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“That’s all I do these days.” I kiss him, then squeeze his hand.
The next hours are hard. We roll my father into an abandoned warehouse that turns out to be a five-room underground medical facility in east Jersey. Who would’ve thought? I protest quietly to Silver, asking him to drop my father off at anactualhospital. He assures these are trauma nurses and doctors, plucked from the best hospitals and paid double to do their bidding.
He’s in surgery now, and one look at Silver’s leg tells me he should be there too.
“Don’t give me that look,” he says. “I’m not leaving your side.”
“You’re bleeding through the wraps,” I protest. “This isn’tChilling Desires. You can’t just walk off set after someone shoots you.”
“Quiet. I’m fine.”
“Stubborn old wolf,” I mutter. “Love you, Silver.”
“I love you too, kid.”
I nuzzle into his arm, noticing that he’s slightly tremoring. It freaks me out, though it seems like he’s been through this before.
“Your father isn’t great at following directions,” Silver distracts me.
“He’s usually the one giving them.” I smirk, tears covering my face.
“Yeah well, I guess I fucked up too. Had I not been saved by two rounds of guardian angels, not sure either of you would’ve been any better off. I’m losing my touch.”
“It’s okay to ask for help once in a while, you know. Donny didn’t even flinch when I called him.”
He grunts at that.
“You’re so used to being a lone wolf… that you would’ve died as one,” I say. “And I don’t care if you have a bullet in your leg, I’m still furious at you.”
“Didn’t like my letter?” He grins at me.
“It crushed me to my core.”
His smirk wipes, and his strong arms wrap harder around me. “I’m sorry, kid.”
I sob into his warm embrace. “If you ever do anything like that to me ever again…”
He’s quiet, squeezing me tighter.
One of the surgeons comes walking out, dumping his bloody gloves.
I shoot to my feet, and Silver winces while lifting to his, leaning on his crutch.
“He’s in recovery.”
The words echo six times in my head. I’m not sure I heard him right because my heart is choking me in my throat.
“Doctor?” I squeeze the words out.
“The bullet just missed the large intestine. He has slight internal bleeding, but we expect him to make a full recovery.” The surgeon pulls down his mask. “You.” He points to Silver. “You need to come with me,now.”
“Alright, alright.” Silver winces, using his crutch. “Not going to lie, doc. The bullet’s still in there.”
“I can see that.” The surgeon is angry for Silver’s earlier refusal, as am I.
Despite leaving me in the middle of the night to try and set me and Dad free, despite the hell I’m going to give him when he’s better, I’ve never been more relieved in my life. I give him a kiss on the cheek before he limps away.
“I’ll be waiting for you.”