Chapter Seventeen
“True realization of love comes when the threat to lose it looms.”
— Shreeya_MM [Wattpad]
Four months later…
ROCHELLE SWALLOWED SHAKILY as the apparatus spread the cold liquid over her too swollen tummy, in her opinion, and her mother's grip tightened on her hand. In the past four months, her life had been totally shaken. After her father's incarceration, Rochelle had allowed Carter to transfer her mother and siblings to Spain, in order to start afresh. The boys- her brothers- had adapted as if they had not been born outside of Spanish spoil, and Aeri had captured her heart as soon as her eyes had latched onto him. It was strange how quickly Alisa had latched onto him as well, as if she had remembered him from the womb.
"Your Highness?" The young technician's voice pulled her back to the present, before she could fall farther into the trap of the past.
He looked at her expectantly, and then she realized that he was speaking to her; sometimes she still forgot her new title. "Yes," she quickly answered softly.
"Ahhh…"
This time, her fingers tightened around her mother's when the technician sought the doctor's opinion. The doctor nodded, and Rochelle's heart rate sped up.
"Is something wrong with the baby?" She questioned, as the doctor excused himself temporarily.
The technician forced a smile. "It's just that we rarely have these cases occurring naturally, and it would be best if your husband was present," the young man murmured.
Rochelle closed her eyes, despair beginning to settle in. Was her baby drastically abnormal? Rochelle curled her free hand into a fist so tight, that her ring began digging her soft flesh, reminding her of her all too fragile marriage.
When she had stood fast against Carter's proposition that they get married in the traditional, royal way, while his grandfather had barely begun recovering from a major procedure, he had settled to a quick Vegas wedding. That had caused the delaying the major celebrations until the king was well enough to walk her down the aisle. However, since then, she'd barely seen her husband. Yes, they made brief public appearances, when he deemed it necessary due to the high tension around the absent capture of whoever had been shadowing their lives for the last ten plus years. But otherwise, her husband had stayed well and truly far from her.
They had even managed to regulate who read what stories on which night, so that there wasn't even the possibility of an accidental chance of her colliding with him in the hallway. Then the rest of their days were strictly scheduled, separating them even more and oh, how it was killing her. Slowly eating away at her, because she didn't understand how to fix it, how to regain his trust, a trust that she had noticed that his grandfather had easily regained.
She stiffened when the doors flew open, and she saw the panic in his jade eyes as they ran over her body before he quickly concealed it.
Oh, how you hide everything from me, she wept internally.
"Mother; Rochelle," he acknowledged politely, but Rochelle looked away. He had acknowledged her mother before her, his voice gaining a somewhat bitter tone over her name.
His attention didn't stay long enough to register her hurt before he focused on the technician.
"What's wrong?" He demanded, a bit coldly.
"It depends on how you take this; I don't know how we missed this when we checked for heartbeats a couple of weeks ago, and because of your schedules, her five month scan had been delayed a bit," the young man said, as he moved the stem of the instrument after turning the monitor's screen to the prince.
I am right here! Why does he get first dibs on what's happening with my body!?Her mind screamed what her lips failed to say.
Now she had to look to him.
"Carter—" Her voice broke, as the color drained from beneath his perfect tan. But he didn't reach out to reassure her; he just balled his fist closest to her leg.
"Twins?" Carter questioned harshly, as his eyes roved over the screen.
"That's what I'd initially thought when I first saw it, but look over here," the doctor muttered, pulling closer to point at a corner of the screen that Rochelle was oblivious to. "Triplets; identical triplets."
Rochelle sat up abruptly, causing the wand to fall off its position, and killing the image. All eyes were drawn to her, but her mother was the only one to say: "Oh, honey" - her husband's eyes just narrowed.
Yes, you asshole, I deliberately knocked up myself with three kids to give you more people to worry about! Oh how infuriating he was, but she dared not utter a word, for they no longer had that kind of a relationship.
"Write up an itinerary that can carry her through the next three-plus months healthily, and leave it on my desk," he stated authoritatively.
It is obviously your body that I am accidentally occupying, because I have no say. She so desperately wanted to growl.
"More like six to eight weeks, if so much,” the technician murmured, and Carter paused at the door, looking to the doctor for clarification.
"She’s already twenty-six weeks, and multiple children pregnancies are rarely carried full term; the risk increases in number with each added child. Her Highness's massive weight loss has also increased that risk, along with her workload," the doctor stated, as Rochelle was handed a piece of tissue to clean off the now warm gel from her protruding belly.
"That's easily fixed, Doctor; a reduction in her workload, and a dietary change were already in order," he stated flatly, as if already bored.
Anger caused her cheeks to flush, as she swung her legs to the floor. I'm done! "You have no right, Carter; it's my body and my babies," she hissed.
"Our babies, cara," he swiftly corrected. "And you'd be sorely wrong to think that I'd sit back and allow you to kill our children. I am not your father, Rochelle, no matter how much you want me to be!" He snapped.
Rochelle straightened to her full height, ignoring her mother's gasp. "You can barely manage to be a proper husband, much less a protector. It's just a pity that you don't realize how close you are to being him every day," she whispered, blinking away hot tears before exiting the room, totally ignoring her mother's outraged cry.
Biting her lip, she held in the bitter tears, until she reached the vastness of her rooms, before collapsing against the massive doors, her body shaking with sobs, as she slid down the wood paneling, and to the thickly carpeted floor.
✽✽✽
Carter leaned against the balcony walls, as the blazing sun set, his grandfather resting heavily upon his walker.
"You're losing her, Carter," the king muttered, bringing his grandson's eyes to his. "She's fading, building up a resistance around herself to keep you out," the old man stated.
"That's her choice, abuelo; not mine," he snapped.
"A choice you have driven her to, my dear boy. It's the only way that she knows how to protect herself from the pain that you keep on inflicting on her," the old man murmured, and Carter hissed out a breath.
"I would never hurt her intentionally," he stated pointedly.
The old man made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat, and Carter knew that he was just getting fired up. "Pushing her away will not make the pain of losing her lessen, only increase your guilt and regrets." The old man pushed the walker closer to his grandson. "You're killing her, mi nieto; killing her with this distance- with the walls that you are so adamant in keeping up. Love her while you still can, because God knows it hurts when you can't. Don't remake my mistakes, my child."
Carter watched as the old man turned and headed for his room. He turned back to the purple and red tainted skies with a stiff posture. His grandfather was right, as usual. He had curtailed her ability to travel, reduced her communication to the outside world, all while distancing himself from her.
The life he'd given her here was no more than a prison; one probably worse than her father had created for her. His excuse of trying to protect her could only be stretched so far.
In truth, pride was what was keeping
him from admitting that he was scared shitless that he would be murdered by his own brother, and that his family would be massacred by someone who should've been their pillow of strength- if things had happened differently.
He had felt Liam's hatred every time that he’d built up enough courage to go through the palace's gates, and it killed him to think that he might have to very well kill his own brother.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, as one by one, stars began popping into the skies. He needed to find a way to get to Liam to allow him to know the truth, and choose whether he would continue to target his family, or come home.
Carter flexed his fingers in his pockets before taking a shaky breath. That he had to, but he had to consummate his marriage first, and show his wife how much he loved her. How much his heart beat just for her...
✽✽✽
Rochelle reached for her small suitcase on the top shelf of her closet. Her belly brushed against her clothing as she tiptoed to reach its handle. She sighed as her hand slipped on it again, and she swore that the fates were against her. With her heavy belly, extending herself any farther would throw off her balance.
She pressed her forehead against her hand wrapped around the railing for added support, with a defeated feeling. She couldn’t do this anymore.
But what about Alisa and Aeri? A voice questioned.
Carter can protect them better than I can—she responded mentally.
But what about you and the triplets? Reason questioned.
Rochelle dropped her hand to stroke her tummy filled with her miracle babies. What am I to do? She questioned.
Talk to your husband; talk to him like you used to eleven years ago—Pride instructed.
We—
“Rochelle.”
She jumped, glad for her firm grip on the railing, as her feet shifted beneath her, and her free hand fluttered to her heart from shock. Within her next breath, Carter’s arms were around her, as he gently lifted her from off the stool before holding her tightly to his chest.
With long strides, he walked across the room and settled onto the bed with her across his lap. “Are you okay?” He questioned gently, his face pale from fright.
She looked up at him, his eyes filled with worry. She reached up to stroke back his hair in reassurance, but dropped her hand, uncertain that her touch would be welcomed. “I’m fine,” she murmured, as she tried to push off of his thighs. “Just a little shaken, but I’ll be fine.”
She gasped, when he pulled her back into the same position, his arms tightening around her under her very sensitive breasts. “Rochelle, stop.” That brought her eyes up to his. “What were you doing on that stand?” He questioned softly, as he watched her face. His green eyes darkened when he read her expression. “You were going to leave me—”
“Carter, I don’t—” Her breath stopped, as a baby moved towards him, and her flesh elevated. “I don’t want to, but I… I can’t keep doing this with you,” she breathed shakily, as his large hands cupped her face.
“You were right,” he breathed back and her brows met. “I’m no different from him—”
“Carter, that’s not true. I was just angry—”
“But I’ve failed you. I’ve failed—”
“Carter, look at me,” she whispered. His sorrow-filled eyes met hers. “Do you love our children?” She asked softly, and he frowned, but there was no hesitation in his reply.
“With every breath,” he responded, and she reached up to squeeze his arm.
“Then you are not him.”
“But, you wanted to leave because—”
“Do you love me, Carter?” She questioned, daring to ask what her soul longed to know- for him to understand why she couldn’t continue like this.
This time he answered even faster, and with much more assurance and emphasis. “With every fiber of my being; why?”
“Would you deliberately place a pillow over my head and suffocate me?” She asked, cutting him off, forcing her heart to slow down.
His brow knitted in confusion even more. “Why the hell would I do that?” He demanded, his eyes flashing. Her eyes hardened, and he gave her the answer that she was waiting on. “No; no, I wouldn’t.”
“Then why are you trying to emotionally suffocate me?” She queried.
“Rochelle—”
“You are keeping me here like a prisoner!” She hissed.
“I am trying to protect you!” He snapped.
“No; no, Carter, you pay people to do that. You sit in your gilded office, and you dictate my life without consulting me, you stay away from me, you—”
“Because I’m fucking scared of losing you!” He roared, and she froze. He pressed his forehead to hers, his breath coming hard and fast. “I don’t want to lose you,” he sobbed.
“Not talking to me will not prevent you from losing me,” she blew out softly.
“I know,” he whispered, his lips trembling. She cupped his cheeks, and he sucked in a shaky breath. “What am I going to do?” He breathed.
“Carter, look at me,” she murmured, her fingers flexing when his glossy eyes met hers. “You can’t hide us away forever because you’re afraid. And you can’t do all of this without talking to me.” She brushed her lips over his. “That’s not how you treat someone you love, Carter. We’re married; we’re a partnership for as long as you want us to be. We share things, Carter; that’s how this works,” she breathed. “You love me.” She swallowed. “And I love you; losing me will never change that, but suffocating me will.”
His eyes darkened as his fingers stroked her cheek.
“You have to share what’s happening with me, Carter. Let me help you,” she breathed softly, and he closed his eyes; she could feel the battle raging in him.
“Rochelle—”
“Let me help you, Carter,” she said firmly, and he sighed heavily, before reluctantly nodding. She gently pressed her lips to his, causing him to hungrily open his mouth. A baby moved against his chest, and he eased back to stroke her stomach.
“Are you happy?” He asked softly.
“They’re a part of you, how can I not be?” She whispered back, as he touched her forehead to his lips, before reclaiming her mouth.
“I love you,” he murmured.
“And I love you,” she responded, as she pushed his jacket from his shoulders, glad that she had taken the initiative.
✽✽✽
Carter shifted onto his elbow at the soft knocking. Rochelle murmured something, and ran her hand over her stretched belly, before falling back into complete silence. He ran his eyes over her beautiful frame, before kissing her brow, then rising to his feet to get the door. He grabbed a robe from the back of the door to wrap around himself before opening it.
“What do you need?” He questioned Tyler softly, as he appeared with his son on his hip, rocking him gently.
“Raul and your grandfather want a meeting,” he whispered, as the little boy snoozed against his shoulder.
Chapter Eighteen
“I will do anything to protect you.”
—C.A.G.E. Thompson
Five weeks later…
ROCHELLE SMILED UP AT HIM and Carter’s heart squeezed. He touched his fingers to the earpiece again, uncertainty rolling through him. It had been Raul’s grand idea that they open the palace to the public, and specially invited guests to reintroduce his grandfather to the public after his near-death scare. Carter honestly thought that it was stupid, but he saw his grandfather’s point-of-view; they really couldn’t keep on hiding from the people that they were meant to lead.
He watched as she ran her hand over her even larger bump, and he squeezed the hand that was intertwined with his, bringing her eyes up to his again. “We’ll be fine,” she breathed, as she read the worry on his face.
“I sure hope so,” he replied, but the feeling in his gut only intensified.
✽✽✽
Rochelle smiled brightly as the Prince of Wales’s lips brushed her cheek in gr
eeting before he moved onto Carter, but as soon as he passed, she grimaced from the added ache of standing so long with a tummy that kept her constantly off-balanced. She barely had time to draw in a steady breath, before someone bore into the line ahead of the prince’s fiancée.
“Well, well, well; look who made a name for themselves,” he drawled, and she stiffened, her heart slamming against her chest.
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, as memories of that awful night slammed into her.
“So, where’s the love, sugar? I thought they said you gals always remembered your first, or do you need a little reminding?”
His stale breath washed over her, and she stumbled back when he stepped towards her. Carter’s hands slammed into the older man’s chest before he could come any closer, snapping her from the grips of fear.
“Get your fucking hands off my wife!” He spat, and the man shrugged, as he straightened before looking up at Carter. His face blanched as he took in the murderous look in the younger man’s eyes.
He shrugged again, but still dared to send her an unsavory grin. His face reddened as Carter’s hand closed in the front of his shirt, and lifted him easily from the ground.
“You’re going to be very sorry that I know who you are,” Carter ground out, before dropping the man to his shaking feet.
✽✽✽
Carter turned to his wife, and took in her pale complexion, along with her sweating upper lip, before turning to the prince and his partner.
“I’m sorry, but if you could excuse us,” he started. “You know where the dining room is,” he stated, and they nodded before moving forward.
He raised his hand to the doorman to pause the flow of traffic as he laid his hands on her arms, and Raul was instantly in his ear.
“Carter, what are you doing?” He questioned from his position outside the great doors. “Why are we stopping?”
“We need a break,” Carter replied succinctly.
“Carter—”
“We need a fucking break!” He snapped, and Rochelle jumped. He groaned under his breath in anguish. “Tyler, we’ll be heading to the bathroom for a few minutes, shadow us,” he requested and waited for the affirmation.
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