She misunderstands. “Fine, I won’t do it again.”
“Good, but you still need to come with me.”
“Did the Hunter General send you?”
“Just come with me, kid. Please.”
“Am I in any trouble?”
“Not that I know of.”
His grave expression drives instant worry into Ella’s heart.
“Did something happen at work?”
Oz doesn’t answer her, and all Ella can think of is how the pensive look on his face is just the same as the look on Maydevine’s face the day he came to her preschool and told her that Jonathan Cross was dead.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Her voice cracks a little. “Is my papa okay?”
“He’s fine.” Oz sighs. “It’s … it’s not him.”
Ella feels another pang—this one stronger—and she hears some words she never wants to hear again.
“It’s Alex.”
PART TWO
Vice
CHAPTER ONE
Antiseptic & Pain
Western Point hospital is sadly becoming a rather familiar place lately.
Ella and Oz had spent the short ride here in relative silence, one not knowing quite what to say to the other. She, consumed with worry. He, confused as to why the Hunter General would’ve sent the order to bring her here in the first place. He has his suspicions, but he doesn’t remember anything at all about that night at Kink Central.
In the hallway outside the emergency room trauma center, Ella waits alone. Alex isn’t dead, she knows that much. If he were, she’d be making her second lifetime trip to the morgue already. Instead, she’s been told to hang tight and wait.
The nurses are unsure what to do with her, since she’s not family and doesn’t have a high enough clearance level to force them to divulge the details of his injuries. So they look upon her with pity as she sits alone in the hallway, biting nervously on her fingernails. Oz was with her for a while, but he’d caught sight of a familiar nurse and disappeared with her into a storage closet.
By the time Ella finally sees Maydevine storming down the hallway in her direction—flanked by two other high-ranking Omega officials—her nails are chewed right down to the pink and have started to bleed.
“Papa!” She leaps to her feet. “Where is he?”
“He’s in surgery.”
“What happened?”
“I blame the Police Division.”
Maydevine scowls as the rather elderly Police Division Commissioner rockets down the hallway in an electric wheelchair.
Ella draws Maydevine’s wandering attention back to her. “It wasn’t Chimera?”
He shakes his head, still glaring at the Commissioner. “It was negligence.”
“Don’t you dare blame my Division for this, you pompous ass,” the Commissioner snarls back at him.
Ella opens her mouth to throw an insult back, but Maydevine preempts her vicious tongue and shoulder checks her out of the way.
“Who erected the scaffolding? Was that me? No. It was you.” Maydevine points a finger of blame at the Commissioner. “So when one of my Hunters almost falls to his death, it’s a matter of your negligence.”
“I don’t see the big deal. You’ve got hundreds more.”
Ella makes a move for him, but Maydevine holds her back by the scruff of her neck.
“What’s your daily loss?” the Commissioner persists. “Half a dozen at peak? More? Who’s counting in a time of war, eh?”
“You’re an ass—”
Maydevine covers Ella’s mouth with his hand before she can say any more. She tries to peel his hand away, but fails. Fortunately, Alex’s surgeon appears and dissolves the escalating tension before someone really gets a chance to speak out of turn.
“Is anyone here family?” He looks around.
“He doesn’t have any,” the Commissioner sneers. “So if you have to put the boy down, no-one will mind.”
Ella just about explodes with fury. “Orphans aren’t worthless. Technically, I’m an orphan. I’d like to see you say to my face that no-one would care if I died.”
The Commissioner grimaces at her. “You’re no orphan.” He glares over her shoulder at Maydevine, then back at her. “You’re a bas—”
“Hold your tongue,” Maydevine barks at the Commissioner. “Your quarrel here is not with my daughter.” He turns back to the doctor. “How’s the boy doing?”
“He has a concussion and a broken pelvis. His right hip was completely shattered, so we had to replace it with a prosthetic. His spine wasn’t broken, thankfully, otherwise his prognosis would’ve been much worse. One of his ribs was pushed out of place and it punctured a lung on the way here. The lung collapsed and they had to intubate him en-route, but he’s breathing by himself again now.”
“Will there be any permanent damage?”
“What the General means,” the Commissioner interjects, “is will he be able to return to work in a timely manner? Or shall the Hunter Division prepare itself to sign away a lifetime of disability checks?”
“My only concern is for the boy,” Maydevine assures them all, perhaps for Ella’s benefit.
“He’ll need twelve weeks for the bones to set, and at least four months of recuperation thereafter.” The doctor consults his notes. “My recommendation would be that he commence a back-to-work program at that time, with minimal exertion, to build his strength back up without putting too much stress on the joints. He could probably return to the line a month or two after, provided that he keeps regular appointments with a physical therapist until then.”
“Can we see him?” Ella hopes.
“He just woke up after four hours in surgery. He needs rest, but you can give him five minutes.”
The Commissioner waves a dismissive hand in the air. “Count me out. As long as he’s not dead, I’ve got no business here.”
“Good riddance,” Ella mutters under her breath.
The doctor leads Ella and Maydevine to Alex’s room, whereupon he excuses himself to attend to another patient. Maydevine expects Ella to rush inside, but she hesitates.
“Go ahead,” he urges her.
Still, she doesn’t move.
Silence.
All of a sudden, she throws herself at him with a hug. “Thank you for sending Oz after me.”
She leaves out the fact that, had he not done so, she may well have been lying in her own hospital bed at this very moment. Or worse, taking up valuable freezer space in the morgue.
Maydevine reciprocates the embrace, then checks his watch and pulls away from her. “Let’s have this conversation later, okay?”
“You’re leaving?”
“Give the boy my regards. I’ve shut down the whole sector, pending an internal investigation, and I have some other business to attend to.”
“What happened out there, Papa?”
“He fell from some scaffolding while he was watching the perimeter.”
“An accident?”
“I hope so. Otherwise, I’ll make the Police Division pay for its mistake.”
Suddenly sad, Ella drops her head. “He was going to talk to you today. He wanted to make everything official.”
“I know, kid. He told me this morning.”
Tucking stray hair behind her ear, Maydevine straightens her ponytail and finds a patch of matted, sticky hair. It leaves a deep red, gooey residue on his fingers.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Ella avoids eye contact. “I think I fell in some dirt.”
Maydevine knows better than that, but he doesn’t dare ask. Ignorance sometimes truly is bliss, and he deliberately ignores the discrepancies in the facts. Namely that mud is neither red, nor is it the consistency of syrup.
He kisses the top of her head. “Be careful, kid. Please.” He sighs. “I couldn’t stand to lose you.”
Guilt brings out Ella’s tears. Maydevine doesn’t know that, though. He thinks she’s sobbing for Alex. Either way, pub
lic displays of tenderness make him feel uncomfortable. He wouldn’t ever want people to think of him as soft, so he makes an off-hand comment about her not being late for dinner and leaves her there to wipe away her tears.
One.
Two.
Three.
Ella works herself up to it.
Summoning all the strength she has left, she tries hard not to let the distress and worry show on her face when she finally slips inside Alex’s hospital room.
It smells like antiseptic and pain, and Alex is lying flat on the bed with intravenous saline and morphine drips in one arm. He looks so fragile, and Ella is almost afraid to approach him. As if he senses her standing there, he turns to look at her.
He’s barely awake and heavily drugged.
“Hey, stranger,” he rasps.
He reaches out to her, and the gesture prompts more tears. She’s not used to seeing him weak and vulnerable, and she can’t help but feel unnerved by it. She scoops his bruised hand up in hers and presses it to her cheek.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“I don’t know that ‘okay’ is the right word.”
“Maybe not, but you will be. It’ll take time, but you’ll be fine.”
She’s putting on a brave face, he can tell.
“Who told you about the accident? Did Maydevine send for you?”
Ella nods. “I came as soon as I heard.”
“Where is the old man?”
“Chastising the Police Division on your behalf.” A single tear escapes. “You could’ve been killed.”
“But I wasn’t.” Alex clutches her hand. “In fact, I’m pretty sure that a kiss from you could make it all better.”
“You think?”
“It’s worth a try, no?”
His cheeky smile cheers her, and she ventures in closer for a kiss. Leaning over the bed, she presses her lips over his and they share as much passion as they’re able to without causing him physical pain.
Beginning to get carried away in the moment, she slides a hand over his chest and accidentally presses on his sore ribs. He winces, and she immediately retracts.
“Oops. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m far too delicate for my own good right now.”
Attempting to reassure her, he gives her shoulder a firm squeeze—and now it’s her turn to wince. In her worry for Alex’s wellbeing, she’d forgotten all about her own injuries. Sometime between the beginning of the second fight and the end of the third, she’d pulled a muscle in her shoulder. It hadn’t felt like much at the time, but now it’s throbbing and burning.
She tries to look away from him, but it’s too late: he already saw the discomfort and guilt on her face.
“Oh, no.” He sighs. “What did you do this time?”
“I got into a fight, that’s all. It’s nothing serious.”
“Why am I not in the least bit comforted by that?”
“It was just a one-time thing.”
“Do me a favor and just keep yourself out of trouble until I’m back on my feet, okay?” Alex rubs her leg instead. “Being so impotent makes me uneasy. I don’t want to check in with broken bones and leave here with an ulcer.”
Ella is quick to snatch up this opportunity for a change of subject. “How long are you going to be in here for anyway? Did they tell you yet?”
“I’m on bed rest for six weeks. I’m not even allowed to go pee by myself.”
“How long before you can resume … umm … certain physical activities?” She manages to make herself blush.
Alex deliberately misunderstands.
“Kickboxing, you mean?”
“If you ever kick my box, you’re a dead man.”
He tries to laugh, but is quickly reminded that laughter is off-limits. “I’m going to be out of commission for about three months, give or take. Can you wait that long?”
He’s half-teasing. He doesn’t expect for a second that she wouldn’t be willing to wait for him, and she doesn’t disappoint him with her answer.
“I’m sure we can think of some other ways to enjoy each other in the meantime.”
She leans back in for another kiss, but before their lips connect, the door swings open and a nurse peeks her head into the room.
“Two more minutes.” She wags a finger at Ella. “This young man needs his rest.”
Obediently, Ella prepares to leave.
“I should go anyway. You’re probably wrecked.”
She tries to step away from the bed, but Alex holds her back.
“Not so fast. What’re you doing tomorrow?”
“I’ve got no official plans. You?”
“Not much. I thought I might parasail off the side of the building, do cartwheels all the way home, then spend the rest of the day doing jumping jacks. Alternatively, I could just lie here and stare at the ceiling. I haven’t decided yet.”
Ella’s glad that he’s able to retain his sense of humor. “Do you need me to bring you anything?”
He yawns. “Some creature comforts from my apartment would be nice: toothbrush, blankets, music, Superman—use your imagination.”
“I’ll do it, and gladly, but you’ll need to file a temporary access permit with the Police Division first. Otherwise, I won’t even be able to get into your building, never mind your apartment.”
“That’s not true. You’re on the guest list.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I put you on my authorized persons list.”
“When?”
“Last night, while you were sleeping.”
“Are you serious?”
Alex is starting to get very drowsy. He can barely keep his eyes open.
“I wanted to make sure you felt like you had complete access to me. I didn’t want to deny you anything. Not after all the bullshit I put you through.”
The sentiment stirs up more tears, but Ella successfully suppresses them.
“I know you spoke to Maydevine this morning. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry it took so long,” he whispers, closing his eyes.
“Never mind that now. I just want you to get better.”
The nurse reappears. “Shoo!” She waves her hands at Ella. “Your minutes are up.”
Ella begins to back away from the bed. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
By the time she reaches the doorway, he’s already asleep.
CHAPTER TWO
Foolhardy
Until the moment Ella swipes her wrist to gain access to Alex’s apartment, she’s still not convinced that it’ll work.
She holds her breath as it reads her tag, and she only exhales after it accepts her credentials. Slightly surprised, she lets herself inside and begins the hunt for anything she thinks he might appreciate.
Toothbrush.
Music player.
A handful of Superman comics.
A comfy sweater, in case he gets cold.
His laptop, to help ease the boredom.
She piles everything into a hold-all and gets ready to leave, but she becomes distracted by the bed sheets. Left in a state of disarray after their night together, the bed still smells like them. It smells like their sex and his cologne, and she stops to rest her head against his pillow, just for a moment.
Only …
That moment fades into another … and another … and another, until Sunday morning daylight breaks in through the bedroom window, and she’s awoken by the slam of the front door and the sound of a female voice.
Celia.
Rising slowly from the bed, Ella eavesdrops on Celia’s phone conversation.
“No, he broke his pelvis … I’m at his place now … Yeah, I’m still on his authorized persons list. If he really wanted to break up with me, he’d have locked me out. Right? … Oh, he’s got this silly little crush on the Hunter General’s daughter … Yeah, can you believe that? He’s fucking obsessed with her. It’s pathetic … He’ll come running back to me when he realizes she—”
> There’s no end to that sentence.
Celia turns to see Ella standing in the entranceway to the living room.
“I’ll have to call you back.” Celia hangs up and glares at Ella. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“None of your damn business.”
“You’re trespassing.”
“Me?” Ella snorts, slinging the hold-all over her shoulder. “Alex knows I’m here. Can the same be said for you?”
Celia senses a change in Ella since the last time they met. Since the day she turned sixteen, Ella’s carried weapons with her everywhere: J.C.’s HK USP, and the hunting knife given to her by Alex.
Celia’s eyes drop down to the weapons, and then back up to Ella’s unquestionably angry face. “Would you like to talk this out?”
“What do you suppose we have to talk about?”
“We seem to have a common interest. How about we start there?”
“I win, you lose. End of.” Ella dusts off her hands.
“You’re sure about that?”
“If the journalist in you demands proof, you’re more than welcome to go and smell the scent of victory in the bedroom.”
If Celia is shocked to know that they’ve already slept together, she conceals it well.
“You’re out of your depth.”
“I can swim.”
Celia shakes her head. “You’re a temporary distraction, that’s all. It won’t last.”
“You sound pretty confident for a reject.”
Ella steps closer, testing Celia’s determination.
Celia holds her ground. “You’re going to back off, and you’re going to do it now. Otherwise, things are going to get painfully complicated.”
Ella steps closer still. “Are you threatening me?”
“Alex is a second line Hunter Division Commander, and he has the potential to run the entire Division someday. Do you really expect him to give up everything he’s ever worked for just so that he can screw you? Believe me, the novelty of fucking the Hunter General’s daughter will wear off sooner than you think.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Celia squares up to her. “Do you think I’m at all intimidated by you?”
“I want you to leave.”
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