips move, but nothing emerges. Shit. This is not good. Not good. My throat closes. My stomach twists.
"Don't crowd him. Can't you see he needs to regain his health first." I yell, "Get away from him!"
Sinclair's feature harden. A nerve throbs at his temple. "Tell me who's responsible." He brushes past me and leans over Dad. "If I need to keep her safe, I need to know who I am after."
My father’s mouth opens and closes. Sinclair places his ear next to his lips, "Say it."
His lips move. "Byron… Capo..."
The beeping monitor next to the bed flatlines.
"No." I scramble up, squeezing my father’s fingers. "You can’t do this." The door slams open and footsteps sound. A doctor, followed by two nurses, comes rushing in.
The doc checks out his heart with a stethoscope, nods to the nurse, who turns to me, "You need to wait outside."
"No." I hold onto my father’s hand. It’s warm. He can’t have left me. I didn’t get to tell him how much I care for him. That I forgive him. "Daddy."
"Ma’am, please." The nurse turns to the man by my side.
Sinclair pulls me close, "Bird."
I shake my head, tears pouring down my cheeks.
"Come with me." He tugs me back; my father’s hand slips from my grasp. A second doctor, additional nurses flood the space. Cut the sight of the figure on the bed from my line of sight.
He urges me to turn; I follow him outside. He leads me down the corridor, through a door, into a waiting room. Faces… familiar faces turn to us.
"How is he?" Saint asks, from where he's waiting not far from Victoria.
I glance away.
Karma rushes to me; I open my arms and hug my sister.
Victoria stands with her fingers clasped in front of her. She's wearing a dark blue, almost black in color, dress that falls to below her knees. Her make up is perfect, her lips a red slash. She stares at the door, her features blank. Did she love my father? Maybe I should comfort her?
I try to move toward her, but Karma tightens her hold on me.
Or maybe not.
The doors open behind me.
No, I will not turn. Will not.
There's a soft murmur of voices. Then footsteps approach me. The doctor clears his throat. "Mrs. Sterling."
"It's Ms. West" I turn, with Karma holding onto me.
