Even him, he realized. Against his will, he thought back to that first day he saw her, standing out from the girls crowded around her like a rose among dandelions. She’d taken his breath away.
Stop it! he commanded himself. Jake wished for a moment that he was like Nikki. He wished that he could access that little internal recorder in his brain and erase that memory and so many others from his head, leaving it empty of the thought of her.
Jake knew that he wasn’t being exactly fair with his assessment of her at the moment, but he was powerless against the pain and anger that surged within him.
It hurt to wonder how many times she had lain in his bed thinking of another man.
Jake tried to shut his thoughts down. He didn’t want to feel sorry for Nikki and he didn’t want to understand her. Not now. Forcing himself to think of her parents, he tried to fuel his anger against them. Nikki had remarked one time that they only had her to balance out their Christmas card photo. She joked that there was something suspicious about politicians with no children, so Sara had been forced to keep up appearances. Jake realized sadly that she might’ve been right. He wished that he’d had the presence of mind to mention Nikki’s mystery passenger to Sara.
That would’ve set all of her alarm bells off. The merest hint of a scandal would’ve brought Sara back to the States as fast as her broom would carry her.
Jake sighed, knowing he couldn’t shuffle Nikki off on them, even if by some slim chance they offered to take her in. As vulnerable as Nikki was right now, it would be heartless of him. He hoped that she’d get her memory back soon, so they could get the divorce and get on with their lives.
Separately.
His stomach rumbled and he realized he hadn’t eaten anything except for a couple of candy bars. As Jake headed back to the elevators, he caught a glimpse of a familiar redhead stepping inside.
“Elaine, hold up!” he called. Immediately she stuck out a manicured hand to stop the door.
He jogged to catch up and slipped inside the elevator. His stepsister was struggling with a huge pot of yellow mums, and Jake took them from her.
She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and a worried look. “Hey, guy. How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay,” Jake said. “But I’m starving.”
“Let’s go get something to eat, then.” Elaine reached to push the lobby button, but Jake caught her hand.
“I have to tell Nikki where I’m going.” He nodded at the flowers. “Nice of you, considering…”
“Yeah, well, I’m really here for you.” She gave Jake a skeptical look. “So is it true, she doesn’t remember anything?”
“Nope. Nothing.”
Elaine tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and grinned. “Well, God knows, she hates me enough that seeing my face might bring it all back to her.”
Jake chuckled. “As entertaining as that might be, I don’t think so. Believe it or not, I think I might’ve bumped you from Nikki’s most hated list just before the accident. If seeing me didn’t bring back our last fight—”
“What happened?”
“I told Nikki that I wanted a divorce. We had a big blowout and she admitted she cheated on me.”
“Oh, Jake!” Elaine hugged him. When she leaned back, her brown eyes were hard with anger. “Nikki’s a selfish little witch. I can’t believe she would do that to you. I never thought that she was right for you, but I always thought she loved you, as much as Nikki was capable of loving anyone—”
“Elaine—” Jake interrupted, but she cut him off with a sharp look.
“No, Jake. You’ve always defended her, no matter how much she’s hurt you, but she doesn’t deserve you. I’m sorry that it had to come to this, but now you can divorce her.”
Jake hesitated and she gasped, “Oh, Jake! Please tell me you’re going to divorce her. Don’t let your sympathy get you hurt even worse.”
“I’m all she has right now, Elaine. I can’t just walk away from her.”
“She’s taking advantage of you.”
“You don’t understand how she is now. She’s a different person than she was before the accident. She’s so fragile, so vulnerable—”
“For how long?” Elaine interrupted. “I know you love her, but I love you, and it hurts me to see you like this. I wish she would change, but it’s not going to happen. It’s just like my situation with Brandon—”
“This is nothing like you and Brandon!” Jake said. “He hurt you—”
“And Nikki’s hurt you. Does it matter that it was with her actions and not with her fists? Sometimes, it’s hard to see how bad things are when it’s your own relationship. Please, I’m begging you, just—” The doors slid open to Nikki’s floor. “—be careful,” Elaine finished.
Jake opened the door to Nikki’s room and was surprised to find it empty. He sat Elaine’s mums on the nightstand and hurried to the nurses’ station.
“My wife—”
“More tests.” The nurse smiled. “They’ll bring her back in about half an hour.”
Jake turned back to Elaine. She looked relieved.
“Let’s do lunch,” she said.
***
When they wheeled Nikki back to her room, she wondered where Jake was. She noticed the huge vase of mums and figured that Catherine was back. Maybe she was making him eat something.
A soft rap sounded on her door and she called, “Come in.”
Instead of Catherine or Jake, she was surprised when a handsome blonde man stepped inside.
He scanned the room. “Where’s Jake?”
“I don’t know. He went outside to call my mother, and then they wheeled me out for tests. Haven’t seen him since.”
“Oh.” The man shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted, looking very ill at ease. “So…how are you doing, Nik?”
“Okay,” she said. There was a long, uncomfortable pause and Nikki said, “This is embarrassing, but did anyone tell you about my amnesia? I can’t remember anything yet.”
“Yes,” he said, and then his gray eyes widened. “Oh! Right. I guess that includes me. I’m sorry. This is just so weird.”
“Tell me about it.” Nikki smiled.
“I’m Eliot. Jake’s stepbrother. Best friend. However you want to think about it. We went to school together and were friends for years before Dad and Catherine married.”
“Nice to meet you, Eliot. Again.” Nikki gestured at the chair by her bed and said, “Have a seat. I’m sure Jake will be back in a minute.”
He gave her that nervous look she’d seen on Jake’s face, like he wanted to bolt, but he sat beside her. To make conversation, Nikki said, “So I’ve known you for – what, three years?”
“Actually, I’ve known you a little longer. Our parents ran in the same circles when we were teenagers.” Eliot grinned at her. “Jake used to gripe that I could’ve fixed you two up instead of making him find you on his own. I told him if I’d known you weren’t dating Derek anymore, I’d have asked you out myself.”
“You flirting with my wife again?” Jake asked from the doorway, and they both jumped. Neither had heard him open the door.
A stunning redhead stood beside Jake, her arm linked through his. She shot Nikki a look of pure venom. Nikki blinked, and it was gone. The redhead gave her a cool smile.
“Yeah, you know, I’ve got a clean slate now. Nik doesn’t remember the time I threw her in the lake at the summer cabin—” Eliot winked at Nikki and she laughed.
“Or the time you backed over her car,” Jake added.
“Shhhh!” Eliot said. “Don’t remind her of that. She chewed me up one side and down the other over that. I’ve never been called so many names in the space of five minutes.”
Jake ushered the redhead forward. “Nik, this is Elaine. Sister to his idiot here. She brought those flowers.”
“Thank you,” Nikki said. “They’re lovely.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jake pulled out the other chair for Elaine and
then sat on the edge of Nikki’s bed. “So, Eliot, how did Kelly like her birthday present?”
Eliot’s face flushed red. “Shut up, man.”
Elaine shot Jake a puzzled look and Jake said, “Can’t you just see me walking around with this guy in Frederick’s of Hollywood?”
Elaine rolled her eyes.
“Hey, it fit. End of discussion.” Eliot laughed and glanced at his watch. “Hey, guys, I really gotta go. Lunch with a Very Important Client.” He waggled his fingers in emphasis. He stood to his feet and patted Nikki’s hand. “My wife, Kelly, is out of town, but she sends her love. We’re glad you’re okay, Nik. The rest of this will work out.”
“Thanks for coming by,” Nikki said.
Eliot ruffled his sister’s hair as he went by, earning himself a glare. Eliot stuck out his tongue at her, and then asked Jake, “Hey, are you going to see Catherine today?”
“Yeah, she said she was coming back.”
“I’ve got those papers she needed in my car. Do you mind giving them to her?”
“No, I’ll follow you down.” Jake hesitated in the doorway and turned to look back at them.
Elaine smiled prettily at Jake and shooed him off with an impatient wave of her hand. “Oh, go on. We’ll be fine.”
As soon as the door shut behind him, her smile vanished. Elaine leaned back in the chair and stared. “You manipulative bitch,” she said quietly. “You’re crazy if you think I’ll allow you to destroy Jake like you did Derek.”
Stunned, Nikki said, “Elaine, I don’t know what—”
“Save it!” Elaine snapped. She picked an imaginary piece of lint off her skirt and smiled. “You really did it this time. Jake will never forgive you. He’s only here because he feels sorry for you.”
The words stung, but Nikki said nothing, hoping Elaine would supply her with a few more pieces of the puzzle.
“Jake finally sees you for what you are and this little amnesia act won’t postpone things forever.” She stood to her feet. “Watch your back, Nikki. When you slip up, I’ll be there. I’ve waited a long time to see you go down.” Elaine walked to the window and stared outside. She glanced over her shoulder at Nikki and said, “Oh, by the way – don’t try to force Jake to stay away from me. It never worked before and it won’t work now.”
Silently, Nikki watched her, wondering what caused this attack and how to defend herself when she had no idea what Elaine was talking about. What had happened in her marriage?
Jake walked back in. He glanced at her, then at Elaine. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes.” Nikki pasted on a smile. “But Elaine was just saying she has to go.”
For a moment, Elaine looked undecided, but then she smiled and said, “Yes, I really have to get going, but I’ll be back soon.” She brushed a kiss across Jake’s cheek and waggled her fingers at Nikki. “Later.”
Jake looked troubled. As soon as the door shut behind Elaine he said, “What did you two talk about?”
Nikki hesitated, but she wasn’t sure she should tell him, not until she knew where she stood with Jake. Besides, he looked so tired and tense she hated to burden him with anything else.
“Oh, you know. This and that. Nothing important.”
***
A nurse came in and announced it was time to get Nikki out of bed. She unhooked the monitors and Jake watched Nikki tug at the flimsy hospital gown. He wished he’d thought to tell his mother to bring some of her gowns from home.
“Come here, hon.” The nurse motioned for Jake. “Let her hold on to you for support and she can walk down the hall.”
Jake hesitated for a moment. He didn’t want to be that close to her. This post-Nikki was causing too many protective urges to swell within him, when he wanted to cling to his rage at her. The nurse gave him an impatient look, and he went over to help her.
Her hand on his wrist burned him, but he gritted his teeth and didn’t say anything. Jake placed a hand at the small of her back, shocked by her thinness. She had always been slender, but now he could see her shoulder blades jutting through the thin material of her gown. It seemed that the tension of the last few weeks had stolen her appetite, as well. Her bed had been just down the hall and he wondered if she had lain there, crying the same tears he had as their marriage died.
Nikki walked with the measured steps of an invalid. Pulling her I.V. beside them, Jake frowned as he noticed she was favoring her right side. She showed some of that old pre-Nikki spunk by completing an entire lap around the floor, even though he could tell it was grueling for her. As they neared her room, her knees buckled and Jake had to grab her. He scooped her up in his arms, stunned by how light she was.
It feels like I’m carrying a scarecrow, he thought.
Jake winced as she snuggled closer to him and rested her head on his chest. He gently laid her in her bed, and she smiled at him.
Damned if he wasn’t starting to get used to that smile.
The nurse came back in and reattached some of the monitors. After she left, Jake turned to ask Nikki if she wanted a drink of water and was surprised to find she was asleep. She was so still, and had dropped off so suddenly that it frightened him. Jake walked over to the bed and stood over her, inexplicably unable to trust the monitors hooked to her, needing to see for himself that she was breathing. He reached to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. Finally, reassured by the soft rise and fall of her chest, he sank into the chair beside her bed and raked his hand down his stubbled face.
Suddenly, he realized how close he had come to losing her. The thought of not having her in his life filled Jake with a nameless dread. She looked so fragile lying there, so innocent.
When had things between them gone so wrong?
In an effort to change the direction of his thoughts, Jake tried to recall the last time he had his truck serviced. Three, four weeks? Had they changed the brake pads then? He couldn’t remember. He used to do all that stuff himself, before work had gotten so busy.
Jake leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Faces flashed in his mind, faces of friends and acquaintances. Nikki’s lover was someone he knew, she had alluded to as much, but who? Like a thief in the night, someone had slipped in and stolen her from him. Jake had never seen it coming.
***
The trees whizzed by so fast that they were nothing more than green blurs outside the windshield. Nikki watched helplessly from somewhere outside her body as she pumped the brakes and wrestled with the steering wheel.
“It’s not working!” she screamed and jerked savagely at the emergency brake.
Nothing.
“We have to jump!”
As she reached for the door handle, the wheel wrenched from her hand.
“Jake!” she screamed.
Suddenly, everything exploded into a cacophony of shrieking metal and brilliant white light.
Chapter 3
“Jake!” she screamed. “Jake!”
Trapped in the terror of her dream, Nikki fought against the arms that closed around her.
“Nik, it’s me! Baby, wake up. It’s me, Jake.”
His voice stilled her. Disoriented, she tried to focus on his face.
“Jake?” she whispered.
“Yeah, honey, it’s Jake. I’m right here. It’s okay.”
He was in the hospital bed with her. She sagged against him, her only lifeline in this frightening world she was trapped in.
Nikki couldn’t stop crying and Jake’s arms tightened around her. When someone opened the door, he said, “It’s okay. I’ve got her.”
He gently pulled her back down in the bed and stretched out beside her. As he cradled her against his chest, the horror of the nightmare began to fade.
“I thought I was going to die,” she gasped. “Everything kept going faster and faster and there was nothing we could do. I was going to jump, but I didn’t have time.”
“Nikki, did you see who was riding with you?” Jake’s voice was quiet, but Nikki sensed the te
nsion in his words.
“No. I could see myself, but I never saw anyone else.”
He sighed. Nikki buried her face in his soft flannel shirt, unwilling to let him go. For reasons that she couldn’t understand, much less explain, she knew she was safe with Jake. She’d known it since he wrote his name across the top of his hand to sooth her. And as he reached to smooth her hair, something inside her turned. This was a man she’d fallen in love with before and at that moment, she knew it would be easy to do it again. Nikki wasn’t ready to let go of him yet, not when she didn’t even know what was tearing them apart.
***
Jake held her for a long time. He tried to tell himself it was because Nikki needed it, but the truth was he needed it, too. The tension of the past two weeks drained him, and he grew weary of the war they waged. They had stumbled too far into a strange, dangerous place where even a simple word could have irreversible consequences. He had loved her since the first time they met and, even as one part of him wanted to lash out and hurt her, another part wanted to sacrifice his pride – sacrifice anything – just to hold onto her.
A soft rap sounded on the door. Jake released Nikki and sat up in the bed as his mother came in. She looked surprised, but not altogether displeased to see him so close to Nikki.
“Hey,” he said, feeling like a high school boy caught making out in his bedroom.
Catherine shot Jake a worried glance when he had to reintroduce her to Nikki. She pulled him aside as the nurse took Nikki’s vitals to ask him about it.
Jake turned his back toward Nikki’s bed so she couldn’t hear his whisper. “It scares me, too, Mom. Luke said that she might do that for a while. She’s had to be reintroduced to him about five times already.”
“The poor thing,” Catherine murmured. The nurse left and Catherine painted on a bright smile. Jake could tell that Nikki was embarrassed at forgetting Catherine’s name, but, to her credit, Catherine soon put her at ease.
“Jake, go home,” his mother said. “I’m staying with Nikki tonight.”
Unforeseen Danger Page 3