Chapter Thirty-Two
Mac
This has been the most draining three days that I’ve had in months.
I had to call Davis a couple of times because the cravings were making my hands shake again.
I figured it’d be rough once Rowan told us what we’d be doing.
I don’t typically get my hands dirty, but when Rowan told me he had Leo in a safe house a few states away, I made an exception.
Torturing a man until the brink of death and then bringing him back just to do it again will mentally fuck with you no matter how many times you’ve done it in the past. Even Kieran has a hard time with it, and it’s his ‘eighty hours a week’ job.
But I’m home now, and I know Lee’s pissed.
No one has said anything, but I still know.
She’s fiery, and I just feel in my soul that I’m about to get my ass handed to me.
She refused to go to the big house and instead opted for Jake’s house just a few doors down from our own.
Dec and I walk up the front steps to the front door, and it swings open before I get a chance to knock.
The next thing I know, I’m being hauled up against the post of the porch with a strong forearm pressed into my windpipe.
I can get out of this easily, but the pure fire in her big brother’s eyes stops me. I deserve this.
“What the fuck, Byrne? We had a deal.” He seethes.
“It was business. Your Da is in our world, you know I didn’t have a choice.” I try to keep my voice strong with his weight pressed into my throat.
Declan grabs Jakob by the arm and pushes him back. “That’s enough. I get you want to do the ‘big brother’ thing, but never forget that’s my baby brother, and we both know you could never take me.” How he doesn’t punch Dec in his smug face is beyond me.
“You haven’t had to sit here and watch her cry every waking moment for three goddamn days. You lied to her. Now you better fucking grovel your punk ass heart out.”
I’m done listening to him. I push past him and shove my way into his house.
The whirl of the dialysis machine guides me into his spare room, and I come to a screeching halt at the door frame.
Lee looks like she’s lost every bit of fifteen pounds in the past three days.
Her lips are dry and cracked, and her skin looks dull.
Her face looks splotchy, and her eyes are swollen. Dammit, I’m a fuck up.
Moving over to the bed, I strip my shirt and jeans as I go. Climbing in bed with her in only my boxers, I snuggle up to her and take her into my arms, careful not to jostle her arm too much.
“Quill?” Lee asks, half asleep.
“Yeah, baby it’s me. Go back to sleep, we’ll talk later, okay?” I kiss her furrowed brow, her eyes still remaining closed.
“I’m so mad at you, but I’ve barely slept since you’ve been gone, and I don’t feel too good.” She murmurs quietly.
“Go to sleep. I’ll be right here.” I kiss the top of her head and hold her close as she drifts back off. I’m sucking up every ounce of love she’ll give me while she doesn’t feel well and is extra snuggly, because I know once she gets the wind back under her, she’s coming for my neck.
I want to sleep. I really wish I could, but I can’t stop watching her.
I spent the past three days torturing one of the men who sold her from under her Da’s nose.
All I wanted was to be right here. So I can’t sleep, because if I do, I won’t get to soak all of this up.
Her warm breath fans across my chest, and in her sleep she snuggles closer.
I could die right now and I’d be the happiest man in the world.
Hours later, after Tory has unhooked her from the machine, Lee begins to stir in my arms. “Hey, my Smart Girl. How are you feeling?” She relaxes into me for only a second before her eyes pop open, and she gives me a glare that could rival my own.
Shit. She scares me.
I flash her the grin that always disarms her, but this time she reaches up and flicks me in the eyebrow. “Lose the grin, Macaroni and Cheese.”
“Ouch! Also, don’t call me that.” I rub my eyebrow and mock pout at her.
“You lied to me, you’ll be fine.” The fire in her eyes makes my cock twitch.
Down, boy, not now.
“I’m so sorry. But I swear I didn’t lie.
When I told you I’d be back before dialysis, I really thought I would be.
I didn’t know that I had to do something that would take days for Roe until I got there and they took my electronics.
I am so sorry, baby.” I take her hand and gently kiss her knuckles.
I’ll kiss the fucking ground she walks on if she just stops looking at me like that.
“Why couldn’t you have your electronics?” She questions, still pissed.
“Because phones track locations, baby, and sometimes we have to go places where we don’t want to be tracked to.”
“So how did you get in touch with Rowan?”
“Burner phone. And before you ask, no, I couldn’t call or text you from it. That makes a trail.” Some of her anger melts away, but I can tell she’s still mad.
“You said you’d be there, and then you weren’t.
” The sadness she tries to hide behind her anger slowly pops through.
“I thought you weren’t coming back. Flynn didn’t get there until almost twelve hours after you left.
I thought something happened, or that you finally realized you deserve so much better than what I can give you. ”
She might as well have ripped my heart out.
“Hey, you know better than that. I don’t want to be anywhere else but here.
It’s you and us or it’s no one, Lelonie.
” She quietly nods in acknowledgment before laying her head back on my chest. “Tell me how you’ve been feeling? I’ve been going crazy not being here.”
“I think I’m getting sick. My bad days are worse than normal, and I’m throwing up more frequently.” I can tell; she looks so fragile.
Before I can answer, footsteps have me pushing up to stand in front of the bed and grabbing my gun. Who the fuck is running towards this room? Declan stops in the door frame, panting.
“I’m— I’m a match.” He chokes out, emotion clogging his throat.
“What?” I can’t even process what he’s talking about.
“Mac, I’m a match. I’m a match for her. I’m a fucking match.” A huge smile covers his face.
Holy shit, he’s a match!
I spin around to see Lee’s bright smile, but instead I see her asleep. She’s only been awake for maybe twenty minutes. When I turn back around, Jakob is standing behind Dec.
“Yeah, it’s been like this for a couple of days. The doctor came in yesterday and said she needs dialysis daily. She’s getting worse, and I don’t know what to do.”
Lee’s phone begins to ring, pausing our conversation. Her hand reaches out and hits different spots. She finally answers and brings it to her ear. Her half awake voice making me smile.
“Hello?” She listens for a second before sitting straight up. “What?” She practically shouts. She listens for a few minutes before thanking the person on the other end and hanging up.
Tears stream down her face as her watery eyes lock onto mine. “I’m getting a kidney. Mac, they found a match.”
I look at Dec. He slightly shakes his head before he quietly exits the room.
I turn my attention back to my girl, whose whole face is lit up.
“You’re getting a kidney?” I say in disbelief.
I know what Dec said, but it’s different when I hear it from her.
She jumps up and throws herself into my arms.
“I’m getting a kidney, Quill.” She sobs against my lips as I hold her up by the backs of her thighs, kissing her back.
She’s getting a kidney. This is so surreal.
* * *
Lee
I used up most of my energy jumping into Mac’s arms and kissing him like it was our last. Finally pulling back from his perfect lips, I lay my head on his shoulder.
I don’t have the energy to do anything else.
I need to pack and get to the hospital in a few hours, but I can’t muster up the energy.
He lays me back on the bed and begins looking around, putting my chargers, laptop, skincare, and toiletries into my duffle bag.
“What are you doing, Handsome?”
“We have to go home and pack, don’t we?”
As if on cue, Jake walks in with a freshly folded pile of laundry. “I guess I’m right on time, huh?”
Mac can’t help his look of disgust. “You did your sister’s laundry?”
“Don’t be gross. Annie did it.” He works to smother his smile. Jake loves me a lot, but not enough to do my laundry, and honestly I’d rather do a lot of sketchy shit before I let my older brother touch my panties.
“We have a few hours before I have to be there. I’ll just take what I already have with me.” I yawn while answering them.
They both look at me like I’m crazy, but it’s Jake that speaks first, “Are you sure? You have everything you’ll need at the hospital here?”
“Yeah, I guess. If I’ve survived without it this long, I don’t need it at the hospital.”
Mac’s placing everything neatly into my bag when he abruptly pauses and pulls something out of the bag. He turns the frame over in his hands and smiles up at me.
“You brought it with you?”
“Of course I did.” I can’t help the small smile that pulls at my lips. The picture of us as just kids sits delicately in Mac’s hands. I couldn’t have him with me, so I brought that picture with me, as well as the countless pictures of us on my phone.
“I love you.” His eyes don’t leave mine as he walks over to the bed and presses his lips to mine.
“I love you, Quill.” I whisper against his lips before pulling back. “Now, let’s get to the hospital so I can get a new kidney.” Exhaustion settles deep into my bones, but I’m too excited to allow it to take over. I’m getting a new kidney, and we’re getting the life we deserve.