by Eva Luxe
Willow grabbed my hand. “Darien, please don’t hurt her. Y-you’re not like her. You’re better.”
Willow had a kind heart. But Morgan was about to take me into dangerous territory. She should be grateful instead of hating Willow— right now Willow was the only thing keeping me from coming down hard on her.
“I won’t. Get some rest.”
“How the hell could both my brother and I be victims of car crashes, so close together?” she mumbled, but she listened to my instructions, nestling her head back down into her pillow.
“Yours was not an accident,” I reminded her. “Don’t forget that. It makes things a lot less coincidental.”
I called Jerry’s wife to spend the night with Ariel, then settled into my bed in the same private room as Willow, with our beds pushed together so we could hold hands. I wasn’t a billionaire for nothing.
After a long night of being woken up every two hours, I slipped my hand from hers and rubbed her leg. I stepped into the hallway and took out my phone. It had a few scuffs on it, but it was still operational. Before I could even dial, the screen lit up.
It was Jerry, so I answered.
“Jerry? I was just about to call you.”
“Really? Did they already show up?”
I leaned on the wall.
“What are you talking about?”
“The courts. She said she had a video of you sleeping with the nanny, and that she was just one of dozens of women you flaunted in front of Ariel at home, even with Ariel there.”
“And they bought that?” I asked. “Even though she had no video to show them?”
“I guess so,” Jerry said in disgust. “Judge ruled in her favor. They’re coming over to take Ariel. She’s got full custody.”
My grip intensified around the phone. “What? No, they can’t take her! Not my daughter! What the hell happened?”
“Damn it Darien, I’ve been digging hard to find dirt on her ass. She’s no fucking saint, but everything keeps turning up clean.”
“Bribery.” I swore. “She’s using the money I’ve been giving her. She’s keeping people quiet.”
“I know. The hearing is in two more days, so if there’s any dirt I can bring up, I’ll have it by then. That’s our last chance.”
“I’m not home. I’m at the hospital. Morgan hired someone to hit our car.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. But I also know it was her. What time are they going to get Ariel?”
“The papers say noon today,” Jerry said sighing.
“I’ll be there.”
The doctor came by to check us out, checking our heads, our vision, or reflexes.
“You’re free to go,” he finally said. “I suggest that you drink plenty of liquids before re-introducing heavy food back into your diet. The nurse will be right in with your discharge papers.”
The doctor left, but Willow was still planted on the bed and looked up at the clock.
“What’s wrong, Willow?” I asked, placing my face near hers for some added comfort and support.
“They’re going to cut his machine off soon.” She swallowed. “A few weeks ago, my mother said in two months they would cut him off. But I thought he’d be better by now, even after we moved him to the nursing home.”
“I can stop it—”
“No, don’t.” She exhaled deeply and wiped a hand across her face. “I finally realized something. Sam needs to be free. Even if it’s without me. I was being selfish by keeping him hooked up to those machines.”
I cupped Willow’s cheeks. “Don’t do this to yourself. You love him. That’s your family. Cry if you need to.”
Willow trembled in my arms. I held her tighter. I was going to be here when the going got rough.
“What if he was in pain?” Willow asked, her voice cracking up.
“Willow—”
“No, my mom was right. I don’t want to let him go. But I have to.” She buried her face into my chest and I held her protectively against me.
“What time do they take him off?”
“Three o’clock.”
“You should be there.” I began to rub her back. It was cruel reality that time was ticking for both of us to lose one of the people we cared about most.
“I can’t watch them do that.” She shook her head.
“You can. You should. I’ll be there with you. But I think Sam would like that.”
Willow’s sobs abated, and she looked up at me. “You’ll come with me?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you,” she sniffled, wiping her eyes. “That’s the only thing that makes any of this any better. To not have to go through it alone.”
“I know exactly what you mean. And I feel the same way.”
Chapter 28 – Darien
I returned home with Willow and Ariel came running from the front door into my arms. I spun her around and placed her back on her feet. I’d be damned if I gave up Ariel this easy. Reputation my ass. The only thing I cared about right now was my renewed family.
“Willow! Daddy!” she cried. “I missed you two!”
Willow bent down to give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. “Ariel, it’s so good to see you again. You’re just as beautiful as you were when I last saw you.”
“Why’d you leave? You didn’t say goodbye.”
Willow sighed and glanced up at me. “I had an emergency. But I’m back now and I’m not leaving.”
“Ah, Mr. Thrilling, I’m glad you’re back,” Mrs. Thompson, Jerry’s wife, said as she hobbled down the steps. She adjusted her glasses and smiled down at Ariel.
“I am too.”
The sound of a car approaching into my driveway came from behind me. I turned around and saw Morgan’s Rolls Royce drag itself toward us. Willow met her glare head on and folded her arms.
“No!” Ariel shouted, hiding behind me. “I don’t wanna go! Why is she here?”
Mrs. Thompson stepped beside me and sucked in a breath. “It’s too early. She isn’t supposed to be here right now. Especially without the sheriff.”
“Daddy, don’t let her take me away!” Ariel begged, gripping my arm. I remembered what she told me.
The locked rooms. The lack of food.
My jaw tightened as I struggled to not lash out at her like a wild beast. Willow was beside me, and that made me stronger. I wasn’t in this alone. She was invested in Ariel’s safety with me. We were there for each other.
Willow patted Ariel’s head and smiled. “Ariel, Daddy and Mommy will protect you.”
“Mrs. Thompson,” I said grimly, “take Ariel inside for me, please.”
“Yes. Come on, dear.” Mrs. Thompson said, holding her hand out so Ariel could take it. The two of them went up the stairs and disappeared behind the double doors.
Morgan got out of her car and slunk over with her overbearing perfume corrupting the surrounding air. I coughed and rubbed my temples.
Divorce couldn’t happen soon enough.
“Well, look at you two… walking,” she sneered.
“Look bitch,” Willow snarled. “Step one foot near Ariel and—”
“And what?” Morgan challenged.
“Willow, let me handle this,” I said, walking between them. I loved how fierce she was, but I couldn’t let her get hurt. “Morgan, I know you’re behind that car accident yesterday.”
“An accident. Oh heavens, not me.” Morgan thrust her hands on her hips with a coy smile. She thought she got away with it. Did she forget I was richer than her? Whoever she used wouldn’t mind ratting her out for a higher payment.
“Your sarcasm is pathetic,” Willow hissed.
“Give me my daughter,” Morgan demanded, throwing her chin up.
“Over my dead body,” I said. “You’re not supposed to be here until noon.”
“An hour early isn’t better? Doesn’t it show I’m a good mommy?”
“Good mother, my ass,” Willow muttered, shaking her head in disgust.
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“Shut your trap, whore,” Morgan shot back.
“Do not ever call her that again,” I said coldly. “If anything, there’s one whore I see. And that’s you. You’re a money whore, a bad mother, and a bad person.”
“Call me what you want, but Ariel’s mine.”
“You can’t even address your daughter like she’s a living thing and not an object,” Willow scoffed. “She wasn’t kidding when she said you’re not her real mother.”
“The court saw the video,” Morgan jeered. “They gave me full custody. Now I’ll wait here for my little object or else someone’s going to jail.”
“For God’s sake, Morgan!” I said. “There’s no video. You didn’t show it to anybody. And nobody believes you. Just…just stop, okay? While you have a shred of dignity left.”
A car started up the driveway, and we all looked over. It was a sheriff’s department car, flashing lights and all. The deputy inside stomped out of his car and trudged over to us.
“Mrs. Morgan Thrilling?”
She sent a smirk toward me, then answered the deputy. “Yes.”
“You’re under arrest," the deputy barked.
I held Willow close to me while Morgan was turned around and handcuffed. The sound of the cuffs clinking around her wrists satisfied my anger.
“Under arrest?! No, you’re wrong, the court said to—”
“The court said to wait for me to take you here. Otherwise you’ve violated the restraining order, and now you’ve got to go to jail. There will be a hearing tomorrow morning about custody.”
“And gee,” Willow said with saccharine sweetness. “Only one of you has an arrest record. Who’s the bad parent now?”
Morgan screamed and groaned while she was taken to the back of the cruiser and stuffed inside.
Willow turned to me with a grin on her face. “That was the best thing I’ve seen all day.”
Chapter 29 – Willow
It was a victory, albeit a temporary one.
I looked at my phone while I sat in the living room. It was now two fifteen and Darien was getting ready to take me to Sam.
This whole thing didn’t feel real. I resented my parents deeply for coming to this decision so early.
But then again…
Sam deserved to have comfort and peace. He didn’t deserve to be hooked up to a bed at a greedy hospital, forced to straddle the line between life and death all because of a silly hope that “maybe he’ll wake up.”
I had come to tell myself that I needed to grow up and accept this fact.
If Darien weren’t here, I’d skip out on it. Seeing that heart monitor fall flat would tear me to pieces.
“Ready?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I’ll never be. This day will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“This wasn’t your fault,” Darien reminded me.
“Why does it feel like it then?” I inhaled a sharp breath in an attempt to keep control of my emotions.
“Because you love your brother. It’s only natural. Come, we don’t want to be late.”
Ariel stopped us before we left. Mrs. Thompson was close behind.
“Mommy, Daddy, where are you going?” she asked us with big eyes.
Darien went down on one knee next to her. “To say goodbye to one of Willow’s relatives. He’s going to another place.”
“Can I come? I want to meet him too.”
“Not this time, Ariel.” He pulled her into a gentle hug. “Be good and we’ll come back and order some of that greasy pizza you love so much.”
“Yay! I want extra, extra cheese!”
“Thank you again, Mrs. Thompson,” Darien said, standing. “Jerry has a good wife on his hands.”
“No problem. You two be careful.”
She looked at us meaningfully, but I figured we were pretty safe with Morgan behind bars.
On the way there I kept silent.
I told Darien to keep the radio off. I just needed quiet. No amount of noise could drown out the pain thundering through my chest right now. It would only make it worse.
When we arrived at the hospital, Darien parked the car and got out. I didn’t. I was stuck to the seat, panicking, unable to move.
Darien walked over to my side of the car and opened the door. My bottom lip trembled as I fought back the urge to cry.
With great patience and understanding, Darien bent down and turned my chin so I would look at him. “Willow, please. You can do this.”
“I can’t.” My bones rattled, threatening to malfunction and turn to stone.
“Sam would appreciate it. I know it.”
I sighed and finally got out the car. Darien’s warm hand wrapped around mine while we walked in and found our way up to his room.
Mom and Dad were there. They turned around, and their mouths fell open.
“Willow, you’re here!” my mom gasped. “And you’ve… brought a friend.”
“This is Darien.” I had to wait while Darien shook their hands and murmured his condolences. Why did he have to be so charming? “Let’s just get this over with.”
“He’s not family,” Mom said. “No offense, Darien, but I only want family in the room with us.”
I was sure she probably disapproved due to our huge age difference.
“Darien’s with me,” I said coolly. “I want him there.”
My mom looked at him again. “Aren’t you the guy who hired her to babysit your daughter?” She demanded.
“I am indeed,” said Darien.
“What in the hell?” My mom demanded. “I don’t know what kind of a so-called ‘friend’ this is, Willow, but I will not put up with this.”
The doctor apparently overheard our argument, because he said, “I’m sorry but, unless he’s family, he’s not actually allowed inside.”
“Then I’m not—” I started to say.
“I’m her husband,” Darien interrupted. “Doesn’t that qualify?” Darien said to the doctor.
“Husband? Willow, you got married and didn’t tell us?” my mother cried, pressing her hand over her heart.
“Let’s focus on Sam,” my father said gruffly. I couldn’t agree more.
I squeezed Darien’s hand, grateful for what he had said. Normally I wouldn’t condone it but these were not normal circumstances, at all.
The doctor opened the room, and we filed in. We had dreaded this day, but it had to come. His injuries were just too severe. I was going to miss him. Sam was a pest sometimes, but he was my pest, my brother.
“I know some of you held onto the belief that he’d wake up. But with a heavy heart, I turn off the machine. He might continue to breathe on his own for a few minutes, or he might be unable to do even that. He won’t feel any pain, and he will be at peace soon. Any last words?”
“Wake up, Sam, it’s not too late,” I said to Sam, rubbing his hand.
The doctor looked at my mother and father.
“We love you, son” my father said, clearing his throat. My mother broke into tears, choking back loud sobs.
“Okay… here we go.”
The doctor turned a knob on the machine and the lights turned off.
Sam’s breathing became erratic, irregular after the slow rhythm of the machine. And his hand twitched!
“Sam? Doctor, his hand moved!” I exclaimed.
The doctor took out his pen light, pushed open Sam’s eyelids, and shone his light into them. “We do have some responsiveness,” he conceded. “But please, don’t read too much into it. It might just be a reflex or a spasm. It might not mean anything.”
If it were someone else, it might not, but this was Sam. He was coming back to me. I felt for sure he had heard me. He knew it was now or never, and this was it. Just like when we were little and I would threaten to leave him behind if he didn’t hurry up with his fishing pool and come to the creek with me. I grinned up at Darien, who wrapped his arms around me.
“Well, I’m not leaving now!” I declared.
I f
elt giddy with joy. And yes, I knew it could be days or weeks until Sam improved, but I knew for sure that he would. I also knew I was in this for the long haul. And with Darien by my side, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about money.
So, we pulled in chairs, sat, talked, paced, tried to get Sam to repeat his hand movement. Darien bought us dinner— not hospital food, but some covered dishes that I swore must have been catered. He ran to the hospital gift shop for us, bought magazines and books and silly stuffed animals that were made for kids twenty years younger than my brother.
Mrs. Thompson brought Ariel up, and I thought that if anything would persuade Sam to wake up, it would be the high, sweet little voice saying, “Please wake up, Mr. Sam. I want you to drive me in the Lambo, because Mommy is too slow, and I want to go fast.”
I saw my parents’ eyebrows raise at her use of “Mommy,” but didn’t explain. That could wait.
Still, punk that he was, Sam kept us all waiting, until finally at midnight, I turned to Mom and Dad.
“Look, we don’t know how long this is going to be,” I said. “It could be weeks, and it’s been a hell of a day. Why don’t you two get some rest in the hospitality room, and if anything changes, I’ll call you.
Darien frowned at that. “You need your rest, too” he said, looking meaningfully at my belly.
“They can relieve me at, say, five o’clock,” I suggested, “and then I’ll sleep.”
My parents finally agreed to get some rest, and now I just had to work on Darien. “You need to go home too,” I instructed him. In the back of my mind, I wondered where I got off instructing billionaire Darien Thrilling about anything, but he didn’t seem to mind. “You have the hearing tomorrow.”
He frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m staying.”
I rolled my eyes. He could be so stubborn! “Okay, then, Mr. Moneybags,” I said. “Can you make sure my parents are set up in a comfortable hospitality suite, have their phone chargers, all that? They don’t think of things like that.”
He looked at me suspiciously. “Of course,” he said, his eyes on mine. “But then I’m coming right back.”
“Fine!” I huffed in exasperation, but I also kind of loved how he took care of me.