“Can someone fill me in on what happened?” she said. “I don’t even know where Toph is, let alone what happened to him.”
Ariana motioned for everyone to sit down, and the group settled into the plush leather furniture in the living room area of the jet as the captain announced the plane was ready for departure.
“I got a call from Sebastian about ninety minutes ago,” Zander said. “I knew they’d flown off to Australia a few weeks ago for some project Toph got invited to participate in. He said he’d only do it if Sebastian would come along and skipper the boat for him.”
“Thank God he was with him,” Ariana said.
“Indeed. There are a lot of things we can thank our lucky stars for,” Enrico said, rubbing his wife’s shoulders to comfort her. She pressed her hand to his in gratitude. The two of them were so sweet together even after all these years, Pippa thought. She envied the closeness of this family. Sure they were the Firm, which from the outside could almost come across as a corporate entity, but more important than that, they were family. She could feel tears welling in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away with her hand. She chalked up her weepiness to those rushing hormones that had invaded her body in spades of late.
“Sebastian said Toph had been in calf-deep water near the shore when he felt something supersharp pierce his foot,” Zander said. “He thought maybe he’d stepped on a shell, but instantly the pain started to resonate throughout his body.”
“Poor Topher,” Pippa said. “What was it?”
“It’s called a cone snail—”
“Wait, a snail? He’s lying in a hospital bed near death due to a scrawny little mollusk?”
“This is no regular snail,” Adrian said. “Google it. One type of cone snail is jokingly called the ‘cigarette snail’ because you have only enough time to smoke one before you die from the venom.”
Pippa’s eyes got as large as saucers. “You mean he could’ve been dead before they even got him to a hospital?”
Ariana nodded her head and started to cry out loud. Enrico pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair to soothe her. Pippa wished she had Topher here to stroke her hair right about now.
“How could this thing be so deadly?” she said.
Zander shrugged. “The bastard’s weaponized, from what I’ve read. It launches a venom-laden, harpoon-like missile at its victims, who never even have a chance since the snail detects motion and indiscriminately fires the thing.”
“Worse still, it can deliver a mix of a hundred different neurotoxins so complex there is no antivenom. It can cause paralysis, or it can make your heart stop pumping and your lungs stop breathing,” Luca said. “Or it can make all your muscles contract once. Said to be indescribably painful.”
“It’s like that horrible Cruciatus Curse in Harry Potter. Only courtesy of Mother Nature instead of Voldemort,” Isabella said, and Luca threw her a WTF look.
“What can I say?” Isabella said. “I love those books!”
“Here,” Zander said, tossing his phone to Pippa. “Look at this video we found online.”
Pippa pressed play and watched as this harmless-looking sea snail launched its venom-filled harpoon, killing its prey in a split second. It made her stomach churn to watch. So much so that she quickly covered her mouth. Only that wasn’t going to do the trick, so she suddenly got up and raced to the bar sink nearby, just in time to throw up in it.
Ariana was quick to rush to her aid. “Are you all right, sweetheart?” she said, reaching for a dishtowel to moisten under the water. She placed it over Pippa’s forehead, then walked her back to her seat.
“Jeez, Pips, weak stomach much?” Zander said. “Next I can show you some shark-attack footage with blood-filled waters just to see how you react if you’d like.”
“Zander,” his mother said.
“Merely trying to cut the tension in the plane, Mum,” he said. “We’re all on edge and worried about Toph. Figured I’d take the piss for us all.”
“I’m so sorry for that,” Pippa said, wiping her brow. “I don’t know what came over me. But watching that creature in action... My God, it seems like quite the overkill for a stupid little snail, doesn’t it? If he wants to kill a bloody fish, why on earth does he have to use a nuclear bomb on the thing? Can’t he have a little net pop out or something? Poor Toph couldn’t even get injured by something more grandiose, like a great white shark. Had to be a damned snail.”
They all laughed, which was a good thing to break up some of the tension.
“So where is Topher now, and how’s he doing?” she asked.
“He’s in hospital in Queensland,” Isabella said. “He was rushed there by helicopter.”
“They’ve got him on heavy doses of morphine,” Enrico added. “All they can do is try to diminish the pain and hope for the best.”
Until that moment, the magnitude of what happened hadn’t quite hit Pippa. But when it did, it came in a rush, and she began to bawl.
“You mean I could lose Topher and I didn’t even fight for him?” she said through choking tears. Zander pulled her into his arms and held her and let her cry. “I’m such an idiot. I knew I could have pushed it with him, but I wanted to be just as stubborn as he was being. I knew he didn’t want to send me away, but his stupid pride took the day. I could have fought for him, but no, I wasn’t going to be that girl. I had too much self-respect to grovel before him.”
“It’s all right, Phillipa,” Ariana said, handing her more tissues. Pips hated that name, but it almost came out as a term of endearment when spoken so kindly by the queen.
“But you don’t understand,” Pippa sobbed. “It’s not all right. I never even told Topher.”
“Never told Topher what, darling?” she said.
Pippa looked down at her stomach. “About the baby,” she blurted out on the tsunami crest of a loud wail.
Oh lord, Pippa, that wasn’t on the agenda, she thought the minute she blurted it out. That took you just about the time it would take a cone snail to shoot its harpoon to totally blow your secret, you idiot.
The airplane cabin became suddenly quiet. Even Pippa stopped sobbing in her stupor over her unintended Big Reveal. Hell, she hadn’t known if she’d ever admit who the father of this baby was, and she sure as hell hadn’t planned to announce it to the Queen of Monaforte and her entire bloody family.
Emma stared, bug-eyed, at Adrian, and Andi did the same with Zander. The rest of the family cast glances at one another, stunned into silence. Finally Ariana spoke.
“You’re pregnant with Christopher’s baby?”
There were all sorts of things that were triggering Pippa’s unsettled stomach these days, and nerves certainly were a factor. Which is why she once more raced to the sink to throw up.
“I’m so very sorry,” she said. “I don’t want to make the sink disgusting. Really, I don’t.”
Ariana was back at her side in a flash. “Honey, you’re pregnant with our grandchild?”
Pippa’s lip jutted out in a pout. “Yes,” she said as she started to cry all over again.
The entire family sat looking at one another, not knowing quite what to do or say.
It was going to be a long flight.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
POOR Pippa was exhausted. But the family had questions, and they deserved answers. Especially considering their son and brother could well be dead by the time they arrived there. As much as she was yearning to simply pass out on the comfy leather sofa, maybe even with her head in her bestie Zander’s lap, Andi permitting, she knew she had to start from the beginning and explain everything. Some of which at least Ariana must have known. And of course Luca, being that he saw her sneaking out of the palace that morning following Adrian’s wedding.
“Can I gloss over the details, maybe?” she asked, her face turning red from embarrassment.
They all nodded, though Luca had to put in his two cents’ worth.
“Hell no,” he said. “The details are the mos
t compelling part, usually.”
Pippa smirked at him and continued.
“Very well, then. So Topher and I have known each other for a long time,” she started.
“Cut to the chase, Pips,” Zander said. “No need in stating the obvious. After all, we don’t have all night.”
“Well, actually, we do,” Adrian said, looking at his watch. “This is going to be a long damned flight.”
“This is like settling in to watch a good movie,” Isabella said, curling her legs up under her. “I wish I had some popcorn.”
“Did someone say they’d like popcorn?” the flight attendant asked, then mouthed ‘sorry’ in case she was being disruptive. Or nosy by listening in. She went to heat up popcorn in the microwave oven in the galley.
“Oh, good lord, welcome to my sideshow,” Pippa muttered. “So Topher and I got a little carried away at Adrian’s wedding,” she said. “Let’s leave it at that.”
Luca nodded, attesting to having witnessed the aftermath.
“And then I realized it was a mistake, so let’s just say I wasn’t reciprocating any attempts at repeating events of that night. It didn’t help matters that Zander was giving poor Toph a heap of crap for everything.”
His mother threw him a stern look. “Didn’t we talk about your leaving Topher alone?” she said to him.
“Yes, Mum,” Zander said, hanging his head in faux shame.
“I mean it. I want you to stop with the teasing. You know Christopher has always been sensitive to that sort of thing. It’s time to leave him well enough alone!”
“Listen to your mother,” Pippa said to Zander, wrinkling her brow. “Okay, so then Clementine, Darcy’s sister, tricked me into going to the British Virgin Islands, delivering me right to Topher’s damned boat before I even knew where I was going.”
Isabella raised her hand. “Uh, how could you not know where you were going? Did you not notice the islands below from the airplane? What about the signs at the airport?”
“She blindfolded me. I swear it. I hadn’t a clue.”
“What a lovely gesture,” Ariana said. “Helping her friend out like that.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know about that,” Pippa said. “I’d say more like annoying.”
“So then what?” Emma said. “This story sounds so romantic. Unrequited love, missed cues. I can’t wait to hear how it ends.”
Which might not have been the best comment to make, considering that the hero of the story was under heavy sedation in a hospital bed at the moment. She covered her mouth and whispered sorry to everyone. Ariana patted her on the knee to let her know it was fine.
“So I tried—really I tried, hard—to resist Topher,” she said. “But at some point the man really is irresistible.” She smiled, remembering how very irresistible he was.
“But then Zander showed up. It was all innocently enough, believe it or not,” she said. “But the timing couldn’t have been worse, and all sorts of problems ensued, and the whole thing spooked Topher out quite a bit. Enough so that the next day he shook my hand and said good-bye. Mentioned something about being like a turtle that travels far from his family, not meant to be near them or some such nonsense.”
“Wait a minute,” Luca said. “You spent the night with him at the palace. You clearly spent the night with him on the boat. And the next day he kicks you to the curb with nothing but a handshake? What is wrong with him?”
“Seriously,” Pippa said, rolling her eyes. “I was so mad, I figured to hell with him. If he wanted to behave like a stupid child, then so be it.”
“And you haven’t seen him since then?” Ariana said.
Pippa shrugged and shook her head, pursing her lips. “Nope,” she said. “And then, well, I got sort of busy. What with throwing up ten times a day. Not to mention freaking out because a baby wasn’t exactly on my to-do list for forever. I mean what do I know about being a mother? My own parents were best at not being parents. And they were my role models. This poor child is doomed.”
Ariana took Pippa’s hand in hers. “Silly girl,” she said. “You’ll be a divine mother. Do you know how much you mothered all my children when you were all little?”
Pippa shook her head.
“You made sure everyone picked up their toys when you were done playing,” Ariana continued. “You made them clear their dishes after meals. You reminded them of my birthday each year. You told them to mind their manners when they burped at the dinner table. And do you remember when Nero, our black cocker spaniel, died? You comforted my children as much if not more than I did. Pippa Grimaldi, your baby will be lucky to call you Mum.”
Which launched Pippa into a downright squall of tears, all happy, except for the black cloud of unknown about Topher hovering overhead.
“So you’re not mad at me?” Pippa said.
“Oh, heavens no, dear girl,” Ariana said, smiling at Enrico, who was nodding his head. “We’re quite ecstatic, in fact. We’re going to be grandparents! And you, young lady, are carrying our grandbaby, so let’s get you off to bed so you can get some rest. It’s been a stressful, long day.”
Before she knew it, Pippa was being tucked into bed by none other than the Queen of Monaforte, who stroked her forehead and kissed her on the cheek. Like a real mother would do. Not a bad way to end a very bad day.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
THE whole lot of them were run ragged by the time their jet landed at the small airport in Northern Queensland and a limousine rushed them to the nearby hospital.
Ariana rushed to her son’s side, nearly knocking down a nurse to get there as quickly as possible. “I’m sorry, love,” she said to the woman. “Please forgive my manners. I simply need to see that my boy is all right.”
The nurse smiled. “No worries. I completely understand. He took quite a nick, this one did.”
“Honestly, I’m going to lock him in his room from here on out so he’s safe,” Ariana said, reaching for her son’s hand, which was taped up with IV needles. “It’s your mum, baby,” she said. “You’re going to be okay.”
Topher lay there for what seemed forever, his face contorted from the ongoing pain, despite the heavy doses of pain meds flowing through his body. In the background were sobs from Ariana and Pippa, who tucked herself into the far corner of the room. The rest of the group stood there, staring at the monitors that were recording Topher’s vitals, reassuring his family that he was indeed still alive.
Soon Toph began to stir, tossing from side to side, moaning, and eventually his eyes opened ever so gradually.
“Hey, mate,” Zander said, leaning over his brother. “Heard you got bit by a butterfly.”
Topher’s eyes hung heavy, he was so deeply sedated. He tried to talk but nothing came out.
“You gave us all a hell of a scare,” Adrian said, holding tight to Emma’s hand. “You’d better not do something like that ever again or I can assure you Mum will kill you.”
“How’re you feeling, sweetheart?” his mother asked, her brow creased with worry. “Can I do anything to help you?”
Topher shook his head slightly.
“Meantime we have a little surprise for you,” Zander said. “Figured it might cheer you up a bit.”
Luca stepped aside as Pippa emerged from the back of the room. She approached the bed feeling awkward and gangly and hating being the center of attention.
Topher’s eyes opened wider, and he tried to mouth her name but all he seemed to do was form the letter “P” with his mouth.
She put her finger to his lips to quiet him. “Shhhh,” she said. “Don’t talk. You have to save your energy to get better.”
He moved his hand slowly toward her, and she reached for it, clasping it between both of hers as she pulled it to her, pressing her lips to his fingertips. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Hey,” she said quietly.
She looked up, and everyone was staring at them. She moved her head in the direction of the door, hoping they’d all take the hint a
nd give them a few moments of privacy. The family filed out of the room one by one, and Ariana, the last one out, respectfully closed the door behind her.
“Topher, I’m so sorry this happened to you,” she said through the tears. “I can’t tell you how mad I am at myself for having let you ditch me. That was so not cool of you, by the way. Ever since that day, I’ve thought about you more times than I care to remember. I don’t want to say you were haunting my thoughts, but... Actually, damn you, you’d really have haunted my thoughts if you had died before we had a chance to talk. Toph, look, I know it matters to you, this whole thing about how your brothers give you a hard time. I get that. I know you’re sensitive to appearances. I mean, who’s not? But maybe you more so than some men. I don’t know. But T, we have a lot of fun together. I mean, a lot of fun together. That is, when we decide to not be stupid idiots and avoid each other. And the sex—”
She fanned her face, pretending to be hot and bothered.
“—the sex. I am sure I didn’t tell you this, because, well, I didn’t want to swell your head or anything, but it was truly the best sex I’ve ever had. Not that that’s saying a whole lot, because it’s not as if I’ve slept with a hundred men, but still. There’ve been a few. And some, wow, were they not so great. So I do have a good basis of comparison. Like there was this one guy at university—”
Topher tried to clear his throat, and she looked down to see him glaring at her.
She laughed. “Maybe you’re starting to improve if that makes you irritated,” she said. “Maybe I should start telling you details of every man I’ve had sex with and see if that will really rev up your engines.”
Topher moved his head back and forth slightly.
“I know, I’m not that cruel. After all, the last thing I want to do is upset you. Your family would about kill me. Plus no need in giving you a heart attack. Although I heard this snail thingy’s bite is so painful people die from heart attacks. My God, Topher, how the hell did this happen? One drop of venom could kill twenty people! And how did you survive it? You poor baby, I’m so sorry.”
Love is in the Heir Page 13