Take - Page 106

She smiled, and I nibbled on her bottom lip.

“I want a kiss too, Uncle Reath,” Daisy cried.

“He got his head out of his ass,” Beauden said.

“That’s money for the swear jar, Uncle Beau,” Daisy said with glee.

“Yeah, yeah.” He fished around in the pocket of his jeans and handed over some coins.

“I’m glad for you,” Dante said from the head of the table.

I tugged Frankie under my arm. “I get it now.”

Dante smiled and nodded.

Frankie’s cellphone started to ring. “Sorry.” She pulled it out. “It’s probably DARPA. They’ve been blowing up my messages.” She pressed the phone to her ear. “Frankie Parker.”

Then her face blanched. I grabbed her hand.

“Okay, yes,” she said shakily. “What hospital?” She swallowed. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Frankie?” I asked.

Blue eyes, huge and worried, met mine. “It’s Jack. He was injured on a mission. At his request, they transferred him to a hospital in New Orleans.”

Oh, hell.

45

FRANKIE

As we entered the hospital, I tried to control my nerves and worry.

Reath had been silent on the drive over, lost in his thoughts.

As we walked down the hospital corridor, the sharp scent of antiseptic stung my nose. I fought back the old memories from my dad’s death. I glanced at Reath. He hadn’t once looked my way. I saw his jaw was tight.

I bit my lip. Initially, he hadn’t wanted to get involved with me because of Jack. I knew that tightknit code they lived by was something vital to them. My stomach did a sickening swirl. What if Reath pulled back? What if seeing Jack, and whatever my brother said, changed Reath’s feelings?

Or made him fight them again?

I felt like I was going to be sick.

I couldn’t survive Auclair, just to lose Reath anyway.

“Hey.” Reath took my hand and squeezed. “Jack’s going to be fine. He’s a tough bastard. He’s in the right place to heal.”

I nodded. I was terrified for Jack. I knew the missions he went on were dangerous, even if he didn’t tell me anything about them. But he was getting older. How long before he got himself killed?

Reath squeezed my fingers one more time, then released my hand. He strode ahead to the nurses’ desk.

“Excuse me, we’re looking for Jack Parker’s room.”

I clasped my hands together. It would all be fine. I’d survived Auclair, I’d survive this.

“Are you family?” the nurse asked.

I stepped forward. “I’m his sister.”