Page 108 of After the Burn

Of course, we shared one of the rarest blood types in existence.

I could hear my father’s voice in my head. “Don’t do it, Taryn. Your survival comes first.”

But he wasn’t here, and these people had helped the men I loved and me. Plus, they would both be invaluable in finding Lila.

“How much do you need?” I asked.

“More than I’d ordinarily be comfortable taking from one donor.” Finley grimaced.

Beck stepped between us. “Then find another way.”

“There isn’t one,” Finley said with regret in his voice.

“We’re all enhanced.” He waved his hand around the room. “Are you positive none of us are a match?”

“I’m positive.”

“I wouldn’t allow this if I didn’t think it was safe,” Adrian said while gathering sealed tubing, needles, and two empty collection bags of Lactated Ringer’s he’d found in the back of a cabinet.

“Exactly how much blood are we talking about?” Lucas frowned at Finley.

The concern was clear in his voice, and that surprised me.

“Enough that I’ll need to watch her closely.” Finley nodded toward me. “But Taryn replaces blood volume faster than an ordinary person. If I keep her hydrated and control the draw, she should recover just fine.”

“Should?” Beck growled out.

Grabbing his shirt, I spun him around to face me. “I’m doing it.” I kissed him hard on the mouth. “I trust you to keep me safe while I recover.”

Adrian paused what he was doing. “Just him?”

I walked over and pulled him down for a kiss, too. “Not just him. Hell, I even trust Lucas for that matter.” I smirked in his direction. “If I died, who would he have left to hate?”

Lucas scoffed but didn’t contradict me.

“So, we’re all in agreement. I’m doing it.” I looked around the room.

Beck’s green eyes flashed, but beneath the anger was something worse.

Fear.

Not the violent kind he could beat into submission. This was quiet and helpless, and Beck had never known what to do with helpless.

“I’ll be okay,” I murmured.

“You don’t know that.” He insisted.

“No,” I looked at Harper. “But I know what happens to her if we do nothing.”

Beck finally released a harsh breath. “If you feel the need to stop, you’ll tell me immediately.”

“I will,” I reassured him.

Wren snorted. “All of this arguing is pointless. If I didn’t trust Finley, I’d never allow it to happen.”

Weirdly enough, her words seemed to comfort Beck more than anything else.

Finley pointed toward the second examination table. “Sit.”