I huffed out a grim laugh. “Just as well I cancelled then wasn’t it? I can’t concentrate on shit right now. I pay others well to deal with stuff, let them earn their money for a change. Anyway, she just told me she’s going to America, why didn’t you fucking say something?”
Scott stayed quiet for a moment. “She asked me not to. I’m sorry man, but she was adamant you didn’t find out until she’d gone.” If he had just kicked me in the nuts hard it could not have hurt more. I could not believe my wife planned on leaving the country without having the decency to tell me and give me a chance to make things right between us.
I sighed and dropped the necklace back in my pocket. “It’s not your fault. I’m sorry you’ve been stuck in the middle of everything.” I decided to change the subject. Nothing was going to change at that moment, I would just need to devise a plan to get Amber to listen to me and win her back. “Have you had any luck with the CCTV?” Since finding out it was Jenny and Kordell behind everything I’d had my guys, Scott and his team and Max and his contacts doing everything they could to try and find some form of evidence we could use to bring them both down. They’d cost me everything and I planned on returning the favour.
“We’ve checked a few cameras nearby and caught glimpses of them in the area where Amber was attacked around the same time. We have a few more…” I stopped listening when the front door opened and Amber walked out with tears streaming down her face. She’d heard every word of the song. My gut constricted at seeing her pained expression and all I wanted to do was run to her, but I didn’t. I stayed in the car and watched her hoist her large bag over her shoulder and walk down the driveway toward her car. When she reached the driver’s door she turned slightly so I got a good view of her profile. She looked pale and tired and my hands gripped my steering wheel tightly, knowing it was me that had done this to her.
I continued watching Amber’s slow movements, vaguely aware of Scott talking in the background. As she reached for the door handle any colour left in her cheeks suddenly drained away. Her eyes rolled as she swayed and crumpled to the ground.
“Amber!” I yelled, fear racing through me as I jumped from the car and ran toward my wife.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Craig
I held Amber close as I fumbled with the key, eventually securing it in the lock enough that I could turn it and push open the door. The living room seemed so far away at that moment, when all I wanted to do was lay Amber down and call for help. She was limp and motionless and felt so light. It scared the hell out of me.
“Please, Ambs, please wake up,” I said frantically, smoothing her hair away from her face with one hand and grabbing my phone from my pocket with the other. With shaky fingers I dialled Emergency Services and stuttered my way through the details of who, where and why.
The reasons why were a mystery to me. Amber had lost weight since we’d been apart that much was evident. She was certainly a lot paler than I could ever remember, but I didn’t know why. I had no idea of what she’d been doing, or not doing, since we’d separated.
“Craig,” Amber croaked as she stirred next to me, looking up with glazed confused eyes. “What happened?”
“Stay still, Ambs. The ambulance is on its way.” I tried offering a reassuring smile, but I felt anything but reassured.
Everything remained silent and calm around us while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. Amber’s eyes were still glazed over as she randomly moved them from me to the ceiling and back again. She seemed to be struggling to focus on where she was or what was going on.
The sounds of the ambulance’s sirens could eventually be heard in the distance and I sagged in relief. She was awake but I wanted the reassurance of having her checked over to make sure nothing was seriously wrong.
“Oh my God, what happened?” I turned my head in time to see Becki rush into the room. I’d not heard her come in. “What happened?” she asked again moving next to me and trying to nudge me out of the way but I wasn’t moving for anything.
“She fainted when she went to get in her car,” I said and turned my gaze back down to Amber.
“Becki, what are you doing here?” Amber asked. I’d wondered the same thing.
“Scott phoned to say he’d had a weird conversation with Craig. One minute they were talking, the next he was shouting your name and the line went quiet. He was concerned.” She glared at me and I couldn’t understand why. “I was close by so had to come and check everything was okay.” Amber nodded and closed her eyes resting her head back.
“If you’ve done anything to her,” Becki growled under her breath pinning me with her menacing glare.
“I can hear you,” Amber muttered with a small smile.
The sirens became louder until they eventually stopped and a few seconds later there was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Becki said, standing and walking off. I was glad; I didn’t want to leave Amber.
Amber’s eyes slowly reopened and she craned her neck, steadying her gaze on the coffee table behind me. I followed her line of sight and found the picture of our wedding that I’d left there hoping she’d see it and be reminded of what we’d once been.
“I’m so sorry baby,” I whispered and grabbed her hand, holding it tight.
Tears welled in her eyes but she didn’t try and pull her hand away. It was a step in the right direction.
“Mrs Silver, how are you feeling?” The paramedics entered the room with Becki hot on their heels. “Can you tell us what happened?” I stood and moved aside to let the professionals do their work and make sure Amber was okay.
“What did you do?” Becki hissed in my ear.
“Nothing! I’d tried to talk to her but she wouldn’t have it. I left her alone and sat in my car to phone Scott. She just collapsed.” I closed my eyes as the memory of seeing her drop pained me.
“You must have done something.”
“I didn’t. For Christ sake, Becki she said she was moving away, do you know what that did to me?” I looked over to Amber; she was saying something to the paramedics but was looking at me.
Becki shuffled to stand in front of me. “Yeah well if you hadn’t-”
“Don’t say it Becki. I know I fucked up and I’ve regretted it every second since, so don’t be preaching to the converted. I know.”
“Has this happened to her before?” One of the paramedics asked turning to face us. I tried to think back and looked at Amber.
“Once, when her brother was in hospital. That was just due to the circumstances though and she recovered quickly. That was the only time.” They nodded.
“Um… that’s not strictly true,” Becki added.
“When?” I asked, confused. I didn’t remember Amber being like this before.
Becki moved next to Amber when she said, “When she was pregnant, although she didn’t actually pass out. But she came close.”
That was news to me.
“Is there a chance you could be pregnant, Amber?” The blonde sitting next to her asked.
I watched Amber’s face as she considered things. I couldn’t see how, we hadn’t been together in over a month, the last time being that fateful day back in my office.
“Yes,” she whispered and held my gaze.
They continued asking more questions about eating and drinking and my stomach turned when she admitted she’d not been eating properly. I hated myself for doing that to her and I couldn’t move past the fact that Amber might be pregnant.
“Okay, well your blood pressure is a little on the low side but nothing to be concerned about, I don’t think we need to take you to hospital. Do you have a home pregnancy test so you can check to see if that’s the reason?” Amber shook her head.
“Um… yes she does,” Becki added, again causing us all to look at her in question. “I brought her loads last time and she only ever used the one. So unless she has thrown them away they should still be here,” she continued.
“They are in the cupboard in the bathro
om,” Amber said.
“Okay, Amber I suggest you do a test to know for sure. Mr Silver, keep an eye on her and call us back out or take her straight to the hospital if it happens again. And make sure she eats and drinks, her blood sugar levels are on the low side also.” I nodded and watched as the paramedics packed up their stuff. “Good luck Amber,” one said and then they left.
Picking Amber up, I started walking out into the hallway. “Craig, what are you doing?” she shrieked and tried to wriggle free.
“I’m taking you upstairs to do that test and then you need to rest in bed.”
“I can walk. I’ll do a test later when I get back to Becki’s,” she spat.
I stopped half way up the stairs and looked at her. “You’re not going back to Becki’s. You’re not going to the States for that matter either.”
“What? You don’t get to make that decision.”
I continued up the stairs. “You’re staying here, where you belong.”
She continued to try and wriggle free but I kept her held tight and secure in my embrace. I was not letting her go, not this time. Kicking the bedroom door open I walked straight through into the bathroom and sat her on the toilet seat. “Where are they?” I asked, referring to the pregnancy tests.
“This is stupid, Craig. I can do this later.”
“You can do this now,” I said dropping to my knees in front of her. “We need to know, Amber.”
She stared into my eyes for a moment, her indecisiveness playing out across her features. Eventually she sighed and nodded. “They are at the back of the vanity unit.”
I stretched round and opened the cupboard feeling about inside for the boxes. A moment later I was handing Amber three boxes and watching expectantly.
“I can’t do it with you watching me,” she protested when I didn’t make a move to leave. I had no intentions of ever leaving her again. “Craig, go,” she said exasperated.
With a huff I stood and strode to the door. “I’ll be right out here, if you’re not out in five minutes I’m coming back in. Don’t lock the door.” I pulled the door closed behind me and started pacing the bedroom floor.
Becki was sitting on the bed watching me but wisely remained silent. The events of the day were playing out like a tornado around my head and I felt like I was going out of my mind. What if Amber was pregnant? After everything that had happened between us, the thought of it being a possibility hadn’t even entered my mind, but it was. Suddenly I hoped with everything in me that she was. I wanted my wife back and I wanted her carrying our child, I wanted to be a happy family.
When the bathroom door creaked open I was there instantly watching Amber’s face for any hint of the result. “Well?” I asked holding my breath.
“It’s positive,” she whispered.
I dropped to my knees in front of her and tugged her down onto my lap, holding her close. I couldn’t contain my emotion and a month’s worth of pent up frustration, anger and self-loathing came pouring out as I whispered against Amber’s hair over and over how much I loved her and promised to be a good dad and the best husband I could possibly be.
“I love you Ambs, I’m so sorry for everything I put you through. I’m sorry for not supporting you and I’m sorry for being weak and hurting you in the worst possible way. Please forgive me and come home so we can be a proper family. Let me take care of you and the baby?” I moved my hand around to her stomach and rested it gently there, feeling the surge of pride and love in me for what was growing in there.
“You hurt me, Craig,” she whispered.
“I know, and you can’t hate me anymore than I hate myself.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“You don’t?” She shook her head. “Will you stay and let me take care of you, baby?” She didn’t respond and my heart sank. Now more than ever I needed for her to give me a chance to explain what happened and prove to her our futures were together. I sighed and took a deep breath. “Amber, I need to tell you exactly what happened. There is so much more that you don’t understand. It doesn’t excuse my actions but it explains some of it.” She shifted and watched me expectantly as I told her everything.
“Baby, I am so sorry for what I did and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Just please say you’ll come home. Please say we can be a family.”
Amber nuzzled her face into my chest and inhaled deeply before returning her eyes to mine. “I… I don’t know what to say, Craig. I’m scared and confused. This is so much to take in.”
Fight, Craig, Fight. You are not letting her go this time. I rubbed along her back in reassuring strokes. “I know you are, baby and I don’t blame you. I was a fucking idiot and made so many mistakes but I love you and I want you back home. Please, Ambs, please come back to me and let me make everything up to you.”
She sighed and curled into me again. “Okay,” she whispered and my head dropped back, the relief I felt overwhelming me.
As I held Amber against me, rejoicing in the knowledge that I had my wife back where she belonged, Becki stood quietly and left the room with a smile on her face. I hadn’t even realised she was still there. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me to prove to Amber how much I loved her and to regain her trust in me. I vowed to spend every day for the rest of my life doing just that.
EPILOGUE
8 months later/December
Amber
Click!
I smiled to myself as I reviewed the picture on my phones screen. Craig was sitting in front of the ginormous Christmas tree trying to help Annabelle open her present, a signed baby version of his team’s football kit. I giggled as he struggled with the wrapping paper one handed so he could support her on his lap with the other.
Annabelle Hope Silver, light of my life and total daddy’s girl had been born three weeks early in September following some scary complications. Thankfully she entered the world healthy and full of life, and had been running rings round us since. She certainly had Craig wrapped around her little finger.
I snapped another picture as Craig spoke softly down to her and she smiled up at him cooing away. It melted my heart every time.
Things between us had been strained early on in our reconciliation and it had taken me a long time to forgive and start to trust him again. Everyday though, he did something to prove his love and dedication to Annabelle and me and we’d soon been back to our previous loving ways. I truly do believe that Craig learned his lesson this time, he knew what he’d be losing if he was ever stupid enough to lie to or betray me again.
I glanced up from Anna’s adorable chubby face so much like her dad’s, and caught the gaze of Craig. “Thank you, Pingu,” he said smiling at me. “Thank you for the most precious gift in the world. She really is a miracle.” He cuddled her to his chest and made his way over to join me on the sofa. “You and Anna both are the best gifts ever. You both are my world.”
Warmth spread through me at his words. What Craig didn’t understand was that it was the same for me. I couldn’t imagine my life without either of them in it, they were my world.
Craig frowned as his smiled dissipated. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I nearly lost you, Ambs. I nearly threw everything away because I was selfish and drowned away my sorrows with Whiskey. It was stupid.”
“Craig look at me,” he’d diverted his gaze to the twinkling lights on the tree. “Look at me.” He brought his eyes back to mine. “It’s in the past, it doesn’t matter anymore. You’ve shown how sorry you are and proven to me time and time again it won’t happen again.” I held his hand and squeezed gently. “Forever, remember.”
Craig leaned forward and touched his lips to mine. “You know I love you, right?”
I started laughing when Anna began grizzling between us and threw a tiny hand up in frustration. “Looks like someone doesn’t like to share.”
“I think she needs changing.” He scrunched his nose like it was the worst thing in the world ever.
I rolled m
y eyes and reached out for our daughter. “Here, I’ll take her. It’s time for a feed anyway.”
“What time is everyone coming over?” Craig asked as I walked toward the door.
I glanced at the clock on the fireplace. “In about thirty minutes. Just enough time to sort this little one out and get back down.”
We were due to have a house full for our first proper family Christmas. Val and Carly were coming and apparently Carly was bringing her new boyfriend with her. Scott and Becki were coming with six month old Caden, the cutest little blonde haired baby boy I had ever seen. Even at such a young age it was evident he had inherited his mother’s and father’s temperaments. He had us laughing all the time. Marika was coming over with her new boyfriend, Ben. She’d taken my advice and started going out more to meet new people and had run into Ben at a bar one day. They’d been inseparable ever since. It had taken her a while to confide in me because she was worried I would see it as betrayal to James’s memory. I’d laughed and told her to stop being so silly. I was just happy she was happy and Giana had someone who doted on her and treated her as his own. My dad was also coming. He’d struggled in the two years since James’s death but Anna’s birth had seemed to rejuvenate something in him and he was now acting the proud grandpa, spoiling his two granddaughters something rotten.
It was going to be a fantastic day with those I loved most around me, celebrating with me and I couldn’t wait.
I re-emerged downstairs a short while later to the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. I stood in the doorway smiling at the scene in front of me. Val and Carly were at the stove laughing and joking with each other. Becki was sat at the table bouncing Caden on her knees talking to my dad and Marika. Craig was leaning against the island nursing a drink in one hand, his other arm casually hugging his chest as he chatted to Scott and another dark haired guy I could only see from the back. It was a heart-warming sight, watching everyone I loved and who loved me, so happy and relaxed together.
Silver Dove (Silver #2) Page 29