“How can she talk like that?”
Effa’s hands rub up and down my arms as she tries to calm me down. Somehow it’s working. She has that magic touch, and she always says she has a natural calming energy. Right now, I think she’s right.
“She’s had time to deal with and process the thought of her passing, Mercs. You, on the other hand, are in denial. She’s accepted that there’s a possibility—”
“No.No, there’s not. She can’t die. She’s not going to. It’s just not possible now. The treatmenthasto work. She can’t… d-die,” my voice breaks on the last word, and Effa sighs as she pulls me to her for a hug.
“I know. Trust me, I know. I think being in denial about all the possibilities Kaden is, well… dangerous.”
I glance at her and wince. “You think she’s going to die?”
“No, I don’t. She’s strong. She’s a fighter. And we will do everything in our power to keep her here with us, but sometimes, things happen. Higher powers intervene. And we have to prepare for all outcomes.”
Groaning, I run my hand over my head and move away, pacing the floor again. “I don’t think I can bring myself to think like that.”
“Okay, I get that. But you can’t stop Kiera from living her life. If she thinks she doesn’t have all the time in the world, Kaden, you have to let her live. Let her make mistakes. Let her experience life. Raoul’s not a bad guy… he’s not going to hurt her. He’s not going to take advantage of her. Kaden, let her live. Stop being so overprotective. It’s overbearing. It’s controlling. And you don’t want her to live drowning in your oppressive tendencies, do you?”
My stomach sinks as I slump. She’s making perfect fucking sense, and I hate every fucking second of it. I’m stifling Kiera, and if—a big fucking if—these are her last days, then I want her to be happy. Not regretting what could have been.
Goddammit!
“Fine, she can do whatever the fuck she wants. Just not in front of me.”
Effa grins and nods. “I’m proud of you. You’ve had a rough day today.”
“Yeah, and we still have a call to make.”
She exhales. “Right, that… yeah. I guess now’s as good a time as any, hey?”
I grab her hand and lead her over to the bed. “Time to find out what’s happening with you and your body.”
Chapter Fourteen
EFFA
It’s nerve-wracking waiting for the call to be patched through to Dr. Wakefield.
Another hot flash isn’t ideal. The headaches are still there too, constant even when they dip in severity. And then there are the other things. The subtle shifts in my body I haven’t mentioned to Mercs. He carries so much already, and adding this to his load won’t change anything except the weight on his shoulders.
I’ll tell the doctor, and if I have to go in, I will. I already know this is where it’s heading.
Mercs pacing the room is not helping my nerves, so I cover the cell and glare at him. “Will you sit down?”
He pauses mid-stride, brows pulling together before he nods and comes back to the bed. He sits beside me, his hand immediately finding mine, thumb tracing slow circles over my skin.
The line clicks.
“Vespa,” Dr. Wakefield says warmly. “I was hoping not to hear from you until your next appointment. Are you having more symptoms?”
“Hi, Dr. Wakefield… yeah. I was hoping not to call, but I had another hot flash today.”
A quiet hum. A breath. “And the headaches?”
“Still there. They fluctuate, but they haven’t stopped.”
“Okay. Any other changes you’ve noticed?”
I hesitate.
