Free Faster Deeper (Take Me...#2) (New Adult Bad Boy Racer Novel) by Colleen Masters Page B

come now.”
    “Come for what?” Enzo urges, “Come
on, Dad. You’re killing us, here.”
    An alarmed look passes over Dad’s
face. He can’t put this off any longer. Instinctively, I grab for Enzo’s hand,
all argument between us forgotten for the moment. He laces his fingers with
mine, giving my hand a tight squeeze. Don’t worry , that little bit of
pressure says, Whatever it is that’s about to happen, we’re going to get through
it together . Dad takes a sip of his whiskey
and looks up at us, eyes misty.
    “There’s no easy way to begin
this,” he starts, “But there’s something I haven’t told you kids that’s come to
a head. I’ve uh...Well, there have been some health concerns that I may not
have mentioned.”
    “Health concerns? Your health?” I
ask.
    “Please, let me get through this,”
Dad says, “The truth is, I got some news a couple of months ago that I didn’t
share with you two. My doctor, he ran some tests at my physical right before
the season started. I didn’t want to burden you guys, not as we were about to
head into another championship. But the way things have progressed...I can’t
keep you in the dark any longer. It wouldn’t be fair.”
    He takes another long sip of his
drink, and I join him. I’m having trouble forcing air into my lungs, and Dad
hasn’t even gotten to the heart of his admission.
    “What kind of tests?” Enzo asks,
“What did they find?”
    Dad looks up at us, looking
hopeless and heartbroken. He takes a deep breath and gazes down at the hotel
carpet.
    “The tests...they were recommended
by an oncologist,” he says, “I’d been having some symptoms, some issues.”
    “They tested you for...cancer?” I
ask, my voice hollow.
    Dad nods wordlessly.
    “And they came back—they came
back—?” Enzo stutters.
    “Positive,” Dad all but whispers.
    The grounds seems to give way
beneath me, and the foundation of my world falls away. The world grinds to a
halt all around me, and every minute detail of this moment stands out in high
resolution. Enzo, frozen stiff in denial and anguish, our half-empty whiskey
glasses clenched in our fists, and of course my father—head bowed in sorrow. I
know that this is a scene that I will remember for the rest of my life.
    All at once, the world speeds back
up, the sound rushes back in, and I’m flying across the room into my father’s
arms. He pulls me tightly against him as I throw my arms around his shoulders,
holding my tears in with all my might.
    “Don’t worry Dad,” I whisper, “I
know it must be scary, but we’re here for you. We’ll get you the best care
possible. You’ll be able to beat it. You’re a winner, you’ll win this too.”
    “Oh, Siena,” Dad says, his voice
choked, “My girl...I’m afraid this is one match I’m going to have to lose.”
    “What are you talking about?” Enzo
asks, “You can’t just give up, Dad. What the hell are you talking about?”
    “By the time they found out,” Dad
says, stroking my hair, “It was already too late.”
    “Slow down,” Enzo says, refusing
to hear him, “Found what?”
    “The tumor,” Dad says, “It started
in my lungs, but it’s traveled, son. They gave me a year, tops.”
    “That’s plenty of time to do
something about it!” Enzo exclaims.
    “No, Enzo,” Dad says, “It’s spread
too far. It was inoperable by the time we knew it was there.”
    “What about radiation?
Chemotherapy?” I ask desperately.
    “Siena, we were just about to
start a season when I found out,” Dad says, “How could I have gone in for all
that? Besides, none of my doctors could even guarantee that it would work. Why
would I spend the last year of my life miserable, locked up in some hospital,
instead of doing what I love with my children?”
    “You mean you had a chance?” I
ask, standing in front of my father.
    “Barely,” he replies, “It was
never a choice for me. This is the best treatment I could have asked for. Being
on the road,