Page 53 of Parrish

“How is she?” I ask hoarsely.

“It was touch and go for a while. She coded while we were working on her, but we were able to get her back and stop the internal bleeding. She’s in critical condition and the next forty-eight hours are crucial to her recovery.”

Coded.

We got her back.

Critical.

Crucial.

“Is she conscious?” Lacey asks.

The doctor shakes his head before looking back to me.

“She’s comatose.”

My throat tightens, and I run my fingers roughly through my hair. Having not been able to see her for myself, and pairing it with Nico’s recollection of the accident, I knew Reina was in bad shape. Still, I hadn’t prepared myself to hear she coded, or that she was in a coma. The word critical rings my ears like a bad tune and I start grinding my molars.

“I want to see her,” I demand.

Seeming to contemplate his reply, the doctor’s eyes dart from me to the group of people surrounding me.

“Only you,” he says, meeting my gaze. “And no outbursts Mr. Parrish or you’ll be removed by security.”

I open my mouth to reply but the words get stuck on my tongue as Blackie pats my back. Our eyes lock and a familiar expression fills his face. It’s the same one he wore yesterday when he assured me, he would take care of Reina and Danny. Now the script has flipped. I don’t need him to take care of what’s mine. I need him to keep me on the streets so that I can take care of them myself.

“Go,” he says. “I’ve got this.”

I’m sure he does.

The question is at what cost…

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