Page 40 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)

CORBIN SETTLED into the plush leather chair , his hand absently rubbing his chest. It wasn’t a total phantom ache. The stitches in his side no longer hurt, but they itched like fire , and his ribs still zinged with pain if he took a deep breath.

Unlike the white walls and harsh fluorescent lighting they’d just navigated, this room was swathed in warmth.

Wood paneling. Soft, recessed lighting. A carefully constructed illusion of comfort.

Yet he couldn’t relax. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, a sixth sense whispering that someone—or something—was watching their every move.

Dr. Sheridan’s smile was all perfect teeth and practiced charm. “Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, Dr. Forest will be with you shortly. Can I get you anything while you wait? Water? Coffee?”

“Water would be lovely, thank you,” Luna replied with a hint of transatlantic elegance. Lorelai Sinclair, brought to life. He was struck by how effortlessly Luna could slip into a role, how easily she could become someone else.

When Dr. Sheridan left the room, he leaned close to Luna and let his lips brush against her ear. “Nice touch with the accent. Very posh.”

Luna’s lips quirked in a half smile. “Well, darling, one must keep up appearances.”

The door opened, and Dr. Sheridan returned. “Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, this is Summer Reeves, one of our brightest interns. She’ll be observing today’s consultation, if that’s all right with you.”

The young woman handed them each a water. “Here you are.”

Summer was no more than eighteen or nineteen with a shock of auburn hair pulled back into a tidy ponytail. She wore a crisp white lab coat and a name badge clipped to the lapel. The lab coat was slightly oversized, adding a touch of youthful awkwardness to her otherwise professional appearance.

Corbin’s eyes met Luna’s for a fraction of a second. This wasn’t part of the plan, but they’d have to roll with it.

“Of course,” he said. “Always good to see young people interested in medicine.”

Summer stepped forward, her green eyes bright with intelligence. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I hope you don’t mind my presence. This internship is a crucial part of my college application process.”

There was something about her that tugged at Corbin’s heart. A familiar spark in those eyes, that reminded him of ... Carlie? He’d been staring at her photo for weeks, he felt like he practically knew her.

“Not at all,” Luna said. “It’s admirable that you’re pursuing such a challenging field.”

Summer beamed, her whole face lighting up. “Thank you, Mrs. Sinclair. To be honest, I’m somewhat of a computer nerd. But I’ve always been drawn to medicine, so why not blend the two. I especially love cardiology. The heart is such a fascinating organ, don’t you think?”

Before he could respond, Dr. Forest came in a flurry and plopped behind the desk. “Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

“No need to apologize.” Corbin took shallow breaths for effect. “We appreciate you ... seeing us on such ... short notice.”

Dr. Forest’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Corbin. “Yes, well, your case sounded quite urgent. Please, tell me what brings you to our facility.”

Corbin launched into the backstory they’d carefully crafted. “It started about two years ago. Shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain. At first, I thought it was just stress from work, but it kept getting worse. Especially the last six months.”

Luna reached over, taking his hand in hers. The gesture was meant to sell their cover, but Corbin couldn’t help noticing how perfectly their fingers intertwined.

“We’ve seen multiple specialists,” Luna added. “They all say the same thing. Alex needs a new heart, and soon. But the waiting list...” She looked at him, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Oh, she was good.

Dr. Forest leaned forward and laced his fingers together. “I understand your frustration, Mrs. Sinclair. The organ donation system is far from perfect. That’s why we’re working on alternative solutions here at the Center.”

“Alternative solutions?” Corbin prompted, his curiosity genuine.

Dr. Forest smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. “We’re at the forefront of bioengineering technology. Our goal is to create fully functional, lab-grown organs that are compatible with any recipient.”

“It’s truly revolutionary work,” Summer chimed in. “Dr. Forest has dedicated his life to this mission.”

“Indeed.” Dr. Forest nodded. “It’s a personal mission of mine. My daughter, Elizabeth, received a heart transplant when she was just a child. The process was ... harrowing, to say the least. I vowed then to find a better way.”

There was conviction in Dr. Forest’s voice, but also something else. A hardness that set Corbin on edge.

“That’s admirable,” Luna said. “But surely, creating organs from scratch must be incredibly complex. How close are you to achieving this goal?”

Dr. Forest’s smile tightened. “Closer than you might think, Mrs. Sinclair. We’ve made significant strides in recent months. In fact, we’re on the verge of a major breakthrough.”

Corbin turned his attention to the young intern. “And what made you choose this particular internship, Summer? It must be quite competitive.”

“Well, to be honest, nepotism.” A faint blush colored Summer’s cheeks. “My parents’ connection to the Center. They’ve been helping fund Dr. Forest’s research.”

“Oh, lovely.” Luna placed her hands neatly in her lap. “Your parents must be quite philanthropic.”

Summer’s expression clouded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Dr. Forest cleared his throat. “Now, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, shall we discuss your options?”

As Dr. Forest launched into an explanation of their groundbreaking technology, Corbin found himself drowning in medical jargon.

“...and with our proprietary bioprinting technology, we’re able to create custom organ scaffolds that are then seeded with the patient’s own cells,” Dr. Forest was saying. “This drastically reduces the risk of rejection.”

“It sounds almost too good to be true,” Corbin said.

Dr. Forest’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I assure you, Mr. Sinclair, our results speak for themselves. Perhaps you’d like a tour of our facilities? Seeing is believing, after all.”

Luna squeezed Corbin’s hand. This was their chance.

“We’d love that,” Luna said. “Wouldn’t we, darling?”

Corbin nodded, plastering on an eager smile. “Absolutely.”

“Good job,” Blade said in his ear. “Find something we can work with.”

As they stood to follow Dr. Forest out of the room, Summer fell into step beside them. “I hope you don’t mind if I tag along,” she said. “I never get tired of seeing the labs.”

“Not at all,” Corbin replied, studying the young woman’s profile. “So, Summer, what are your plans after this internship? Medical school, I assume?”

Summer’s face lit up. “Well, undergrad at Harvard. I’ve graduated high school early, and thanks to my dual credit classes, I have my associate’s degree already.

I’m starting college in January. My goal is to become a surgeon, but.

..” Her expression faltered. “My parents aren’t thrilled about it.

They’d rather I follow in their footsteps. ”

“And what do your parents do?” Luna prodded.

“Mostly, they invest in businesses,” Summer said.

Dr. Forest led them through a series of high-tech laboratories.

Corbin tried to take in every detail, noting the layout, the security measures, the comings and goings of staff.

But his attention kept drifting back to Summer and their conversation.

She was intelligent and compassionate and had a presence that resonated deeply with him.

What could his life have been like if he’d had her passion, drive, and resources at that age?

“And here,” Dr. Forest announced, pausing before a set of heavy double doors, “is where the real magic happens. Our bioprinting lab.”

He swiped his badge, and the doors slid open with a soft hiss.

The lab beyond was a marvel of modern technology.

Banks of computers lined the walls, their screens displaying complex 3D models of human organs.

In the center of the room stood several futuristic-looking machines. The bioprinters, Corbin assumed.

“This is incredible,” Luna breathed, her eyes wide with genuine amazement.

Dr. Forest beamed with pride. “These printers are capable of creating intricate organ scaffolds down to the cellular level. We then seed them with stem cells harvested from the patient, allowing the organ to grow and develop naturally.”

As Dr. Forest launched into a more detailed explanation, Corbin noticed Summer hanging back, a shadowed expression on her face.

He sidled up to her. “Everything all right?”

Summer startled slightly, then forced a smile. “Oh yes. It’s just ... sometimes I wonder about the ethics of all this,” she whispered.

His pulse quickened. “What do you mean?”

“Ask him how quickly you can get an organ,” Summer said, keeping her voice low.

Corbin nodded. “This all sounds incredible, Doctor. But how soon could I receive one of these bioprinted organs?”

“Mr. Sinclair, I’m afraid I can’t offer you a fully bioprinted organ just yet. We’re close, but not quite there in terms of full functionality and long-term viability.”

Luna squeezed Corbin’s hand, her eyes reflecting disappointment.

“However,” Dr. Forest continued, “what we can do is begin the process of building your custom organ scaffold. This way, if a traditional transplant doesn’t become available in time, you’ll have another option waiting in the wings. It’s not a guarantee, but it could be a lifeline.”

Corbin nodded, processing the information. Then, with a glance at Luna, he asked, “Is there any way to ... to move up on the donor list? Money is not an issue for us.”