How About No (Bear Bottom Guardians MC 3)

Not after what I’d learned about her parents once Landry opened up to me when we’d found out that we were still married.

I knocked sharply, unwilling to stop myself from taking this step despite the fact that I knew it would piss Landry off greatly.

The big red doors didn’t even flinch at the pounding of my knuckles against the expensive wood.

Lina was surprisingly the one to answer the door.

Honestly, I’d been expecting a butler or something with how big the place was.

“Wade!” Lina grinned. “How are you?”

Her smile faltered as she took in the expression on my face.

“Not good, Lina,” I said softly. “Landry was shot last night.”

Lina’s mouth dropped open, and the open devastation on her face wasn’t altered or faked. It was real. There was no doubt in my mind about that.

“What happened?” she whispered, her eyes filling with fear.

I looked down at my hands, unwilling to be swayed to her side this time.

“I know you may hate your sister,” I started. “But she’s given you a lot. So fucking much. She donated life to you six times.” I paused. “Now it might possibly be your turn.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? And, of course I don’t hate her…she hates me. Despite that, I’d do anything for her.” She looked away. “She’s just never asked.”

The bad thing was, this was what got me the first time. The pure sincerity in her voice let me know that she really felt what she’d been saying to be true.

She sounded like she meant every word she said.

And honestly, it was too good to be true.

But while she was feeling charitable, I was going to grab the bull by the horns…or the sister by the hand. I was getting her the fuck out of there before she changed her mind.Chapter 20Don’t use a Zodiac sign to justify your behavior. Let’s face it, you’re just a douche.

-Wade to a suspect

Wade

“I used to write her letters,” Lina hiccupped. “God, I used to pray that she’d come play with me. Something…anything. But she never came.”

I turned my attention from Landry, who’d been asleep since we’d gotten there, and Lina.

“From the stories that Landry has told me, she didn’t have a choice. Your mother wouldn’t let her anywhere near you.” He paused. “Landry always told me that you didn’t like her, not the other way around.”

A sharp knock at the door had us all turning to see who was there.

It was the doctor, and he had a happy, pleased smile on his face.

“You were right. Perfect match,” Dr. Tibil said solemnly. “Unfortunately, you neglected to mention that you were recovering from cancer. I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to donate any of your liver. I’m sorry.” He paused. “Your blood, however? That we can take. As long as you feel up to it.”

I looked over at Lina who looked completely devastated. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” he said, voice filled with sorrow. “But, as of right now, she’s doing very, very well. She’s done remarkably well, and with another pint of blood in her? She’ll start bouncing back far more quickly. Trust me.”

Dr. Tibil clapped me on the back, a sharp crack to fill the room, causing me to flick my eyes over to Landry to see if that’d woken her.

It hadn’t.

She looked awful, and she was starting to get a yellowish sheen to her skin and around her mouth.

The doctor said that was normal due to the buildup of bilirubin that her liver was having a harder time filtering out, but as soon as the body was able to catch up, that yellowish tint would disappear.

In fact, over the past few hours as he’d been observing her, he’d been pleasantly surprised with Landry’s progress.

I felt a weird sort of questioning in my chest.

Surely, it wasn’t that easy.

Surely, things were about to go badly.

Landry and me? We just weren’t that fucking lucky.

“All right, I’ll get a nurse in here to put you on tap, so to speak.” He left the room without another word.

Lina turned to me, but I didn’t take my eyes away from Landry, who was lying so fucking still.

“She’s going to kill me for asking you,” I whispered. “She’s so fucking sure that you’ve been a part of making her life hell, Lina. Please tell me that I’m not involving you just for you to turn around and hurt her.”

Lina was quiet for a few long seconds. “I want to know my sister. I’ve always wanted to know her. I follow her around, hoping to work up the courage to talk to her, and never quite seem to find it. It’s hard when my parents tell me how much she hates me.”

I snorted. “Funny, but it seems like both your parents are doing that to each of you at the same time. Don’t you find it odd that y’all can’t seem to get along long enough to talk it out?”