“Emma Bertram?” he asked.
Emma jumped to her feet. “Yes…what’s going on?”
“Your sister and her boyfriend apparently left a party and went for a drive,” the officer said. “I think they got into some kind of fight, and the young man was bringing her back. He lost control of the car and hit a tree.”
“Boyfriend…” Emma said, knowing immediately it had to be Ricky the Creep. She felt sick, knowing she should have tried harder to keep Imogene away from him.
Reece planted his hand on his hips and glared. “What boyfriend?”
“Just some boy at school,” Emma said. “I saw Imogene with him in the parking lot today. He’s one of the reasons we’ve been fighting. I didn’t like him.”
Reece narrowed his eyes. “Did you know this kid would be at the party?”
“I suspected.”
“And you still let her go?” he asked, the flinty, disapproving look rising in his eyes.
“Do you really think I have the power to stop Imogene from seeing a boy she thinks she likes?” Emma cried. “She’s a stubborn teenager…and news flash…she still doesn’t like me. A feeling you seem to actively encourage.”
“I do not—”
“Stop fighting, both of you!” Mary Bertram rapped out. “Arguing isn’t going to help Imogene. She made a very bad decision, but apparently she paid for it. We need to concentrate on her now, not on leveling blame.”
Once more the double doors swung open. This time a doctor in scrubs came out. Emma forgot about fighting with Reece and hurried toward the doctor.
“Do you have news on Imogene Bertram?” she asked, clenching both hands together.
“You’re her sister?” the doctor asked.
“Yes…please tell me. How is she?”
Emma was aware of Reece coming to put an arm around her shoulders, but she could only focus on the doctor.
“She has some internal bleeding, which we’re trying to stop,” he said. “Right now we’re worried about how much blood she’s lost. This has presented some problems.”
“What do you mean?”
“Imogene has a very rare blood type, and we don’t have a lot on hand,” the doctor said. “We’re calling down to the blood bank to locate more, but we wanted to find out if anyone in the family might be a match.”
Emma’s entire being went still. “Imogene is adopted,” she whispered.
The doctor pursed his lips. “Okay, like I said, we can call the blood bank.”
By her side, Reece stirred. “No…I can donate.”
Startled, Emma glanced over at him. “You heard the doctor say she has a rare blood type. Why would you assume you’re a match?”
Solemn dark eyes regarded her. “Because I have a very rare blood type, too.” Reece looked at the doctor. “AB negative…right?”
The doctor nodded, eyes widening in surprise. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Wait…how do you know Imogene’s blood type?” Emma asked, beginning to shake with the certain knowledge that her world was about to come apart again. “Reece, what’s going on?”
All the color had drained from his face, and the skin pulled tight around his eyes, which seemed darker than the depths of space. He shook his head and swallowed. “I know because Imogene is my daughter. I’m her birth father.”
“Oh my…” Emma clapped a hand to her mouth to stop the primal scream. “You’re her father? Her real father?”
“Yes.” He tried to take her hand, but Emma jerked back. “Emma…”
“Don’t touch me!” she cried. “Don’t you dare touch me!”
The doctor held up a hand. “Excuse me. I know there are issues here, but I still need blood for Imogene until we can get some here. Sir, if you could come with me?”
Emma watched as Reece followed the doctor through the swinging doors. The breath shuddered from her lungs, and she thought she might pass out. Tears clouded her vision, and she released a sob.
Her mother wrapped an arm around her. “Hold on now, sweetheart.”
“He’s her father,” she whispered. “Reece is Imogene’s father.”
Mary Bertram stroked Emma’s cheek. “I know.”
Reece must have known for some time. Maybe that’s why he’d come to Shellwater Key in the first place. Cozied up to the adoptive family of his daughter, pretending to be a friend.
Uncle Reece.
But then Imogene’s parents had died, and Emma had come along, upsetting the apple cart and potentially pushing him aside. Had Reece tried to charm her so he could still be close to his daughter? Had the seduction routine been nothing more than an act?
Fury unlike anything Emma had ever experienced bubbled up like lava spewing from a volcano. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so enraged. Not even when she’d found out about Joseph’s wife and kids.
Shaking with righteous anger, Emma pulled away from her mother’s comforting embrace and set off through the doors.
“Emma…” her mother called out, warning in the tone.
Ignoring the plea, Emma went in search of Reece. She needed some answers. Now.
Someone eventually led her to a small curtained bay off the nurse’s station. Reece lay on a stretcher, a line connected to his arm.
Emma pulled the curtain shut. “Is Imogene the reason you came to Shellwater Key?”
His head turned, and he tried to sit up. “Emma…”
“Just answer the question!”
His mouth twisted, and then he nodded. “Yes, I knew Imogene was here.”
“Did my dad and Mona know who you were?”
He shook his head. “No, I never told them.”
“And me?” Emma stepped closer. She watched the blood flowing through the tube. Blood that matched her adopted sister. “Were you ever going to tell me?”
“I was actually…tonight,” he said. “I didn’t want to keep the secret from you, now that we’re—”
“We’re what? Involved? Was that part of the plan?” Emma clenched her fists to keep from flying at him. “Make me fall in love with you, and then you get to be in Imogene’s life forever?”
“No.” Reece struggled to sit up, but the needle in his arm prevented much movement. “Emma, you were not part of a plan. There was no plan, other than to be near my daughter.”
“But if we were together, you would be near her. It would have been perfect, really.” Emma ran a shaking hand through her hair. “It all makes so much sense now. Why a young, single man would sequester himself in a place like Shellwater Key. Why Imogene always turns to you when she needs something. Why you’re so interested in my sisters. Was Paige just a bonus?”
“I love both of those girls,” he ground out.
“And me? I must have been the biggest bonus of all,” she raged. “How could I have been so stupid? You hated me, until you figured out you could play me and get what you’ve always wanted.”
“It wasn't like that.” Reece reached out with one hand, while the other kept him tethered to a line. “Emma, I’m falling in love with you. That’s no act. Believe me, if I’d had a choice I would never have gotten involved with you.”
Emma reeled back like she’d been struck. “Because I’m such a horrible daughter and sister, right?”
“You’re not horrible, just clinging to past hurts like a shield,” Reece said. “You were so intent on drowning in your misery and judgment. Imogene resents you because you’ve always resented her. You think she isn’t aware of that? Of course I stuck close. I had to make sure you didn’t hurt her the same way you did your father. Being attracted to you would never have been part of my so-called plan.”
“Well, I’m glad to know how you really feel,” Emma said, shaking inside. She felt as though she were reenacting that scene from Pride & Prejudice where Darcy tells Lizzie he loves her against his better judgment. “It should save us a lot of trouble and heartache.”
Reece cursed. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know you’ve been trying. I know you’ve changed
.”
“Thanks for giving me credit,” she retorted. “I’m so glad I meet with your grudging approval. How dare you judge me when you’ve been lying to everyone for years.”
“I only wanted to see my daughter, to know her in any way I could.”
“Well, it’s too late for that,” Emma said, icy fury replacing the heat of anger. “You signed away your rights, and you don’t get to take my family now. Once Imogene is home, I don’t want you anywhere near us.”
Alarm swept across his features. “Emma, you can’t.”
“I can because my father chose me…not you. Unless you plan to fight for custody of the girls? Maybe that was your ultimate plan before you decided to seduce me? Find evidence that I was unfit to raise the girls so you could swoop in and take them?”
“No.” Reece’s head shook furiously. “I never wanted that. Emma, if you’d let me explain what happened. I didn’t know about—”
“I don’t care.” Emma cut him off. She was through listening to lies. Through believing that any man could be trustworthy. “You stay away from us from now on. I mean it. This happy family fantasy is over.”
“Emma, don’t do this.” The veins in his neck bulged as his jaw clenched. “Please.”
“No, we’re done with you. We’re all done with you.”
Then she turned on her heel and walked away. Leaving him hooked up to a machine that would take his blood to save the life of the daughter who didn’t even know how close her father had been all these years.
In saving Imogene, Reece had destroyed everything else, including Emma’s trust and her heart.
Chapter 23
When had this prickly, strong, brave girl become so precious to her? Emma didn’t know when resentment had evolved into caring and caring into a fierce, mother-bear sense of love.
Emma stared at her sister as she rested in the hospital bed. Her slim body seemed to be engulfed by the oversized mattress and all the beeping machines. Imogene could have died tonight. They’d almost lost her in another senseless car crash. Emma shuddered and said a prayer of thanks that her sister had made it. Reece’s miracle blood had helped save Imogene’s life, even as it had killed any chance of a relationship between Reece and Emma.
She shook off the thought. Now was not the time to dwell on Reece and his lies. Right now, she needed to concentrate on Imogene and ensure she made a full recovery.
The door swung open, and Emma’s mother came in. She put an arm around her shoulders. “There’s our girl,” Mary Bertram said.
“She’s here.” Emma took a shuddery breath. “Mom, how did you survive my childhood? How does anyone survive it? We almost lost her tonight. I want to howl over every scrape and bruise. I want to put them all on me so she won’t feel any pain.”
“Why do you think my prayers could last for an hour?” She kissed Emma’s cheek. “I know you want to take away her pain, but sometimes scrapes and bruises are necessary. At least we can hope she won’t climb into a car with that reckless boy again.”
“Ricky the Creep.” Emma’s fingers flexed into angry claws. “That kid better hope I’m never able to get a hand on him. I should have listened to you and made her stay away from him.”
“I shouldn’t have said that.” Her mother sighed. “You were probably right that she would have been even more determined to keep seeing him.”
“Either way, Imogene got hurt on my watch,” Emma said, guilt pressing down on her chest. “I should have protected her better, but I didn’t want to deal with her attitude. I didn’t want her to hate me more than she already does.”
“Your sister does not hate you, Emma,” her mother said in a tone that brooked no argument. “She’s confused and scared.”
“Yes, and now that Reece has made his big confession—”
Her mother squeezed Emma’s shoulders. Hard. “Not here, and not now,” she whispered urgently. “Just concentrate on Imogene and getting her home again. There is more than enough time to deal with other matters.”
Emma turned to look her mother in the eyes. “But what if he challenges me—”
“Look.” Mary Bertram pointed to the bed as Imogene began to stir.
As her sister’s eyes opened, Emma felt a rush of relief so strong she almost swooned. She hurried to the bed and took Imogene’s hand. “Hey Genie.”
Imogene shifted and winced. A hand went to her head as she let out a moan. “What happened?”
“You don’t remember?” Emma asked, trying not to panic. Could her sister have some sort of amnesia or brain damage? The doctors hadn’t indicated anything more than a bump on the head, but still.
Imogene frowned. “I was at the party, and then Ricky wanted to go…” her eyes widened. “Ricky! I left with him.”
“Ricky crashed the car,” Emma said, fighting to keep her voice steady and not let on how much she hated that little creep. “Lost control and hit a tree.”
Alarm swept across Imogene’s face. “Is he okay?”
The concern for Ricky the Creep did nothing to ease Emma’s temper. “He’s fine. Didn’t have a scratch on him.”
She found it to be the height of injustice that the kid responsible for tonight’s disaster hadn’t suffered at all, while Imogene had gotten hurt, and Emma’s entire life had been upended…again.
“Getting into a car with him at night was a stupid thing to do,” Emma said.
“I know.” Imogene’s eyes filled, and she pulled at the blanket. “I’m sorry if you were worried.”
“Worried?” Emma cried. “We’ve been out of our minds. Genie, you could have died tonight. When I got that call from the police I—” She broke off, shuddering past the memory of the trip to the hospital, not knowing what she’d find. “I’ve never been so scared in all my life. I don’t think I started breathing again until the doctor finally came out and said you would be all right. There was internal bleeding, and if they hadn't been able to stop it…” She shook her head.
Mary Bertram came to the side of the bed, holding her with one arm and taking Imogene’s hand, as if she could lend strength to both of them. “We’ve all been frantic,” she said. “We’re overjoyed that you’re going to be all right.”
“I’m sorry.” Tears were streaming down Imogene’s cheeks now. “I was just trying to have some fun and forget…everything…at least for a while.”
Emma couldn’t be angry with her sister for wanting to feel normal again. She leaned down and kissed Imogene’s bruised cheek, stroking her hair and wanting to weep for a girl who simply missed her parents.
“I realize that,” Emma said. “I know you’re going through something terrible. We all are, but we’re in this together. You and Paige are my family, and I couldn’t bear to lose you, too.”
“You don’t hate me?” Imogene asked.
“No…oh no…sweetie,” Emma said. “I could never hate you. You’re my sister. I love you, even when you drive me crazy.”
“That sounds pretty much like every parent on the planet,” her mother said, with an indulgent chuckle.
Emma laughed too and stood to hug her mother. “Thank you for being here.”
“Where else would I be when my girls need me?” Mary Bertram said. She squeezed Imogene’s hand. “All my girls.”
Imogene wiped her eyes. “We must have the weirdest family ever,” she said on a gurgle of laughter.
“Certainly the most creative,” Emma said dryly, though inside a part of her thrilled to hear that her sister included her as family.
“Where’s Uncle Reece?” Imogene asked. “Did he come?”
Emma stilled, and the awful ache of betrayal returned. For a few moments she’d almost forgotten the new branch in the Bertram family tree. A new root, actually, since Reece was not just a pseudo uncle.
“I think he’s outside,” her mother said in the yawning gap of silence. “They’re limiting the number of visitors who can come in.”
Emma didn’t know if the rule existed in this room or not, but she was
grateful for her mother’s quick thinking, anyway. She had to keep it together and try to act normal. The last thing she wanted was for Imogene to find out the truth now. Who knew how she would react? Who knew what Reece would demand if he no longer had to hide his identity as Imogene’s father?
“Yes, he’s waiting in the hallway,” Emma said. “I’ll go get him.”
She didn’t actually know if he was nearby, of course. Emma had told him to stay away, but she had a feeling Reece wouldn’t disappear completely.
As it turned out, he was leaning against the wall across from Imogene’s room. He bolted up straight when Emma came out. “She’s awake?” he asked, his voice blunt and a little harsh.
“Awake and talking,” she said, with a weary nod.
Dark eyes searched hers. “She seems okay?”
“Yes, I think so.” Emma shrugged. “She doesn’t remember the accident itself.”
“I’ve heard that can happen after a trauma,” he said. “You’re sure she’s all right otherwise?”
“As far as I can tell. Aside from some tears, she seems perfectly normal.”
“Tears?” he barked out. “Why is she crying? Is she upset? What—”
“It might be because she almost died tonight in a remarkably similar way to her parents,” Emma said. “She’s upset, and worried that we were worried, but that will pass hopefully.”
His shoulders dropped, and Emma realized how rigidly he’d been holding his body. Reece squeezed his eyes shut. “Thank God…” he murmured almost to himself. “I don't know what I would have done if—” He let out a blistering curse and scrubbed both hands across his face.
Emma tried not to feel sympathetic. Reece Casings had lied to everyone and had only set out to seduce her in order to get closer to his daughter, but she could see how upset he was.
“You should go in and see her,” Emma said before she could stop herself.
His hands dropped, and he looked at her in surprise. “You told me to stay away.”
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