Secrets of Summer - THE SPECTER SERIES [book four]

Chapter FORTY THREE

Hunter Paxton

The sensation of Lacey, digging around beneath my flesh with a pair of tweezers and a pocket knife, can only be described as, torture..

Straight up.

"Hsssssss..." I hiss, biting down on the corner of a leather-bound book as she works her way deeper into the open wound, red and white bursts of light pop behind my eyelids as I grit through the excruciating procedure..

In an attempt to steady my breathing, focusing on anything other than the pain..

I think of Kirby and her honey eyed gaze.. Her soft caramel skin and glossy mocha curls...

Her feathery laugh..

And the way she'd crinkle her cute little nose and roll her eyes whenever she'd catch me staring at her..

Fuck me.

She's the perfect distraction.. I could easily lose myself in trying to list all the ways she makes me feel.. Ranging anywhere from riled up to ready to fall at her feet.. I want her, more than anything I've ever wanted.. I want her to be mine..

Or, maybe I need her to be?..

But.. She has been so resistant at times I wonder if I am being stupid and selfish..

Lacey breaks my train of thought, bringing me back to the unpleasantness of reality.. "Alright.. Almost.. I can feel it... Its right.... There.."

She withdraws her utensils along with the slug.. Dropping her bloody tools along with the bullet - which is thankfully still whole and not fragmented - on the side table.. I

I heave a sigh of relief to have her fidgeting fingers out from under my skin.. I take the book from my mouth before tossing it aside before pulling a long swig from the half empty bottle of bourbon on the table next to me..

Just a little something to dull the aching damaged nerves, the long term effects of which I'll likely feel for the rest of my life.. "Thank you, Lace.. That was fast.."

She removes a bloodstained pair of latex gloves, replacing them with a fresh set before she gets to work threading a needle to stitch me up.. "You're welcome, Huntie.. But, you know I could get in trouble for this, preforming surgery before I've finished training.. Why are you being so stubborn about this?.. I don't understand.. I would have thought you'd be excited to get to the medical center.."

Thats a ridiculous thing to say.. Why would I be excited for a surgical procedure?..

As for getting her in trouble.. Well, nobody she knows is going to find out about this..

And if they did, I'd fix it..

But I get the feeling she only said that to guilt me into going to the medical center..

Which I will.. Once I find Darby..

"Yeah right.." I mumble sarcastically, trying not to tense as she moves the needle towards me.. I turn my head away, because for some reason, watching it is way worse than just feeling it.. I honestly dont know how Lacey can stomach the things she can..

Sure, I've trained in field medicine.. And that is some grizzly shit.. But that's all in the spur of the moment.. I can't actually imagine doing anything medical willingly..

"You know I love you.. And I've never had a bad thing to say about you Hunter.. But.." The stick of the needle causes my pecs to twitch.. The wound so raw from her foraging around in there.. "Im just so disappointed in you right now.."

Only right now?..

I've done so many things to disappoint her.. How the hell is this the worst!?..

I feel like she is being a touch dramatic now.. After all, I'm here, I'm alive.. I wouldn't have expected her to be so upset..

But maybe, im being insensitive?..
Maybe this is hard for her after everything she has experienced..

"Alright, alright.. Give me a break sis.. I promise, I'll see to it when the job is done.."

She draws back, her usually sweet eyes now dark and furious..

Like I've made it worse, somehow?..

Im starting to think I'm losing my mind, what the hell is her problem right now?..

Maybe I do need a doctor, because this conversation makes no sense.. Maybe its possible I've lost a hell of a lot more blood than I thought..

"You cannot be serious!!.." She huffs..

I frown, beyond confused.. Lacey rarely gets mad.. And when she does, she never usually acts on it.. "Whoa, babygirl.. What is the big deal?!"

She snorts indignantly, eyes glaring and her hands become much more rough as she works.. "Hunter!.. You're being so incredibly stupid right now.. To what - prove your a tough guy? Everybody already knows that!"

She doesn't understand.. She can't.. Because she doesn't know about Declan.. About Kirby or the IRA..
And I'm not going to tell her..those are Kirby's secrets.. Not mine..

"This isn't about being tough, sweetheart.. This is about me having a job to do.. I made promises, Lacey.. I can't just walk away from that.."

I do my best to explain, without really giving anything away..

Her eyes plead with me sadly.. "But she is the best thing to ever happen to you.. I thought you were smart enough to realise that!.. Kirby and your son should be more important to you than some job or your promises to Iris!.."

It takes a second for her words to register..

Why is she talking about Kirby right now?..

And did she just say..

" My.. Son?"

We both blink blankly at each other, confused.. "Yes, your-- Wait.. Didn't you get my messages?.."

She plasters a white bandage over my wound.. And I quickly pull my shirt back over my head..

"My phone took a bullet.. What messages?!.."

Her mouth opens and closes a few times, like a fish out of water.. Like she doesnt know where to begin.. "Kirby.. She.. She's at the medical centre.. She went into early labour, and there were some complications, but--"

Panic rises in the back of my throat as I jump to my feet..
What kind of complications?..

"SHE FUCKING WHAT?!"

She waves her hands, trying to calm me down.. "She's fine.. And so is the baby.. Hunter, you're a father.."

There is so much to process in what my sister is saying, I'm not sure how much of it actually fully resonates..
But if I know one thing.. It's that I have to see Kirby.. I have to be there for her.. For both of them..

"I gotta fucking go, Lace!"

I stride towards the door and I hear Lacey's merry chuckle behind me as she follows.. "Yes!.. Thank god!.. That's what I've been saying!"