Page 50 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

Her eyes narrowed as she watched me, then her lip turned up with distaste. “You like her, don’t you? You want to bag the drug mule.”

I couldn’t help it. My hands tightened into fists. “Leah…” I said in warning.

“No, Patch. You need to get your fucking head in the game. I’m not about to let you destroy eighteen months of hard work because your mind’s gone all mushy over a fucking girl.”

I had no idea where the hell all her anger was coming from, but it was starting to piss me off – especially her suggestion that I was about to fuck up the operation. “I’m not interested in her like that, okay? I just know she’s not in it with Ken. If you’ve spent five minutes with her you should know that. I need you to trust me on this, Lea.”

Leah narrowed her eyes even more and pursed her lips with annoyance.

“Look, if Captain doesn’t think Ken’s The Shadow, then he’s probably right, but I still think his kid knows something. He’s jumpy. Put some detail on him and see what comes up. Meanwhile, I’ll try to find out what TJ’s got from this guy’s cell.”

Leah nodded, her face relaxing until she resembled the Leah I knew. “Okay, I’ll let Captain know.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. “Just look after yourself, okay? I worry about you.”

I squeezed her back a little, not really feeling it. “You know I will. We just need to get to the bottom of this Shadow business or the exchange won’t go ahead, and you know what that means…”

She sighed against my chest. “Yeah. I’m not sure I can watch you go through another six months.”

I shuddered. I wasn’t sure I could actually survive another six months.

Chapter 37

Kaeli

Mom slept for most of the day. She’d been awake on and off but the pain meds kept her pretty out of it most of the time.

At some point, around mid-afternoon I think it was, a nurse told me Ken was in the waiting room, but no one asked me to leave and I didn’t offer.

I spent the majority of the time reading Mom’s favorite book to her from my kindle. Occasionally, whenever I read a particularly exciting part, she would sigh, or a little smile would tug at the corner of her mouth. It was those small things that gave me the comfort I needed and the motivation to keep going.

It was just after five when Dr. Miller came through to check on her for a third time that afternoon. I didn’t have that much experience with hospitals, thank god, but I had to wonder if it was normal for a doctor to visit their patients that often.

He gave me an assessing look as he walked in. “How’re you going, Kaeli?”

The warm comfort I felt whenever he was in the room washed over me, and I felt the stress of the situation ease a little more. “I’m okay,” I said.

My stomach chose that moment to let loose with a loud growl and he laughed. “Hungry perhaps?”

Yeah, that wasn’t embarrassing at all. I grinned a little shyly, my cheeks heating a fraction.

I watched him ruffle through his coat and pull out a piece of paper. “Here,” he said, holding it out for me. “It’s a voucher to the cafeteria. Go get yourself something to eat. I have to check your mom over anyway…”

Hesitantly, I took the little slip of paper. I didn’t know what it was about this man, but he just made me feel like he understood. I couldn’t pinpoint if it was a doctor thing, or if it came from personal experience, but either way, it seemed to be just what I needed.

It also seemed to make me emotional.

I silently cursed at the lump that sprang up in my throat. I’d been in this shitty situation with Ken for eight years – longer than I’d even known Mia, and all that time I’d had to keep the horror of it to myself.

I knew Mia was aware something was off with my home life. It was obvious in the worried glances she threw my way every day, but the way Dr. Miller looked at me was different. Yes, it held a deep concern, but there was no pity there. It made me feel as though I didn’t need to hide anymore. Like I didn’t have to carry the weight of it all on my own shoulders for once.

Diverting my now shining eyes to the voucher in my hand, I swallowed hard and bit my bottom lip to stop myself from bawling. “Thanks,” I croaked out.

I chanced a quick look up at him and was yet again amazed by the depth of caring in his eyes. Knowing there was no chance of me speaking without breaking down, I nodded and left the room.

Instead of grabbing my food and rushing straight back to Mom’s room like I wanted to, I made myself take a seat and eat it slowly. I was so used to keeping all my emotions contained so tightly, it was overwhelming to have them rampaging on the surface.

I took the time on the walk back to try to reign it all in again, before I ended up having a full blown melt down.

As I neared her door, I slowed. Dr. Miller’s voice floated out through the doorway, smooth and comforting. I paused, listening, and my eyes widened with surprise when I realized what he was doing.

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