Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Aurora misses her family. I can see it on her face. I hate that I’m the reason she’s away from home. I need to figure out how to get us back to The States without a fucking target behind us. At least those bounties died along with my father. That’s something.
Aurora is sitting on the deck, looking out over the ocean. We’re waiting for the doctor to turn up. Dr. Morgan called and said she was on her way, and Aurora started panicking over all the worst-case scenarios.
I pull out my laptop and fire it up, connecting to the internet and then going through a VPN server to hide my location. Then I open the secure chat line I have with Patty and read the messages he’s sent through.
Patty:
There’s a deal that was meant to go down in New York with the Albanians. Your father had arranged to sell them something. Haven’t figured out what yet.
Patty:
Holy fucking shitballs! I got it. You need to call me ASAP.
Patty:
This ain’t no fucking joke, C. Call me now!
Fuck…
I look out to where Aurora is on the balcony.
I hate hiding shit from her, but until I know what the fuck Patty is talking about, I don’t want her overhearing the conversation.
Before I can message or call him back, there’s a knock at the door.
I close the laptop and slide it under the bed as Aurora walks in from the deck.
“Whatever it is, I will find a doctor who can fix it. We will fix it,” she tells me.
“Aurora, you need to calm down. I’m fine.” I stand from the bed.
“Calm down? Seriously, you could be dying. We could be dying and you want me to calm down?” She shakes her head and storms towards the door.
“Morning, Justin, how did you sleep?” Dr. Morgan asks me, following Aurora into the room a few seconds later.
“Fine. Thank you,” I tell her. “What the tests say?”
“I need to run a few more. Your iron levels are high, so are your LFTs. You’re of Irish descent, right?” she asks.
“Yes, Irish American. Why?” I look at Aurora, who’s frowning. “What does that mean? LFTs?” I ask the doctor, because I know my wife wants to know.
“Liver function tests. There’s a condition called haemochromatosis. It’s where excessive amounts of iron are absorbed and deposited in various organs. It can cause all the symptoms you’re experiencing and is predominantly found in people of Irish descent,” she says.
“Is it fatal?” Aurora’s hands are shaking in her lap. I reach over and cover them with mine.
“It can be, but if treated early, you can expect to lead a long and healthy life with maintenance,” Dr. Morgan explains.
“What’s the treatment?” I ask. “And what tests do you have to do?”
“We can run a gene test, to see if you’re a carrier. As for the treatment, it’s simple actually. We take a pint or so of blood from you every couple of weeks for a few months, and you should start to feel some relief from the symptoms. And then we continue to run tests and monitor your progress.”
“We just have to make him bleed?” Aurora chimes in.
“Well, we draw the blood out just like when you make a donation at a blood bank,” Dr. Morgan says.
“Okay, can we do that now? Start it now?” I can hear the urgency in Aurora’s voice. “I have no problem making him bleed. I can do it myself.”
“Ah… we can.” Dr. Morgan clears her throat. “But I will still need to run the genetic test to confirm it.”
“Can it wait until tomorrow?” I really don’t feel like being pricked and prodded with more needles right now.
“No, it can’t,” Aurora tells me. “You need to do this, Con—Justin. I need you to do it.”
Fucking hell, I can’t say no to her.
“Okay, make me bleed, Doc.” I hold out an arm.
“Get comfortable. It will take a little bit.” Dr. Morgan opens her bag and starts pulling things out.
Aurora stands and fluffs pillows. “What are you doing?” I ask her.
“Getting shit comfortable for you. Lean back,” she tells me.
Again, because I’m young and not stupid, I do whatever my wife wants me to do. Aurora climbs next to me on the bed.
“You really don’t need to sit here with me, princess,” I tell her.
“Where else would I be?” she says.
“On the deck? Enjoying the sun?” I suggest.
“If you are stuck inside, then I am stuck inside too. We are a package deal, remember?” she says as she holds up her left hand, the diamond shining on her ring finger.
“Right. Are we ready?” Dr. Morgan asks as she approaches the bed.
I turn to Aurora and take hold of her hand. “Go for it, Doc.”
After a few minutes of fussing around, setting shit up and pricking my arm with a fucking needle, the doctor tells me we’re good. “I’m going to give you two some privacy. I’ll be just out on the deck if you need anything.”
As soon as the doctor left, Aurora ordered room service and made me eat a bunch of healthy shit. She says we need to be healthier. She’s also been fussing over me all fucking day. It’s starting to drive me nuts. But I do love her for it.
“Princess, why don’t you put on a bathing suit and jump in the ocean. I’ll sit on the deck and watch you,” I tell her.
“You don’t want to come in with me?” she asks.
“I will, but first I need to call Patty.”
“How? I thought we couldn’t call anyone.”
“I have a secure line on the laptop,” I tell her.
“So, I can call Dante?”
Shit, she still wants to call her cousin.
“You can,” I say, because I feel like shit for keeping her away from them. “I just need to log in and make sure they can’t trace us.”
“My family isn’t after us, Connor.”
“My father found us on your family’s deserted island, Aurora. No one but your family knew we were there.”
“What the hell are you insinuating? That my family sold me out?” She stands, her arms folded over her chest and her cheeks turning pink. With anger, not lust.
“No, they would never sell you out. I know that. But my father found us, and we still don’t know how,” I tell her. “I’m sorry that I want to keep you fucking safe.”
“Keep us safe. This isn’t just about me. This is about us,” she corrects me. “I could easily go home without you and be just fine.”
The thought of her doing that sends me into a fit of rage—rage I rein in because I know it’s just words. She’s not leaving. It’s not like I’d fucking let her if she tried.
Huh, maybe there is something I’d actually be able to say no to her about after all.
“Do you think I like this? Having to hide you? I want to scream to the fucking world that you’re mine.
I want to be able to take you out and show everyone that I won the fucking lottery when I met you, Aurora O’Malley.
I want us to be able to live the life we are destined to live.
But until it’s safe to do that, I am not going to take any risks. ”
“Why are we fighting about this?” She drops her arms and shakes her head. “I love you, Connor. I know this isn’t what you want. I got us into this mess. I know that too. But I’m not sorry. I’d do it all again if it means we get to be together.”
“I could do without the my father holding you captive part,” I tell her.
“Yeah, me too.” A look passes over her face. I have no fucking idea how bad it got for her.
That’s a lie. I have a good idea, but I wasn’t there. I didn’t experience it. And I can’t take that nightmare away from her.
“Why don’t you go for a swim? I’ll give Patty a ring and then I’ll set up a call with Dante.” I have to be extra sure the line is uncrackable if we’re calling her cousin. If anyone in her family can get through my system, it’s that fucker.