by Wade, Maddie
Boys would often see his sensitivity as a sign of weakness and take the piss out of him, but that wasn’t the case. He just didn’t like injustice and cruelty. He thought their attitudes were probably why he began martial arts, and then later entered the Parachute regiment. Lucky for him, he seemed to excel at both and that soon stopped any questions or derogatory remarks.
He had found that most men, as opposed to boys, were actually very similar to him. He didn’t mind showing that side of himself.
He just hoped that Skye could cope with his need for control in other parts of his life. The bedroom was the one place he needed to be in charge. He didn’t mind showing his adoration to her to the world, and people thinking she was whipped but behind closed doors, he needed to be in control.
He had a feeling it would all work out, though. They seemed so compatible earlier. Fuck Was that only a few hours ago? It felt like a lifetime, and yet when he closed his eyes he could see still see her beautiful face as she came. No. Skye and he fit–they were meant to be together.
Breaking out of his reverie, he looked at Skye. She was watching him closely.
“Are you okay? Did you get hurt? I heard someone got shot.”
“No, I’m fine, mi cielo,” he smiled and tightened his hold on her hand, “Kanan got shot protecting me.” Skye sucked in breath.
“Thank, god. I can’t lose you, Nate.” She burrowed into his arms, placing her head on his chest and slid her arms around his waist. He draped his arms around her and held on tight. He kissing the top of her head.
They were sitting like this when the doctor came out. Everyone in the room stood, including Dane and Daniel, who had remained quiet, allowing Skye and Nate some space. The doctor, a man of Middle Eastern ethnicity, walked towards them. He was short and slim and was about sixty years old. He had kind, twinkly eyes and laugh lines round his eyes that indicated he smiled a lot. He was wearing the taqiyah of the Islamic faith on his head. He stopped in front of Skye and Nate, looking between them.
“Skye,” the doctor said, obviously very familiar with Skye and Noah.
“Dr Azzabi, how is he? Can I see him?”
“He is stable, for now. He doesn’t seem to have an infection, but whatever drug he was injected with seems to have caused some issues. We are running some blood tests and have him on a drip to help rehydrate his body. As a precaution, we have set up an antibiotic drip. His heart rate and blood pressure have stabilised and he is sleeping comfortably.”
Skye held tight to Nate`s hand as the doctor spoke. Her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to stay calm and focused on what he said. She nodded at the man who had been Noah`s primary doctor for the last twelve months.
“This is all good news, Skye, but I won’t lie to you not knowing what he has been given is very unsettling. As doctors we like to know what we are dealing with and at this point we don’t.”
“What about the transplant? Can it still go ahead?” Skye asked worriedly.
“Let us see what the blood results say first. If all is as before, we will start the chemo as soon as he has recovered from this. I will be on for the rest of today and we will monitor him closely.”
“Can I sit with him?” Skye asked.
“When have we ever been able to stop you in the past?” the doctor asked with a small, affectionate smile. Nate shook his hand and ignored the doctor’s quizzical look. He would soon figure out who Nate was.
“Thank you, Doctor,” he said. The doctor nodded and left.
Dane and Daniel heard everything that was said. After kissing Skye on the cheek and slapping him on the shoulder, they left.
He followed Skye closely as she walked toward the paediatric ICU reception. Her movements fluid and graceful, even now. She must be dead on her feet. Nate stayed beside her with his hand on the small of her back, offering whatever he could, in the way, of support. The nurse quickly showed them to Noah’s room and they pushed through together. Skye turned and grasped his hand tightly.
Noah was sleeping but he looked peaceful now–not the heart stopping stillness when Nate found him. He was still incredibly pale, almost translucent, and he had big dark smudges under his eyes. Nate hadn’t seen him like this before and it gutted him. He looked to Skye as she approached the bed and lent down to kiss Noah’s forehead. She sat down, took his little hand in hers, and held it tight.
He stayed behind her until she told him to grab a chair. He sat opposite her on the other side of the bed, resting his hands on his bent knees, and watched Skye with Noah. She was such an amazing mum, she never seemed to be too tired to do things, and she was always willing to play games with Noah. He’d never seen her lose her temper.
Was he wrong to potentially deprive her of more children? Was he being selfish? The answer he knew was yes. The real question was if he could give her up–he didn’t think he could. He needed to tell her. In a few days when things were settled, he would sit her down and tell her.
So deep in his thoughts, he was surprised when she spoke.
“When he was born, I was so frightened. I was all on my own, except for Reg,” she stroked Noah’s head as she spoke and Nate’s gut tightened. “But when I brought him home, we muddled through. The first few months were a blur of sleepless nights and feeding. But after a while, we got a routine and it became me and him against the world.
“I was happy to have him to myself. As he got older, we did so much together. Nature trails, picnics– just kid stuff–but we had fun. It wasn’t until he got sick that I felt it–so alone, so lonely. I use to sit by his bed night after night and the staff would tell me to go home, but I couldn’t face it. My home became a cold, barren place and I hated it.” She looked up at him then, the tears in her eyes made him get up and cross the room to her.
He crouched down and slipped his arms around her waist. “And then you came along, and I knew the minute I laid eyes on you that you were it. You filled a hole in my heart, and in my life, that I didn’t know was there. You offered my son a future and tonight you risked everything to save him.”
She let the tears slide, unheeded, down her face. He reached up and swiped them away gently.
“Thank you, Nate. You will never know how much you mean to us. I’m so sorry I was awful earlier.”
“Hey, no you were under an incredible amount of stress and I knew that. But you’re wrong. It’s you and Noah that have filled a hole. My whole life I’ve searched for something and I didn’t know what it was until I walked into that hospital room with Lauren. I can’t explain how it felt, Skye. It was like I’d found myself,” he blushed. He wasn’t good with words.
“You are my life, now, and I want to be with you, always. We’ll talk in a few days, but know this…if you want me, I’m yours for all time.” Skye cupped his cheek and touched her mouth to his. It wasn’t a hot scorching kiss, but it was beautiful and held all the promise of the future.
“We want you, Nate,” she said softly.
Chapter Seventeen
Celeste was nervous as she approached the entrance to Fortis. It was such a large, formidable building. She had gotten up early and dressed in a beige pencil skirt and a white, long-sleeved blouse with ruffles down the front. She had black Mary-Jane pumps and a small black purse.
Her faithful companion, Samson, walked at her side. She hoped that Zin guy wasn’t there. He was a miserable sod and made her uncomfortable–not in the way people usually did, this was something different. He made her feel funny, and he looked at her as if she was about to shoot the Queen and put the blame on him. No. She didn’t want another run-in with him.
Celeste had been relieved when she shook his hand and hadn’t reacted to his touch. It was such a lottery for her. Some people were like beacons for her gift and others she had no problems with.
Entering the building, she was surprised to find bikers asleep in the reception area. One grizzly-looking biker opened his eye, must have decided that she wasn’t a threat, and went back to sleep. She wondered what she sho
uld do now. Did she just wait? Looking around for a bell, she could ring. She spied a phone and wondered if it rang to an inside line.
Picking it up, she was about to call when a stunningly beautiful woman walked through the door. She had cherry red hair that cascaded down her back in waves and forest green eyes. She smiled a genuine smile as she walked up to Celeste.
“Hey, I’m Ava Drake. I’m here to see Mr. Cunningham.” Celeste was a bit taken aback. She was not expecting such a strong American accent. The woman seemed friendly but Celeste still felt intimidated. The woman wore a fitted charcoal grey suit and burgundy pumps with three-inch heels. Her skin was flawless and milky white–like Snow White. Celeste bit back a nervous giggle.
“Oh, hi. I’m Celeste,” she said. The woman smiled but continued to look at Celeste. She realised then that she was standing behind the reception desk, and the woman probably assumed, correctly, that she was the receptionist.
“Oh! Umm, sorry. It’s my first day and I just arrived, I was trying to attract someone’s attention with the phone.” The woman, Ava, grinned. “No problem. This your dog?”
“Yes, that is Samson.” Ava put out her hand and let the dog sniff.
“Is he friendly?” Ava asked.
“Yes, very, but he is very protective of me and won’t leave my side.”
Celeste watched as Ava bent down and petted Samson. The big baby was soon putty in her hands, prone on his back while he had his belly rubbed.
“Who’s a gorgeous boy?” Ava said as she rubbed his tummy. She straightened, then, and looked at the four bikers asleep on the various chairs in the reception area.
“So what’s this?” she waved her hand around the room. Celeste shrugged, “Maybe you should try ringing through, now?”
“Yes! Sorry,” Celeste said, flustered. Lifting the phone, she dialed nine, hoping something would happen. She was relieved when it rang.
“Yes, who’s this?” said a gruff voice.
“Uh, it’s Celeste, the new receptionist…” She replied. She took her ear away from the phone when the person shouted, “Hey! Boys’ new girl’s here!” She didn’t have time to tell them about Ava before he hung up.
“Sorry. He hung up,” she said to Ava.
“Don’t worry, girl. I can handle this.”
Celeste came round to the front of the desk and the woman shrieked.
“Oh my god, I love those,” she said, pointing to Celeste’s legs and the lace work tattoo that ran all the way from the back of her ankle all the way to the top, stopping just below her bum cheek. “They look like lace silk stockings like they wore in the war. So sexy.”
Celeste had never thought of herself as sexy. Her boobs were small, her hair short–sure, she had nice eyes and a full mouth, her hips were too big, though. She only got the tattoos because she liked them.
“Thanks,” she said in a noncommittal way.
“Do you have any more?” Ava asked.
“Yes….” She didn’t get to finish as Zack pushed through the door with Zin behind him.
Samson immediately went on alert. He came and sat at heel beside her, growling low, his hackles on his back rising.
“Ava?” Zack said looking shell-shocked.
“Mr. Cunningham,” she replied, all warmth gone from her voice. Celeste watched, rapt, as his face hardened in annoyance. Ava’s voice had practically dripped coldness and distain.
“If you follow me, I will get you set up. Zin, can you show Celeste through to the kitchen and ask Daniel to show her around? And get these fucking bikers out of my god-damn reception area,” he bellowed.
Ava turned to her, “It was a pleasure to meet you Celeste. We will have to go for a drink while I’m in town.”
“Yes, you too and I’d love to. I’ll get your number from Mr. Cunningham.”
“Enough with the Mr. Cunningham, it’s Zack, Celeste.” But he cast his gaze to include Ava who only glared at him.
Zack turned, then, and Ava followed, giving Zin a small nod. Samson stayed and continued his growl when Zin approached her.
She heard him hiss in a breath as his eyes travelled from the top of her head to her feet. His eyes lingered on her legs, making her squirm and feel funny and achy between her thighs. Then, his eyes slowly travelled back up to her face and went hard. His hands tensed on his hips as he scrutinized her face.
What had she done to earn his displeasure? Miserable sod. Would it hurt him to smile? Oh, well, bugger him–he could go swing. She didn’t care, anyway. Shame though. He was sexy as hell, in a hard-assed kind of way.
He spun on his heel, “Follow me.” It wasn’t a question but a demand. He walked off, never considering that she might not follow him, which, of course, she did.
She placed her hand on Samson’s head and whispered, hier, the German command for come. She`d trained Samson with an ex-army dog handler and those were the commands he taught her to use. He calmed instantly at her touch and did as she asked and followed her.
As her and Samson followed the miserable, bear of man, she, so, did not check out his tight arse in those jeans, or the way his powerful shoulders filled out his leather jacket. No. She absolutely did not. He was a jerk and she did not like him, but she needed this job, so she would deal.
~~~
Zack was tired and pissed off. Kanan had taken flight overnight and disappeared, and his building was filled with bikers. He’d sent everyone home at five in the morning and they were due back at nine for a debrief. He’d promised the commissioner he would meet with him and brief him. He’d, also, not eaten in twelve hours.
He was on his way to the kitchen to try and scrape together some toast and coffee when he heard Reg bellow, Fuck. He needed to see to this, and why Reg was the only one manning the tech room and the cameras, he had no clue. He tucked back in his shirt that had come untucked as he slept on his couch, and brushed his hands through his hair.
Kanan had taken a bullet for Nate last night, and after a brief chat in the hospital, he had been convinced that K was done with his crusade for whoever he was looking for. It had affected him badly seeing Kanan so broken over Noah.
He and K had been like Siamese twins when they were young, and when Catherine joined them, they had become inseparable. His heart ached as he thought of his sister. Not a day went by that he didn’t think of her. He rubbed his chest to ease the ache. He’d missed Kanan and regretted the rift. Still, it was done–time to move on.
He didn’t think that everything was going to go back to normal, now–that could never happen. There was too much pain and heartbreak between them. It would be nice to be on speaking terms, again, though.
Leaving the kitchen, he almost walked into Zin, who was hurrying towards the front.
“What’s the rush?”
“The woman is here.” Zack was surprised by this. Zin never got involved in these types of things. He was strictly a do the job, go home kind of guy. He occasionally came to team parties or to the Jailhouse for drinks with them but he didn’t mix with newbies, ever.
Zack could hear the rain hitting the tin roof of the building, sounding like thunder as he pushed through the door to reception. He stopped dead in his tracks causing Zin to pull up sharply behind him.
Ava in the flesh, and in his reception area, looking more stunningly beautiful than ever. He felt dumbstruck. It had been nearly two years since he’d seen her last, and she had changed a lot, all of it was good. Gone was the beautiful, girl next door look of sexy tight jeans and rock band tee-shirts, shy and fighting not to show it smiles and before him was a siren. Her long hair looked a deeper red than before, her eyes sparkled with secrets he wanted to uncover, and her body seemed curvier and fuller. Her breasts straining the prim and proper suit jacket, and fuck him…those shoes. He wanted to feel those shoes digging into his back as he drove into her soft heat. He stared for a second, hoping his body would not betray him.
“Ava?” He said stupidly.
“Mr. Cunningham,” she replied in an ice-co
ld voice. She was still pissed, then. He had decided to keep things strictly professional between them, but at the sight of her and the challenge in her tone, he decided it was game on.
He addressed Celeste and told Zin to take her to wait for Daniel, and then seeing the state of his immaculate reception looking like the biker bar from hell, told Zin to get them out of here.
He walked to his office and could hear Ava behind him. Her scent was new, something alluring, and seductive that teased his senses. He sat behind his desk and motioned for her to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk. All the blood rushed to his cock as she crossed her long, shapely legs, the material at her thighs pulled tight, revealing the suspender belt underneath.
God, what the fuck was she trying to do, kill him? And then the horrible thought flashed to his mind. It probably wasn’t for him. How could a woman who looked like her be single? He quickly cast a glance at her ring finger and found none. He was ridiculously relieved, and that pissed him off.
She could do what she wanted–he didn’t have time for relationships–however, if she was single and of a mind, to, he wouldn’t mind her in his bed for a while. As long as the team didn’t find out. He didn’t want to be the cause of office gossip.
Steepling his fingers, he leaned forward on his elbows. “Thank you for coming, Ava.”
“I didn’t really have much choice, did I, Zack?” she said coldly.
“Well, no, but it is still good to see you.”
“Really? You can sit there and say that after ignoring me for nearly two years?” She was breathing fast, her cheeks were flushed, her temper starting to get the better of her. Fucking hell, she was sexy when she was mad. Made him want rile her up just so he could watch her.
“Come on, Ava. We both knew it was just fucking. Nobody declared lifelong love.” Her eyes flickered and darkened at his use of the word fucking. She had always loved it when he talked dirty–it had gotten her hotter than anything else.
She took a moment to calm herself, getting her breathing under control as he watched her trying to remain outwardly calm.