Page 47 of Ride the Sky

“Yes, hi, I’m sorry,” Dakota says, straightening her dusty blouse and wiping her face. “It’s been a long night.”

The doctor, a tall man with glasses and a crew cut, nods. “I understand. It’s a stressful time for everyone right now.”

Dakota glances at Davis, who takes her hand. “You have news about my sister?”

“I do.” He scans us all. “I’m Dr. Joy.”

Charlie passes Ford the bottle of scotch, and he takes a long swig.

“That name better be good fucking omen,” Ford mutters beside me.

Dr. Joy looks at Dakota. “Is there somewhere we can talk privately?”

I clench on instinct. Can’t help myself. Not knowing…it’ll kill me.

Dakota’s mouth presses into a firm line. “No. Tell them what you’d tell me.” Tears in her eyes, she looks up at Davis. “Fallon would want that.”

Dr. Joy nods. “Fallon’s out of surgery and stable. We managed to stop the internal bleeding.”

Charlie sighs to the ceiling. “Thank Christ.”

We listen as the doctor goes over a long list of Fallon’s injuries. Cracked ribs. Bruising. Splenectomy because of a ruptured spleen. Through it all, I feel numb, dead inside. I stare at him, my eyes starting to burn again.

“What about her leg?” I rasp.

“Well, as you know, she broke her femur. That’s the largest bone in the body, and it’s a significant break. We repaired it by inserting a long metal rod through the middle of the bone, otherwise what is known as a surgical fixation.”

I blow out a breath. Force myself to ask the question we’re all thinking. “Will she walk again?”

“She will.” Sighs of relief around the waiting room. “But…”

“But what?” Dakota asks.

Dr. Joy shakes his head. “She will walk with assistance. But she won’t ride.”

The waiting room is as silent as a tomb. I’ve never heard fear get this quiet.

Bile hits my throat, and my vision blurs. Fuck.Fuck.

“But you don’t understand.” Dakota looks as terrified as I feel. “Fallon has to ride. Shehasto.”

“She’s lucky to be alive,” Dr. Joy says. “It’s a miracle she survived this.”

“Oh my god,” Dakota gasps, turning her face into Davis’s chest. “This will kill her.”

Davis looks calm, but the strain on his face tells a different story.

“Goddamn,” Ford groans, tucking Reese closer to him. “What a mess.”

Dr. Joy nods to Dakota. “She’s out of surgery and recovering in her room. You can see her now.”

It’s the selfish asshole, the Fallon-addicted part of me that blurts, “I need to see her.”

“I’m sorry, sir. Visiting hours are family only.”

My hands pull to fists. “Fuck your visiting hours.”

“Shit,” Charlie curses.

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