Page 141 of Secret Squirrel

“You’re feeling sorry for yourself.”

“No, I’m facing reality. My leg is fucking useless. What do you think happens when you don’t have blood flow in your leg?”

“You have blood flow. We just need to increase it.”

“And my nerves?”

“What the fuck is your problem?” she snapped. “I don’t give a shit what you’re going through. You are not going to give up and pretend this is the end. You’re going to do what the doctor suggests and you’re going to fight to regain the use of your leg.”

“And what about when it doesn’t work? Are you going to hold my hand and tell me how good my life will be with one fucking leg? Are you going to help me to the toilet and hold me up in the shower?” I spat angrily. “You’re really willing to throw the rest of your fucking life away to take care of a cripple?”

She snarled at me, then her hand shot out and slapped me across the face. “You’re such a prick. Don’t ever fucking talk to me like that again. This is hard, and I know it’s killing you, but I am on your side. So, you either get your shit together and accept that I’m in this with you, or you do this on your own and cry on Bowie’s shoulder. Maybe you can share Carly with him for a good time,” she snapped before turning and storming out of the room.

I grabbed the water cup and launched it at the door. Fuck, I was pissed right now. I wanted to jump out of this fucking bed and go after her, but I couldn’t because of my fucking useless leg.

“Sounds like things went well,” Cash said as he stepped inside.

I raised my middle finger, too fucking tired to even consider responding in a different way.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. So, the doctor didn’t bring good news, I take it.”

“You could say that,” I grumbled.

“And you took it out on Rae.”

I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. “She’s too fucking positive.”

“Yeah, that sucks. I mean, you just survived being shot and beaten. Your arm’s jacked up until it heals. Your leg is fucking useless.”

I nodded in agreement.

“You have every fucking right to take a breather and let it sink in before she gets on you about seeing the brighter side of things.”

“She didn’t exactly say that,” I grumbled.

“What a bitch,” he muttered. “I tell ya, she should have just told you to cut it off and give up all hope. At least then you’d know what you’re in for.”

I frowned and looked at him questioningly. “Excuse me?”

“Well, it’s already over, right? The old bone saw is gonna take it eventually. Might as well be now. Why waste your fucking time, am I right?” he snickered. “That’s the way I’d want it. Just take it off and fuck those other ideas. Just a fucking waste of time, if you ask me.”

He walked over and yanked back the sheet, staring at the surgical line. “Right up here. I mean, you still got your dick, right?” And then he fucking laughed. “Yep, I’d give up too.”

And then he turned and walked out of the room. My lips twitched and then I actually fucking smiled. Fucking dickhead.

34

RAE

Fox ducked just as I threw the vase across the hotel suite and sent it crashing into the wall. I was worked up, pissed as hell that Duke was acting like a whiny bitch. He wasn’t the type of man to give up just because of a little bad news, but there he was, lying in bed and pretending his life was over.

“What did I ever do to you?” Fox asked.

“You were there,” I snapped.

“Geez, lady, we had something going for us. You don’t have to ruin it.”

I shoved my hands through my hair and screamed. All these feelings that I never had before started welling up inside me until I felt like they were about to spill out my eyes. I hated that Duke was going through that. I hated that he put himself on the line because he was trying to save me and my team. He thought about it for all of two seconds after assessing the situation and determining he needed to be taken so the rest of us could get out alive.

---