Aiden (Members From Money Book 8)

by Katie Dowe

  It would make her feel safer knowing that Andy couldn't come anywhere near her.

  She saw Andy's expression change from concern to surprise to an ugly sneer, his eyes narrowing.

  "You wouldn't dare." He hissed.

  "I would."

  "Charli?"

  Mark. Relief flooded Charli and she turned to see Mark hurrying along the sidewalk towards them. She rushed to him and Mark opened his arms. Charli ran into them and hugged him tightly, finally allowing her nerves to come out. She trembled in Mark's arms and his hold tightened on her.

  She didn't look around at Andy but Mark lowered his head to her ear and whispered.

  "It's okay. He's gone now."

  Charli nodded, her face still buried in his shirt. She shouldn't be feeling like this. She should be focusing on her pregnancy and enjoying it. Instead she was having to contend with an ex-boyfriend who didn't know when to throw the towel in and a man she was starting to fall in love with but she didn't know if he felt the same way.

  "Don't worry, Charli." Mark stroked her hair. "He can't hurt you. I won't let him."

  "I know." Charli sniffed. "He still thinks I'm going back to him. Even after threatening me and trying to make you out to be having an affair, he still expects me to come back to him."

  "Me having an affair?"

  Charli nodded and looked up at him.

  "He showed me a photo of you and your sister when she visited here the other day. Except he didn't know it was Kelly."

  Mark laughed.

  "What's so funny?"

  "Kim tried to do the same to me outside my apartment. She said you were cheating on me and the picture was of you and Kyle."

  "They're trying to split us up?"

  Not that they were together but Mark didn't correct her.

  "To mess with our heads." Mark pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not going to let them win."

  "Neither am I. I'm not going back to Andy."

  She felt Mark's lips smile against her head.

  "I'm glad."

  *****

  "Aww." Atalya took the scan photo and gave it an adoring look. "This is so sweet."

  "The sonographer said this was their little hand." Charli leaned over and pointed at the small white stump with what looked like fingers on the end. "It looks like they're waving."

  After the scan, Mark had dropped Charli off at a restaurant to meet Atalya for lunch, saying he had a few errands to run and would pick her up later. He had kissed her before he left, a kiss that Charli could still feel tingling on her lips an hour later.

  "It does." Atalya sighed, her eyes misting over. She sniffed and passed the photo back, retrieving a tissue from her sleeve and dabbing delicately at her eyes. "Do you think it's a boy or a girl?"

  "No idea." Charli put the picture back in its folder and slid it into her purse. "Mark thinks it's a boy but I'm guessing a girl. And the old wives tales about whether it's a boy or a girl depending on sickness, where it's lying and all that, says it could go either way."

  It had been a little nerve-wracking going in and lying on the bed, hitching her top up so the sonographer could put the gel over her belly before using her roll-on-type device to bring up the images on the screen. She had been worried that there would be something wrong and the baby would not have a heartbeat. But when she heard the heartbeat and her baby wriggling about on the screen, refusing to sit still as the sonographer did the measurements, Charli's nerves disappeared and she fell in love. She had another six months to go before she actually met her baby but she was already in love.

  Now she knew why being pregnant was an amazing experience. Once you got past the sickness and the aching joints.

  "I didn't want to know when I was pregnant with you." Atalya sipped at her coffee. "I'd known with Matt but I wanted to have a surprise when it came to you." She grinned. "Since you were a surprise pregnancy, we thought we'd carry on."

  "I was an accident?"

  Atalya nodded.

  "Our doctor at the time was terrible. Very disorganized. Matt didn't have his six-week check until he was nearly ten weeks. And I couldn't get an appointment to get a new prescription of the pill. So we had to use condoms and one split."

  "Too much information, Mom." Charli didn't want to think about her parents having sex. That was too much to give her nightmares. She grunted. "But it does explain why there's eleven months between me and Matt. I had wondered but never asked. I didn't think it was possible to get pregnant that quickly again."

  "You're surprisingly even more fertile shortly after giving birth. Usually most people are so sore down there they can't think about having sex for some weeks."

  "Good to know."

  Charli wondered how anyone who enjoyed sex with their partner would be able to cope without having sex. But she figured if they weren't sore they were too tired to have sex.

  "What was Mark's reaction?"

  Charli smiled. Mark's reaction to seeing his baby on the screen had been sweet.

  "He had tears in his eyes. He tried to claim that he had something in his eye but we still gave him a ribbing."

  "Has he got a picture?"

  "Yes, it's in his wallet." Charli paused. She knew Atalya wouldn't like the next bit. "Andy and Kim tried to split us up earlier today."

  "How?"

  "Kim told Mark I was cheating and Andy told me Mark was cheating. As it turned out they had taken pictures of me with Kyle..."

  "Your colleague from work? The sweetheart with the Irish boyfriend?"

  "That's him. And the pictures of Mark were with his sister Kelly and his niece when they came to visit the other week."

  Atalya shook her head sadly. She had taken to Andy when they were first introduced and had taken her under her wing. But after Kimberly got involved, Atalya had said she was a bad one. And she had been right. Now Andy's behavior had changed and he had turned into a violent bully. Charli wouldn't put it past Kimberly to try Andy on drugs sooner or later.

  "I never thought Andy would stoop to this." Atalya said sadly. "Kim, yes, but not Andy. I'll be glad when the restraining order comes into effect."

  Charli couldn't agree more. At least it would stop Andy from contacting her. The order extended to Kimberly as well so at least Andy wouldn't be able to contact her through Kimberly. Not that Charli had the Aryan bitches details.

  "What's going on with you and Mark?" Atalya asked.

  Charli looked down at her glass of juice. She had already had a mug of coffee that morning, which was her limit. She was cutting down on her caffeine intake, although her love of chocolate was difficult to give up.

  "I've fallen for him, Mom." She said quietly. "I know I've always had a crush on him since I was younger but I really have fallen for him." She bit her lip. "But I don't know how to tell him. He might laugh and turn me away."

  "From what I've seen, that's the last thing he wants to do."

  "How do you mean?"

  Atalya chuckled.

  "Come on, Charli, you're not that naive. I've seen the way he looks at you. He loves you, no doubt about that."

  Charli knew that Mark wanted her. The way they were in the bedroom and Mark's devotion of her body was proof of that. And she saw the desire in his eyes. But she wasn't sure if he loved her. She trusted her mother's instincts better than her own and knowing that Mark loved her had a warm glow spreading through her belly.

  He loved her.

  A waitress arrived, pad in hand, and gave them a warm smile.

  "Hey, ladies. Would you like to order some lunch?"

  Charli opened her mouth to ask for the menu. That was when the window she was sitting next to exploded.

  Chapter 8

  Mark's heart was pounding hard as he ran into the emergency room entrance of the hospital, trying to bypass the reception desk to get into the main body of the ER, only to be held back by a security guard.

  "You can't go in there, sir."

  "My girlfriend's been shot!" Mark protested, trying to pus
h the man away.

  But the guard was a lot bigger than him and pushed him back into reception easily, nearly lifting Mark off his feet.

  "You are not going in there and causing a ruckus, sir. You need to calm down."

  "It's okay, Jonathan."

  Mark saw Roberto come through a set of double doors that led to the emergency theaters. His heart sank.

  Jonathan let go of Mark and Mark hurried to Roberto. He realized his hands were shaking.

  "Where are they, Bobby?"

  "Calm down." Roberto took Mark's arm and led him to a chair, making him sit down. Then he knelt before his friend. He looked exhausted. "They're okay. I've just spoken to Atalya and she's fine."

  That was some relief. Atalya was alive. But Mark was more concerned about her daughter.

  "What about Charli?"

  Roberto looked away.

  "She's in surgery right now."

  "Oh, God." That was never good. Mark gripped Robert's shoulder. "The baby. What about the baby?"

  "We won't know until they get out."

  That wasn't very comforting. Mark covered his eyes with his hand, breathing heavily as he tried not to cry.

  "What happened?"

  "Someone opened fire at the restaurant. Charli and Atalya were sitting in a window booth and the window caved in with multiple gunshots. The waitress was shot in the stomach and is currently in surgery. Atalya was shot in the arm and Charli caught a bullet in her back about here." Roberto touched high up his back where his shoulder blade was. The baby wasn't hurt but they're worried that his blood pressure will drop if she loses too much blood."

  Mark could feel the bottom of his world falling out. He was about to lose the woman he loved and their unborn child because of a punk. He closed his eyes, not bothering to hide his tears.

  "I can't lose them, Bobby." He said hoarsely. "I can't."

  "Nothing's going to happen to them." Roberto gripped the hand on his shoulder. "Look at me, Mark. Charli is a strong woman. She'll pull through."

  Mark had to believe that. If he didn't then he was going to fall apart completely. And he didn't want that. Charli wouldn't want him to break down like this.

  "Andy did this." He said, locking gazes with Roberto. "I know he did this."

  "I think he did it as well but we don't have any proof that he did it. You know proof would make it solid or he walks." Roberto sighed. "We'll look at that angle but I'm not making any promises."

  He stood, pulling Mark with him and giving him a quick hug. Mark took the hug gratefully. Then Roberto stepped back.

  "Go to Atalya. She's asking after you. I'll let you know about Charli."

  Mark knew he was right. He needed to focus on Atalya. She had come close to losing her daughter and grandchild. She needed someone with her.

  And he needed Charli.

  *****

  Charli opened her eyes and squinted at the bright light glaring down at her. The world was blurry and it took a while for things to come into focus.

  For a moment she didn't know what had happened or where she was. Then it all came back in a flash. She had been sitting with her mom about to order food. Then the window had broken in, spraying them with glass. Charli had ducked away from the spray, hearing the splatter of bullets, and then something hit her in the back, radiating white-hot pain across her shoulders.

  And then nothing. She didn't know what had happened to Atalya, to the waitress, or to her baby.

  Her baby. Charli raised a hand to her stomach and felt around. The slight swell of her belly was still there but she had no idea if her baby was still there or even alive if it was. Panic began to well up and she began to hyperventilate.

  "Charli."

  Mark appeared beside her and took her wrists, forcing her to look at him.

  "Charli, honey, calm down. You need to calm down."

  Charli tried but it wasn't easy.

  "My baby." She squeaked. "What about the baby?"

  "The baby is fine." Mark lowered her wrists and sat on the edge of the bed. He laid a hand on her belly and rubbed slow circles on her. "The bullet didn't hit anything vital but it did cause some significant blood loss. You were given a transfusion and the baby is being monitored regularly. If it's fine after a couple of days, you can go home."

  The baby was okay. Their baby was going to be okay. Charli put her hands to her face and the tension flooded out of her in sobs. She felt Mark gently sit her up and put his arms around her, resting her head on his shoulder. Then he gently rocked her, stroking her head and whispering in her ear, telling her that it was going to be all right and she was safe. Charli clung on to him as she sobbed, her body shaking.

  "I was so scared." She whispered.

  "I know." Mark pressed a kiss to her head. He sounded like he was trying to hold himself together. "I was scared, too, when I heard what happened."

  "Why did he do it?" Charli shifted back and looked up at him. "Why did he shoot the place up?"

  "Don't beat yourself up about that now." Mark stroked her cheek, his hand moving down to the bandages that was wrapping over her shoulder and around her breasts, the bandage was soft but somewhat itchy against her skin. "You're alive, Charli. Your mother is alive. The waitress is alive. Our baby is alive. That's all that matters. Focus on that."

  Charli knew he was right. She couldn't mull over what had happened to her and her mother. She had to focus on her unborn child. That was the important thing here.

  She glanced at the clock. It said it was ten to seven. But was that morning or evening?

  "How long have I been unconscious?" She asked.

  "Only the afternoon. It's the evening now."

  "That would explain why I feel so crappy." Sleeping in the middle of the day never worked for Charli; it just made her feel worse. She rubbed her hands over her face. "When can I leave?"

  "Like I said, they're going to keep you in for a couple of days to make sure you and the baby are okay. Then you can go home but you must take it easy."

  Charli snorted. Taking it easy wasn't in her nature. She wasn't a couch potato so the chances of her sitting still for longer than she needed to wouldn't be easy.

  She looked up at Mark, who was watching her expectantly. He had stayed. He had stayed at her side and from the dark circles under his eyes and the paleness of his skin, he hadn't used that time to sleep. They had barely slept the night before with their lovemaking and he hadn't made the most of sleeping while she was unconscious.

  "Will you stay?"

  Mark glanced again at the clock.

  "Visiting hours are nearly over so they'll be asking me to leave shortly. But Atalya is coming to sit with you tonight. She's not being discharged until the morning. Then I'll be back first thing." Mark smiled and leaned his forehead against hers. "We won't leave you alone."

  Charli let out a shuddering sigh. She didn't want to be alone right now.

  "Thank you."

  *****

  "How do you feel about going home?" Atalya asked.

  Charli sighed and shifted in the wheelchair as she was wheeled into the lobby.

  "Relieved. It'll be nice to sleep in my own bed." She glanced up at the nurse who had taken her down. "No offense. You girls were lovely."

  "None taken, dearie." The middle-aged Hispanic woman gave her a smile and patted her good shoulder. "We're just glad you're going home."

  "So am I."

  "Their beds were quite comfy, I thought." Atalya added.

  "They are when you're not pregnant."

  The nurse laughed and bid them farewell. As she walked away Atalya took control of the wheelchair and wheeled Charli towards the door. Charli thought about protesting but decided against it. Atalya had been shot in the arm but it had only been a flesh wound. She brushed off scolding from the nurses and concern from her daughter, saying that she was okay and didn't need to be fussed over.

  Charli knew better than to argue with her mother.

  "Once Mark picks us up, you can go home and put y
our feet up."

  Charli rubbed at her eyes. She was still exhausted.

  "I just want a week of sleep."

  "Make the most of it." Atalya chuckled. "You won't get a chance once the baby's born."

  Charli had been told that far too many times to count. One thing you lost as a mother was a good night's sleep. A friend who had three kids said she didn't get a night where one or all of the kids didn't get up until the youngest was four. Charli wasn't looking forward to that.

  The lobby doors opened and Charli heard someone calling her name. Thinking it was Mark, Charli looked up with a smile at the ready. But then her smile faded when she saw Andy enter the lobby and move in her direction. She shifted in her chair, wishing that she could run away but her legs were feeling like Jell-O.

  Atalya stiffened when she saw Andy. She came around the wheelchair and stood between Andy and Charli, facing Andy down with a harsh glare.

  "Take a step back, Andy. The restraining order came into effect yesterday and you're violating it."

  "I just want to talk to Charli." Andy protested.

  "You're not supposed to be talking to her or coming this close to Charli."

  "I'm sorry, Mrs Fraser, but I just want to have a word with your daughter."

  Something about him wasn't right. He was swaying a little on his feet, his clothes looked like he had slept in them and his eyes were glazed over. Charli gripped the arms of her wheelchair. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was sure Andy, a man who made a pointed stand against drugs, was high.

  "I'm calling the police." Atalya reached into her bag.

  "Wait a moment, Mom." Charli gently moved her mother out the way and glared up at Andy. "Andy, get out of here before you cause more trouble."

  "Not until you listen to me." Andy sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "I wanted to see how you were but they wouldn't let me in. Said I wasn't family."

  "You're not."

  Charli was glad he hadn't been let in. The thought of him being anywhere near her while she was unable to defend herself terrified her.

  "Don't talk to him, sweetie." Atalya warned her.