Cracked Kingdom (The Royals #5)(57)

I want to tell him to relax, but that’s something he’ll have to learn on his own. As for me, I go to the corner and eat my lunch. I’ve got more important things to worry about than Kyle, Felicity or Bran. My sister is in danger and since I can’t remove her from her home, I’ll have to find a way to get rid of the threat.





Chapter 24





Easton





“I’m heading over to the hospital. You sound like shit. Didn’t you get any sleep last night?” I ask Sawyer over the phone. He showed up at the hospital around six this morning, and I went home to catch some shuteye.

"I tried, but I kept worrying. I should’ve never left.”

Translation: Seb’s been giving him grief for going home for the last four hours.

"Does Seb want anything?" I throw a leather coat over my shoulder and hustle down the stairs.

"What doesn't he want? I've heard him ask for steak, sushi, a plane, Lauren, his own bed, fewer nurses, prettier nurses, a blowjob, a hand job, to get out of the fucking bed." My baby brother heaves a sigh.

"So you haven’t told him about Lauren?"

“No. I called her and told her that Seb woke up. She said that was nice but that we’re too much for her.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“I have no idea. Look, I gotta go. Seb's yelling at the nurse again."

Sawyer hangs up before I can respond. An idea pops into my head.

“Straight to the hospital?” Durand asks when I get into the Bentley a few minutes later.

"No. Toy store first and then hospital."

"Which toy store?"

"The one on Kovacs."

Durand doesn't even blink an eye, even though he knows what it is. Hell, everyone above the age of thirteen knows and probably a good half of Bayview's been inside once—ostensibly for gag gifts, but from what the Astor girls say, there's plenty of battery-operated toys that bounce around in the bottom of purses and backpacks.

We make the detour to the sex shop and I pop in, find what I need, and pay. Durand’s not much of a talker and I’m worn out, so I close my eyes and doze for the rest of the ride. When we arrive at the hospital, Durand wakes me by turning the volume up on the radio.

"I'll catch a ride home," I tell him as I shut the door. Since Seb is making all the staff wish he would go back into his coma, I put a little extra power into my smile as I say my "hello”s.

"Rhonda, that's a nice shade on you."

The on-duty nurse, fifty if she's a day, beams. "Thank you, Easton. Blue's always been my color."

"I'm talking about your lipstick. It's a kissing color." I wink, and she blushes like she's twelve and rubs her lips together.

"What about me?" Sarah, her co-worker, chirps.

"I'd have to go to confessional for three days if I spoke out loud the thoughts I'm having about you, Miss Sarah," I tell her.

Sarah pats her blue-rinsed hair and giggles.

On my way to the room, I run into Matthew—one of the orderlies. "Looking extra buff today, my man."

"Did some power lifting this morning," he says, curling his biceps.

I knock my fist against it and look suitably impressed. "Nice, but be careful or the lady patients will fall in love and won't want to leave."

"That's the plan. Full beds, full paycheck."

"I got you." I do the finger gun in his direction and then swing into Seb's room.

"Duck!" I hear, and instinctively I obey.

The wind above my head whistles as something hurtles over my head. I turn around in time to see a food tray smash against the wall and plummet to the ground, leaving a Rorschach blob made up of peas, applesauce, and a mystery meat.

"Food's that bad," I quip.

"This place is a shithole," Seb growls. "When am I going home?" His face is red and I'm a little worried he's going to pop a blood vessel and go back into his coma. Sawyer's in his chair with his head buried in his hands.

"What's your doctor say?" When I reach the bed, I pick up the chart that hangs off the end and flip through, but none of the chicken scratchings have any meaning to me.

“That I can leave when my parent or guardian shows up. You’re eighteen. Be my guardian and get me out of here.”

“Okay." I go over to him. He's got two IVs in his arm. I begin to tug on one of them.

"What are—" Sawyer lunges for me, but it's unnecessary because his twin has already jerked his arm out of my reach.

"Don't fucking touch my IVs. Are you trying to kill me?" Seb scowls, covering his wrists protectively with one hand.

"You said you wanted help getting out of here."

He scowls. "You're supposed to get a doctor's release. Not just rip out my IVs. I need my pain meds."

"Then it sounds like you should chill out and shut up until your doc tells you to go home. Trust me, act like a fucking punk a little more and they'll kick you out on the street. Then there'll be no more of this." I flick my finger against one of the IV lines.

"I don't need you to pretend to give a damn. I have a babysitter already," Seb says, sullen as a toddler.