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He scowled. “She never comes to visit. Never. What the heck is she so busy doing? Besides drinking and smoking, I mean.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Drinking and smoking are a full-time job.”
He laughed. “True.”
“How’s the Play Station?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.
Lucas’s face lit up. “It’s awesome! Want to watch me play a battle Royale game? I’ve got the highest score. I’m ranked number one!”
He prattled on happily about his video game status, and I sank onto the bed beside him. I was relieved to be reunited with my brother and happy to see he looked like he’d gained some strength back. Some staff came in, and I chatted with them; they told me he was doing much better.
Eventually, the doctor came in. She pulled me out into the hall while one of the nurses changed Lucas’s IV.
“Lucas is one of our program’s success stories,” she said proudly. “He’s stabilized. I’m very pleased with how he’s responding to the treatment. All his tests have come back with marked improvements.”
My heart lifted. “That’s wonderful,” I said.
“It is, truly,” she agreed. “He’ll still need a full year of the therapy, as we expected. After that, he’ll need a mixture of in-patient and outpatient recovery services. That could take up to another year—or even longer.”
The doctor frowned. “We still haven’t received any funding, Ms. Kensington. That means that all of this remains private pay. I understand what a hardship that is on the families. I wish it could be different.”
I nodded. I knew how much the treatment cost—a small fortune. “It’s worth it.”
“Lucas is the best,” the doctor said. “I consider it an honor to be taking care of him.”
“Thank you,” I said, meaning it with every bone in my body.
The nurse finished with the IV, and we returned to the room. “Bye, Lucas,” the doctor called. “I’m going to make rounds. Great to see you!”
The doctor beamed at my brother. My brother beamed back. They high-fived each other, and my heart leaped.
At that moment, the weight of the truth hit me again. For my brother’s success story to have a happy ending, I would have to pay for the entire course of treatment. Otherwise, I could never live with myself.
I didn’t want to return to Rhode Island and resume my duties now that Cassius Blackwood and I were through.
But if I wanted to save my brother, there was no way around it.
I must return to Club 444.
CHAPTER FIVE
get you back
Cassius
I was surprised and not at all delighted when Faith’s mother sprung out at me from behind a potted plant. She had the beady, watery eyes of a longtime alcoholic, and they raked over me with undisguised glee. With her bony frame, stringy hair, and scowling, deeply wrinkled face, I struggled to find similarities to either Faith or Lucas.
Finding none, I was pleased.
“Yes, Mrs. Kensington?” I asked.
“I was waiting for you,” she said in her snarly, pack-a-day voice.
I didn’t respond. I merely waited for her inevitable pitch.
“I don’t think you’re an Uber driver.” She sized me up, her beady eyes landing on my cufflinks. “I think you bought my daughter those fancy clothes. I saw the way you were lookin’ at her.”
I took a deep breath. “So?”
