Page 79 of Nest of Thieves
Doc pauses, hands on Orion’s torso. “Orion—”
“Give me the drugs.” Orion’s eyes plead with me. He wants to be put out of his misery. “Please.”
Doc doesn’t correct Orion. No one tries to reassure him. We all know the truth, grim as it may be. I don’t wait for the doctor to tell me the right dose. Filling the needle to the last line and beyond, I nod at Orion. He grins at me.
“I forgive you,” he says as I approach with the medicine. “I don’t know what they did to you, but I know what it looks like to want vengeance.” His eyes pass over my face. “I forgive you.”
“I’m sorry for hurting you.” I stop at his side, finally lifting my gaze to meet the alphas’. They’re standing on the other side of the desk, frowns marring their gorgeous faces. Mac’s eyes are moist, but he doesn’t cry. His jaw works to keep the tears at bay, and he gives me the slightest of nods.
Do it.
I run my hand over Orion’s forehead, pushing his hair out of his face. “Tell me your happiest memory.”
He pinches his eyebrows together but doesn’t question me. “When I was little, my brother took me for pizza. He stole money from my mom, so she was pissed, but it was the best day of my life.”
“What kind of pizza did you get?” I set my hand on his arm to steady him. “One. Two. Three.” I stab him and inject the morphine.
“All meat,” he says with a ghost of a memory tugging at his lips. “Extra cheese.” He groans in pain.
“Thin or regular crust?”
“Deep dish,” he says, eyes flying to mine. “That’s the only way to eat pizza. Cardboard crust is gross.”
I disagree, but I don’t tell him that. “What’s the name of the place?”
Doc steps away, giving up the fruitless fight. Orion’s gaze flickers to his before returning to my face. His pupils are blown wide, fear filling him. Death is coming, and there’s nowhere this man can hide. As if realizing this, he sucks in a ragged breath.
“What’s the name?” I ask again, leaning over him and placing his hand on my chest. “Breathe with me.”
I count my breaths, watching as Orion struggles to catch on. I slow mine even more. When our breathing syncs, he stares at the ceiling.
“Big Slice. It was downtown. They closed a few years ago.”
“Did your brother drive you?” The alphas are staring again, but I ignore them for Orion.
Orion nods. “He shouldn’t have.”
I chuckle a little. “Mom wasn’t too happy, I take it?”
“He was only fifteen,” Orion explains. “I was ten. He was my hero.”
“Where is he now?” I ask.
“He died two years ago.”
I hum. “Well, you know what that means, right?”
“What?” Orion asks, tears spilling from his eyes.
Wiping them away, I say, “You’ll see him soon enough.” I’m not sure I believe that you’ll meet up with the ones you love in the afterlife, but the alternative is disheartening, and Orion deserves some hope. “Maybe he’ll take you for pizza.”
Orion presses his lips together. He’s covered in sweat and his body starts to shake, going into shock.
“Will it take long?” he asks.
“It will be painless,” Doc answers. “I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault, Doc.” Orion makes a sound that chills my blood.
