Pale, completely still, her leg hung suspended by a sling encased in a brace. A brace strapped around her middle held her arm across her chest.
“Nice of you to show up. A day late if you ask me, but I’m glad you finally made it to see the woman you supposedly love.” Sam couldn’t take it any longer. Watching Marti fight the pain for the last half hour had taken its toll on him and everyone else.
Cameron came over to the bed and glared down at Marti. She looked terrible, and he thought she deserved it for killing his baby.
“You just couldn’t leave it alone. You had to go after Shelly. You were so jealous, you tried to throw her down the stairs and instead you fell and killed my baby with you. I’ll never forgive you for this.”
Stunned, she couldn’t respond. She’d expected him to think she’d tried to hurt Shelly, but why would he think she’d lost the baby?
Everyone in the room remained stunned and silent. No one could believe Cameron would treat Marti like this.
He didn’t ask if she was okay. It hurt more than she thought possible that he didn’t care.
“Don’t you have anything to say?” he yelled, the anger visibly growing the longer she laid there, not moving or saying anything.
“I guess you know everything.” She tried to make her voice sound strong, but something in it caught his attention. Hurt? Pain? Anger? Too far gone himself, he’d sort it out later.
“That’s it. You’re not even going to apologize for killing my baby and trying to hurt Shelly.”
“You are the stupidest smart person I know. Get out.”
He just stood there glaring at her. What did she mean he was the stupidest smart person? She wasn’t making sense.
“Get out,” she screamed and closed her eyes and held her breath until the pain passed.
“Breathe through it, Marti.” Sam stood beside her, stroked his fingers down her arm. “If you breathe through it, it helps.” She took a few shallow breaths and started to relax. “That a girl.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“It’s too late for you to ask that question,” Sam said and stood in front of Cameron with his chest out and his hands on his hips. “Jack, how about we walk Cameron to his car?”
“Excellent idea, and long overdue.”
“Play nice, boys,” Jenna warned.
Both brothers answered as only twins could, in unison. “No.”
They walked forward, backing Cameron out the door. He got the hint and turned to the elevator doors.
“What’s the matter with you two? She tried to kill Shelly and the baby. She killed my baby.”
“We heard you already. Marti is right, you’re stupid,” Jack said and turned to Sam. “I can’t wait until we get downstairs.” He punched Cameron in the gut.
Cameron doubled over from the blow. About to ask why Jack hit him, he never got the words out before Sam grabbed his shoulder, hauled him back up to standing, and punched him in the jaw. Seeing stars, his face hurt like hell. He couldn’t catch his breath.
The elevator doors opened and Sam shoved Cameron in and pushed the button for the parking garage.
“Go home to Shelly. Nobody wants you here. Stay away from Marti.” Sam stood back and let the elevator doors close on a bewildered Cameron.
“Think he’ll figure things out before he gets to the garage?”
“No. He’s too upset and angry. He’s so focused on what he thinks is the truth he can’t see what’s right in front of him. He’s going to marry Shelly and we’re going to let him. He deserves that bitch. I hope it costs him a fortune to get rid of her.”
“What about Marti? I hate to see her get hurt in all this.”
“Too late. She’s done everything she can to make Cameron see the truth. He blew it.”
“That’s an understatement. How could he choose anyone over an amazing woman like her?”
“We got lucky with Jenna and Elizabeth. Too bad we aren’t triplets. I’d love to have her in the Turner family. If my partner Tyler wasn’t so wrapped up in Morgan, I’d introduce him to her.” Sam slapped his brother on the back. “Nice gut shot. I think I saw his feet come off the ground.”
“I should have hit him in the nuts. Put a stop to all this baby business for good.”
Sam and Jack walked back into Marti’s room laughing.
Chapter Forty-Three
* * *
THEY TRIED TO console Marti after Cameron’s visit. A distinguished gentleman interrupted and walked into her room carrying a large box. Another man followed with another large box.
“Martina, I’ve brought what you requested. I hope you’re feeling better this morning.”
“Hello, Uncle Anthony.”
Her uncle set the box on the floor by the bed and stood to greet her company.
“Uncle Anthony, these are the Turners, Jenna and Jack, and Elizabeth and Sam. Jenna is head of Merrick International.
“You guys, this is my uncle, Anthony Fairchild of Fairchild Industries.”
Jenna gasped. “I knew it. The deal with Fairchild Industries is because of you.”
“Martina is in charge of special projects at the company. The project with Merrick is completely her doing.” Anthony looked around the room at everyone. “It’s nice to meet all of you. Martina speaks highly of you. I’m glad to see she has some friends in her life. She spends far too much time alone.”
“Martina Fairchild,” Jenna said. “Your grandmother was Sofia Fairchild, the artist.”
Marti smiled. Anthony stood taller. They both loved Sofia and had common ground between them, because of her.
“I am the granddaughter of Sofia and Martin Fairchild. My father was Frederick Fairchild.”
“The writer.” Elizabeth exclaimed. “He was brilliant.”
Anthony looked stoic. “He was a great man and taken from us far too early in life. He had a great many stories left to tell. Martina is very much like her father. Perhaps it’s why we clash so often.”
“You’re not so bad, Uncle. I’m just too much of a free spirit for you.” She looked at the others. “Uncle Anthony is a lot like my grandfather. He’d like to see me spend my life in an office building. I prefer a little more freedom.”
“Martina, you’re rich. That doesn’t mean you have to be eccentric too.”
“To you, eccentric is anyone who doesn’t work in an office sixty hours a week. I have a job. I have three, actually.” She may not spend her life in an office, but she also didn’t spend her free time gambling like her uncle. It was his vice, and one that sometimes cost him dearly.
“Yes, I know. You’re great at all of them, and I don’t give you enough credit. I’m difficult and ornery. I can’t help it, and you put up with me because I’m family.”
“I put up with you because I love you, and I find you a challenge.”
“How’s my great-nephew?”
“Just like grandfather, won’t even consider the baby might be a girl.”
“I’m still not sure you’re all girl. You do business like a man.”
“Of which you and grandfather will forever be proud.”
“Damn right.”
“The baby is doing just fine.”
“Perfect. Fairchilds are strong stock. We don’t go down without a fight.” He kissed her on the head in a rare gesture of affection. “I’ll see you Friday at the benefit. Let me know if you need anything else. Do you need me to come back for the books?”
“No, I’ll give them to Jenna and Jack to take with them.”
“I have a meeting. I’ll try to come and see you again tonight.”
She didn’t want to know if the meeting was business or a card game. She was just happy they were on good terms. Today, anyway. “Thank you, Uncle.”
“We’ve been at odds for too long. You’re the only family I have. I’ll try to be more flexible.”
“I’d like that.”
He turned to leave, but glanced back. “You’re the richest woman in the state, couldn’t
they give you a better room?”
“I’m fine right here.” She rolled her eyes at her uncle’s back, the door closing between them.
“I can’t believe you’re Martina Fairchild,” Jenna said with wonder.
“Oh, there’s more. It’s time I told you all exactly who I am. Open up the boxes.”
Jenna pulled out one of the Tina’s Travels books. “Why do you have these books?”
“Because the author promised she’d sign all of them for the benefit.” She smiled and waited for them to figure it out. She didn’t wait long.
“Oh my God. You’re Tina Fair, the author.” Jenna was even more stunned.
Everyone looked at Marti and waited for her to explain.
“I am Martina Fairchild, Tina Fair, and just plain Marti. I’m the granddaughter of a famous artist, daughter of a famous writer, granddaughter to a corporate mogul, and the niece to a grumpy bear of an uncle, who runs the corporate empire.
“I’m a children’s book author, a painter, a corporate mogul, a sailor, and so much more. I don’t give out my last name because as soon as I do people make all kinds of assumptions about me. They don’t take the time to get to know me past the part about my being rich.
“It’s the same for you, Jenna. If you introduce yourself as Jenna Merrick Turner, people know you own Merrick International and they automatically start cataloguing all the things they think they know about you. Elizabeth, I understand you’re a Hamilton. I’m sure people have heard that name and assumed a great many things based on your family history.
“Fairchild is just a name. It isn’t who I am, unless you get to know me and understand my place in the family. Then you can decide if you like me for who I am, and not based on my last name or how much money I have.”
“Was your uncle kidding about you being the richest woman in the state?” Jack was impressed because he thought Jenna was rich. The Fairchilds were in a class of their own.
“He would know. Everything is about dollars and cents for my uncle. It’s part of the reason he and I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t put a dollar value on everything.”
“And Cameron has no idea who you are?” Elizabeth thought it amazing Cameron could be involved with Marti all this time and never discover who she really is.
“He thinks I’m Marti. Killer of his baby, jealous of his fiancé, a great mother figure for Emma, lover, liar, and all kinds of things he thinks he knows. The hardest part about all this isn’t that he doesn’t know my last name, or even what I do for a living. He doesn’t even believe the things he’s seen me do, or the things I’ve said to him. I painted Emma’s room. He knows George asked me to do it, he thought it was spectacular, but he didn’t even assume I’d done it personally. He thinks I stayed up for two days straight watching someone else work.
“He doesn’t see what is right in front of him. I told him I was pregnant, and he called me a liar. She tells him and he believes her without a doubt. I just can’t get over that.
“I don’t know what else I can do to make him see me for who I am. I guess he’ll find out on Friday at the benefit. I’m afraid when he finds out I’m a Fairchild, only then will he change his opinion about me because of my name and wealth.”
“You think he’ll only listen to you because you’re a Fairchild.” Jenna knew just how Marti felt. Sometimes she couldn’t get people to listen to her, but when they found out she was the CEO of Merrick, they all of a sudden wanted her opinion.
“I think it will make a difference and it shouldn’t. I’d rather he love me and believes me because I’m Marti, not because I’m Martina Fairchild and all it implies.”
Chapter Forty-Four
* * *
CAMERON SPENT THREE days brooding since leaving the hospital with a sore gut and a bruised jaw. He’d locked himself in his office and worked like a demon, ignoring all the problems in his personal life. In the quiet evening alone in his office, he gave in to the grief eating at him and mourned his lost baby with Marti.
Emma refused to talk to him. She was quiet and stayed close to Jimmy.
Shelly continued to rest and claim the trauma of being attacked was too much to bear. She stayed in her room and ordered the staff around like she was queen of the manor.
He let her. He didn’t want to deal with her, or Emma, or anything besides the pounding in his head and heart, telling him he’d lost his baby and Marti.
He’d never recover from losing the baby he wanted more than life itself and the woman and the life they might have had.
He hadn’t gone back to the hospital to see her. He couldn’t. When he finally called to check on her, he didn’t know her last name and he’d forgotten the room number. He had no idea if she was okay, or where she was now. It was like she’d dropped off the face of the earth, or had simply been a dream.
He was the most concerned about Emma. She wasn’t eating well, never smiled anymore, and every time he asked if she was okay, she ran to her room and slammed the door.
He and Shelly were just arriving at the hotel for the benefit when he saw Elizabeth, Sam, and Emma get out of their own limo and walk into the hotel lobby. Emma looked beautiful in a gold gown. He wondered if Elizabeth bought her a new dress, because it wasn’t the dress he’d left for her to wear. She wore her necklace on her head. He thought of George and his wish for Emma to always feel like a princess. Cameron hadn’t made her feel that way in too long and he regretted it.
“What’s the matter?”
Shelly avoided being alone with Cameron. She was afraid he’d ask her about the incident with Marti again, or he’d ask her to prove she was pregnant. She’d made it this far and the wedding was tomorrow.
Marti hadn’t come home and she had no idea what happened to her since going down the stairs. She didn’t care, so long as she was gone.
Cameron worried her. He seemed sad and lonely and something else she couldn’t really pin down. He worked till all hours in the library and barely ate a thing. Probably missing Marti. She’d help him get over it, once they were married and she had him all to herself.
“I just saw Emma. She looks beautiful. Just like her mother. She won’t talk to me anymore. She stays in her room and watches movies. She isn’t the same.”
“Since Marti left, right? Isn’t that what you mean? She tried to hurt me and our baby, and you and Emma are just waiting around for her to come back and try again.”
“I doubt she’s in any shape to do anything. Last I saw her, she was in the hospital with her leg in a sling.”
“Serves her right for trying to hurt us,” she said and put her hand on her stomach. Cameron had been so sweet about the baby lately. He came home from work today and wrapped his arms around her from behind and put his hand over her stomach. She thought the gesture sweet, and for a moment even wished she was pregnant. The thought was immediately replaced with how fat she’d get. It would take her months to lose the weight.
Cameron caught the gesture of her putting her hand on her stomach and he was stricken with how he’d never see Marti do the same thing. Their baby was gone.
He stepped out of the limo and escorted her into the lobby. When they reached the doors leading into the ballroom, he stopped short, surprised. The benefit usually got a lot of press, but this was something else. Reporters and photographers were everywhere with flashes going off and people clamoring for interviews with Jenna.
Jenna made an announcement to the press. “I promise all of you Miss Fairchild will be in attendance tonight. She won’t answer questions. There will be a photo opportunity when she presents the gift to Miss Emma Shaw.”
“What about Tina Fair? We understand a lot of children attended tonight to see her.”
“She will be here and has an announcement and a gift for Miss Shaw. If you’ll excuse me, Cameron Shaw has arrived and we need to get inside.”
She turned from the press and headed for the doors to the ballroom with Cameron beside her.
“Ready to go in?” Jenna asked.
/>
“Are you actually speaking to me again?”
“I’ve made an exception for tonight. This is going to be an enlightening evening for you. Shall we?”
“Hello, Jenna, your dress is lovely. You look spectacular.”
Jenna didn’t respond to Shelly. She thought Shelly looked tacky in a black skintight gown with a deep V-neck, leaving her boobs barely covered. Her blond hair was so teased and fluffy, Jenna thought she might be hiding a bird’s nest inside.
“I hope you have your speech ready to welcome everyone and thank them for coming tonight,” she said to Cameron.
“You never said I was speaking tonight. I don’t even know half of what you’ve got planned. Who is Miss Fairchild? Why are there so many children here? How did you get all these people to attend? I see at least twice as many people as we normally have.”
“You’re an idiot. We have nearly three times as many people. They’re all here to see the Sofia Fairchild collection and Tina Fair, the author of the Tina’s Travels books Emma loves so much.”
“She does love those books. I read them to her all the time. How did you get the author to come tonight?”
“She fell in love with Emma and had her publisher contact me to set things up. Miss Fairchild asked the curator of Sofia Fairchild’s paintings to contact me and provide eight paintings by the master artist. They’re all of her granddaughter when she was little. The series is called Martina.”
“I can’t wait to see them.”
“Wait till you see Miss Fairchild herself and Tina Fair.”
“Fairchild? The same Fairchild as Fairchild Industries?”
“One and the same. Miss Fairchild is in charge of special projects at Fairchild Industries. She’s the one you hear on the conference calls between our team and hers.”
“Great, we can do some business while she’s here and get to know each other before the project really takes off.”
“Oh, you already know her,” Jenna said under her breath.
Cameron didn’t hear her.
“I can’t believe I get to meet a Fairchild tonight. She’s wealthy beyond belief.” Shelly squeezed Cameron’s arm and smiled hugely.
The Right Bride: Book Three: The Hunted Series Page 25