Easton paced in front of the entrance to the hospital. He wanted to be here for Chloe when she arrived. It would be hard enough on her knowing that Cat had been injured, doubly hard dealing with her own issues. A few weeks ago, she’d had a panic attack at the mere thought of meeting the psychiatrist at Christmas General. Given that, he should probably ask his dad to write her a script for anti-anxiety meds.
He looked up to see his brother coming through the doors. Chance shoved his cell phone in the inside pocket of his black jacket and stepped outside. “Gage says they should be here in fifteen minutes.”
“How’s Chloe?” Easton had been trying to reach her for the past ten minutes. He’d thought it best to wait until they knew the full extent of Cat’s injuries before calling her.
“Don’t know. Gage said it was like she already knew something had happened to Cat. He’d barely gotten two words out of his mouth, and she was gone. Jill mentioned Chloe had been acting strange before the meeting started. She kept rubbing her back and stomach like she was in pain. Weird thing is, timing coincides with when Cat got hit.”
When the first hour of the exhibition passed without incident, Martinez got antsy. They should have realized the man wouldn’t be able to hold it together for long. Cat got a read on him right away and took him to the room that contained the private collection of sculptures to calm him down. She didn’t realize Tara Martinez had followed them until it was too late.
Neither did Easton and Chance. Easton was shadowing the artist while Chance kept an eye on two men he suspected were the buyers. From what they could piece together, Tara overheard her husband’s and Cat’s conversation. The room was dimly lit, and she hid behind a display pedestal, pushing it and the heavy, bronze sculpture onto Cat. Once Cat was down, Tara went after her husband.
Because of the lighting, it was difficult to pick up much movement in the private viewing room. But when Grayson, who’d been monitoring the situation from the surveillance truck, swore he saw a shadow moving behind the exhibits, he searched the other screens for Tara and noticed she was missing. He alerted Easton and Chance through their earpieces, and they headed for the private viewing room. Easton didn’t know how the agent got there so fast, but Grayson was right behind them. Members of the DEA and FBI surrounded the place, rounding up the artist and the two buyers when they tried to leave the estate.
Cat had been conscious, which was a good sign, but she had excruciating pain in her side and upper abdomen. By the time the ambulance arrived, she was vomiting. The doctors were in with her now.
“E, did you hear me?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m just worried about Chloe. And Cat obviously. Any word on her condition?”
“They’re looking at traumatic kidney failure.”
Easton swore low and viciously under his breath. “We should have brought in extra security.”
“There was nothing to indicate Tara would react like she did, or for that matter, Martinez. Up until then, he hadn’t given any indication he’d break under pressure. If he had, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Grayson will never speak to us again.” Easton wouldn’t, if he was in the other man’s shoes.
“He’s angry, and he’s scared right now…What the hell?”
Easton turned at the sound of squealing tires. A black Mustang with red racing stripes roared into the hospital parking lot. “What kind of moron…Wait, that’s Chloe’s car, and she’s driving. What was Gage thinking letting her get in her car in the state she’s in?” Easton reined in his temper as he strode across the parking lot. She didn’t need his anger right now. She needed his support. He’d save the lecture for when they knew Cat was okay. And she would be okay, dammit.
His brother followed after him. “Doubt he could have stopped her if he wanted to, but Ty and Jill are with her.”
“Lotta good that did,” Easton muttered.
The Mustang had barely jerked to a stop when the driver-side door flew open and Chloe jumped from the car. Her gaze shot to him. He took in the panic in her glassy green eyes and the black streaks tracking down her ghostly pale face, and opened his arms. She ran the few yards that separated them.
He closed his arms around her, holding her tight, murmuring words of comfort as she buried her face in his chest. Ty and Jill got out of the car. If possible, they were paler than Chloe. Ty leaned against the trunk with his palm pressed to his heart and said, “I thought we were going to die.”
His voice was a hoarse whisper, and Easton laid odds he’d been screaming the entire ride there.
Jill pointed at Chloe and opened her mouth, then closed it.
Chloe stepped away from him. “How is she?” she asked, wiping her cheeks. He was a little surprised at the steadiness in her voice. He’d been preparing for the worst.
“Doctors are with her now. She’s conscious, and she’s not in pain,” he said.
She nodded and rubbed her side, then searched his face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m good. What about you?”
“I just want to see my sister. I need to see her.” Her chin trembled, but she held it together.
He took her hand. “Okay, come on.” He glanced back at his brother and mouthed Give us a minute. Chance nodded. Easton knew how Chloe felt about people witnessing an attack and wanted to save her from embarrassment. He watched her closely as he held open the door, noting her momentary hesitation. But just as he was about to reassure her, she squared her shoulders and headed for the bank of elevators.
As they reached the elevators, he heard raised voices and glanced to his left. Ethan, Skye, and Gage were coming through the front doors followed by Ty, Chance, and Jill.
Ethan threw up his arms when he spotted his sister. “Chloe O’Connor, what the hell were you thinking?”
“Calm down, Ethan. She’s fine,” Easton said, drawing her closer.
“You weren’t trying to follow her. She’s lucky to be alive.”
“So are we,” Ty murmured from behind.
Chloe didn’t say a word. She just stared at the elevator doors. Easton looked at Gage and lifted his chin. His brother leaned in to Ethan and said something only he could hear. Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded.
As the elevator doors slid open, they all crowded inside. Skye rubbed Chloe’s shoulder. She gave her sister-in-law a weak smile. Gage asked Chance what happened, and his brother filled them in. Easton kept his eyes on Chloe, noting the instant she raised her hand to her chest. But just as he was about to take her into her arms, she let her hand drop to her side.
He drew her against him and whispered, “You’re doing great, baby.”
She reached back and touched his face.
He glanced over to see Ethan watching them and saw the moment Chloe’s big brother clued in. Ethan briefly closed his eyes before he said to his sister. “Chlo, Chlo, Cat’s going to be fine.”
She nodded, rubbed her side again, and said, “I know.”
Easton was beginning to think he’d prefer a panic attack to her eerie calm. From the looks of everyone in the elevator, they were as concerned as he was. When the doors slid open, he held her back. As the others headed for the fifth-floor waiting room, Easton pressed the hold button, then turned her to face him.
“Talk to me,” he said, as he searched for signs she was in shock.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m focusing on Cat. I’m trying to send her healing energy…” She lifted a shoulder, a hint of pink coloring her pale cheeks. “Does that sound weird?”
“No, baby, it doesn’t sound weird.” He brought his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “You keep rubbing your side. Are you in pain?”
“It’s duller now.” She touched her upper abdomen, bringing her hand around to her back. “Is that where your kidneys are?”
He nodded. “Yeah, they think they were damaged by the blow she took to her back.”
“Did they arrest the woman?”
“Yeah, they did. Her husband feels real bad about it. He’s offered to pay Cat’s medical expenses. He blames himself for what happened.” He rubbed his chin. “We all do.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t feel guilty for something that was beyond your control. The only person responsible is Tara Martinez.” She leaned over and released the hold button. “I need to talk to the doctors and see my mother.”
There must have been a part of him that worried she’d hold him responsible for what happened to Cat, because something loosened inside him when she made it clear that she didn’t. As they stepped out of the elevator, he tugged on her hand. She looked up at him. “You know you don’t have to be strong for me, right?”
“I have to be strong for Cat.”
“You don’t have to do this alone. I’m here for you to lean on. Remember that.”
“I won’t pretend this is easy, but having you by my side makes it better. I love you, Easton McBride.”
“I love you, too, baby. And I’m not going anywhere.”
They walked toward the waiting room hand in hand. The room was packed. Two doctors stood talking to his dad, Liz, and Ethan, who sat in the waiting room chairs. They looked up when he and Chloe entered the room. Chloe let go of his hand and went to her mother. Liz started to cry. Several of the other women in the room did, too. So did Ty.
Ethan stood up, motioning for his sister to take the seat beside Liz. He looked at Easton as though asking if Chloe was okay. He nodded. She was better than okay, she was amazing. But the man standing alone by the window was not okay. Grayson was barely keeping it together.
Easton sensed his presence wouldn’t be welcome and instead focused on the doctors.
“Urinalysis, blood tests, and scan indicate that her one kidney is barely functioning and the other one is at a limited capacity. It’s possible we’ll see some improvement over the next several days after the initial swelling goes down, but I’m afraid we’re not hopeful.”
“What does that mean?” Liz asked, sending a panicked look from the doctors to his dad.
Before Paul could reassure her, the older doctor said, “We recommend a transplant.”
“What’s my sister’s prognosis without one?” Chloe asked, over her mother’s quiet sobbing.
The two doctors shared a look. “If her kidney function doesn’t improve, she would have to be on dialysis every day for the rest of her life.”
Easton felt like he’d been gut punched at the thought of Cat on dialysis day in and day out. The woman couldn’t sit still. She always had to be doing something. Face pale, his eyes haunted, Grayson strode from the room. Chance followed after him. His dad, with Liz in his arms, watched the two men leave.
“And with a transplant?” Ethan asked.
“She would lead a normal life. Although, unless we found a match her body wouldn’t reject, she would have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life. There can be side effects, but I think you would agree in comparison to—”
“I’ll do it,” Chloe said. “I’ll donate my kidney.”
“Oh, darling,” her mother cried, clinging to Chloe’s hand. “They’re identical twins. She’s the perfect match, isn’t she?” Liz asked the doctors.
Easton didn’t hear the doctor’s response or Ethan’s or his own father’s or any of the other family or friends praising Chloe for her selfless act. He could barely breathe as he stared at her. She was ashen, her hand trembling as she brought it to her chest. No one noticed. Not one of them noticed.
“Damn it, would you look at her? She can’t do this. You can’t ask her to. She’s scared shitless. She had a heart condition. She’s terrified of hospitals. The only reason she volunteered is because she’s desperate for all of your goddamn approval.”
The room went silent as everyone turned to stare at him. He didn’t care. There was only one person in this room he was worried about. “Chloe baby, you don’t have to do this,” he said as she stood up and walked toward him.
A tender smile on her face, she put her arms around him and held him tight for a couple beats of his racing heart, then she looked up at him. “Yes, I do. You know Cat as well as I do. It would kill her to live like that. And watching her slowly fade away a little bit every day, that would kill me.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “And it would kill me if I lost you.”
* * *
Chloe was scared spitless. But it wasn’t something she could share with the man sitting beside the hospital bed holding her hand. She’d learned a few things about the man she loved this past week. One, he got grumpy when he was worried. Oh, who was she trying to kid? He wasn’t worried, he was afraid for her. He had been from the moment she’d volunteered to give Cat her kidney. And that’s why she had to put on a brave face. The other thing she’d discovered is that Easton dealt with his fear by looking at a problem from every angle. And she meant every angle. When he wasn’t checking on her, pampering her, nagging her, loving her, he was on his computer. He’d spent countless hours researching the operation, possible complications, proper diet. It had gotten to the point he knew almost as much as the doctors. Though if you asked him, he’d probably tell you he knew more than they did. His brothers thought it was hilarious, and were now calling him Dr. McBride Junior. The nurses and doctors at Denver Memorial didn’t find him quite as amusing. She was pretty sure they called him the pain-in-the-behind boyfriend.
His thumb slid to the inside of her wrist, and she slanted him a look. “Are you checking my pulse again?”
“No, but now that you mention it, it seems a little fast.” He reached behind her for the call button. She tugged it out of his reach. “No, you’re not ringing for the nurse again. They’ll throw you out.”
“I’d like to see them try,” he muttered, looking up when Grayson walked in.
Her sister’s fiancé was handling the upcoming surgery about as well as Easton. The two men had been friends before this, but now they were more like brothers.
Grayson lifted his chin at Easton and came to Chloe’s side. He bent down and kissed her cheek. “How are you doing? Are you nervous?”
She waved her hand airily. “No, I’m an old pro at this stuff. Three hours and it will be over.” Easton grunted. She ignored him and said, “You shouldn’t have left Kit Kat alone to check on me, Grayson. I’m fine. Honestly.”
“She’s not on her own. My dad’s with her, so is Ty and GG,” he said, referring to his grandmother.
Estelle had taken the first flight out of London upon hearing the news. She’d told the director her granddaughters were having surgery, and if he didn’t give her the time off, she’d quit. He gave her the time. She’d also convinced Lord Waverly that his son needed him. It had been a little tense the first couple of days, but Grayson and his father seemed on better terms now. Mostly due to her sister’s intervention. And in thanks for giving him a second chance, Lord Waverly had been throwing his title around, making sure his daughter-in-law-to-be got the best care available. He was running a close second to Easton in driving the hospital staff crazy.
“How is Kit Kat?” Chloe had spent several hours every day with sister. At first Cat had tried to refuse Chloe’s kidney. It had taken a few days to get her on board. She finally gave in when she realized Chloe wouldn’t back down. And she wouldn’t have. As the tests had revealed, Chloe’s kidney was a perfect match.
Of course anything was possible, and Cat’s white cells might still reject the kidney. But in her heart, Chloe knew that wouldn’t happen. Just as she knew, no matter how scared she was, she had to do this for Cat. And it had nothing to do with guilt, or making up for past mistakes, or winning her family’s approval—she didn’t have a hero complex. She just loved her sister too much not to do everything possible to give her the life she deserved.
“Your sister is pretending everything’s fine, just like you are. Only she’s a little grumpier.” Grayson took her hand. “And she’s worried about you.”
Chloe didn’t get a chance to respond. Her mother and brother walked in the room. Liz gave them all a wobbly smile. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. “Are you okay, darling?” she asked as she approached the bed. “No difficulty breathing or heart palpitations?”
She’d had a panic attack the first day of testing, but Easton had called Dr. Reinhart, the psychiatrist, and she’d given Chloe some techniques that had helped. She hadn’t had an attack since. “Mommsy, I told you, I haven’t—”
Easton cut her off. “Her pulse is racing, but she won’t let me call the nurse.”
She sighed. He’d done it now. Her mother, who apparently thought she was a doctor too, started firing questions at her as she checked her pulse and temperature. Chloe closed her eyes and fake-snored.
Her brother and Grayson laughed, and Easton said, “Are we boring you, Scarlett?”
She cracked one eye open, happy to see the tension lessen on his face. “No, you’re annoying me. I…” She trailed off when Paul walked into the room dressed in scrubs. It was time to go.
Clasping her hands so no one would see them shake, she forced a lighthearted tone to her voice. “Party’s over, guys. I have an appointment with a hot surgeon, and I don’t want to be late.” Her surgeon was seventy. Paul would only be there to observe.
Easton spoke to his father while Chloe’s mother, brother, and Grayson kissed her before heading to her sister’s room. Paul left with them, giving Chloe and Easton a moment alone.
He took both her hands in his and brought them to rest on her chest. “You know I’ve read everything there is to read on your surgery and on your recovery, right?” She gave a jerky nod, unable to smile. Her throat ached from fighting back tears. “And if I thought for one minute you wouldn’t come out of this okay, that you wouldn’t be able to lead a normal, healthy life afterward, I would do everything in my power to stop this.”
“I know you would. You’re my white knight.”
“I am, and we’ll get our happy-ever-after, Scarlett. We all will,” he said, then gave her a tender kiss.
He lifted his head when a short nurse in scrubs, her powder blue mask covering the bottom half of her face, entered the room. While they’d kissed, Chloe had curled her fingers in Easton’s white, button-down shirt. She didn’t want to let go. She finally managed to force her ice-cold fingers to release him. He helped the nurse raise the rails on the bed and wheel it out into the hall. The woman responded to Easton’s questions with a grunt, nod, or head shake.
Paul joined them and kissed Chloe’s forehead. “Everything’s going to be fine, honey. I’ll be with you and Cat the entire time.”
She nodded and tried to smile, but couldn’t. Her body trembled as her heart thumped an odd beat in her chest. She didn’t want to say good-bye to Easton. He raised his hand as they started to wheel her down the hall. She was about to call out to him when Ty and Estelle scooted around him. They each gave her a quick kiss and hug, moving away when Paul told them they had to go.
“Hair and makeup as soon as you’re out of recovery, Diva,” Ty promised.
She laughed at Easton’s exasperated expression, some of the tension releasing in her chest. It made it easier to say good-bye. To blow Easton a kiss. They were almost at the doors to the operating room when another doctor flagged down Paul. As soon as he walked away, the nurse moved to her side. She lowered her mask. It was Nell McBride.
“You can’t fool me, girlie. I know you’re scared. But that’s okay.” She took Chloe’s hand in hers. “You can handle it. You’re like me, we’re tough broads. Nothing keeps us down for long.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of Paul’s returning footsteps, then whispered, “Just remember, you’re not alone.”
“Aunt Nell,” Paul gritted out.
Nell pulled up her mask, winked at Chloe, and patted her cheek, then turned and hurried off. Paul didn’t get a chance to say anything. The doors to the operating room opened, and the other doctors and nurses took over. The room was bright, white, and cold—sterile. Chloe shut her eyes and focused on her breathing while they attached the tubes and monitors. Opening them when she heard the squeak of wheels rolling across the tiles as her sister was brought in. Cat turned her head and looked at Chloe. She was scared, too. And that worried Chloe more than anything else. Not only did her sister rarely show emotion, Chloe had never seen her scared. Beaten down, yes. But never, ever scared.
“Kit Kat, did I tell you about the tattoo I’m going to get?”
Cat gave a weak snort. “You want to talk about tattoos now?”
“Well, yes, I’m going to have a scar. So Ty and Estelle and I came up with a plan. The scar will be the butterfly’s body. How fab is that?” she asked her sister.
Cat gave an annoying snort. But the nurses agreed it was a totally fab idea. “I know you’re identical twins, but it’s amazing how much you look alike. If you weren’t wearing different-color hospital gowns, I wouldn’t be able to tell you apart,” one of the nurses said. “By the way, I’ve never seen a pink one before. Where did you get it?”
Cat tilted her head. “You do not have a pink hospital gown on.”
“Of course I do. I tried to get a matching hat, but I couldn’t find one online.” When Cat released a dry laugh, Chloe smiled inwardly and gave herself a mental pat on the back. She was doing a brilliant job distracting her sister.
“All right, ladies. Time for your naps,” one of the nurses said.
Chloe repeatedly swallowed, then stared up at the bright fluorescent lights. She couldn’t look at her sister. “Night-night, Kit Kat. Have a good sleep.”
“I love you, Chloe,” her sister whispered.
She managed to get out “Love you too” just before they were told to start counting backward.
* * *
Chloe blinked her eyes open and looked around. She wasn’t in the operating room. She was in a never-ending space illuminated by a white light that was beautiful and warm, joyful. It was a place she recognized. She’d been here before. When she was a little girl. But this time she wasn’t afraid. She stood and listened as voices raised in song reached her. They were mesmerizing and tugged on her soul, pulling her in their direction. She moved to follow the sound, and that’s when she saw them, her father and Easton’s mother. People in long robes stood behind them, but she couldn’t make out their faces. The brilliant white light caused them to shimmer in and out of focus. Anna and her father smiled, and Chloe started to run toward them. Her father raised his hand and gently shook his head. She heard his voice, but it wasn’t the same; it was more like she heard him in her mind. “It’s not your time or Cat’s,” he said. “You need to find her and bring her home.”
“She’s lost?”
“She’s scared.”
Chloe knew all about being scared. She’d lived her life that way for years. As if her father heard her thoughts, he smiled again. “Not anymore. You’re free. I’m proud of you, sweet face,” he said.
Anna smiled. “So am I, Chloe. Now hurry, I don’t want my son to worry.”
They faded, and Chloe felt bereft at the loss. She wanted to follow them, but then thought of Easton waiting for her, of her family, of Cat. A low mewling, like a kitten in pain, drew her attention. She turned. Cat was curled in a ball, whimpering. “It’s okay, Kit Kat. You’re not alone. I’m here.”
Her sister lifted her head. “I don’t know how to get home.”
Chloe held out her hand. “I do. Come on.”