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“The girl she was…” he sighs, “… she’s gone for good, Jack. She’s going to need surgery, but they have to wait until she can breathe on her own and for the swelling to go down before they’ll do anything. She’ll survive, but she’s going to be disfigured.” Jethro’s wide chest lifts with a deep breath. “Can you fucking imagine what that’s going to be like for her?”
The leviathan suddenly looks small. The thought of what his daughter will have to face is too much to bear.
“Can she talk? Or does she still have the breathing tube in?”
“It came out today.”
“Has she said anything?”
Jethro lets go of a rough breath. “She asked me to let her die.”
Jack’s fists tighten on the table. “I have a daughter. What do you want from the Kings?”
“I want you to help me find those fuckers. And I want you to bring hell with you.”
Jack calls Church, and within the hour, all the Kings who aren’t at the crop harvest are gathered in the war room.
While Jack brings them up to speed, I sit in the bar with Earl and Dolly and keep the Devil’s Steed occupied with some King’s Pride.
Jethro toys with his shot glass. His brow furrowed.
“Your girl… what’s her name?” Dolly asks, refilling the glass.
“Katey.”
“That’s a real pretty name.” Dolly smiles warmly. “And what are Katey’s favorite flowers?”
Jethro thinks for a minute. “Daisies. She’s always taking photos with daisies.”
“Well, when she wakes up tomorrow, there’ll be fresh daisies in her room, I’ll make sure of it.” She gives Jethro a wink. “Let her know the Kings are thinking about her.”
He raises his shot in appreciation and then throws it back.
Jack reappears.
Church is over.
“Let’s ride.”
Jethro’s daughter is barely conscious when we get to the hospital.
Not a lot triggers me but seeing the young girl hooked up to machines and trussed up like a fucking mummy kicks me in the gut.
Only her lips and eyes are visible. Her gaze is hooded and sleepy, but her eyes are open enough for me to see the trauma in them.
I’ve seen that look before.
They broke her.
Jethro sits and takes her hand in his. “It’s okay, baby. I’m here. I brought some people with me, men who are going to help us. Squeeze my hand if that’s okay with you, honey, squeeze my hand.”
Her fingers tighten around his beefy digits. Beside her, the beeping on the heart monitor speeds up when Jack moves closer to the bed.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Jethro reassures his daughter. “He just needs some information. Anything you can remember.”
“I’m sorry this happened to you, darlin’,” Jack says in a voice I’ve never heard him use before. It’s gentle. Soothing. “We’re going to find the people responsible, okay? But I need your help. Do you feel up to talking to me about it?”
Big blue eyes bounce between Jack and Jethro before she nods.
