“Is there anyone with your mother?”
That was a good question. “My brother might be there. Normally he’s at work, but I’m sure Mom called him.”
“That’s good. Maybe you can call him and get a status update.”
Roger didn’t understand her family dynamics. She couldn’t remember the last time they called each other. Her brother was twelve years older than she was. There was no doubt in Gia’s mind that she was a surprise late-in-life baby. Her parents were forty when she was born. By the time she was interested in doing things, her brother was thinking about moving out and starting a family of his own. Of course, he was married and divorced a few years later.
“I think I’ll wait till I’m there.”
“It won’t be long now.”
“Good.” She was ready to get off this thing and have her feet planted on the ground. “I’ll see if Vickie can meet us and give us a ride to the hospital.”
“I’ve made arrangements for a car to meet us.”
She smiled up at him. “You’ve thought of everything.” She wanted to ask him why. He could’ve easily stayed in New York, or let her leave and make her way back home on her own. She knew he had plenty of things he needed to take care of. Mostly things she wasn’t supposed to either know or talk about. Roger seemed to be surrounded by a world of secrets and mystery. And all she knew was what they’d learned in regards to the photo yesterday. But the look in his eyes said he meant it; he wasn’t leaving her. It felt nice. But remember, this is all a dream. Eventually, we have to face reality and this will . . . end. Gia was glad this wasn’t the day. She needed Roger, even though she wasn’t willing to admit it to him. If she did, it’d probably send him running in the opposite direction.
“I know you had more important things on your mind.”
That’s for damn sure. “I’m really sorry about having to cut the trip short.”
“Nothing there appealed to me,” he said, then added, “besides you.”
There was no hint that he was teasing her as he spoke. “At least we had last night.”
With a wink he added, “And this morning.”
“Yes, that too.” How quickly everything had gone from amazing and into panic mode. “I’m glad I heard the phone.”
“Me too. This is where you belong.”
“You’ve been so sweet to me, Roger. I can’t even imagine how much this flight cost, never mind the hotel stay.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Roger said.
But she did. Gia didn’t want to feel as though she owed him anything. It was one thing to have a romantic night together, one where he paid for dinner. But what was she bringing into this? She didn’t want to feel as though he was out of her league, but how else could she feel?
“Roger, let me at least pay for the flight.” God only knew how much that would be or where she’d come up with the money, but somehow, she would.
“It didn’t cost anything,” Roger replied.
“Free? I have a hard time believing that.”
“It’s true.”
She gave him a questioning look. “Did you win it?”
“No. But I own it.”
Gia was shocked. He had to be kidding, right? This was a luxurious helicopter, and even a cheap one wasn’t cheap. “This is yours?”
“Yes. I don’t like to fly, but my job requires me to do things I’d rather not at times.”
That explained how he was able to request one so quickly. If she hadn’t been so focused on packing, she would’ve asked more questions.
“Neither of us enjoy flying, but here we are.”
“And there is Providence,” Roger said as he pointed out the state house.
“Hope you don’t mind if I don’t lean over to look.”
He chuckled. “I understand perfectly.” Squeezing her hand gently, he added, “I’m really proud of you.”
“What for?”
“It takes courage to do something that terrifies you. If you hadn’t told me about your fear before, I never would’ve known how hard this was for you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I think your leather seat might be a giveaway. I hope there’s no damage.”
“I’m sure there isn’t. Well, at least not yet. We’re about to start our decent.”
Immediately, she tensed all over again. “No other options?”
He laughed. “Yes, but I figured jumping out of the helicopter would be a little worse.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and said, “Let me know when we’re there.”
She felt a kiss on the top of her head and heard him whisper, “I’ve got you.”
Before she knew it, not only were they on the ground, but the limo had dropped them off at the emergency room entrance. She rushed in and gave the receptionist her father’s name then went to sit with Roger.
“They said I have to wait. There are too many people in the room already.”
“Would you like me to go and talk to them?”
She shook her head. “As long as he’s not alone, that’s all that matters.”
“No, it’s not. I’ll be right back.”
She watched as Roger walked up to the same receptionist she’d spoken to. The woman waved her hand, calling her over. Gia got up and went to stand by Roger.
“I called, and you can go in for a few minutes. But they are about to take him down for testing, so you can’t stay long.”
Gia nodded as the automatic doors opened to let her inside. She turned to Roger and said, “Thank you so much.”
He nodded and replied, “I’ll be right here, waiting for you.”
As she followed the nurse through the doors she thought: Share some of that strength. I think I’m going to need it.
Roger hated sitting there. It reminded him of when his partner had been fighting for his life, and there wasn’t a damn thing Roger could do to help. He’d sat in a waiting room much like this one. When the doctor came out and told him there was nothing they could do, Roger knew, he was done with the DEA.
It’d been a tough decision to leave it. Larry had tried everything to keep him. He’d been with them for ten years. Agents before had lost their lives. Yet for Roger, that moment had been his breaking point. For him, there was no going back. He knew if he did, he’d be a bigger liability than an asset.
Thankfully Caydan was looking for help. It might not have been in the same line of work, but it was enough to keep his mind distracted. But in the hospital, there was no escaping the flashbacks, threatening to return, and he needed to get out of there. He needed . . . air.
Stepping outside, he immediately felt better. He knew he couldn’t be outside for long. He wanted to be there when Gia returned, as promised. A guy leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette.
“I hate being here,” the guy said.
“Won’t argue about that.”
“Guess it’s better waiting than being the patient. But if you asked my mother, she might tell you something different.” He pulled out a pack and asked, “You want one?”
Roger shook his head. “I don’t smoke.”
The guy took a long drag, dropped it to the ground, crushed it out, and went back inside. Roger was glad the guy wasn’t in the mood for chatting. The only thing on his mind right now was Gia. It had taken some persuasion to get them to allow Gia in. No way in hell would they have allowed in a non-family member.
He was about to go back inside when his phone rang. One look and he knew he didn’t want to take the call. What he had to say really should be said in person. But if he blew Brice off, he would just call back.
“Not a good time, Brice. Can I call you back?”
“Are you still in New York?” Brice asked.
“No. Why?”
“Is Gia with you?”
“That’s none of your business,” Roger said firmly.
“If you’re working on—”
“I’m not.” He didn’t need or want Brice reminding him to keep his mouth shut. He needed B
rice to back the fuck off and let him do his job. Hendersons were tough and also a little paranoid, for good reason. But Roger wasn’t one of the people they had to worry about. At least not any more.
“Have you found anything else?”
“Yes, and I’ll be back in Boston tomorrow. We can talk then.”
“My office first thing.”
Roger didn’t answer to Brice. He looked through the glass doorway and saw Gia entering the waiting area again. He didn’t have time for Brice’s bullshit. “I’ll call you and let you know when.” He ended the call and put his phone in his back pocket as he went back inside. The guy who’d been smoking outside was with her.
He could see the stress on her face. He wanted to ask how her father was, but he wasn’t sure who the other guy was.
“Roger, this is my brother Gary. Gary this is my . . . friend, Roger.”
“I didn’t know you were with Gia.” Gary leaned over. “Do me a favor, don’t mention to my mother I was smoking out there. She’ll flip.”
“You were what?” Gia snapped. “Dad just suffered a massive heart attack and you’re smoking?”
“Looks like I’m not the one you need to worry about,” Roger said.
“Gia, don’t start. Mom already laid into me. Hell, I’ve been smoking longer than you’ve been alive,” Gary snarled.
“You should’ve quit a long time ago. Dad should’ve too,” Gia added.
Roger wanted to defuse the situation. They could argue about it later, when things were calmer. “Gia, how’s your father?”
She turned to him and said, “He had a heart attack. We won’t know the damage for a few days. They’ve admitted him and transferred him to the ICU.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, putting an arm around her.
Gia rested her head on his chest. “He still wasn’t conscious when I saw him.”
“Why don’t we get something to eat and wait? Maybe there’ll be more news when we come back.”
“I can’t leave my mother alone.”
Gary said, “A little late for that now don’t you think?”
Roger clenched his fist. Brother or not, he didn’t like anyone speaking to her like that. “Watch your words.”
Gary looked at him and said, “I’m not saying anything that isn’t true.”
Before Roger could respond Gia said, “I am hungry. There’s a little diner down the street. How about we get some breakfast?”
For Gia, he let it go. Taking her hand in his he said, “Breakfast sounds good.”
They walked to the diner, which seemed to do Gia some good. By the time they arrived, he could see some of her tension eased. The hostess seated them by the window and brought them menus.
“Specials are on the board. Just wave someone down when you’re ready to order.”
The woman needed training in customer service.
“Guess they’re all out of smiles,” Gia said.
Roger turned to her and laughed. “I just checked the board. It’s a Friday only special.”
Gia smiled. “Then I’ll just have eggs and toast.”
Roger waved for a waitress, who, unlike the hostess, was bubbly. A bit too much for Roger. Smiling was one thing, but she was a chatterbox. He wasn’t in a rush, but he knew Gia wanted to get back to the hospital quickly. “If you don’t mind, we need to get back to the hospital and I’m starving.”
The waitress nodded and said, “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Let’s start with what we ordered first. “She was . . . pleasant.”
“I wonder if they gave all the happy pills to her,” Gia said.
The waitress returned with coffee for him and tea for Gia. When she left, Roger asked, “How is your mother holding up?”
“She’s angry. She said the doctor had told my father he needed to quit smoking. My father is a stubborn man. Obviously, he didn’t listen. That’s why my mother yelled at Gary earlier. When I told her she was wasting her breath on him, she got angry at me. So I guess the only one not angry is my father. And that’s only because he’s not conscious.”
He reached over and held her hand. “Stress doesn’t always bring out the best in people.”
“No. It’s more than that. It’s my fault.”
“What is?”
“The distance between us. I’m the one who left. But I was never really there.”
Roger had nothing to say. He went to boarding school because his parents traveled the world, building their empire. What was a normal family? One that sat down for dinner every night? A mother who made sure her child did his homework? He knew he was loved. But Roger also knew he didn’t fit in their lifestyle.
Gia continued. “I’m closest to my father. Mom said I was Daddy’s little girl and could do no wrong in his eyes. And now he’s lying in that bed and I’m . . . I’m . . .”
“Scared.”
She nodded. Roger got up and threw money on the table. “What are you doing?”
“Let’s go back to the hospital.”
“But your food.”
Roger took her hand and guided her up. “You need to be there when he wakes up.”
She smiled at him and nodded. “Thank you for understanding.”
Even though his relationship with his parents wasn’t a conventional one, he still missed them every day. If he had the chance to tell them one more time that he loved them, or hear that they loved him, he’d trade the small fortune he inherited.
When they arrived at the hospital, he walked her to the ICU. “You know I can’t go in.”
“I know. Roger, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for me today. But I think . . . I’m going to stay here with my mother and Gary.”
“Good. Call me if you need anything.”
She nodded.
“No honey, I mean it,” Roger said more firmly.
“I know you do.” She got on tippy toes and placed a light kiss on his lips. “And once he’s stable, I’ll be ready to help you again.”
“I wasn’t talking about that, and you know it. Now go, and I’ll text you later to check in.”
He knew if he didn’t turn and walk away, she’d stand outside the ICU doors forever. As he walked down the hall, he heard the door open. Roger was proud of her for doing what was probably extremely difficult to do. But if things turned for the worse with her father, she was going to be glad she was there.
I wish I had had the chance to say goodbye to my parents.
Chapter 10
Roger could’ve easily met with Brice yesterday when he returned to Boston, but fuck it. He wasn’t about to be dictated to by anyone. He also wanted to make sure he was available if Gia reached out and needed him ASAP. He was unsure if it was a good or bad sign that he hadn’t heard from her since he left.
It was good news as far as her father being stable. He only wished things were going a bit more smoothly with Gia and her brother. Although they had only met briefly, Gary didn’t seem to be anything like Gia. She was outgoing and happy and Gary seemed . . . angry.
But Roger wasn’t sure if Gary was angry at her so much as with himself. From what Gia had told him, Gary’s life hadn’t turned out as he thought. Divorced and still in his hometown probably hadn’t been his dream. Gary might not resent Gia as much as he was jealous of her. Man or woman, Gia had proven herself to be a fighter, willing to work to achieve what she wanted. The Henderson family would be lucky to have her.
As he rode the elevator to Brice’s office, Roger questioned hooking her up with them. It wasn’t as though she couldn’t have applied and got the job on her own. Hell, they’d have been stupid to turn her down. Yet when Brice started to question what she knew, he was concerned he might confront Gia directly someday. Roger knew she would have a difficult time not speaking the truth.
That left only one thing. He needed to take the brunt of it, as he should. If Brice was going to be pissed, it shouldn’t be at Gia. Hell, he really should thank her because she took the bull by the horns and ra
n with it. Roger really didn’t do anything. Not that he couldn’t have accomplished the same thing himself, but sadly, he didn’t give a shit about the picture. At least he hadn’t. After what Gia uncovered, that changed.
The doors opened and the receptionist greeted him. “Mr. Patrick, Mr. Henderson is expecting you. You may go right in.”
He couldn’t believe Brice had his staff there so damn early. It wasn’t even eight in the morning. “Thank you.”
“Can I bring you a coffee or anything?”
Depends on Brice’s mood. I might need something stronger. Roger shook his head. He hopefully wasn’t going to be there all that long. Then again, when had anything gone quickly when it came to a Henderson?
Brice was sitting behind a large mahogany desk that didn’t fit him. The guy was a scientist. Shouldn’t his office be high-tech? Instead it looked like something Brice’s father or grandfather would’ve had. Hell, maybe it is. That would be disturbing since James was one of the evilest men Roger had the pleasure of researching. Thankfully he was dead, otherwise Roger might have helped him get there.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to show,” Brice said without looking up from his computer.
“What part of I’ll be there at eight gave you that impression?” Roger asked sarcastically.
Brice ignored his response and asked, “You have information for me?”
“I do. I’m just not sure this is what you were looking for.” Roger pulled out a report that detailed the link between Audrey Henderson and the Lawson family. He quietly watched Brice as he read through several pages.
When he finally looked up he asked, “This is accurate?”
“It appears so.”
“It’s not what I expected. But then again, why would I? My grandmother was a fucked-up individual who passed that down to my father.”
“Sounds like your great-grandparents weren’t that great after all.”
“Maybe if my grandmother had gotten some help, things might not have turned out the way they did,” Brice stated.
Roger wasn’t so ignorant to think people back then understood mental illness, but going to such lengths to shun her from the family was a bit drastic.
Nine Rules of Engagement (Barrington Billionaire's Series Book 9) Page 13
