Chapter 102: Not the guy I need to see

DEACON

If I needed one more reason to be pissed off for life at my father, he'd just given me one. Emma had been about to respond to my promise. She'd been close to saying something-and I clung to the hope that it was what I wanted to hear, not a regretful blow-off. But I'd never know now, because my father, the man who'd abandoned my dying mother and me, the one who'd never stuck around long enough to be more than a shadow in my memories, was a patient in my hospital.

Emma trailed behind me as I stalked angrily down the hall with Mira toward the room she'd indicated.

"Deacon, hold on. You need to know all this."

I came to a sudden halt, and Emma nearly ran into my back. Out of instinct, I caught her arm to steady her even as I wheeled around to face Mira. Emma's hand slid down my forearm to folded itself into mine, a silent comfort that she somehow seemed to know I needed.

"What?" I barked at Mira. "What else do I need to know? Did he tell you why the hell he came here of all