Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“And shot Sam, who was probably leaning over the boat trying to help you lift his drunk ass up out of the water.”
“That’s exactly right.”
“I got it.”
“It’s my fault. If I hadn’t tried to get the gun away from––”
“It’s not your fault,” I heard Duncan in the background. “It’s fuckin’ Mark’s fault!”
Even through the phone, I could hear the growling.
“Hold on,” Dane said.
“Jory,” Duncan barked.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Dane was trying to save a mammal with a far greater brain capacity than fucking Mark,” he spat, and sounded more than a bit angry. “I’m so sick of this trip I could puke. Aaron’s sending the jet, and we will be on the plane as soon as Sam is cleared to go.”
“Is he all right?”
“He’s fine. He needs a couple stitches, maybe three at the most, a tetanus shot, and a shot of penicillin, and then we’re outta here.”
“Let me talk to him.”
I was back on with Dane the next moment. “Yes?” I asked.
“He lost very little blood, we got a towel on it quickly, and the captain was so happy to be getting rid of us, we made great time getting back to shore. From there, most of us got cabs, and we’re here at the hospital with Sam.”
“That’s good,” I said, exhaling out my dread and worry.
“He really is fine.”
“Thank you.”
“As Duncan said, we’ll be coming home shortly.”
“Well, it’s eight here, which means it’s eight there, since we’re in the same time zone, so you guys were out there late.”
“We’ve been here at the hospital for three hours already,” he explained. “It’s an emergency room, for heaven’s sake. You know how time stops when you’re waiting.”
I did. I’d been in many an emergency room in my lifetime.
“But if Sam’s okay, you guys should just––”
“No,” Dane said icily. “After what happened last night, we’ll be home sometime in the morning I’m certain.”
I had not talked to Sam last night, as he hadn’t called me after they all went out to dinner. And that was fine, but now I wondered if there had been no communication because something had happened to piss Sam Kage off.
“What happened last night?”
“I think it best to explain a bit later. I will have Sam call the moment his arm is wrapped and we’re en route back to the hotel.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Of course,” he whispered, and then said, “Aja?”
“Yes, love?”
His breath came out choppy. “Please call me once you’re at home. I would like to have a word if I may.”
“Of course, honey. We just need to go in and pay the bill and then I’ll be on my way.”
“Good,” he croaked out. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He hung up then. That was Dane’s way and didn’t bother any of us. All the hellos and goodbyes were lost on him.
I looked at her. “What was that about?”
“I have no idea, but let’s go in and settle up so I can––”
“Yeah, come on.”
The three of us went back inside, but I told Aja to get her purse and go. She’d driven, having picked up both me and Dylan after work since she only had to make one stop as Dylan and I were partners. But Hannah could drive us home, which she appreciated. She bolted out of the restaurant. I did make her promise to text me that she got home safely, and she was always good about that when Dane wasn’t with her.
At the table, I told Hannah that she could go back to the dorm, that Dylan and I could get a cab home together.
“A cab that’s taking you first to Oak Park and then Aunt Dylan out to La Grange?” Hannah asked like I was nuts. “That’ll take forever. I’ll just drive you, because if Dad’s coming home in the morning, I want to see him for myself.”
I understood. I would have been the same way.
“Chris called me,” Dylan said once we were in Hannah’s pristine car. “He said he was at the hospital with Sam and that last night, he got in a fight with some guy named Greg. Do you know a Greg?”
I had to think. “I met an Ed not too long ago and a Gene I think, but no Greg.”
“Well, he hit Greg after Greg took a swing at him but didn’t connect.”
“Why did this guy try to hit Chris?”
“I didn’t really understand, something about a party. But he sounded wound up.”
“I suspect Sam getting shot with a spear gun had something to do with that.”
“Yeah, but—none of this makes sense,” Dylan said irritably. “What the hell kind of vacation was this?”
“Uncle Chris hit somebody?” Hannah asked, sounding as surprised as I felt. “I didn’t even know he got mad.”
“Neither did I,” I seconded. “What did he say?”
“All he said was that he was coming home on Aaron Sutter’s private jet and would see me tomorrow morning.”