Race the Darkness by Abbie Roads Page B

fists.”
    â€œI assume you mean Gran and me, but I don’t know you.” Isleen’s voice was surprisingly strong. “Explain why you hate us.”
    Isleen’s words hit the brakes on Xander’s anger. Damn. She was holding her own against Uncle Matt. It was a lovely thing.
    â€œYou’re right. We’ve never met, but I know Gale. I’ve seen the heartlessness at her core. I’ve dealt with the devastation she leaves in her wake. And you are”—his gaze traveled from her to Xander and back again—“her granddaughter. That’s enough for me.”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about. How do you know Gran?”
    The way Matt’s mouth fell open might’ve made Xander laugh, if he hadn’t felt his own mouth do the same. She must not have made the family connection quite yet.
    â€œThis is Matt. Alex’s brother,” Xander said.
    She shifted further away from him, but continued to aim her gaze at him. “Okay, but who is Alex?” Her face was washed in total ignorance.
    â€œYou’ve got to be goddamned kidding me!” The words exploded from Matt’s mouth, too loud to be socially acceptable in a hospital. “Gale never fucking mentioned Alex. Not once?” He didn’t wait for Isleen’s reply. “Xan, if you don’t see this as the warning sign it is, you deserve the same fate as your father.”
    â€œWho’s Alex? And what happened to him?” Isleen’s voice carried obvious concern.
    Matt snapped his lips closed, Xander’s cue to explain. “Alex is your grandmother’s husband.” This time Isleen’s lips parted and an airy whisper of sound escaped. “He’s Matt’s brother. And my father.”
    Her head jerked as if she’d been delivered an invisible slap. “Are you sure?”
    What was going on that Gale hadn’t told her anything? “Yeah, I’m sure.”
    She started shaking her head and looked down at the bedding. “I can’t believe we’re family .” She spoke the last word as if she’d just uttered the world’s worse curse.
    â€œYeah. I guess that’s one way of putting it.” Okay, that wasn’t the kind of response he would’ve expected from her finding out her grandmother had been married. Though he couldn’t quite say what a normal response would’ve been. He just suspected this wasn’t it.
    Matt started speaking, despite her continued head shaking. “The doctor is comfortable releasing her—especially with the facility being right there. We’re leaving as soon as you sign the payment arrangement papers at the nurse’s station. Alex is already on the way home with Gale—they’re traveling via medical van.”
    â€œHome?” Isleen’s attention snapped to Matt. “After all this time, I don’t think we have a home anymore.”
    â€œBaby, he means our home.” Technically, not his home, but he didn’t feel like complicating an already crazy situation. “Gale and Alex’s home. The Institute. Gale must’ve mentioned the Institute. She’s still part-owner.”
    Isleen’s gaze met his. There was something in her eyes, something he couldn’t name that seemed to be pleading for—for what? He was lost, didn’t understand what was happening.
    Her chin began to quiver and her eyes went wet, but she blinked rapidly, fanning away the tears. She shifted away from him on the bed, out of touching range, and stared down at the mass of sheets and covers. “When do we leave?” Her voice was steadier than her chin.
    â€œTen minutes.” Matt turned and headed for the door, then stopped. “Reporters are stationed at the lobby entrance and employee entrance, so you’ll meet me at the ambulance entrance.”
    â€œOkay,” she said. The word itself wasn’t bad, the tone of her voice