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“You would have died if your medical history wasn’t already public knowledge,” she drawls, watching the reading pop up on the small device. “Well, almost public.Hehad no clue. But I recognized the symptoms.”
Nodding at the results she sees, satisfied, I suppose, she sets down the small machine. “He can’t be expected to know something he was never taught.”
“You live in Copeland City.” I close my eyes as weariness battles with my will to stay awake. “Why are you here?”
“Because Felix called us for help.” She presses her fingers to my wrist and studies the clock ticking on the wall. “He mentioned a rash. Sweet-smelling breath. Thirst. He dropped your name, and I figured out what was wrong.”
“But that doesn’t explain why you’re here.” I release a long breathand half-doze, my lashes fluttering against my cheekbones. “Copeland is a long way from here.”
“By the time I pinpointed what was wrong, he wasn’t answering calls. I kept trying to get through that way, but I knew we’d have a dead socialite on our hands if Archer and I didn’t get on a plane right away.”
“So I was right about your connection?” I lick my dry lips and wish for more water. Though I don’t verbalize my request. I don’t ask for more than I’ve already been given. “You and Detective Malone have good, respectable jobs. But you fly here at the drop of a hat to clean up messes the mob left behind?”
She releases my hand and scoffs. “This isn’t mafia related, Ms. Cannon. And I sure as hell don’t consider myself ‘connected to’the mob. But he is my brother-in-law, and I didn’t want him to have your death on his conscience—especially when he never intended for you to die.”
“But you’re aware of the type of man he is?”Am I seriously working, even now? Writing an article? Gathering evidence?“And Archer?”
“I know who and what they are,” she agrees. “In Archer’s case, what he was. I don’t control the Malones, and I can’t erase their past, even if I don’t agree with it. But I do love my husband.” Then she casts a look to the door, ensuring it’s empty, before bringing her focus back to me. Leaning closer, she lowers her voice. “I love Felix too. And I protect those I love. But if you ever tell him I said that,” she straightens out and flashes a smile that doesn’t feel like a smile at all, “I’ll kill you myself.”
“Alright, crazy.” Archer wraps his meaty palm around Mayet’s bicep and gently tugs her back. “She might be unwell, Minnnnka, but she’s still the press and you’re giving her headlines.”
Still holding onto his wife, he meets my eyes, his own pair similar to Felix’s—uncomfortably so, but not the same. “I’m glad you’re alive, Ms. Cannon. I’m not unaccustomed to women who risk their lives for the sake of stubbornness. But… can you not? I don’t want to deal with the red tape that kinda shit poses.”
Finally, he peers to Minka. “What’s next?”
She removes her arm from his grasp, but only so she can circle the bed and check the bags of fluids suspended above me. Bags I hadn’t even realized were there.
“We’ll spend the next day or so replacing the fluids she’s lost. We’llmake sure her sugars are stable, flush the ketones from her blood, and keep a close eye on her potassium.” Then she looks down at me. “You should be on two kinds of insulin, Ms. Cannon. Long-lasting basal, and rapid-acting bolus. Since it appears you brought neither with you on your Malone vacation, I’ll keep an eye on things to ensure you’re administering appropriately.”
I close my eyes, exhaustion beating in my blood. But not before I roll them. Because she’s acting like I hurt myself on purpose. Like I’m a child needing adult supervision.
“We’ll try and get you up soon,” she continues. “Get you back on your feet and into the shower.”
“She’s allowed to walk?” Archer asks. “Already?”
“The sooner the better.”
I force my eyes open again and find Mayet staring at my arms, at the needles I don’t remember getting inserted, and then lower, at the bruising on my wrists Idoremember receiving.
“Do I want to know what that’s from?”
“Your brother-in-law is an animal,” I sigh, dropping my head back. “And I don’t mean that in the charming, flirty,I like that he tied me upkind of way.”
“I see nothing.” Archer turns away and starts toward the bedroom door. “I amnotaware my brother has kidnapped a woman. Or bound her hands against her will.”
“Sounds like a headline to me.” Exhausted, I draw a deep breath and hate that the brothers I loathe so much, somehow manage to sneak in glimpses of charm.
Maybe they’re not as bad as their father.
Perhaps each son’s DNA was watered down, albeit fractionally, by the women Tim decided to rape and procreate with. Maybe there’s redemption for the five sons, hidden somewhere deep, deep in their souls.
But I’m not ready to commit to that theory yet.
“I want a shower.” I attempt to sit up, but the use of my core muscles has my stomach cramping until it steals the breath from my lungs. “Shit.” I flop back again and groan. “I can’t even get up.”
“I’ll help.” Micah surprises me, coming up on my left and sliding hisarms beneath my back to bring me up to sitting. “I’ll get you into the bathroom and turn the water on.”
“No.” Felix barges into the room with heavy feet, fury beating in his eyes. In his gritted jaw. In the way he balls his fists, his chest pulsing with adrenaline.
