Take (Fury Brothers #4)

She was the doctor we kept on retainer.

I nodded. “That’d be good.”

“I can have her meet you at your place.”

“I’m okay,” Frankie insisted. “I just need an ice pack. I’ve had worse doing judo training.”

I shot her a withering look. “You’re getting checked.”

She leaned in and lowered her voice. “I don’t love the bossiness, Fury.”

I leaned in and lowered my voice. “Get used to it.”

“Please, no doctor,” she said. “I really am fine. I don’t like doctors or hospitals. It brings back too many memories of when my dad died.”

I stared into pleading blue eyes. I knew her father had been shot three times in the line of duty. He’d died with his family at his side.

And I did something I’d never done before. I caved.

“All right, but the ice pack is nonnegotiable.”

21

FRANKIE

Ifollowed Reath into his place. My face was tight and throbbing. I could see his back was tense.

“Sit.” He stabbed a finger at the couch.

“Reath, I’m okay. Is there any update on Lincoln?”

Reath stalked to the refrigerator and opened the freezer. Then he prowled back to me. He was almost vibrating with contained energy.

Looking at him made me forget my sore face. It made me remember what that chest looked like. And felt like.

Then cold pressed to my cheek and I jolted.

He sat beside me, holding the ice pack to my face. “There’s no word yet, but Linc is made of tough stuff. He’ll be fine.” Reath’s dark gaze focused on me. “You don’t like hospitals, huh?”

I shook my head. “I was very young when Dad was killed, but I still have flashbacks.” I met his gaze. “And sometimes, nightmares. A really long hall in an ugly green, my shoes squeaking on the floor, the beep of machines, the scent of cleaning chemicals.” I swallowed. “My dad in a bed, bandages covering most of his face. He was shot twice in the chest and once in the head. I didn’t believe it was my father at first. He’d always seemed larger than life, invincible. Mostly I remember my mother’s sobs.”

“Hey.” Reath’s hand closed over mine. “I’m here.”

“He ran into a firefight without waiting for backup. He didn’t need to. In fact, him joining the grocery store robbery caused more people to get injured and killed.” There was always a small kernel of anger under my grief. “But that was Dad, always running to the action. Jack’s the same.” They gave no thought to the people who cared about them.

Warm fingers brushed over my cheek, and I looked into warm brown eyes.

“I’m sorry you lost your dad,” Reath said.

“I’m sorry you never had one.”

“I was probably better off.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Frankie, I was abandoned as a newborn. Left in a box near a church. I almost died from exposure.”

I gasped. What kind of parents dumped their baby like that?