by Aly Nichole
Heart of Conviction
Conviction Series: Book One
Aly Nichole
Heart of Conviction
Copyright 2021 © Aly Nichole
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the Author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the reader of this ebook only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Author. All songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
Cover design and formatting by Black Widow Design
Contents
Warning
Prologue
1. Nathan
2. Sadie
3. Nathan
4. Sadie
5. Nathan
6. Nathan
7. Nathan
8. Sadie
9. Sadie
10. Nathan
11. Sadie
12. Sadie
13. Nathan
14. Sadie
15. Nathan
16. Nathan
17. Sadie
18. Sadie
19. Nathan
20. Sadie
21. Nathan
22. Sadie
23. Nathan
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Connect With Me!
What’s Next
Reviews
Dedication
There are so many people I want to thank for making this book a reality.
My Twiladies.
The amazing people from BookTok.
My family and friends.
And to the team of ladies that help make it better with their skills!
Thank You!
Warning
Content has possible triggers to some.
Heart Of Conviction is meant for 18 plus readers.
Prologue
Nathan
Her shoulders were up to her ears. “I’m not ready for that kind of hand out from you.”
“It’s not a handout, T. It’s making sure you and our child are safe. This bucket of shit isn’t safe.” I growled. I wanted the best for them.
Trisha’s shoulders fell.
“We’re literally broken down in the middle of the road right now.” I waved my arms around. Fucking Christ.
“Nathan.”
Her voice, my name, was the last thing I heard before the screaming and loud mashing of metal on metal.
Fuck paper work!
I yanked the roots of my hair. My back had a crick from hours spent leaning over my desk. You would think my body was older than it was. I was too fucking young to be feeling old.
Admittedly, I brought this on myself for picking three specialties. I needed to be the best and to be the best you had to be well-rounded. I started with Obstetrics, which led to pediatrics, and that led to fetal surgery.
I opened my private practice and had a full six-day-a-week schedule, much to my family’s dismay.
“Fuck.” I covered my face with my hands and closed my eyes. My mind wandered as I tried giving myself a break. But it brought up an unpleasant memory.
“What’s—what happened?” my voice was groggy, and my eyes were unfocused as they took in the room.
My mom’s breath hitched. “You were in a car accident.”
My phone dinged forcing me to the present.
“Dr. Valentine speaking.”
“Hey, Nate, I need a favor.”
I snorted. My best friend and also sister-in-law never beat around the bush. It has to be because of her fiery hair.
Red aka Sam was the director of the Valentine Center. It housed many things including a free clinic, daycare center, and shelter. There were many programs offered as well, such as job training and tutoring. There was a social worker on-site and several counselors. My mom created a place for single parents and people who needed a leg up. The Valentine Center was everything my mom needed and more. My mom came from nothing with two kids by the time she was eighteen. She moved from a small town to get a diner job to support my brother and me. Until Liam Valentine came and swept her off her feet.
“I think you used up your favor quota this month.” I fired back at her.
“Pft, I have unlimited favors. But seriously, Nate,” She sighed. “I have this patient here that really could use a second opinion.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I told you to fucking get rid of Gails.”
“This is not the time. Look, I managed to get her to hang out here. Her daughter is hanging out in the daycare and I have her sitting in on a financial aid class.” Red started to ramble.
I gritted my teeth. I needed her to focus. “What exactly is going on?”
“She’s pregnant and this was her second appointment. Gails noted some irregularities with the baby's heart and the mom had a melt down. I told her I would get her a second opinion before she left.”
I shook my head. Because Gails was a fuckin moron and racist, homophobic, elitist prick. My skin color always made him doubt my ability to be a great doctor. “I’ll be there, give me half an hour.”
I scratched my beard trying to sum up my patience. I fucking hated Gails. He was one of the doctors you questioned why they went to medical school. But somehow he thought working for Valentine Center would give him a boost to his career. Fucking dipshit.
I gathered my things, hoped for his sake he wasn't there when I arrived. I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions if he was.
The Center was lively for a Saturday evening, not that I was surprised. The shelter and daycare never closed. The clinic was open until ten at night.
Red was at the reception desk, waiting for me.
“I take it the fucker is still here.”
“Do you know how hard it is to hire a doctor for a free walk-in clinic with insane hours?”
I folded my arms across my chest and stared at her. It wasn't a new argument between us. I hated Gails and would continue to argue until he was replaced.
“Don’t give me that look. I asked you to come work here or at least put your practice here so you could be more involved in the clinic. But no!” She slapped her hand on the desk.
I rolled my eyes. “I wanted to have something that wasn’t part of my Dad’s empire.”
I already had to fight because of my age, race, and the fact I was a Valentine.
Liam Valentine was a strategic and ruthless businessman who dabbled in everything. He was part of the one percent. He met Mom when I was nine and swept her off her feet. My brother and I got a dad who wanted us.
“Your mom built this, you dick.” Her blue eyes blazed. Red was stunning when she got pissy. Her red hair was in a bun strategically placed on the top of her head. My brother was a lucky bastard.
“With my dad’s money. But the point is valid. My work wouldn’t be credible in my field if I worked here.” I was being an absolute dick, and if my dad found out what I had said, I was a dead man.
Red groaned, “Sally’s waiting for you with Sadie’s chart.”
I smirked leaning over and kissed the top of her head. “Tell my big brother hi for me.”
She clucked her tongue. “We will see you tomor
row for dinner.”
The Center was a massive building now. I remember years ago when it was just programs and daycare in a small two-story building. Now it was the size of a damn hospital. Sally was at the clinic’s desk when I arrived. I flashed my best smile while my eyes flickered around.
“Gails has left for the day. It’s just me and the RN Dana.” Sally smirked, handing me the tablet to look at the patient’s chart. Sally was the girl next door. Her brown hair matched her brown eyes. Her kind nature could be seen in her smile and observed in her full figured mannerisms.
“Thank fuck.” I snatched it and flicked through the patient's chart. My heart raced against my chest and my fingers slowly lost color from my grip.
“How can you stand the man who cares more about the patient’s financial status than her care?” I looked up from the tablet to Sally.
She wouldn't meet my eyes as she spoke. “I do what I can until we can find someone better.”
I gave a jerky nod. “Can you prepare the ultrasound? And I want some blood drawn also. Make sure the results come to my office.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“Is she ready for me?”
“She is, she wouldn’t leave her daughter at the daycare so she is also in there.” Sally warned me.
I shrugged. “Sounds good.”
I tapped through the screens again. The man was a menace. He got one ultrasound and that was it. No blood work, no prenatal care at all. I ground my teeth and attempted to calm myself down. I didn’t want to scare the patient.
I knocked on the patient’s door, making sure she was ready for me before walking in.
My eyes landed on a little girl who was latched onto a gorgeous woman. She was short, with long blondish brown hair and blue eyes. Her belly was a perfectly shaped basketball.
I cleared my throat and glanced back down at the file. “Hi, Ms. Mosey, I’m Doctor Valentine. They called me for a consultation.” I gave her my best smile. My hands itched to touch her pale skin.
Fucking Christ she was stunning. I couldn’t go down this road. It would end in disaster. It always ended in heartbreak.
She cleared her throat. “Please call me Sadie.” Her rough voice went straight to my groin.
Get your shit together, Nate. I put on my professional smile. “Only if you call me Nathan or Nate. We have so many Valentines in my family.” I joked as I sat down on the roller stool and looked through the notes. My mind needed to stay away from those kinds of thoughts.
Sadie looked up from beneath her lashes and my heart stopped. Her eyes swept over me and the top of her ears turned red. “Okay.”
Fuuuck, I was so fucked.
“All right. Sadie. I’m going to draw some blood and I have Sally getting an ultrasound machine so I can get a good look at your baby. But before all that I am going to check you over and ask some questions. Okay?”
I watched her tiny hand run through her daughter’s blonde hair. “Okay.”
I peaked at the little girl who was the mini version of her mother. She had a bright pink sparkly bow in her hair and a Zombie Hero shirt on. I hid my smirk. Of course she was a fan.
“Hey, princess, do you think you can sit in one of those awesome comfy chairs so I can examine your mom?”
Sadie kissed her daughter’s forehead and my heart squeezed inside my chest at the affection. What the fuck was wrong with me. I see this all the time. Fuck.
“Go sit over there, sweetie.” She helped her daughter down. She didn’t want to leave her mother’s side.
“What’s your name, princess?”
“Hailey.”
“Hailey, a very pretty name.” I complimented. I hoped it would make her feel relaxed.
She beamed at me. “Thank you. My mommy gave it to me.”
Fuck, she was adorable. “Ok, mommy let’s take a look at you.”
I quickly checked Sadie over and Sally joined us with the ultrasound machine and a blood draw kit. “Good timing.”
She chuckled. “That’s why I get paid the big bucks.”
I snorted. She wasn’t wrong; Red paid her well to keep this clinic running smoothly.
I pulled the machine over and had pointed to the table to have Sally set the kit down. “Do you want your blood drawn first or after seeing your baby?”
Sadie squished her face up. “Blood first, then I’ll reward myself with seeing my baby.”
I smiled, nodding my head. “That is a solid plan.” I grabbed the kit and quickly got her blood.
Sally was distracting Hailey. Thank god, I wouldn't want her to be worried about what I was doing to her mom. “Sally, can you run this to the lab real quick?”
“Yes, Doctor.” She took the tubes from my grasp.
I turned back to Sadie. Her eyes were on her daughter and a wistful smile was on her pouty lips.
“Now, mama, please lie down and pull your shirt up and your pants down a bit.” I quickly instructed her before I decided to do something stupid.
After she got ready, I got the gel warmed up. “The gel shouldn’t be cold. I’m going to look at all the parts I can; hopefully, the baby will cooperate.”
Sadie gave me a timid smile. Her fingers twisted her shirt just underneath her breasts.
I placed the wand on Sadie’s belly. I turned the sound up so the heartbeat could be heard.
“Nice, strong heartbeat,” I reassured her, and the tension left her body.
I moved the wand around her belly checking the head and taking pictures as I went. When I got to the heart. My face blanked watching and listening more carefully. Fuck.
“What’s wrong?” Her voice hitched.
The opposite of what I wanted her to do.
I quickly gave her a confident smile. “I see an irregular heart rhythm. It’s probably nothing. But to be sure I’ll set you up for a more extensive ultrasound called fetal echocardiography.” I took a breath and let her digest the information before continuing.
“Almost ninety percent of the time, it’s something straightforward. What I need you to do is try to stay calm and keep your mind off it until we get you in for the next sonogram. Stressing about something like this will only make it worse.” I emphasized to her. I didn’t need Sadie getting high blood pressure from anxiety.
“Is it something I did?”
“No,” I answered immediately. “I promise. Things happen. Now, while I’m looking, would you like to know what you’re having?” I said hoping the distraction of learning the gender of her baby would lessen her worry.
She swiped the tears off her cheek and chin. “Yes, please.”
I blew out a breath trying to get myself under control. Everything inside me screamed to pick her up and hold her to me. Hug her until all her worries disappeared.
I moved the wand around and smiled. “You see this right here?” I pointed to the screen.
“Oh.” She gasped.
“You are having a boy.” I printed some images off for her and I sent the rest of the images to my inbox for me to look over later.
I grabbed some wipes and started to clean her off. Unable to stop myself, my hand spread over her bump. My eyes met hers. Her cheeks turned pink.
Shit, I removed my hand from her stomach and cleared my throat. “Sorry about that. Um — here are more wipes if I missed some.”
I watched her slowly clean the gel away in a trance. I was so fucked. Grabbing the tablet I typed some things. “What time Friday would be good for you?”
Sally was back and had gathered all the supplies before carting them out the door.
“I get out of work at five then I have to pick Hailey up so after that.” She pulled in her bottom lip between her teeth. I wanted to bite that lip. I wonder what she tasted like. Fuck!
I cleared my throat and turned, hoping to get rid of my semi. I was a fucking professional for fuck sake. “Let’s say six. I’ll let Red know I’m taking you on as a patient.” The last bit was more for me than her because I knew my sister in law would be asking. She wa
s fucking nosey. I had no idea why she had taken an interest in Sadie.
“Red?” She was sitting up now and looked confused.
“Sorry, Sam the center director. She was the one who asked me to come in and give you a proper exam.”
Her eyes widened and she looked away. “Your wife is really nice.”
I blinked and laughed hard. “Oh god, Red will get a kick out of that when I tell her. She’s not my wife, she’s my sister-in-law.”
She hid her face behind her hand. “God, I’m sorry.”
I patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it. Just a few quick questions. Okay?”
She bobbed her head.
“Do you have a support system at all? It can get hard with the doctor’s appointments and work.” I sounded like an ass but if I confirm what I thought was going on. I knew there were a lot of appointments in her future.
Her face blanked. “It’s just me and my daughter.”
My fingers tap against the tablet before I take out my wallet to grab one of my cards and then a pen.
“You can text or call me for anything.” I hand the card to her, adding my personal cell on the back of it.
She slowly reached out and took it. “Thank you, but I doubt your wife or girlfriend would appreciate a strange woman calling and texting you for help.” Her brows pinched together.
Kept my laugh to myself. “No need to worry about that. I’m unattached. Seriously, don’t be afraid to call or text me for anything.’
She nodded.
“All right, I will see you Friday.”