Page 95

Story: Master of Pain

“You’re pissed at me, aren’t you?” I finally ask.

She shakes her head. “I’m upset, don’t you think I’m not. However, you did save his life, and being angry at you isn’t what Ethan needs right now.”

“Most parents would kick me out, make the choice for him,” I reply.

She sighs. “My parents made enough of my choices, so I let Ethan make his own. If he regrets some of them, then he’ll learn from that. Obviously, I want him to live through those choices, but telling him not to see you wouldn’t do any good.”

“Would you rather he didn’t?” I brace myself.

“I don’t know yet. You’ll have to show me who you are outside of a bad boy who rescues my son and gets into trouble,” she insists with a small smile.

I can’t help but smile weakly back at her.

“Get us all some coffee.” She pats me on the arm. “I’ll take cream, no sugar.”

She steps back into the room. I nod. She didn’t offer to pay, which is good because I would insist she didn’t.

After asking what the other two want and getting clipped answers, I head down to the hospital cafeteria to get the coffees. Having an errand gives me some time to get my head on straight.

Before I go back up with the coffees, I make a phone call.

“Marco, what’s going on with the Greivans?” I ask him the second he answers.

“Everything’s good. The guy who attacked Ethan was one of the rebels. Now that he’s gone and you made an example outta him, the others are either crawling back into Callum’s lap or leaving the city completely.” Marco sounds proud.

“So I ain’t gotta worry about anyone else coming after him?” I ask.

“No. They were your biggest problem, so I don’t see there being another one now that we’ve got everything settled. As long as Ethan’s connected to you, there’s always gonna to be some risk, but that’s the same for all of us, brother,” Marco replies.

I sigh, a weight lifting off my shoulders. “What has Father said?”

“He’s already bought you a bottle of scotch to thank you. I think he’s sending a gift basket to Ethan’s room,” he chuckles.

“Really?” I step into the elevator.

“Yeah. I think this’ll be enough to make him forget about the ritual for a little bit. Ethan took the damage, Dad reaps the reward.”

I huff. “Of course. I don’t like it, but this does make things a little easier. If Ethan can forgive me, anyway.”

“Wow, forgive you? You’re really going to get on your knees and apologize? That’s a first for you,” he says teasingly.

I smirk slightly as the elevator reaches Ethan’s floor. “I’ll be on my knees, but I won’t be apologizing.”

“You said it, not me. Talk later.”

“Later.” I hang up and balance the coffees as I head to Ethan’s room.

“Dante,” Lena says breathlessly as she suddenly steps out of the room.

“What is it?” I ask, stepping into the room quickly as I see the panic on her face.

Anne grabs the coffee cups from my hands and puts them on the nearby table.

“Ethan’s waking up.”

19

ETHAN