Page 46 of Eye of Her Storm

“Seth and Tai,

I’ve waited until you’ve gone for the day to leave this note. By the time you get home, I will be on my way to California where I’ll have surgery.”

“Surgery!” Seth exclaimed. “It’s inoperable. It’ll kill her.”

It wasn’t assisted suicide, but the result could be the same.

“God damn it,” Tai muttered. The paper crinkled in his hand as his fingers tightened.

“Keep reading.”

“I always said this was just for now—”

“Bull-fucking-shit,” Tai exclaimed.

He shook his head, his jaw tight. “—and not to get invested in me. I let things go too far. I got invested, deeply invested. I never wanted you to get hurt, but to only have good times between us while we could. You got too attached. I got too attached. And you asked me to marry you. I want to be with you forever, if I can. I can’t just accept goodbye anymore. I won’t put you through one, if I can help it.

“There’s a doctor in California who’s had great success with this kind of surgery. My dad knows him and told him about my case. He contacted me about removing the tumor. My odds might still be bad, but they’re better than zero. Actually, his success rate is really high.

“His staff will be given directions for contacting my family if I don’t make it or if there comes a time when I can’t make my own decisions. I’m praying that won’t be necessary.

“I’m sorry I did things this way, but I think it’s for the best. I know you’ll be angry, but I hope somehow you’ll forgive me. I couldn’t bear you suffering through my surgery, recovery or possible death. I couldn’t bear for you to stop living your own lives to be at my side from some misguided obligation. I hope you can forgive me. I understand if you can’t.”

“Misguided…obligation?” Seth interrupted, incredulous. “Is she high? Where the fuck has she been this whole time we’ve been together? What the hell did she think this was? That we wanted to marry her out of pity? Jesus Christ!” His hand slammed the steering wheel. “What the fuck?”

“There’s more.”

“She better tell us where to find her.”

“Seth…”

“Whatever. Finish that bullshit.” Rage sliced through him, straight into his heart. He didn’t think he’d ever been so angry in his life. So angry and frustrated and scared shitless. And she was alone. Facing all this alone.

Tai took a fortifying breath. “Okay, there’s not much more. She finished: Even if I die, even if I’m impaired, even if I can’t remember you or anything else, please know that you are always in my heart. I love you both. Forever.

“I’m sorry.

“I love you. I love you so much. More than I ever thought I could or would. I’m sorry I waited so long for us. I just love you so much, and I hope you understand. River.”

Seth stared at Tai, his eyes burning with a weakness he refused to give into. “What. The. Fuck?” he repeated. “How could she do this? How can she fucking do this?” he bellowed.

“She thinks she’s doing it for us. To spare us from what she’s about to go through.”

“Bullshit. This is bullshit!” He cranked the ignition hard and whipped the truck into gear. “We have to find her. Someone has to know where she is.”

Chapter Eleven

“Okay, honey,” the attending nurse said, patting River’s arm. “I’m Becca and, I’ll be taking care of you today.”

This was it. After all the tests, all the worry, a sleepless night, River would be heading into surgery within an hour. Regardless of the outcome, it would change her life.

“In a few minutes, the anesthesiologist will be in to talk with you,” Becca informed her. She examined the inside of River’s right arm as she prepared to insert an IV. “She’ll chat with you about what she’ll be doing and give you a little medicine through this line to get you nice and mellow. After that, Dr. Collins and his team will come in to see you—believe it or not, there are eight of them.” She smiled kindly then her eyes flitted around the empty room. “Is there anyone you need to have called? Someone who should be here?”

Tears pricked River’s eyes, and she pressed her lips together, shaking her head. Gah! She’d cried so much the last twenty-four hours. Her emotions had been on a perpetual roller coaster. Last night, she’d broken down and called the guys. Neither had answered. She’d left them messages, telling them she loved them.

Then she’d called Paisley, who’d apparently been apprised of the situation. Moon and Sun had been there, as well. The three had been a complete wreck. That hadn’t helped. River had already been torn apart. None of them knew where Seth or Tai had gone. She’d talked with them for just a few minutes, told them how much she loved them then said goodbye while Paisley sobbed.

Wrung out, she’d powered off her phone and stashed it with her belongings.

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