Draw (Gentry Boys #1)(70)

Eventually the doctor returned and advised Chase was stable. The bleeding had been stopped and he was beginning to respond to the antibiotics. He would be returned to his room shortly and then we could go see him.

Saylor sighed. “God, that’s a relief.” She laced her fingers through mine. “You want me to get you anything?”

“No,” I said, a little sharply.

Say just nodded and kissed my cheek. “I’ve just got to use the restroom and then call Brayden. I’ll be right back.”

“Fine.”

Creed was drumming his fingers on his thigh and staring at me. I stared back, silently giving him an answer to last night’s conversation. He was right. This shit couldn’t stand. It just couldn’t.

Saylor brought us sodas from the vending machine. I cracked one open and drank but didn’t taste a thing. I was numb. I wondered if that would change when I inflicted some pain on someone else, someone who had torn my brother up. My hands fairly ached to ball into fists and crush bone. It would mean so much more than fighting a stranger in order to earn rent money. It would be personal.

The evening was well underway by the time we were called back up to see Chase in his room. Larry and his unseen cats were gone, replaced by a middle aged guy who’d gotten nailed in the backside with birdshot while he was hunting up north with his buddies. His florid-faced wife yelled at him in one continuous stretch of obscenities.

Chase was no longer flushed. He was pale and visibly weak, although he tried again to hide it with bravado.

“They serve beer down in that cafeteria?” he asked with a watery grin.

“No,” I answered, trying to smile back. “Behave and I’ll sneak you in a wine cooler or two.”

“I’m trying,” he grumbled, then noticed Saylor. “So now can I see your tits?”

She was incredulous. “You call that behaving? I don’t even know how to answer you. You’ve got a one track mind.”

“Hey,” I nudged Creed. “I’m gonna run Saylor home and then I’ll come back for you.”

He gave me a long, penetrating look. “All right, Cord. I’ll be waiting.”

I reached over and tapped Chase’s shoulder. He looked as if he were struggling to stay awake. “I’ll be back, man.”

Chase didn’t answer me. I thought he might be dozing off but he reached over and grabbed the hem of Saylor’s shirt, forcing her to turn around.

“Talk to him!” he snarled and then fell back, sweating.

Saylor looked as if she might cry. I led her out of the room and to the elevator. We didn’t speak until we reached the parking lot.

“What was that about?” I asked casually, unlocking the truck.

She got in and waited for me to get behind the wheel before answering.

“Chase thinks you guys are on the verge of doing something foolish.”

I started the engine. “Oh yeah?”

“So, are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Don’t bullshit me, Cord. I know you’ve got some suspicions about who attacked Chase. Why don’t you tell the police everything you know?”

“Won’t make a damn bit of difference. Even if the police arrest them, their folks will have them out of the pen inside of a day. They’ll never do time.”

Saylor hissed through her teeth and looked out the window. “But you will. You’ll be on the other side of the razor wire in Emblem with all the other lost f*cks who lose years just like that.” She snapped her fingers.

I scowled. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“He knows,” she said quietly.

“Who?”

“’Who?’” she mocked me. “Chasyn. He knows you’re up to something, you and Creed. He begged me to talk you out of it.” She grabbed my arm. “What do you think it will do to him when the two of you get hauled off in handcuffs? You think that will help him recover? What do you think it will do to me?” She was breathing heavily as tears began to fall. “For god’s sake, I love you.”

I closed my eyes. The agony in her voice would bury me if I let it. “Calm down, Saylor. Nobody is going to prison.”

“Can you promise me that? You know, I heard you guys talking last night. Can you promise that you’re not going to jump with Creed off the f*cking deep end and do something violent which will destroy the lives of everyone who loves you?”

“Well,” I laughed shortly. “At least that would be a short list.”

“Cord,” she cried and I couldn’t take it anymore. I shut off the truck and pulled her to me. “I’m right here, baby,” I whispered, even though it wasn’t true. I wouldn’t really be there again until I was finished with what needed to be done.

Saylor calmed down and relented although she still watched me anxiously. I drove slowly through the streets of Tempe. Suddenly she gave a small sigh.

“I never called my mom back.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about the big day tomorrow. What time are you going?”

She raised her eyebrows. “I’m not. You think I’m going waltzing down to Emblem in the middle of all this shit?”

“It’s your mother’s wedding. You should really go, Say.”