Page 140 of Break Me

His eyes snap to mine. "You don't know that."

He starts pacing again, one hand dragging through his hair as though he can think his way out of this.

"Knox."

He doesn't stop.

"There has to be somebody. Another hospital. Another trial. Something."

"Knox." This time my voice is firmer.

He looks at me.

"Please."

The single word hangs between us.

His gaze searches my face before drifting to the chair lying on its side. Slowly, he bends to pick it up. The legs thump softly against the floor as he sets it upright again.

"Sit down."

He hesitates.

"Please," I say again. "Just listen to me."

For a long moment, I don't think he's going to do it. But then he lowers himself into the chair, every movement reluctant, as though sitting down means admitting this conversation is real.

I don't let go of his eyes. "I need you to hear me."

He swallows hard. "I'm listening."

I take a breath. "The cancer has spread too far for them to remove it."

He doesn't interrupt.

"The doctor said chemotherapy might slow it down for a while." My voice wavers for the first time. "But it won't cure it."

His brow furrows, his eyes searching mine. "Rae..." The way he says my name almost undoes me. "What are you trying to tell me?"

I feel my throat tighten. "The doctor said..." My voice catches. I swallow and try again. "He said I only have months.”

The phone slips from his hand onto the floor with a dull thud.

"No." It's barely more than a whisper. Then his head lifts. "Bullshit. I refuse to accept that." This time, the words come with anger.

He shoves a hand through his hair and starts pacing again.

"We’ll keep looking. California, New York, Boston—I don't give a damn where they are. Somebody out there has another answer."

"Knox..."

"No." His voice is firm now, refusing to leave any room for doubt. "The doctors here are wrong."

"They're not."

"You don't know that."

"I do."