Page 101 of Savannah Royals
I’m more relaxed now, relaxed enough to notice the details, the steady finesse behind Matthew’s movement. How he weaves the needle in and out. How he ties off threads with a complicated series of twisting knots. Over and over, working deep to superficial. I watch as the holes slowly knit together, layer by layer. It’s like magic.
No, not magic.Matthew.
He sighs mightily when he cuts the final thread. He smothers the wounds with ointment and dresses them. At long last, he rips off his glovesand falls into a nearby chair. Hands trembling, exhausted. His eyes flick to mine. “It’s done.”
I look at Paul, somehow sleeping quietly and peacefully through it all. Completely unaware Matthew DaMolin has hopefully-possibly-probably saved his goddamn life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Thirtyminutespass.Weall sit and watch Paul breathe. We don’t speak. I barely move my gaze from the rise and fall of his chest.
Eventually, Matthew stands to clean up his supplies.
“What about…for the pain?” I ask, nodding at Paul. “When he wakes.”
“I can inject him with morphine before I go. That’ll cover him for a few hours.”
“What about when that wears off?” Abe speaks up. “Is there anything we can do for him?”
“Do you guys have access to, say…off-market painkillers?” Matthew asks, sinking into his chair.
“We don’t move drugs,” I tell him, more harshly than I probably need to.
“Kat, I’m not here to judge. This is about your friend. I can come back in a few days with some painkillers, but I already risked a lot by skimming these narcotics tonight. If they catch me, I could lose my job.”
I lower my eyes. Sufficiently scolded and embarrassed.
“So do you have anything? A joint even?”
“A joint?” Abe’s ears perk. “I can get him that. Easily.”
“Then do it. It’ll help.”
Tony rubs his hands on his pants. “We really can’t thank you enough. For everything you did for him.”
“Just watch him closely,” Matthew advises. “For fevers especially. He may have one for a few hours tomorrow morning, and that’s fine, but beyond then, it could signal an infection. If that happens, Kat knows how to find me.”
Abe walks over to shake his hand. “You’re a good man.”
Matthew nods faintly and bites his lip. He looks down at Paul, his gaze lingering on the wolf tattoo.
“Matt?” I force myself to speak. “Can we go outside to talk?”
We walk out together, side by side but not touching. I feel stiff. Like I’ve been beaten and whipped. I brace for what lies ahead.
When the tavern door closes, Matthew turns on me.
“Christ, Kat.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “How many different times and ways are you going to gut me? Again and again.”
I’m silent because I deserve it. That and a thousand more, so I don’t say one single word.
“Have I proved it to you yet, Kat?” he continues. “That there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you? No piece of me I wouldn’t give? That I wouldsell my soulfor you? Because I think I just did.”
“I’m so sorry I asked that of you. I’m so sorry,” I whisper.
“Kat, I am in love with you. And you…you’re in love with someone else. Someone who is my opposite in just about every way.”
“It’s not as black and white as that. I’ve been wanting to tell you for months. I’veneverlied to you about this…I just haven’t been able to tell the full truth.”
