Protecting My Forever (Blackthorne Security Book 1)

by Nicole Vidal

  “Relax, we don’t know anything yet,” Jake mumbles from beside me.

  “Trying,” I mutter. Truly I am. I realize the amount of time I’ve known Connor doesn’t amount to much for many people. For someone like me who has lost her entire family in a televised blink, I refuse to waste time on other’s opinions. I want a life with Connor, and I don’t care how anyone else feels other than him.

  We’re escorted into a waiting room by a nurse on the fourth floor. “The doctor should be in to see you in a bit. The petite woman who came in with him went to get some coffee.”

  “Thank you.” I manage before falling into one of the chairs. Alex is to my right with Finn and Jake hovering to my left.

  Maia returns about fifteen minutes later. “Hey. I wasn’t expecting you guys to be here.”

  “She’s very persuasive,” Jake shares.

  Maia grins. “Yes, she is.”

  I hope she’s talking about Nolan and divulging her feelings to him.

  “Do you have any more information, Maia?” Jake asks her.

  “Kincaid shot him in the right flank. I didn’t see an exit wound at the airport. When we got here, they wheeled him away and brought me here.”

  A chill runs through me again knowing Connor was shot working to protect me. I can’t lose him. I didn’t doubt his admission that he would protect me even if it would be the last thing he did. Truthfully, I wasn’t aware the threats would rise to this level at that time. I didn’t believe it would even be a possibility.

  While we wait, Jake wears a hole in the floor with his pacing. My fingernails drumming into the arm of the chair will make indentations eventually. Alex and Finn look calm, and Maia is deep in thought.

  The door swings open and a doctor enters the room. His name tag reads Dr. Hinkley. “The Michelson family.”

  “Yes. I’m his brother,” Jake says with authority. I wouldn’t question him.

  The doctor’s gaze slides around the group before he speaks. He doesn’t plan to call Jake out. Maia’s hand grips mine. “The bullet grazed his gallbladder, leaving a moderate laceration, and then lodged in his right kidney. We removed his kidney and repaired the laceration to his gallbladder. Overall, he was lucky. He’s in recovery and should wake in the next fifteen to thirty minutes. Two of you can go back there to wait with him.”

  “Thank you. Should we follow you?” Jake asks.

  The doctor shakes his head. “Nurse Taylor should be here—”

  “Hey there, I’m Taylor. Thanks, doc. Right this way.”

  The doctor shakes his head and exits the room. I inhale and slowly exhale as we walk toward Connor.

  “Again,” Jake mumbles.

  I repeat it again. It isn’t really helping. Even knowing Connor will be fine eventually, I need to hold him to be sure.

  Jake stops me before I step into the room. “Did he share anything with you about our third tour in Afghanistan?”

  “Yes, he told me about Adams, Carter, and Jones and the injuries you both suffered.”

  If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it. “He doesn’t handle anesthesia well. Expect him to be belligerent until he’s fully awake,” Jakes shares.

  I acknowledge his words. “Thank you for risking him being angry with you.”

  “Sending him to work with you is one of the top three of business and personal decisions I’ve ever made.”

  “He might agree with you,” I admit.

  Jake smiles. “I know he does. Please take care of him, Callie.”

  “I plan to as long as he will have me.”

  Jake pushes open the door and waits for me to enter first. Nurse Taylor follows us inside. There are tubes and wires running around his body and oxygen in his nose. The blanket is tucked around him at his armpits, his arms against his sides. I round to the far side of the bed and slide my hands over his. His hand closes around mine. It’s taking everything in me not to draw the sheet down and check him out from head to toe myself. I will as soon as we’re out of this hospital.

  “You can talk to him. It will help rouse him.” Taylor leaves the room. I release his hand and pull a chair beside the bed.

  Jake’s phone vibrates in his hand. I stop listening after I hear him greet Cruz. I barely notice when he steps out of the room.

  I retake Connor’s hand and quietly talk to him. “Connor, I don’t have adequate words to articulate how much I want to strangle you and kiss you senseless right now. It doesn’t make any sense. Either way, I don’t want to be without you, so waking up soon would be preferable.” I lower my head onto his thigh with his hand still in mine. My eyes flutter closed, and I take a few settling breaths.

  Chapter Forty Five

  Connor

  My angel. I hear my angel, but she sounds so far away. I feel her hand in mine. I squeeze her hand and attempt to call out for her, but the words get caught in my throat. Everything except her is foggy. If I can get to her, everything will be fine. I muster the strength to tighten my grip on her hand again and force my eyes open. Her head lifts from my thigh, and her gorgeous jade eyes capture mine.

  “Hi,” I mumble.

  “Hi.” She presses her lips to the top of my hand, and I bend it at the elbow to bring her closer to me. Without a word, she cups my face and kisses me softly. “How are you?”

  “I’ve been worse.”

  The door opens and a cheerful nurse enters the room. “Good, you’re awake. I’m Taylor. Your doctor will be in to talk with you in a few minutes. Do you need anything?”

  “To get out of here,” I offer in a serious tone.

  “Well, that will be up to the doctor, but given your injuries, I would say you’ll be here for at least two days.”

  My mind might be foggy and my body aching, but I know two days won’t work for Calliope. She needs to leave tomorrow night at the latest.

  She turns my face to hers. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Couldn’t stop even if I wanted to.”

  Taylor asks again, “Do you need anything?”

  “Some water would be appreciated, thank you,” I reply.

  “No problem. I’ll let Dr. Hinkley know you’re awake and ready to bolt out of here.”

  I shake my head, and she slips out the door. “Come here, gorgeous.” I pat the bed and slide to the right.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t.” Not only am I sure she won’t hurt me physically, but emotionally too. She makes me stronger.

  Carefully she climbs onto the bed and rests her head on my shoulder and sidles against me. I wrap my arm around her back and draw her as close as I can. We enjoy a few minutes completely alone in my hospital room in comfortable silence. I’m sure she has so many questions about what happened or how to handle her tour stop in Atlanta. She’s carefully cataloguing everywhere she can touch without moving too much.

  Twenty minutes later, Jake enters my room. “Hey, C.”

  “Jake. What is the latest?”

  He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about that right now. You’re barely awake.”

  Calliope chuckles beside me. “He already asked when he can go home.”

  “That request was for you,” Jake admits.

  “I know.” Calliope directs her reply to Jake. “We can talk about that more after his doctor updates us again.”

  “Seriously, Jake. What did Cruz and Christoph learn from Kincaid? My brain is fine.”

  Jake laughs. “Christoph is concerned that Kincaid claims his boyfriend, Kellerman, reached out to Carys and was offered a time to talk to her in Chicago, but it was cut short. Apparently—”

  The door opens and Jake stops sharing. Dr. Hinkley enters the room with Taylor and my water. “How are you feeling, Mr. Michelson?”

  “I’ve been worse.”

  “Has your wife updated you on your surgery?” Dr. Hinkley asks.

  My wife. Calliope Michelson. Not yet, but as soon as possible.

  “I’m—” Calliope starts to r
espond.

  I dig my fingers into her lower back. “No, she didn’t. I’ve haven’t been awake that long.”

  He nods. “Very well. The bullet nicked your gallbladder and lodged in your right kidney. We removed your kidney and repaired the laceration. Otherwise, no major internal damage. The casing will be turned over to the NYPD once they arrive. Nurse Taylor indicated you’re ready to go home. As far as getting out of here, I need you to stay at least overnight. I’ll reevaluate you tomorrow afternoon to determine if you can handle the rest of your recovery at home.”

  “Thank you.”

  Dr. Hinkley leaves, and Taylor sets a cup of water on the table. “Are you hungry? I can have the kitchen send up some crackers and broth for you and food for her.”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “I’ll be back in about two hours to get you up and walking,” Taylor informs me.

  “Looking forward to it.” I attempt to sit up. As much as I don’t want her to, I need Calliope to move so I can sit up and drink. Before I can ask, she presses a kiss to the side of my chest above my tattoo and slides off the bed. Despite my chiseled physique and penchant to run toward danger, I’m clearly not a superhero. A constant ache niggles at me as I push to sit up, and that’s with whatever pain medication they gave me during surgery.

  Once I resettle and Calliope adjusts my pillows. I drink while Jake continues his update.

  “Someone promised Kellerman time to speak with Carys alone in Chicago. When Bruce cut it short, Kellerman sent the threat. He hasn’t acted on it. According to Callie, Pamela Gaines handles the incoming letters and website inquiries.”

  She’s shaking her head. “This is my fault. You were shot because of me.”

  “Baby, stop. Come here.” She complies, and I turn her gaze to mine. “This isn’t your fault.”

  Fire flashes in her eyes. “You’re wrong! I asked Pamela to draft the press release about the real me for after Atlanta. I set this in motion! If she didn’t already know I was Calliope Sutton, I confirmed it for her. She must have reached out to Kellerman to confirm his suspicions about me being Carys. Can you verify that?” Jake nods, and she continues. “If he already knew, then how? Why didn’t Pamela share the information about the meet and greet with me? She must have shared with Bruce, and he didn’t dig any deeper. It means someone else knows who I really am outside of my tightly controlled circle of trust.”

  “Calliope, look at me.” Initially, she doesn’t lift her eyes to meet mine. When she does, I see the tears ready to fall. “This isn’t your fault. You had no way to know Kincaid would take it this far.”

  With significant effort and pain, I pull her back onto the bed with me and hold her against my chest. Fuck! That hurts! It doesn’t matter, I need to comfort her despite the pain. “Baby, breathe. I’ll be fine,” I whisper.

  She nods against my chest but doesn’t lift her head. Jake silently asks if I want him to leave, and I shake my head no. The conversation with Calliope about today’s events isn’t going to be short.

  “What else have Cruz and Christoph learned?” I urge Jake to continue.

  “Kincaid claims that Kellerman wasn’t aware of his actions today. He simply wants to talk to Callie. Kincaid doesn’t know why. We already know that Kellerman was adopted and changed his surname. We also know that his father died like her parents. I don’t see another connection, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”

  “Can you have Blaine check correspondence from Pamela to Kellerman or Kincaid in the last two weeks?”

  “Already put in the request,” Jake replies. “I’m going to switch places with Maia in the waiting room. I’ll be back with an update when I have one.”

  “Thanks, Jake.”

  Once he leaves, I drop a kiss on her head. “Calliope.”

  She twists to look at me. “I’m sorry.”

  “This isn’t your fault. I will say it every single day until you believe me. You couldn’t have known Kincaid is so crazy in love with Kellerman that he would resort to violence to get attention.”

  “But—”

  “No. I’m going to be fine.” I will, but it means she’s going to Atlanta without me. It’s only two shows. The threats are known and contained. Christoph can handle it.

  “I was really scared when I saw that look on Jake’s face.”

  I simply nod, hoping to keep her talking.

  “Don’t be upset with Jake for bringing me here. I threatened to fire Blackthorne and come here alone.”

  “You’re full of fire and sass, aren’t you?”

  “Only when it comes to taking care of you. I couldn’t take care of you from the penthouse. I needed to be here, not that I can actually do anything right now.”

  “But you are. You’re taking care of my heart and mind while the staff takes care of everything else. Thank you,” I assure her.

  Over the next few hours, Maia and the rest of the team stop in for short visits and gentle ribbing about being injured on the job. Cruz and Christoph stop by as well and offer a similar update to Jake’s. Cruz set up an interview with Kellerman in the morning. Taylor kicks everyone out except Calliope, and we walk around the room a bit before taking a leisurely stroll around the surgical floor.

  Near ten, Jake returns with fresh clothes for me and Calliope and spends the night on the pullout in my hospital room. He insists even though the threat to Calliope has likely been eliminated. It doesn’t matter to me. I have my woman cradled beside me in this uncomfortable bed. Tomorrow I’ll leave here and head home. Attending her last tour stop may not be possible, but at least she’s safe now.

  Chapter Forty Six

  Calliope

  The shows in Atlanta must go on despite my interest and thoughtful consideration about cancelling them. I arrive with Christoph and Maia two days late. I convinced Connor that I would prefer Jake stay with him. Leaving Connor was much harder than I anticipated. That isn’t true. It was devastatingly hard. Handling Bruce’s responsibilities and mine made for even longer days prior to my last two shows as Carys for the rest of my life.

  I fired Pamela. Until I finish my tour, all my correspondence is being forwarded to the Blackthorne office. I attempted to keep up with the online messages, but there simply aren’t enough hours in a day. I’ll need to hire an assistant or new publicist after my vacation, maybe both.

  Thankfully, the set is perfect and my team is on point. I’m sure the fact we’ve done this show umpteen times over the last seven months helps. I notice they are calmer as well. I wonder if Bruce was difficult to work with for the technical days before I arrived at tour stops. The first show was great. After a quick shower, I collapse into my bed and call Connor.

  “Hi. How are you doing?”

  “I’m okay. The soreness is bearable, but I’ve kept my movements to a minimum. I miss you, and I wish I was there.”

  I frown. “I miss you too. I’ll be home soon.”

  “I really love that.”

  “Me too.”

  I yawn so big, it borders on rude even if it’s Connor.

  “Go to sleep, gorgeous. I love you. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

  “Fine. I love you. Good night.” I end the call, set an alarm, and sleep until morning.

  My final trip to the venue as Carys is complete. I have checked my costumes, walked through the choreography, and reviewed the song line up.

  “You’re set, doll,” Melissa announces when she finishes my makeup before the meet and greet.

  “Thanks, Mel. I appreciate you stepping in for Shelley.”

  “Of course. I’m glad she’s going to be okay once she’s done with her physical therapy.”

  “Me too.”

  Madeleine is joining me at the meet and greet tonight since she and Olivia are the only members of my executive team that remain on my payroll. I follow Christoph to the meet and greet and officially introduce him to Madeleine. She’s busy setting up the photos for my signature.

  “Christoph, this is my age
nt, Madeleine Wilton. Madi, Christoph Anderson.”

  He’s seen her picture and read her background, I’m sure. The air in this small room gets warmer, exponentially warmer. I’ve never seen Madeleine at a loss for words. She’s a fierce negotiator and even nicer person. Something about Christoph knocks her off her game.

  She extends her hand to him. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  Their eyes lock, and their hands remain clasped for a bit longer than would be reasonable for a casual introduction. They would make a gorgeous couple. Christoph is taller than Connor by a little bit. He has light eyes and a chiseled jaw. That doesn’t even take into account his body. He’s at least as fit as Connor, and that will make Madeleine swoon. Hell, it makes most women hot and bothered. I suppose Connor is right about Norah and me. We want everyone around us to be happy and in love too.

  At the end of the meet and greet, Christoph has me follow Maia to my dressing room. “I set up some dinner for you per Connor’s instructions.”

  “Thanks, you didn’t need to do that.”

  Christoph shakes his head. “He’s the boss and you’re his woman. I’m not missing anything he ordered. I mean… politely requested.”

  I laugh softly. “Thank you.” I turn to walk away, but Madeleine doesn’t follow. She stays to talk to Christoph about who knows what. I follow Maia to the dressing room. She knocks twice, opens the door, and ushers me inside.

  No tears, no tears! “What are you doing here?” I run to Connor and barely refrain from jumping into his arms. I almost miss that Jake and Norah are here as well.

  “I couldn’t miss your last show.”

  I hop onto the coffee table, slide my hands around his face, and kiss him breathless. Even now knowing he’s mine, our kisses are heated and full of passion. I can read between the lines. It’s the last tour stop as Carys. Between kisses, I push out, “Thank you. I love you.”

  He laughs against my lips. “I love you.”

  “Honestly, how are you doing? How did you get here? Have you eaten?”