The Darkest Days (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 6)

by Liza O'Connor

  “No!” Vic cried. “He cannot die.”

  “Well, he seems to be of the same mind. I cracked open his chest and repaired the artery, then put him back together, extracted the other two bullets, neither of which penetrated his muscle mass to puncture the lungs.”

  “He’s going to make it,” Vic declared and beamed her gratitude to Connors.

  He shook his head. “While he survived a traumatic surgery, the risk of infection in his current weakened state—”

  “Can we take him home?” Vic asked.

  “No! Vic, you aren’t listening to me. He’s incredibly fragile right now. Even a single sneeze could kill him.”

  “But sick people will be filling your lobby in less than an hour!” she challenged. She wanted him home, away from sick people.

  “My nurse will cancel all our appointments today. We are both in dire need of sleep.

  “And who will watch over Tubs while you’re sleeping?” she demanded. She couldn’t trust him because he had given up.

  “I have a second nurse on staff.”

  “And will you be sleeping nearby so she can retrieve you if necessary?”

  He pointed to either heaven or the floor above.

  “I want to stay and help.”

  “I need you two to go home and sleep. If there's a significant change for better or worse, I will notify you.”

  “Will you call?”

  “I would if you had a phone, but since you don’t, I will send a messenger,” Connors snapped and held to the doorframe, clearly in need of rest.

  Vic ran to him and gripped his arm. “Gregory has a phone. Give him a message for me, not Xavier. Xavier wishes to live in the Stone Age in this matter.”

  When Xavier didn’t yell at the discovery his butler brought a phone into the house, she turned and studied her partner. He appeared to be sound asleep.

  “I’m coming back once I’ve had food and sleep.”

  “I understand,” Connors said and yawned so big his jaw sounded like it was breaking apart.

  “Go to sleep,” she ordered. He was of no value to Tubs in his current state.

  He nodded and stumbled through the back door.

  Vic sighed and returned to Xavier’s side and snuggled against him.

  “We should go,” Xavier muttered.

  “Not until the second nurse arrives,” Vic replied then fell asleep.

  A gentle shake of her shoulder awoke her. She stared up at a worried young woman. “Dr. Connors left me a note to send you home if you hadn’t left by my arrival.”

  “Have you checked on Tubs?” Vic asked.

  “First thing. He has a pulse, but it’s weak.”

  “If he turns for the worst I have to speak to him. To tell him he has to get stronger. I’ll be dead within a week without him.” She paused. “I know that sounds terribly self-centered on my part, but it will motivate him to get better.”

  “That’s true,” Xavier said.

  “I’m sorry, no one can visit him presently. The greatest danger now is the risk of infection…and you two are a mess.” Her hands fell on her hips. “Go home, take a bath, get some sleep. When you wake, take another bath, dress in clean clothes and then I might let you in, depending upon his condition.”

  “She’s right, pup. You are covered in blood and God knows what else. Let’s get you a bath, food, and sleep. Tubs knows how hard it is to keep you alive. He’ll fight tooth and nail to hang on.”

  Xavier’s positive outlook cheered her greatly. Once they were in her carriage, driven by a very tired Casey, she hugged Xavier for his comment.

  “I’m glad you’ve stopped being a pessimist.”

  “I recalled when I was shot and dying in a dreary tenement building. I could have easily given up days before you found me, but your image floating in my head wouldn’t let me leave.” He pressed his lips to her temple. “If Tubs has any say, he will not leave you, because he knows he is the only person who can keep you safe.”

  When they entered the house, Gregory’s voice rang out. “Victor!”

  Victor cringed, they had unlocked the door and entered without waiting for Gregory to be a butler. However, before Vic could apologize, Gregory yelled at Xavier. “What is wrong with you? Take him to Connors at once!”

  “The blood isn’t his, it’s Tubs,” Xavier snapped. “We both require a bath, food and sleep.”

  A female gasp and then a heavy thump distracted everyone from their bickering. Sara lay on the floor in a heap.

  Vic stumbled to her. “Sara, Tubs is not dead. He’s not going to leave us. He’s got too many reasons not to die.” Vic looked up to Gregory. “Get me some salts so I can wake her up and tell her Tubs is not dead.”

  “I’ll give her the message. You need a bath,” Gregory said.

  “I’ll get a damn bath after I tell her.”

  Xavier pulled her off the floor. “Vic, you are covered in his blood. Let Gregory handle this.”

  “Oh…” She looked up at Gregory. “Tell her Tubs is alive against impossible odds. He knows we won’t survive without him.”

  Gregory touched her cheek. “I will tell her. Now go before anyone else sees you, or I’ll have fainting servants littering this hall.”

  “I will draw the bath,” Xavier said. “Just make certain we have food when we are done.”

  “It’s not like you to think about food,” she grumbled. Normally, he complained about everyone else’s fixation on eating three times a day.

  He entered the first-floor giant roman tub and cranked the water on before focusing on removing all Vic’s clothes. Once naked, she attempted to climb into the barely filled giant tub, but Xavier led her to the corner shower and stuffed her inside and blasted her with freezing cold water.

  “Bloody hell!” she screamed. A second later, Gregory burst into the room.

  “Everything is fine,” Xavier called out. “Didn’t want to waste hot water on rinsing off the blood.”

  The butler frowned and exited the room.

  Furious at his cavalier torture, Vic grabbed him by his lapels and pulled him into the shower as well.

  She had to give Xavier credit. He refrained from screaming. Instead, he simply shifted their positions so the icy water hit her naked backside. Before she could escape, he pulled her mouth to his and kissed her with such intense hunger that a fire flared within her until her skin burned and became impervious to the cold water.

  His kiss was more than a possessive reclamation of their love, it was a declaration of life, one that she understood and reciprocated fully. Life and love were precious and fragile. Either of them could die at any time. And nothing between them should be taken for granted.

  By the time she’d stripped Xavier of his soaked suit and they made it to the tub, water cascaded over the rim onto the tile floor.

  Xavier lifted her in, causing more water to flow over the edge. He then shut off the valves and joined her, causing a great deal more water to cascade upon the floor.

  Vic hoped they would be able to repair the disaster before Gregory saw it, but honestly, she had no idea how they were going to remove two inches of water. They didn’t possess enough towels to absorb this mess.

  She forgot about the water and focused on Xavier stretched out in the giant tub. She faced and straddled him. The moment she guided him inside her, her mind exploded in bright lights and sent her directly to heaven. He pulled her lips to his and took control. Never had their lovemaking been more passionate or all possessing. They were one in all ways, even reaching climax in unison.

  Only as she gently came down from her sweet nirvana did a watery swishing reach her ears. She opened her eyes and stared in confusion at the brown walls surrounding the tub and the swishing noise on the other side.

  “Bloody hell,” Xavier whispered and then chuckled, pulling her tight to him. “He’ll probably never allow me to draw another bath.”

  Vic grimaced. “This was my fault, Gregory.”

  “Don’t take claim of my
doings,” Xavier chided. “This was entirely my doing, Gregory. I got distracted and let the tub overfill.”

  “For quite a while I would say,” Gregory replied. “I do apologize for intruding upon your…bath. However, the water was flowing onto the wood floors in the foyer. I thought it best to prevent warping or the front door might not open for either key or butler.”

  Vic giggled and pressed her face to Xavier’s chest. Gregory had somehow managed in what started out as an apology to lodge a great deal of complaints. Not only had he delicately complained about their sexual tryst, but Xavier’s inability to turn off the water, and Vic’s use of the door key yet again.

  Vic sat up, causing yet more water to splash on the floor.

  Gregory's irritated voice spoke from the other side of the screens. “Might I suggest you pull the plug and allow some of the water to be released? Otherwise, I fear we will be here all day.”

  Xavier pulled the plug a bit and put it back into place.

  “Let’s go eat,” Vic whispered.

  “You still need a scrubbing,” Xavier said

  “Nonsense, I’m clean enough.”

  “Not if you want to see Tubs,” he warned her and scrubbed her hair with a bar of soap.

  Vic let out a heavy sigh and endured her scrubbing.

  By the time Xavier declared her clean, the swishing of mops had ceased. He rose and stared out above the brown screens. “Gregory, hand over two towels and retrieve us…ah, you have anticipated our need for clean clothes. Excellent. You are a superb butler. I dare say the Queen has not one better.”

  Vic stood up, wanting to see Gregory’s expression. He hated false flattery.

  Oddly, a faint smile pulled at his bland butler-face.

  He handed them each a towel and left the room.

  Vic noticed two suits hanging on the wall hooks, with shoes and socks resting on the bench.

  “He does know we are just going to eat and go to sleep, doesn’t he?”

  “I am certain I told him.” Xavier tossed the jacket to the bench and put on the pants and white silk shirt, ignoring the white necktie entirely.

  “Help,” Vic pleaded, holding up her muslin binding shirt that required lacing up on the side.

  Once they both were dressed in a shirt, pants, and socks, they entered the breakfast room and stopped short at the sight of all the servants and employees seated around the table.

  Gregory frowned at their informal dress but motioned them to the head of the table where two bowls of oatmeal awaited. Vic sat down and dived into her bowl. Xavier quickly joined her and somehow managed to finish his bowl before she was half done with hers.

  With a heavy sigh, Gregory took Xavier’s bowl. “While I bring you more, perhaps you could provide the staff with an explanation as to what has happened.”

  Vic handed him her bowl. “We’ll wait until you return, then Xavier and I will take turns. I’ll start with what happened, then Xavier can finish with Tubs’ current condition.”

  Gregory nodded and left the room. A moment later, the cook and he returned with two more bowls of oatmeal. “You may proceed.”

  Xavier’s right eyebrow rose. He, no doubt, found her butler-parent a bit presumptuous.

  Vic started at the very beginning of the ghost case and went through the events. When she got to Tubs pushing her out of the way of the bullets, tears flowed down her cheeks, but she worked through her pain because there was a lesson everyone here needed to learn.

  “He shouldn’t have done that. He signed on to protect me, not die for me.” Gregory placed a handkerchief in her hand, no doubt wishing he could remind her that gentlemen do not cry. She focused on Casey, Ben, and Davy. “No one should die for me. My life is not worth any more than anyone else’s.”

  “Tubs didn’t die,” Sara said, her voice frantic.

  “No. Tubs is alive. But had it been anyone else, they’d be dead now.”

  She explained how he’d tied up and secured the criminals then carried the poisoned lady, who turned out to be royalty, to Dr. Connors.

  “It was only then I discovered he’d been shot.”

  Sara gasped in pain.

  “He declared himself fine and told Connors to save the woman.”

  Casey and Davy nodded their heads knowingly. Tubs always valued other people over himself. Diane gripped Sara’s hand and smiled at her with what looked to be envy. Maybe she’d realized what a great man Sara had married.

  Once Dr. Connor determined what poison Mrs. Haughton had been given—” She noticed Richard and Leslie standing in the corner. “…Leslie’s aunt, he gave her the antidote. Then he asked Tubs to lie on the floor since the table wouldn’t hold him.”

  She glanced at Sara. “I stood in for you, Sara. I held his hand, so he wouldn’t follow any lights.” She decided to skip the next part. No one needed to know about the rain of blood and she certainly didn’t want to re-live it again. She gripped Xavier’s hand beneath the table as he took over.

  “Tub was shot at close range, three times in the chest, the entry wounds were over both lungs and the heart. No one, other than Tubs, could have survived such an assault. If not for his actions, Victor would be dead now.

  “He not only survived, but he knocked unconscious all five criminals, tied them up, and secured them for arrest. He then lifted Lady Haughton and saw her to Dr. Connors.

  “That’s Tubs for you,” Casey murmured. Davy and Ben nodded.

  “Let’s not be cavalier here," Xavier said. "This was more than even Tubs should have survived. The bullet to the heart nicked a major artery. When the bullet was removed, all hell broke loose. When I pulled Vic from the room, I had no hope Tubs would survive this.”

  A gasp from Sara brought Xavier’s focus to her.

  “He pulled through because he has too much to live for. For the first time in his life, he is happy, he is loved, and has a job that is both challenging and fulfilling. Vic insisted Tubs would hold onto his happy life, and against all odds, Dr. Connors was able to save him from an inevitable bleed out.”

  Xavier focused on Sara. “Tubs is not out of the woods yet. He is in a weakened state. If an infection sets in, he still could die. So the only assurance I can give you, Sara, is given Tubs hung on during a brutal surgery, rest assured he’ll do everything he can to come home to you.”

  Sara pressed her hands to her chest and looked at Gregory. “Can I go and keep him safe from infections?”

  Gregory nodded. “Dr. Connors will have the final say, but rest assured, I give you leave.”

  Sara focus turned to Vic. “Tubs was right to knock you out of the way. He couldn’t have lived with his failure had you died. But he saved you and the royal lady, so now he has even more reasons to pull through.” She then rose. “I need to make myself as clean as possible and then I would like to be with Tubs.” She bit her bottom lip. “Delia, could you help Richard watch the pups and Ham?”

  Gregory stood. “Just get yourself ready.”

  Once she left the room, he barked off orders. “Delia, you will assist Richard in watching Ham, Cannon, and the dog. Can you do that?”

  She nodded.

  “Thank you. Casey, you will take Sara to Dr. Connors. Please make certain the carriage is spotless, cleaner than it has ever been.”

  Her driver nodded and ran from the room.

  He focused on Vic and Xavier. “Thank you for the update. Given your exhaustion, I suggest you retire to bed at once.”

  Vic nodded. “Oh…Connors will call you if there is a change in Tubs condition. Please wake me if you get such a message.”

  Xavier gripped her neck. “Wake both of us. While I hate these bloody telephones, on certain occasions they are superior to messengers. As long as you are willing to harbor the phone in your private quarters, I will ignore its presence.”

  Chapter 31

  Vic suffered nightmares in which she died in a hail of bullets, and Tubs went mad, ripping and throwing body parts about the room while Lady Haughton quietly die
d from poison on the floor. Scotland Yard was called about a madman killing everyone. They came with guns and recognizing their target shot Tubs in the head, killing him at once. After a thorough investigation, Leslie was arrested for the murder of his aunt based on evidence found in the house, plus the testimony of the servants.

  However, when a broken-hearted Xavier placed a gun beneath his chin, Vic woke up and screamed “No!”

  Xavier pushed himself up, looking a bit crazed and more than ready for a fight. Upon perusing the room, his eyes focused on her. “Nightmare?”

  She nodded.

  He pulled her into his arms. “Hope it was nicer than mine.”

  She told him hers and his embrace tightened.

  “What was yours?”

  “The same damn one,” he whispered. “Only a few more horrible things happened before I blew my head off.”

  “Like what?”

  He shook his head. “If I could erase it from my mind, I would do so. I am certainly not sharing the horror with you.” He brushed her hair back. “Vic, if Tubs doesn’t make it, you cannot regret what he did.”

  She nodded in agreement. “The only solution is to let him protect me and for him to never die. So he has to survive because no other scenario is acceptable.”

  A light knock on the door sounded before Gregory entered and frowned at them. “You two should be asleep.”

  “We were having a nightmare. Did Connors call you?”

  “Yes, he says Tubs’ pulse has strengthened and thanked me for sending Sara. Her presence soothed his patient better than any medicine could have.” He then stepped forward. “Victor, you cannot ask the servants or Xavier’s employees to stop protecting you. You were directly countermanding my orders.”

  “And mine,” Xavier grumbled.

  Gregory continued, “If I did not expect Casey to keep you safe, I would have hired someone who eats less.”

  Vic laughed at his silly chide.

  “This is not a laughing matter. And I am not pleased that Casey was of no assistance when you needed it.”

  “That is entirely unfair. He was watching the horses and carriage. That’s what drivers do, because if they don’t, there won’t be a carriage waiting when we return.”