by Taylor Hart
Anthony's eyes fluttered open and closed.
Kade moved to the chair next to the bed and scooted it closer to his brother and sat.
He didn’t know how long he was there as a myriad of memories flashed through him, including the day his mother had passed away. He remembered how they’d both held each other. Reaching out, he put a shaky hand on top of his brother’s. He didn’t expect anything. That was probably the biggest deal at the moment. He realized he just wanted to be there for him. That was it. There was no pressure from his dad. No competition. Nothing. It was just them.
He closed his eyes, wishing he could help his brother. Actually praying. Dear God, help him. Help his neck. Help him to heal. Help him to play again. Tears washed down his cheeks, and he wondered about all the things he’d wondered about for a long time. How he was? Did he like Houston? Did he like the team? Was he really dating Sheena?
He wanted to tell him about Felicity. He wanted to tell him about everything he’d been thinking the past couple of days.
But he swallowed and just let this be enough. He didn’t know if his brother was sleeping or …
“Do you remember …”
Kade looked at Anthony, who was looking at him. With the same tired eyes. His voice was quiet and sounded old.
Anthony kept talking. “When we were little and we would just play catch?”
A rush of tears washed down Kade’s face, and a surge of happiness warmed him. He nodded to his brother and smiled and held his hand tighter.
“Yeah. Yeah, I remember that."
He wiped his face with his other hand.
Anthony had tears in his eyes too. “I miss that.”
Kade thought about how being here, protecting his brother, supporting his brother felt so good. Felt like the best thing he’d done in a long time. Warm chills washed through him. He didn’t deserve this grace, but he was sure thankful for it. He smiled at Anthony. “I’ve missed it too, bro. I’ve missed you.”
Chapter 25
Two weeks Later
Felicity sat in her office, staring at the blue vase Kade had given her. Warmth started in the center of her and spread from there when she thought about Kade. He hadn’t given it to her. He'd replaced it. She debated that point for what seemed the umpteenth time.
Kade was still in Houston with his brother, actually sleeping in the same room with him. It’d been such a beautiful thing, the reunion of him and his brother.
After Mr. DaVinci realized Felicity had been with Kade when he arrived in Houston, he told her to stay there and manage the media.
It’d been a fun story to manage because it had been real. Her heart warmed thinking about Kade demanding to sleep in a bed next to his brother, to eat with his brother, and to help him start his physical therapy. The Houston Sentinel team had been up at the hospital a lot, and there’d been a lot of teasing between Kade and the guys, but Anthony had gotten a little better every day to everyone’s, especially Kade’s, pleasure.
It was hardly a few days later, and Kade was wheeling him around the hospital, laughing and joking and getting busted by the nurses.
The media had eaten the whole thing up and had even done a whole spread on them and their loyalty to each other. It’d been one of the best times for her because Kade refused to hide his relationship with her, so she’d been able to start to get to know Anthony. She’d also been up front and center with a resurged media effort at KadeSong. Which was growing on her a bit.
It made her wonder about how she’d been instantly accepted into Kade’s world and how everyone around her, including Mr. DaVinci, still took her seriously at her own job.
Life felt amazing, and as Felicity put together a few clips of the brothers for another press release to give to the Dallas news outlets, she felt happier than she figured she had probably ever felt.
DaVinci walked into her office, an eyebrow lifted. "Felicity, Felicity, Felicity. How are you?” A brilliant smile.
Unable to stop the blush, she nodded. “I’m good, Mr. DaVinci.”
Stopping in front of her desk, he tapped it lightly with his fingers. “Don’t you just love PR when one of your clients is getting tons and tons of free press coverage.” He looked over her shoulder at the clips she was putting together.
She smiled. “I do.”
He moved back around to the front of her desk. “It appears that John Kincaid wants some help with a new spin on one of his companies. He wants to expand our role with his firm. Wants someone to go to his office this afternoon and get the details.” He flashed a smile. “I know you have those Kincaid men wrapped around your finger, so I’m going to let you handle this.”
Angst stirred through her as she thought of the last time she’d seen John Kincaid. He’d looked like a wild bear about to attack. Had attacked, truthfully. She didn’t think this was a coincidence. There was no way this could be a coincidence. “Sure,” she said lightly.
Mr. DaVinci didn’t look like he was up to anything. Of course, she knew the Kincaids were big clients of his. “Great. Head over to his office ASAP.”
Walking into downtown Kincaid Oil headquarters was a bit intimidating. It wasn’t just that he had major holdings in real estate, oil, and mortgage companies, all in this huge downtown building. It was the huge lions out in front of the building. The gothic look was a little over-the-top. Very intimidating.
She thought about what she knew about John. From her research on Kade, she knew he was determined. Ruthless, he would stop at nothing once he set his eyes on something. A nervous flutter went through her. She didn’t know if she wanted to be the point person for him.
She thought about her relationship with Kade. His father had seen her that night, though she could say she’d just been representing Kade or something. Handling something for him.
The moment she was escorted into his twenty-second-floor office by the secretary, after she’d waited twenty minutes, she knew she couldn’t tell him a lie.
He stood facing the city, his cowboy hat on along with the token white shirt, black hat, and cowboy boots.
An intimidating man in an intimidating business.
She thought of how many times she’d seen his face on billboards. On ads at the stadium. Car dealerships. This man was a billionaire, and he had earned it.
“Hello.” She felt small as she stared at the floor-to-ceiling high-rise windows.
“Oh.” He turned, and there was a hop to his step as he moved to her. “Ms. Song, glad you could make it over today.” He pumped her hand, and she wondered for a second if maybe he wasn’t expecting the same woman here as he’d seen at the hospital.
When their eyes met and she saw the sharp look in the brown of them, the same brown of Anthony’s eyes, her heart nearly stopped.
Taking her hand back, she forced herself to suck in a breath. She’d thought Kade’s laser-like focus on the field was intense, but now, staring at his father, she realized that focus wasn’t half of what his father commanded. Sharp and deep, it scared her a bit. “Mr. Kincaid.” She kept her voice light.
“Take a seat,” he said grandly, gesturing to the furniture that was next to the window. White furniture. Clean. Not a spec on it. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking that even the furniture was almost daring you to make a mess on it.
"Thank you,” she said, moving to the couches.
He sat across from her in a black, leather chair casually crossing his leg. And then he petted his mustache. She’d seen him do this gesture a lot. On television. On the field. She wondered what the body language meant. “I have a project I need your expertise with.” He leaned back.
“Really?” She should have asked Mr. DaVinci for more details.
“I have an oil company in Nevada that needs a bit of a PR makeover. Gotten some bad press recently, and I want to send in a crack shot and really overhaul the whole image of the company.” He nodded and licked his lips quickly. He was a fast talker, type A salesman at heart. It was hard for him to keep his butt on the
chair and talk to her. That’s why he’d been standing when she entered. That’s why this office was so large, so he could pace.
"Yeah. I want you to go to Nevada and meet with my people. I want a new logo. I want a whole new campaign, commercials, billboards, website." He nodded his head up and down. "This could take you away for quite awhile.”
Her heart beat faster, and she felt like an animal that suddenly realized they were caught in a net. The more they moved the more tangled they got.
“Yes, you can stay in Reno.” He waved a hand into the air. “Of course, I’ll pay for everything. We’ll set ya up good,” he said. “Maybe you could even get an apartment there. We’ll pay for that. You’ll be there a lot, and a hotel is a bit of an inconvenience."
Now she was in Pretty Woman. Or strike that. Was there a movie made about rich people sending the poor girl away? She’d seen it done about poor guys being sent away or offered money in exchange for leaving a daughter alone, but were there reverse ones? It made her smile when she thought about it because Kade would think it was funny.
“Excuse me, Ms. Song?”
Oh. She’d let her mind wander. “Yes.”
“I’ll have my secretary give you your flight and itinerary and everything.”
Feeling like she was in a different world, she nodded then stood. Her heart beat out of control crazy.
“Great. I’ll have my people send over some files for you to look at and get an idea of what we’re looking for.” He moved to her and shook her hand, holding it longer than necessary. “Ms. Song, have you told my son?”
At this moment, everything felt like it wasn’t real.
“What?” she asked.
“That you’re dying? That you will probably die with your heart condition, and you’re not even on the transplant list?”
She didn’t know what to say. Everything in her world felt like it was slowing down. Every part of her shook as she stood.
He stood too, whipping out a checkbook. “Tell me your price.”
“What?” She really must be in a movie.
His teeth flashed. “Name your price to stay away from my son because we can’t have anything messing with his head.” He nodded. “Of course, after I pay you, you’ll break up with him. I’m guessing it will be somewhat difficult given all the time you’ve been spending together, but it’ll help re-focus him too. My son does best when he’s angry. I should know.”
She blinked and couldn’t stop the moisture in her eyes. This man might be a horrible person, but he was right about one thing—she shouldn’t be with Kade.
“How much?” He pressed.
Glaring at him, she turned on her heel. “You’re one sad man.”
“What?” He yelled after her.
She swung back to him. “You should be ashamed of putting your arrogance ahead of your sons. You should be ashamed of hurting them like this.”
A sneer tugged up his lip. “I would do anything for my sons. That’s why I’m saving him from this.” He pointed at her. “I only have Kade left to make his life into something.” He shook his head. “He’s not going to waste it on a woman like you. You’re broken.”
He’d hit below the belt, exactly where it hurt the most. All of her insecurities. She wanted to rip his head off, but all she could do was turn and run.
She wasn’t sure how she finally arrived home because when she turned off the engine she didn’t remember the trip. Pulling out her phone, she dialed Mr. DaVinci’s number.
“Hello.”
“Mr. DaVinci.” She tried to keep her voice calm.
“Felicity. Yes, how did it go with Kincaid?”
She sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m going to have to put in my resignation.”
“What?”
Ending the call, she got out of the car and tried to calm the hyper beating of her heart, but she couldn’t. Moving toward the house, she felt faint before she saw the double vision.
“Crap.”
Chapter 26
Kade landed the helicopter and shut it off. There had been good winds, so it had been an easy trip. He hadn’t planned on spending the last two weeks with his brother, but it felt like those were the best two weeks he’d spent in a long time.
To have Felicity there and be part of it had been priceless to him.
All he wanted to do was talk to her. See her.
Anthony adored her and had endured all Kade’s rambling about her. It’d been nice to listen to Anthony too. Find out about his life. Find out how Sheena had taken him on a ride and then left him without a word as to why.
Kade was grateful he’d come to be with Anthony. He felt closer to him than ever. At this point, his brother had a neck injury. A career ending injury, everyone was saying. It might be. But he was hopeful. His brother was doing better than they had thought. Better than anyone had predicted. Already, they were doing the therapy.
Kade didn’t want him to play again. Because, like many players, once you were injured you were more prone to being injured again. Especially with a neck injury. As a quarterback, he would become a target. At this point, if Anthony was lucky, he would walk again. But what if he hadn’t been so lucky?
Kade hadn’t said anything the whole time because he knew that he, like his brother would want to play again. Anthony hadn’t needed Dad there to get him up and improving. That drive came from inside both brothers.
Kade found it weird he hadn’t heard from his father. Neither had Anthony. Kade planned to be home for a day or two, see Felicity, and go back and be with Anthony. They were hopeful he could go home soon. Kade had talked him into possibly coming to Dallas, where Kade could help him with his recovery.
Walking into the house, he checked his phone again. It was odd he hadn’t heard from Felicity the last two days. Granted, he knew she had a life, but he had to see her.
He’d planned on hopping in the shower and then going over, but all this angst ran through him. He went to his garage and hopped in his Jeep. She would just have to see him looking like a fool in love.
When Kade pushed the doorbell at Felicity’s house, no one answered.
Tentatively, he looked around, noticing Felicity’s car was there. Adrenaline coursed through him, and he wondered where she was. They couldn't be at the store or something, right?
He texted her again. He realized it was like the twentieth text he’d sent. He stood in front of her house and tried to call her. No answer. Knowing she would hate him doing this, he called Mr. DaVinci.
On the second ring, DaVinci said, “Kade” a bit breathlessly.
“What?” He had the feeling he was about to get bad news.
“Well, I thought you were calling because of Felicity."
He stumbled back, holding to the side of Felicity’s brick house. “I am.”
“I have no idea why she quit—”
“What?”
“But it appears she’s still covered with our insurance. Dallas General Hospital called.”
He didn’t wait to hear it all. He took off running for his Jeep. “What hospital?” He got into the Jeep and fired it up, wishing for his helicopter and instantly thinking Felicity would say only bratty, spoiled, entitled billionaires think things like that.
“I sent her to talk to your father about an issue, and when she came back, she quit."
“My father!” Kade snapped, as he yanked around the stick shift and got his Jeep on the road and on the way to the hospital.
For a second, no one said anything
“Talk!" Kade roared, speeding.
“I thought your father would have told you. She refused to work for him.”
The next moment felt like one of those movie scenes when the character is reacting and acting but all the sound is lost.
The realization that her heart was weak, that she had a condition, hit him. He dropped the phone and thought about a million things that could go wrong for her. He thought about her beautiful red hair, her smile, those eyes that cast some spell on h
im. He thought of the way she’d told him he was a bratty, spoiled, selfish, billionaire. The way she treated him like a normal person.
Getting onto the freeway, he headed to Dallas General Hospital. As he drove, he realized why Anthony and Felicity both meant so much to him.
They’d never wanted anything from him.
Tears fell down his face. He dropped his hand and felt around for his phone, picking it up and putting his ear to it.
“Kade. Kade.” He heard Mr. DaVinci.
“What room?”
“Number 304.”
Kade shut off the phone and immediately called his brother.
Chapter 27
Felicity sat in her hospital room, looking out the window. She couldn’t help thinking how much she would have loved to have her parents getting along like this if only it weren’t because they were united against her.
“Felicity.” Her father stood next to her, gently picking up her hand. He was sober. He’d taken a shower. He actually looked like a normal human being. “We need you to do the surgery. Your heart isn’t functioning well." He had the paperwork in his other hand. “They’ll be coming for you in just a little bit. Everything’s in place. Please, just do it.”
Jerking her hand out of his, she shook her head. “Just stop talking to me.” She knew it was stupid and childish to refuse, but she couldn’t do the surgery. “It’s not certain the surgeon can fix it.”
Her mother stood next to the window, looking over the city. “Felicity, I need you to have faith.” She turned to face her, tears on her face. “I know you’re afraid, baby, but you can do this.”
Moving to her father, they held hands.
Her father had tears in his eyes. “Felicity, you gotta do this. Your mom and I need you.”