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She gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “River. No. I won’t lie here and listen to you blame yourself.”
“It’s my fault, though, all that money you had to find to save me because of my stupid mistakes and Sasha.” I’m trying to hold my tears back, but I can’t.
“I don’t want you to blame yourself. I never want you to do that. All I want is for you to live and be happy. Do you remember the story about how you got your name?” She tries to smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her lips.
“Yes.”
She gave me my name. Mom allowed her to because Gina delivered me when I arrived two months early while she and Mom were camping in the woods by Yellowstone River. Gina’s favorite place on earth. That’s how I got my name.
“Good. Now is the time to be as strong at that river because you have to be. I don’t want you to worry about this surgery. It’s not an option. It can’t be. I’m going to continue with my treatment, but I know it will only keep me going for so long until it stops helping. That’s when I need you to let me go.”
My shoulders wrack with a sob. “I can’t.”
“You must. You have to.” She closes her eyes, then opens them again. “You have to, River.”
I won’t. I can’t.
I hold on to her hand as if for dear life, and I know deep in my soul that as long as I draw breath, I’ll never be able to let her go. Let her die.
If our situations were reversed, she would move heaven and earth to save me. I will do the same for her no matter what it takes.
And I already have one solution stabbing at the insides of my mind.
It’s something I shouldn’t know about andwouldn’tif I hadn’t been eavesdropping on Jericho earlier.
That feels like it happened days ago, but it was only today. Only a few hours ago.
I’m sure if I asked him for a loan, he’d help me, or give it to me, but I don’t want that for the same reasons I turned him down when he tried to help me at the café.
I don’t want to owe him in those ways. Besides that, two million dollars is more attractive than anything I could possibly conjure up in my mind.
I could do everything and more with that kind of money. I could take care of Gina, pay her back for everything, take care of Dad. Take care of myself.
Jericho’s help is my only viable solution right now.
But what if he doesn’t pick me?
I’ll have to swallow my pride once more and find out.
If he doesn’t help me, I might end up in a worse position by going back to Jones to get a loan.
Either way, I have to try. In this instance, not trying means failure.
ChapterFifteen
Jericho
River walks into my office and closes the door.
With her hair pulled into a tight bun and a business dress perfectly fitted to the curves of her body, this is the most formal I’ve ever seen her.
It’s a good look on her. She looks like she’s ready to close a deal on a billion-dollar contract in a business meeting, but as I stare at her, I can’t shove the memory of her half-naked body in my arms away.
Half-naked with her perfect tits on show while I had her pressed up against the wall with my face buried between her legs, eating out her pussy.
I’m having a hard time keeping myself seated and calm when all I want to do is lay her out on my desk and bury myself deep inside her.
Shit. What is she doing here?
