Page 59 of Protecting Salvation

Chapter19

Hurricane walkedover to Watchdog who was standing in the corner of Bás and Val’s garden with a beer in his hand. He scanned the garden looking for Peyton but she must have been inside with some of the others because he couldn’t find her. He didn’t know why he’d behaved like he had but her asking about his health had suddenly made him nervous about tomorrow’s operation. He’d lashed out like an asshole at the one person who meant more to him than anything in this world. Yet instead of apologising, he’d doubled down and hurt her very publicly.

He came to stand beside his friend. They watched the garden in silence as kids played and friends chatted, blowing off steam and laughing. This time tomorrow his life would either be over or very different. It was a terrifying pill to swallow.

“Not in all the time we’ve known each other have I ever been ashamed to call you my friend.”

Hurricane tensed at Watchdog’s words but didn’t speak.

“Not until today at least.” He turned and gave him a look which lodged a boulder in his chest. Anger, disappointment, it was all there and he had no real defence. “You hurt a woman who’s been nothing but kind, supportive, and loves you right down to her marrow and you did it publicly and brutally.”

“You don’t know the details.”

“Don’t need to. There’s no excuse for the way you behaved today. Not a Goddamn one.”

Hurricane wanted to defend himself but he knew deep down what he’d done was indefensible. He’d seen the confusion followed by the hurt on her face and at any time he could have got up and fixed it. He could have shown her he was sorry instead of behaving like a brat.

Watchdog turned and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Can I give you some advice?”

“Sure, why not.”

“When you have a woman who looks at you like she does, you fight with everything you’ve got to keep them. You don’t lash out and push them away. You hold them tight because we never know when today will be our last.”

“I’m having surgery tomorrow.” He blurted the words out and felt his composure break.

“Does she know?”

Hurricane shook his head. “I don’t want her waiting in some room to see if I live or die.”

“You got a donor?”

“No. Well, yes, technically but it’s not an option.” He wouldn’t tell him why because it was his decision.

“And your odds?”

Hurricane shrugged. “Sixty-forty.”

“I’m sorry, man, and I want you to know I love you, but it still doesn’t excuse what happened here today. If you die tomorrow and I pray to God that you don’t, then her last memory of you will be of you turning her away. She’ll think you didn’t love her and I know that isn’t the case.”

“I do love her.”

“Then tell her. Make it right.”

Hurricane sniffed and swiped at the tears in his eyes as he turned away and tried to laugh it off. “Fuck, man, I wasn’t expecting that.”

“They don’t call me Watchdog for nothing. I know everything, including the fact your girl left about half an hour ago and took a cab home.”

“What?”

Watchdog angled his head. “She’s strong. Strong women won’t put up with shit like you did today and I don’t fucking blame her.”

“I gotta go.” He was jogging towards the house when Titan stepped in his way. “Man, I need to go.”

“We’ve got a problem.”

“What is it? Can it wait?”

“No. Trevor escaped. It seems McCain helped him.”