“Ye don’t understand oor ways, so this must seem terribly barbaric tae ye. It isn’t. This thing he’s done for ye is an act of true love. Right now, ye can’t recognize its beauty for the ugliness, but ye’ll come tae understand how truly beautiful this is.”
It’s impossible for me to see the beauty of his body being battered to a pulp.
“Sinclair has zero experience with love. He had no examples to watch as he was growing up. Be patient with him.”
“I think he’s doing a pretty fantastic job.” I come to attention when I see headlights on the street but they pass the building without stopping. “He wants to have a relationship with you.”
“I know. And I have ye tae thank for that,” Isobel says.
“I haven’t done anything special.”
“Ye’ve brought me and my eldest back together. I didn’t know that was possible after all the years we spent apart. I thought Thane had made him hate me the way he does.”
“Did you always hate one another?” I ask.
“No, Thane loved me when we were first married. I was the one in love with someone else and I blamed him for keeping us apart. Ma coldness eventually turned him into a different person—one nobody could love.” That isn’t true. I’m certain my mother loved Thane.
It’s a peculiar thought—that she could’ve been in love with a monster—until I remember who I love. Am I not following in her footsteps? Is Sin not a younger version of his father?
“Would ye care for tea?”
It looks as though we’ll be waiting a while longer. “I would.”
I turn to leave the window and Isobel gets up from her seat. “No, lass. I’ll take care of it. You keep watch.”
A moment later she comes into the living room carrying a tray. “Ye take two cubes and a dash of milk?”
“Yes.” She remembers from the few days I spent at her house while Sin was in the hospital.
I stir the hot tea, trying to cool it faster.
“Bleu, do ye ever wonder why ye’ve allowed yerself to get mixed up in this lunacy?”
“I’d be lying if I said no. But then I think of Sin and I know exactly why.” I bring my tea to my lips to try a small sip but it’s still too hot. “He’ll be in bad shape, won’t he?”
“Aye—and probably for a while. He’s going tae need ye by his side.”
“There’s no way I’d leave him.” I couldn’t if I wanted to.
“Good.” A smile spreads on her face. “He’ll draw strength from having ye near.”
Halfway through the cooling tea, the caffeine adds jitters to my already trembling hands. “It probably wasn’t the best idea to drink this. I’m nervous enough as it is.”
“It’s going tae be a long day and ye’ve not slept. Ye’ll need the fuel.”
I hear the distant sound of a closing car door. I place my teacup on the edge of the cocktail table and rush to the window. “They’re here.”
I go to the door and stand in the entrance waiting for them. I want to scream in horror when Jamie and Mitch bring Sin into the flat.
He’s bloody from head to toe. His face is swollen and distorted. I almost need convincing this is my Sinclair because this person looks nothing like him.
The only positive aspect is that he seems relaxed, not at all guarded. “You gave him something?”
“Aye. Morphine.” Thank God. “Where are we going?”
“I have the bed ready for him.” I knew he was going to be a bloody pulp so I removed our new bedding and replaced it with the old.
Sin drops like a rock onto the bed. I’m not sure if it’s from exhaustion or the effects of the narcotic.
“He should sleep for several hours but you’ll need to give him more pain medicine before the other wears off.” Jamie takes a syringe from his bag and places it on the bedside table. “Give him this injection around eight so you can keep him ahead of the pain. It’s difficult to get it under control if you wait too long to dose again.”
What the hell? He’s placing too much faith in my nursing abilities. “I don’t know how to give him a shot.”
“There’s nothing to it.” He places his hand on Sin’s hip with his thumb and index finger spread into a wide V. “Hit it in the center. Pull back on the syringe. If there’s no blood, you’ll advance the plunger. Piece of cake.”
I guess it might be for someone who’s been trained to do it. “Piece of cake, my ass!”
“Do you want him to be in pain?”
He knows I don’t. “Of course not.”
“He took this beating for you, so you’ll be the one to suck it up and give him the morphine shot.” Well, that’s one way to make me feel even worse.
“No worries. She’ll do it,” Isobel tells Jamie. “I’ll help her through it.” I have a feeling this isn’t the first time Isobel has taken care of an injured member.
“It’s been a long night, ladies, so I’m going to sleep in the guest room. If anything happens, don’t hesitate to wake me.”
Sin’s filthy. I won’t let him lie in dirty, bloody clothing. “He needs to be bathed. Will you help me get him out of his clothes?”
“It’s probably easiest tae cut them off,” Isobel suggests.
“Agreed.” No way I’m attempting to launder anything on his body. I may even have a small bonfire out back.
Isobel returns with a pair of kitchen shears and holds them out for me. I start at the hem of his pant leg, working my way up. I hear her sharp intake of breath when I expose his prosthesis. “My God. His leg has been amputated.”
I stop and look at her. Her hand is over her mouth.
“You didn’t know?” I had no idea this would come as a surprise. She’s his mother. How could she not be aware of such an important thing?
“No one told me.” She walks to the bedside and strokes the top of his hair. “I had no idea anything like that had happened tae ma boy.”
“He lost it when he was shot six years ago.”
“I was told he was away having extensive physical therapy.”
“He was, but it was because he’d lost his leg.” She’s crying—something I know Sin wouldn’t want her to do. “It’s okay. He’s adjusted well. It’s not an issue the way you might imagine. He’s normal in every possible way.”