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“Layla,” I murmur.
“I’ve got the results of your blood tests,” she says, and I tense. There’s an edge to her tone, and anxiety almost overwhelms me. “You’re not a match, Emilia. Your blood types aren’t compatible.”
I start to tremble, my eyes filling with tears. “What?” I ask, my voice high.
Layla sighs. “I’m sorry,” she says.
I stare into space, my heart shattering. I was so certain that I could help Dad. That I could make him better. For weeks I’ve been hanging onto that little bit of hope, and now it seems all lost. My heart twists painfully, and air seems to evade my lungs. I try to breathe in deeply, but I fail.
“I understand you’re in New York with Carter. I hope this news doesn’t ruin your trip. Don’t worry, there’s still the donor registry, and there are other options still available to you. You could potentially do a paired donation. Come in when you’re back, and we’ll discuss it.”
“I… yes, thank you,” I manage to say.
A big fat tear rolls down my cheek, and I inhale shakily, my lungs burning from the lack of air. I feel panic creep up slowly as I end the call, and I pull my knees to my chest as a sob tears through my throat, devastation slamming through me.
What will happen to Dad now? He can’t spend the rest of his life on dialysis. I see the way he suffers, the way he hides how he feels. He’s a shell of the man he used to be, and it’s only been a few months. I don’t want him going through this for months.
I inhale and end up gasping for air, my heart breaking. Strong arms wrap around me, and I look up at Carter. He lifts me onto his lap and wraps his arms around me.
“What happened, baby? You’re worrying me. What’s going on?” he asks, his voice trembling.
I clutch his shirt and then throw my arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly.
“I… I’m not… I’m not a match,” I say, sobs interrupting my sentence. I rest my cheek on Carter’s shoulder, finding solace in his arms.
Carter buries his hand in my hair and holds me tighter. “Minx,” he whispers. “I’m so sorry.”
He sounds anguished, as hurt as I’m feeling, and I cry even harder. Carter pats my back, his touch soothing.
“What am I going to do?” I ask, my voice breaking. “I can’t save him.”
My entire body is shaking, and I can’t seem to stop my tears. It’s like all the fears I had have suddenly come true. It’s like I was in denial, and all of a sudden, I’m thrown into reality. My dad has a terminal illness, and I can’t save him.
“We’ll save him, Minx. One way or another. I promise you. I’ll get him a black-market organ if I need to. I won’t let him die. I won’t let him suffer. I swear, Emilia, so don’t cry, okay? Don’t cry, baby. These things take time, but we’ll find a donor for him, one way or another.”
He holds me tightly, and I nod, my nose brushing against his neck. I want to believe him, but what if he’s wrong? What if we can’t save him?
Chapter 20
Emilia
I wake up to the loud blaring of an alarm clock and groan. I blink lazily, my gaze settling on Carter. For a second I think I’m still dreaming, and then reality catches up on me. I freeze, my eyes widening. Last night slowly comes back to me, and I pull away from Carter.
He groans and pulls me back, my body flush against his. My cheeks redden when I realize he’s not wearing his suit trousers like he was last night. He buries his face in my neck and kisses me where I’m sensitive. I shiver when he throws his leg over me, his hardness pressing up against me. My heart is racing, and desire washes over me.
I bite down on my lip and push against his chest. “Carter,” I murmur. “We’ve got a meeting in an hour,” I tell him. He spent all night consoling me. I woke up countless times, bursting into tears all over again, and he was there every single time I woke up. He held me and consoled me until I fell back asleep, over and over again. It’s no wonder he’s exhausted now.
“Just a few more minutes, Minx,” he whispers. I pull away from him and slip out of bed carefully, my heart twisting painfully, equal parts in guilt and pain. I breathe in deeply, my thoughts turning to Dad. Sadness washes over me, the feeling so intense that it almost brings me to my knees. I brace myself against the wall and inhale shakily. Carter is right, there will be a way. These things do take time. I need to have a little bit of faith.
I think back to my phone call with Layla as I step into the shower. I can’t help but wonder if she called me because she heard I went on a business trip with Carter. Did she call me when she did in an attempt to ruin this trip? Surely not… she’s a medical professional. She must’ve just called me when the tests came back in, and this must’ve been a coincidence. I bite down on my lip and drop my forehead to the wall, the water hitting my back. I can’t be this person… I can’t assume the worst of people, for no good reason.
I’m absentminded when I walk back into my bedroom, my towel wrapped around me. My eyes move to Carter, and I freeze. I expected him to have gone back to his own room by now, but instead he’s sitting up in my bed. He smiles at me and runs a hand through his hair lazily. His eyes roam over my body hungrily, and I suddenly feel nervous, almost in a giddy way.
“How do you feel,” he asks, and I look down, forcing myself to get my feelings in check.
“I’m fine,” I murmur. “I’m sorry about last night. Thank you for staying with me. You really didn’t need to.”
Carter rises from my bed, and my eyes roam over his body. He’s no longer wearing the suit trousers he wore last night, and I struggle to keep my eyes off him and the boxer shorts that do nothing to hide his morning erection. A fierce burst of desire courses through me, settling between my legs. Carter walks up to me and places his index finger underneath my chin, lifting my face to his.
