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Her gaze softens. “Oh, no. I don’t mean it that way. Of course it was much more horrible for you than for any of us.”
“I know you didn’t mean it that way.” I smile. “But back to the apnea. You never noticed?”
“How could I? If I had a spell and then began breathing again, I would have been asleep so I wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Do you mind if I call Ted?”
“Uh…yeah, I mind, Falcon. I don’t want Ted knowing anything about this. Besides, he’s living with some stripper now.”
Man. I always knew that guy was no good. What the hell was Raven doing with him?
“Okay. I won’t call him. But you need to take care of this apnea thing, Ray.”
“At the moment, I’m concentrating on living.”
I sigh. She’s right, of course.
“I never thanked you,” she says.
“Sure you have. About a thousand times.”
“Then I’ll do it again.” She smiles weakly. “Thank you, Falcon. Thank you for donating your bone marrow.”
“There was no question. Any one of us would have done it for you.”
“You know what, though?” She sighs softly. “I’m glad it was you. I’m glad it’s my big brother. My hero.”
I drop my gaze to the floor. “I’m not sure I’m anyone’s hero.”
“You’re Hawk’s. He says so all the time. And you’re mine.”
“Don’t go giving me a big head.”
“Bigger than the one you’ve got?”
I just chuckle, but I’m not laughing on the inside. I did have a pretty damned big head when I was younger. Prison has a way of knocking you down to size. Even for the big man on cell block D like I was. I had to earn that status, and it wasn’t easy. But no way was I letting anyone make me his bitch. Instead, I became Savage, and a part of him will always remain with me.
“So, you ready for this?”
“Absolutely,” Raven says. “I want to live, Falcon. There was a time, during some of the treatment, when I truly thought I was going to die. But I never faltered. I never wished for it to be over, like so many do. I wished only to live.”
“That’s your strength,” I say, “and that’s why this is going to work. And if you need more marrow? They can pull it out of me again. I’ll give it all for you, sis.”
“I won’t take it all,” she says. “I want you here. Home. Where you were always supposed to be.”
“Not according to the state of Texas.”
“The state of Texas got this one wrong.”
They did, at that, but only Hawk and Eagle know the truth, and they’re sworn to secrecy. We’re not only brothers by blood.
We’re blood brothers. Since that night.
“Tell you what,” I say. “I think it’s time we both go home for good. Me out of the slammer, and you out of this damned hospital.”
“I’d like nothing more.” She smiles weakly.
So pretty, my sister. She and Robin are both beautiful, but they’re fraternal, not identical twins. If they were identical, Robin would have been a perfect bone marrow match. Raven and Robin are both gorgeous, but Raven has a softness about her that Robin doesn’t.
She’s beautiful in a more classically feminine way.
Speak of the angel.
Robin knocks at the open door and enters.
“Hey, you two.”
“Hey, Robbie,” I say.
Robin leans down and gives me a quick hug. “How is she this morning?”
“She is just fine,” Raven says. “I can answer for myself, Rob.”
“Good. Mom and Dad are on their way. Just parking the car.”
“And the guys?” Raven asks.
“We haven’t heard from them,” Robin says. “But they know about the procedure, so I’m sure they’ll be here.”
“You’re damned right they’ll be here.” I pull out my phone.
“Good, you got a cell.” Robin pulls hers out of her purse. “Let me program in your new number. Text me.”
I do as she asks and then excuse myself.
Time to call my little brothers.
My not-so-little brothers.
Nothing is programmed yet, as this is a brand-new phone, but I have all my family’s numbers memorized. I called Hawk and Eagle the most from the prison phones when I was allowed to make a call. I’ll take those numbers to my grave.
I tap in Hawk’s number.
“Speak,” he says into my ear.
“It’s me.”
“Fal? You got a phone. Great.”
“Yeah. Where the fuck are you two?”
“I’m on the road. I don’t know where Eagle is.”
“Our sister is getting my bone marrow today. You’d better be on your way to the hospital.”
“I am. Just got to make one stop.”
“No stops. You get here.”
“I will, Fal. Promise.”
I grit my teeth. “Whatever you’ve got going can wait.”
“Okay. You got it. I should be there in fifteen.”
“What about Eagle?”
“I haven’t heard from him.”
“Shit. Okay. I’ll call him. See you in a few.”
I dial Eagle next. Eagle is the baby of our family. Still, he’s twenty-five and should be here for Raven.
He doesn’t answer, so I text him.
