My stomach sinks at his words, knees buckling.
“My f-father? You knew my father?”
What? How? When?
It makes no sense. I never heard of him or saw him around when we were kids.
“It was a long time ago. We went to school together.”
“You were friends?”
“Rivals, more like it.” Jenkins snorts. “Couldn’t stand the guy. He was so fucking noble all the damn time, it’s not surprising your mother picked him.” He shakes his head, as if clearing his thoughts. “But he’d be proud of the man you’ve become.”
Jenkins and my father… rivals?
I’m still trying to wrap my head around it when he pats my shoulder and then lets his hand drop.
“I expect to see you in my office first thing Monday morning.”
Not leaving me a chance to protest, he turns around and leaves the room. I stare at the closed door, still stupefied by this revelation, unsure of what to make of it.
What the hell just happened?
My mind is still going over it as I return to the waiting room to find my family there, talking amongst themselves. They’re not alone. A couple is speaking with a doctor, surrounded by three dark-haired girls, all of them crying as they hold on to one another. I might not have met them, but I would recognize their faces anywhere.
Jessica’s sisters.
Crying.
My heart seems to stop as I come to a standstill, that buzzing back in my ears as I just stare at them until Chase steps into my view.
“Wh-what?—”
“Jessica is out of surgery.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
JESSICA
A soft beepinggreets me as my eyelids flutter. I groan in protest. My head is throbbing. My body feels heavy and my limbs are stiff.
What the hell?—
I blink my eyes open, only to be blinded by a bright light.
My eyes fall shut again, searing pain jabbing through my skull making my stomach roll.
Inhaling deeply, I try to even out my racing pulse as I fight through the pain. It feels like it lasts a lifetime before I can try again, slower this time.
The pain is still present, although a bit more manageable. My body feels like it was run over by a train, every inch hurts.
I breathe for a moment as I take in my surroundings.
The white ceiling.
The insistentbeep-beep-beepof the heart monitor.
I look down, my gaze landing on the man sitting in the chair next to my bed.
