Chapter Seventy-Eight
Phoenix
Drunk, expression pained, she was crying. “Linc is yours.”
Annihilating my anger with a single sentence, I thought I finally understood every reason why she’d run. “Isla.”
“I won’t ever have that,” she continued. “He’s yours. He’s special. That’s your gift.” She shook her head. “I can’t ever give you that.” The pain in her eyes turned to grief. “I can’t ever be a mom.”
I pulled her into my arms. “Sh, it’s okay. That’s not why we came, Isla.”
“You’re not hearing me. Stop.” She shuddered. “You’re getting all wet.”
I didn’t give a shit about getting wet. But her shivering, I did care about. “I am hearing you, but I’m not letting go of you.” I lifted her out of the shower, then grabbed the only towel on the rack and wrapped her up.
Staring up at me as her hair dripped water down her face, she whispered my name. “Will.”
“Right here, intruse.” Letting go of her for a second, I pivoted to open the bathroom door, then reached for the set of small shelves in the hall that did double duty as a linen closet and pantry.
“Getting another towel for your hair.” Turning back to face her, I started to wrap her head, but she grabbed my wrists.
I looked down at the woman who’d intruded into my life and wreaked havoc.
She whispered her confession. “I wasn’t supposed to live this long.” Then she took me out at the knees. “I was diagnosed with leukemia.”
“Isla.” Pulling her to my chest, fucking spiraling, movement in the doorway caught my eye. I looked up.
Lincoln.
Eyes wide, face stricken, the glass of water in his hand hit the floor and shattered.
Then he took off.
Fuck. FUCK.
Picking Isla up, I was Oscar Mike.
Stepping over the glass, carrying her into the bigger bedroom, laying her down on the bed, I reached for her pack.
Grabbing the warmest clothes I could find, then yanking the towels off her, I pulled a thermal shirt over her head and fed her legs into a pair of sweats.
Five seconds later, I had her under the covers.
Then I took my intruse’s face in my hands, ignored her silent tears, and used the full weight of my dominance. “Download, right now. Status, prognosis, treatment.”
She told me.
Then I was aiming for the door.
“Will, you have to promise me something.”
“Not now, Isla. Go to sleep.” I went after my son.