Page 140 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

“The surgery could last a while,” Finn says.“You should at least sit down, K.”

I don’t sit down.

“C’mon little brother,” Cal says.“You’re scaring the hospital staff.You’re scaring Aunt Phyllis.”

I glance across the family waiting room of the Sweetbriar Regional Medical Center.It’s wall-to-wall MacLaine & Company in here, including Dad, Joe, and half the ranch staff.And everyone’s staring at me with giant raccoon eyes.

Cal’s right.Aunt Phyllis is still crying.She’s been crying non-stop for the three hours we’ve been here.

I’d cry too if I could.

I can’t.I’m dead inside.I’ll stay dead until I know Frankie will live.

It’s a good thing Jasmine’s spending the night at her friend’s house, because I’d never want to subject her to this kind of real-time crisis.

I swear Victoria, Emma, and Summer were here earlier, but they’re gone.I don’t know where they went.Phoebe’s not with us, but that’s not a surprise since she’s been running interference and serving as our eyes-and-ears in contact with the surgical team.

It’s nice to have a nurse in the family.

And I’m just a waste of space.Powerless.I’ve done everything I can.And I know we’ve got the best of the best working on Frankie in there.There are many upsides to being filthy rich, and I’ve learned that if you throw around enough money, you can get anything you need at any given time, no questions asked.

I’ve already made massive contributions to our country-bumpkin hospital, and I’ll be making plenty more.I know that Frankie is in good hands here.

But money can’t buy everything.It really chaps my ass that they won’t let me hang around outside of the operating suite.Somebody said something about me not being her husband.

Yeah, well, fuck that.That’s the first thing that’s going to get fixed when Boots is feeling up to it.

She’s going to marry me.

I’m struck by yet another wave of sadness, this one because I have no way to contact her grandfather to tell him what’s happened.Because I don’t know who the man is orwherehe is.

That’s another thing that’s going to get fixed.She’s going to let me in.All the way.Her life and mine will be two halves of a whole, the way it’s supposed to be when you really, truly love someone.

The way I really, truly love Frankie.

Declan saunters into the waiting room with his arms laden with soda cans and snack foods.He plops down on a chair near me and puts his feet up on the plastic seat across from him.

He drops the booty into his lap and holds up a snack package wrapped in clear plastic.

“That vending machine’s the shit,” Declan says to me.“Chocolate cupcakes.Toffee.Peanut butter cups.Cheese crackers and barbecue potato chips and protein bars.Can you sayscore?You get dibs, K.What’cha want?”

I shake my head.I don’t want any of that chemical-industrial complex shit.

“Now’s not the time to eat,” Cal admonishes Declan as he snags a protein bar off his lap.Evander and Finn go in for the kill immediately after.

“You should have some sugar,” Cal tells me, chewing.He places a hand on my shoulder.“You’re still in shock, little brother.”

“When Frankie can eat, I’ll eat,” I say.

“Lord Almighty, the man speaks!”Declan says.

Just then, Victoria, Emma, and Summer blow into the waiting room.Their arms are full, too.

“Move aside,” Summer says, shoving her shoulder into Evander’s ribs and kicking Declan’s legs aside so she can reach me.

My sisters-in-law swoop in as Declan scrambles out of the way, and the women form a circle around me.Emma takes one of my hands and Victoria rests a palm against my back, while Summer directs me to a fake leather recliner.

“Sit your ass down,” she says, like I’m a Springer Spaniel.And before I know it, I’m in the chair.