Love Until Death Do Us Part novel Chapter 5

At the restaurant, with a clatter and a bang, Newman burst into the kids' room. He scooped up Payne, checked his complexion, and reached into his pocket, whipping out a box of meds.

Kent immediately grabbed Newman's hand.

"Mr. Bradshaw! You popped Scorpion less than 24 hours ago. If you hit another one now, your veins are gonna blow!"

Payne had been stuck with this incurable chill since day one, and Scorpion was the magic bullet cooked up by Jerry Gellar, the bigwig doc of Everglade City.

Little Payne was too weak to handle the kick of Scorpion, so Newman had been downing it long-term, mixing the drug's mojo with his blood, then drawing his blood to use as a primer for Payne's treatment.

Five years on the Scorpion train, and the side effects just kept ramping up for Newman. But right now, he couldn't care less!

"Keeping Payne alive is what counts."

Newman wasn't fussed about overdosing, about his veins going kaboom. If it meant steadying Payne's condition, he'd lay everything on the line, even himself!

Kent dropped to his knees with a thud, bowing his head in panic, "Mr. Bradshaw, if you go down, how long you think his gonna last?"

Newman had cracked open the medicine box and only when he heard Kent's words did he pause.

Kent's brain went into overdrive, desperate for a way to save Payne. The chill Payne had wasn't something a hospital could fix. Kent blurted out in a rush, "The Dempsey family's Mystic Ridge Spring!"

Newman's eyes, shadowy slits, commanded Kent, "Fetch the coat."

Kent dashed to the cloakroom, came back with the coat, and Newman wrapped Payne up tight. He ordered Kent, "Get everyone together, we're hitting the Dempsey family's Mystic Ridge Spring."

Tying the knot with the Dempsey family, part of the reason was Newman had his eye on their Mystic Ridge Spring.

Mystic Ridge, a dormant volcano, that spot was the Dempsey family private property. They used the spring water for cosmetics and meds, but only Dempsey folks got to soak in the hot springs.

Newman had it all planned out, once he'd settled things with the Dempsey family and Zoey was hitched into their family, he'd borrow Mystic Ridge Spring and set up shop in Stardale City with Payne.

But now, before Zoey's deal with the Dempsey family was even sealed, Payne's chill flared up! Newman bolted outside, cradling Payne in his arms!

Mystic Ridge, out in the burbs, Newman, with Payne in his arms, hopped on a chopper from the hotel rooftop, beelining to Mystic Ridge Spring Estate.

The estate's gates were shut tight; Newman alighted from the chopper, clutching Payne. The sky was dim, clouds hanging low, hair flying across his forehead, a fierce glint in his eyes.

Kent, worried, said, "Boss, the Dempsey family's muscle won't let us waltz in."

Newman spat out, "Then we bust through!"

When Athena got the call, she was having breakfast with Kevin.

The news that Newman and his crew had stormed Mystic Ridge blew up within the Dempsey family!