by Lietha Wards
Even though he was angry with her and his father for their actions, he almost felt sorry for her. She never really had much of a life. She was smart enough to get a scholarship to Princeton, but ended up pregnant and dropped out to become a single mother. Alex wondered if his father had known about the child. If he had known, but still paid Lucy off to get rid of her, it would make him even angrier. Max should have been in their lives. The child shouldn’t suffer for the sins of his parents. Seth’s angry voice brought him back to the present.
“Jesus, Alex, she’ll be back when the money’s gone and do it again,” he said, gesturing angrily with his hands. “I think you should tell Mom.”
“No,” he stated with finality. “She doesn’t need to know, it’ll kill her. I know it will.”
“Dad’s been gone for four years, Alex. She’s not as fragile as we think.”
“I won’t be responsible for putting her in that situation.”
“You didn’t! Our bloody father did. It’s about time you stop protecting him,” Seth said with uncharacteristic ferocity.
“I’m not protecting him, I’m protecting our mother,” he snapped back. “I hated him for what he did. He knew that. To this day, I haven’t forgiven him for doing this to me—to us. Why do you think I never came home in the summer? I wanted nothing to do with him anymore. I only moved back home after his death.”
“Regardless, Mom would want to know. There’s no way she would want you to give up your happiness to protect her. She always taught us to be truthful and honest. This isn’t right, Alex,” Seth countered. “Tell her.”
“I’ll get rid of Lucy, but we still have to think of what to do for Max,” Alex said, ignoring Seth’s argument.
Seth sighed, knowing that he wasn’t going to convince his brother of anything, and that he couldn’t betray his brother’s confidence and tell their mother the truth. That was up to Alex. “She doesn’t want him?”
“I’m sure she loves him, but she doesn’t want to be a mother. She told me so. I don’t have a problem with raising our brother, and that’s another reason we can’t tell Mom. I don’t know how she’d react to having another child from our father under our roof.”
“I don’t like this, Alex. Not at all.” He agreed about Max, however. Family meant a lot to them both, and knowing they had a half-brother actually felt good, despite the circumstances. However, their mother had to keep thinking that the boy was Alex’s son. “Does Max know?”
“He knows I’m not his father, but he doesn’t know who his real father is. No one told him. Despite the way Lucy is, she did a good job of raising him. I know he’ll need to know the truth someday, but not while our mother is alive. I’m sticking to that, Seth, so don’t try to change my mind.”
Seth swore again while pondering his brother’s words. “I disagree with you, Alex. I think you should tell Mom and kick that woman out on her ear.”
“I would rather give that woman my fortune to get rid of her than lose Angel,” he said seriously. “That’s how much money means to me right now.”
After another pause, Seth slowly nodded. “Well, I’ll draw the line at that. You may want to keep this from Mom, but you’re not giving your hard-earned money to that woman. I’ll talk to Jason and see what kind of agreement—” Seth held up his hand as Alex began to protest. “Don’t argue. You’re going to be busy with Angel for a while, and I think it’s about time you shared some of that burden that you’ve shouldered for so long. I’m not fragile, Alex. I had a right to know. I understand you did this because of what Dad asked of you. Like I said, we’re men, and he had a moment of weakness. I don’t doubt for a moment that he loved Mom because I remember how he looked at her. You’re firm in your decision, and I’m going to be firm in mine. Let me help, Alex.”
Alex pondered his brother’s words for a moment before he nodded. “I suppose I owe you that much for saving Angel’s life.”
Seth gave him a grim smile. “We’ll see.”
CHAPTER TEN
Angel hurt. Everything hurt. She was uncomfortable and wanted to shift herself, but when she took a deep breath, she winced. It hurt to breathe. She lifted a hand that felt surprisingly heavy and searched out the source of pain in her side. It was something cool and pliable. She traced it with her fingers as it led off the bed, and she realized that it was some sort of tube. Unable to hold her arm up any longer, she dropped it with a low moan.
“Angel?” said a deep voice beside her. The tone was one of great relief.
Alex.
She tried to open her eyes to focus on the source of the voice, but that hurt too.
“Angel?” he said with more certainty.
There was a scraping sound like a chair was moving across the floor, and his voice got closer. Then she felt a warm, calloused hand on her face as another gripped her hand. She tried to open her eyes again and managed to pry them open as little slits. She knew those hands anywhere. It was Alex, and he looked like hell. Despite that, he smiled when she looked at him and her chest tightened. She loved him so much, and seeing him as she woke up was as if the clouds cleared and a bright sun shone. There wasn’t anyone else she would have asked to wake up to see.
“Do you need a drink?” He reached for a glass of water.
His voice sounded strained. She nodded. Everything hurt so much that she was afraid to talk. She felt the straw probe her lips and took it in her mouth. The cool water felt heavenly. After a few sips, she felt as though she could talk. “Where am I?” It was a hoarse whisper, but it was something and it didn’t hurt as much as she thought it might.
“The hospital.” He bent down and kissed her lightly on the mouth, hovering for a moment to savor the intimate touch before he lifted his head. “I was worried sick.”
Bits and pieces of the ride home from the party came back to her. Suddenly, as if shocked, her hand automatically released his and went to her belly.
“Our baby’s fine, honey. Seth said he has a good strong heartbeat.”
Her eyes went to his. He knew. Unable to help herself, she released a sob that was a bit louder than her forced whisper.
“Hush, don’t get yourself upset. I’ve done enough of that for both of us,” he said, bending over and kissing her again. “I’ll take care of you until you’re better. Then we have some plans to discuss.”
Plans? Did he want custody? Just thinking that made her sob again. Then she had images of Lucy and Alex raising their son together without her. He would win custody in court because she was a single mother, and he would be married by then.
“Are you in pain?” he asked, misinterpreting the look on her face.
She nodded. He had no idea. However, she was in physical pain and exhausted despite her inner turmoil over their baby and his “plans.” Her eyelids felt heavy, and she couldn’t keep them open.
He reached over and pushed the call bell. The nurse came in a few seconds later. Angel’s eyes fluttered closed again while listening to the comforting tone of Alex’s voice as he talked to the nurse. Soon she was asleep again.
When she awoke later, her father was bending over her.
“Hi,” he said, smiling.
“Where’s Alex?” She was sure he’d been there earlier, but nothing seemed real anymore. It was so hard to distinguish reality from her hallucinations.
“He had some things to take care of. He’ll be back. How are you doing, honey?”
“I can talk better.” She tried to smile, but her forehead hurt, causing her to raise her hand to a large bandage there. She gave her father a questioning look.
“You hit your head, but you’re fine, Angel,” he said with relief evident in his expression. “We thought we were going to lose both you and the baby.”
“You look worried.”
“I was worried, but not anymore. It was a close call for a few days.”
“A few days?” She looked to the window that let in clear daylight. “How long have I been here?”
“Four days.”
<
br /> “Oh.” Her eyes shot back to him. “Mom—?”
“Is fine.” He chuckled. “After she calmed down.”
“Where’s Prissy?”
“She’s at home. She didn’t get hurt as bad as you. She remembers that she turned down the creek road, thinking she was turning onto the road to our house. Then she ran over something and lost the steering. The car went off the edge of a washout, but the airbags didn’t deploy.” He swallowed. “Honey, you have a skull fracture, some broken ribs, and a broken leg.”
Her eyes widened. “Well, that explains the pain I’m in.” She shifted in bed and winced. “And why it hurts to breathe, move, talk—”
“Seth said that you might be upset at all the tubes coming out of you, but just to tell you that they’ll be out in a few days.”
She lifted her arm and saw the intravenous tubing. “What other tubes?”
“There’s one in your chest to help your lung heal. He says that when you hit the bottom of the washout, the seatbelt busted two of your ribs and put them through your lung. You scared the hell out of Alex when he found you.”
“Alex found me?” Did she remember that? She remembered his voice through the haze, and when she drifted in and out, she’d heard him too. At one point, she recalled some sort of an argument between him and Seth. Alex had a temper, but he and Seth never fought. Then she remembered another conversation. “Dad, does Alex know?”
“About the baby?” He nodded. “Seth told him.”
“So it wasn’t a dream,” she said to herself. “Oh God, he must hate me.” She became frightened, and tears slipped from her eyes. “I think he wants custody. I remember him saying something about plans.”
“On the contrary. He sat with you for hours—days, Angel. We couldn’t get him to go home and shower, even though he was caked in mud because he hauled you out of the car himself. I’ve never seen a man look as haggard as he did.” He smoothed his hand over hers. “Don’t you worry about custody. Alex would never do that to you. He’s too damn honorable to take a child from his mother.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
Angel couldn’t believe Alex had stayed with her. She was certain Lucy wouldn’t be impressed with that. She didn’t strike Angel as the type of woman who’d be willing to share. However, she couldn’t forget the bits and pieces of memories of him being there when she woke up. He was so tender, and he looked genuinely worried. She actually brightened. Did he care about her?
“I’ll let him talk to you himself. Seth finally dragged him out of here this morning after a few choice words and a threat to inject him with something volatile.” George chuckled, and then stood up. “They had some things to do together. The doctor told me not to tire you out too much, so I’m going to leave you be for a bit. Mom will be in later. She’s taking care of Priscilla right now, and your sister is milking it for all it’s worth.”
That made Angel laugh, then cough from the sharp pain that followed her expression of amusement.
“Sorry, honey.” He winced an apology, as if feeling her discomfort himself. “I’ll see you later.”
She nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”
***
Two days later, Seth pulled out the chest tube. They also discontinued the IV and fitted her leg with a walking cast. Although her rib cage felt as if someone was twisting a knife in her side, she managed to walk with one crutch and do fairly well the first day she was allowed out of bed. She asked Seth where Alex was, but he quickly changed the subject. Whatever hope she’d had was crushed. He hadn’t phoned her or come to see her since that first day. Although he’d seemed to care, there was no other indication that it was beyond the concern of a friend.
Unfortunately, being up exhausted her beyond her belief. When she went back to bed, she fell asleep immediately.
When she awoke in pain in the middle of the night, a noise nearby made her turn her head towards the sound. Alex was back. She was sure her heart tried to beat its way out of her chest when her eyes settled on him. He was as striking as always, leaning lazily back in a chair while reading a book. His long, jean-clad legs were crossed at the ankles, and she soaked up the sight of him. His Stetson and a Styrofoam cup were on a table beside him, and his sheepskin denim jacket hung casually over the back of his chair. She thought he looked twice as handsome when he was unaware of her scrutiny.
He seemed relaxed as he casually turned the page and took a sip from the cup. A tear involuntarily slipped down her cheek. She knew he cared about her, worried about her, but he was marrying another woman. She’d never know him again like she had on the day that their child was conceived. Her chest tightened painfully at the thought.
At that moment, his head lifted and he noticed that she was awake. He put the book down, got up, and came to the bed, bending over her with a devastating smile. Seeing her tears, his brows rose in question. “Are you hurting, Angel?” Without waiting for her to answer, he reached over and pushed the call bell to alert the nurse.
“Have you been here long?” she managed with a crack in her voice.
He smiled. “A few hours. You look better.”
“I-I haven’t seen you for a few days. I wasn’t sure if you’d come back.”
“Mr. Harrison?” the nurse said when she opened the door, interrupting her.
“Angel needs something for pain,” he said abruptly. He didn’t like to see her in pain. It hurt him almost as much as it did her.
The nurse smiled and looked at Angel, who nodded. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, then,” she said before she left.
Alex looked down at her. “To answer your question, wild horses couldn’t keep me away,” he teased, then looked at her forehead. “That bruise looks like hell.”
“Seth said I had a cracked noggin,” she said, pulling up the corner of her mouth in an attempt at humor. He’d also said how close she’d come to losing her life, and she didn’t feel much humor about that subject.
“Among other things.”
She reached up and touched the bandage again. Something flashed in the dim light of the room. “What is this?” She pulled her hand back and saw the most beautiful ring she’d ever laid eyes on adorning her ring finger. Her eyes darted to Alex. “What—?”
“I know I owe you an explanation, Angel.” Tension appeared in his expression. “God knows you deserve it after all I put you through. When I found you—” He shuddered; remembering how she’d looked still haunted him. “—I realized then that I loved you more than anything in this life. More than anything I could ever hope to get.”
Angel started crying again, unable to stop her tears. She must be dreaming.
He leaned over and kissed them away. “I’m so sorry for hurting you. Truthfully, I was going to propose to you on the weekend that Lucy showed up. I had already bought your ring months ago.”
“Months!” she choked out. “You—What? Did I just hear the word propose?”
“Honey, I meant what I said. Can’t you put things together? For a gal with your IQ, you sure can be dumb.” He chuckled. “When I saw you at eighteen, so beautiful, innocent, and sweet, coming out of my pool, I found myself watching you more and more. Up until then, I saw you as more of a little sister, but damn, that changed quick as a flash that day. I knew I wanted you. You were smart, yet humble—hell, you were perfect,” he added with a grin. “But you were too young. I thought I could wait until you were older before I began to court you. However, getting to twenty was a strain. I couldn’t wait anymore to put my hands on you.” His hand went to the small mound of her abdomen and he chuckled. “It was effective, too. I didn’t think I’d make it through your nineteenth year. I know you downplayed your appearance to stay hidden, but it was too late. I already knew how good you looked and how sweet you were.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his flattery.
“Angel, if you could put aside all the things that I’ve put you through these past four months, I would like you
to become my wife. Marry me, Angel.”
She was shocked. “What about Lucy?”
He shook his head. “Lucy was nothing to me. As of this morning, she’s gone. I’ll let you know right now, as God is my witness, I never touched that woman.”
“But the boy?”
“I know he looks like me, Angel, but he’s not mine.” His eyes warmed. “The only child I have is the one you carry inside you. The only children I want are with you. I’ll tell you everything, but right now, I need an answer.”
She choked up, feeling too much emotion to speak.
Alex bent over and kissed the side of her face. “Just nod, baby. Tell me yes. I love you,” he repeated.
She released another sob, nodding at the same time.
He circled his arms around her and gave her a tight embrace, causing her to release a whimper of pain. Instantly, he released her. “Sorry.” He gave her a guilty look.
The nurse came back with a couple of pills for her to take, handing her a glass of water to take them with while Alex waited patiently. Angel noticed the nurse gave him a long, hard look while she was taking a drink of water. Did every woman think he was attractive? God! She wanted to throw the rest of the water in the woman’s face, but she couldn’t blame her. He was a dish. When her eyes went back to him, her heart soared—he was only looking at her.
After the nurse left, she shifted her eyes back to Alex, who was still holding her other hand. “Do you mean it?”
“Yes, all of it.” He bent over her, placing an arm on either side of her so his face could hover inches above hers. “The day you get out of here, I’ll have the church ready, the priest ready, and the honeymoon booked. I want us to be a family,” he told her, running one hand down to her abdomen while keeping his eyes on hers. “Honey, you have no idea how happy you made me. I always wanted to be a father…and I’ve always wanted you to bear my children.” Then he bent down and kissed her.