by A H S Salt
“Where am I?” I whispered. Strangers were dashing around me.
My eyes flickered around in panic “What happened?”
Where is Cillian? I tried to sit up, but the pain had me crying out loud.
“Make it stop. Please make the pain go away” I cried. I stared at her with pleading eyes.
“Jessica. You’re okay” The woman said, reassuring me and urging me to lie down “You’re at San Francisco General Hospital.”
“Cillian?” I croaked.
“He’s right outside,” She replied, freeing me from worry.
I blinked away the tears that blurred my vision, relieved that he was close. I blinked once, twice but it didn’t stop the room from spinning.
“Her BP is dropping!” Someone yelled from within the room “She’s losing far too much blood” Loud echoing beeps drowned the room.
“Jessica,” The nurse by my side said, “I’m going to give you something that will make you feel woozy, okay?” I couldn’t say yes, or nod, I was lost within the groggy state that consumed me.
Looking down at me, the nurses’ eyebrows creased as she watched me for a few seconds, before diverting her attention back to the crowded room.
“We're losing her!” Her voice seemed to fade into the distance
The sterile surgical smell lingered in the air. My head moved side to side, everyone was in blue scrubs and moving around in a rush to assist the doctors.
The sound of metal rattling had me watching everyone wearily. A scratchy sensation against my hand, had me focusing on the nurse as she stood injecting me with a cold rush of fluids into my veins. I tried to lift my head but I was too weak. She wasn’t wrong, this shit was strong enough to knock a horse out.
Whatever they gave me, made me feel drunk.
The room began to fade quickly.
What’s happening? I tried to fight against it.
Please not again.
But it was no good the darkness was chasing me.
The voices and noises became distant before they finally disappeared.
1
SCANDALOUS PAST
CHAPTER 22
I walked the corridor, pacing up and down. Lost in thought. Strangers walked passed staring at me. It took me a while to notice it was my blood-stained shirt that they were looking at.
It was covered in Jessica’s blood from the attack. An attack that wouldn’t have happened if I had never tipped off the God damn paparazzi.
How could I be so fucking selfish!
I wanted to show her off to the world, let them know I got my woman. Now she’s lying in surgery fighting for her life.
I can’t lose her.
I only just got her.
I wasn’t religious in any way, but I sent a prayer up, begging for someone to bring her back to me safely. Over Forty minutes had passed, and I still didn’t see anyone come out of the theater room.
I rested my hands above my head as I stood staring vacantly at the double doors.
“Please. Please let her pull through,” I whispered.
“Cillian!” The sound of Jessica’s dad, Donald shouting my name had me turning quickly. He rushed to me from the bottom of the corridor. Dressed in his white Doctor’s jacket with his stethoscope around his neck.
He stopped in front of me “Where’s my daughter?” He hurried, holding his hands firmly on my arms. Desperate to know anything about Jessica’s condition.
Finally! I sent him over four voicemails.
“She’s…. in theater” I mumbled. Unable to say anything else. He glanced over my shoulder, staring at the double doors of the operating room. His jaw tightened.
“What happened?” He demanded to know.
I shut my eyes. Unable to help with his distress. Paralyzed by fear at the thought of losing Jessica. I knew it was my fault. He was in so much pain and it was all my doing.
“Someone stabbed her” I blurted out.
He held back his tears “Did you see who it was?” he asked.
I shook my head “No”
He cursed silently, before muttering “Elijah” under his breath.
My body stiffened.
“Jessica's ex-boyfriend?” I shot him a look “You think he had something to do with this?”
Donald nodded grimly “That son of a bitch is capable of anything”
I felt my chin tremble. Donald held me like he would his son. I have never known myself to cry. It had been so long since I allowed myself to. Even before my father passed away, he asked me to promise him - instead of crying, that I would have a whiskey in memory of him and that’s what I did. I was sure it stemmed from my mother walking out on my father and me from an early age. I spent weeks crying, believing it was something I had done wrong. That I was the one that upset her.
I quickly learned that no amount of tears that I cried was ever going to bring her back to me or my father.
Our family was torn and never the same again.
She never did come back home. Each year past without as much as a birthday card or a Christmas card.
As I grew older, It got easier.
My dad and I were a duo, inseparable. Even if she was to have waltzed back into our lives. I doubt my father would have allowed it. He had shielded me as best as he could. Now he was gone, I not only had Jessica but I also the rest of the Kellings.
I knew if I didn’t cry ever again then nothing could hurt me like it did when my mother walked out, leaving me behind. Yet here I was, my third time tonight. I didn’t care who witnessed my tears, all I cared about was if Jessica was going to be okay. She was the woman I had loved even before we got together.
I was at my happiest when I was with her.
The thought of losing her had me ready to fall to my knees and cry like the lost child I once was after my mother abandoned me.
“Everything’s going to be okay. Jessica is a fighter. She won’t go down without a fight. You’ll see.” Donald said, holding me tighter in an attempt to reassure me. Donald was like a second father to me, taking me under his wing after my own father died. I had nothing but respect for the Kellings’, I trusted him. I knew if he said it was going to be okay, it was going to be okay, but something kept nagging at me. I saw the stab wound. How it happened was still unclear.
“Dad!” The sound of Riley’s panicked voice echoed the corridor.
“We have to be strong,” Donald said “For Jessica. For the family” He gave me a quick squeeze and let me go.
I nodded in silence.
I watched my best friend embrace his father with a hug.
I quickly swiped at my face and took a deep breath.
Macey and Marie were walking behind him, holding onto each other. Their faces were red, they looked to have been crying. Marie and Macey went straight in for a reassuring cuddle from Donald.
“What happened?” Riley demanded to know, coming straight towards me, pulling me in for our regular man hug. Only this time, he held me a little longer than usual.
“One minute we were walking about to go for lunch, then I turned and Jessica was bleeding. Someone stabbed her Riley.” Informing him as I pulled away wiping my tear-stained face.
Shaking his head “Everything will be okay. Jessica will be okay” He assured. Even though he was shaking with shock he was trying to keep positive.
“I asked her to marry me only hours ago” my voice choked “Now she’s fighting for her life” I closed my eyes for a moment, straining to keep my composure. I was a grown-ass man; I felt vulnerable showing emotion in front of others.
Only Jessica saw that side of me. She made me embrace love again rather than run from it. She had no idea how lucky I was to have her.
Riley patted my back trying to calm me down. In all the years, we had been best friends he’s always been there for me, and I couldn’t even hold my shit together for him.
“Let me guess. She turned you down?” Riley joked, choking back his own tears, trying to lighten the mood.
I swallowed,
fighting the oncoming tears once again. Only able to shake my head in response.
Macey and Marie came rushing towards me, holding me tight. They didn’t care I had dried blood all over my clothes. Neither did I.
Jessica would have wanted me to reassure them and that’s what I did.
I held both of them, rubbing my hands up and down their backs trying to calm them. In the time, I had been with Jessica, the family I was welcomed into years ago grew closer. Even Macey had grown on me. I just thought she was a slut with bad intentions, but I saw a part of me in her when I lost my dad. She just needed to find her way, and Riley helped her do that. I was happy to see them settled.
Everyone waited to hear some news. Riley and Macey held on to each other tightly. A nurse brought a chair for Marie to sit on to help with the shock. My heart broke a little more, as I watched Marie place it outside the double doors refusing to move until she heard something about her daughter. Donald had made it his job to go in and find out news but hadn’t come back out yet.
It had been over an hour.
I was going insane from not knowing. Another half-hour passed before the double doors opened, and Donald emerged. Everyone rushed to him apart from Marie, she sat unsure if she should be expecting the worst. Donald laid a hand on his wife’s shoulder and gave a half-smile.
“Jessica is in a stable condition,” He reassured.
“The stab wound went a lot deeper than they first thought. They couldn’t stop the bleeding, they found it had punctured her lung, and caused severe hemorrhaging. They had to do damage control surgery.
“What does that mean?” Macey whimpered, unsure if she should be crying or hugging everyone.
“It means the next Twenty-Four hours are critical. She’s had grade three blood loss. The object that penetrated the skin had caused a fair bit of damage, and she had to have a blood transfusion,” Donald replied, helping Marie to her feet.
Holding her under the arms. He held his wife tight having just told her their daughter wasn’t out the woods yet.
Marie silently sobbed, gripping onto her husband.
He rubbed a gentle hand over her back.
“She’s getting moved to a ward where the doctors will keep a close eye on her,” Donald informed.
“Cillian. I want you to organize security on Jessica’s floor,” He ordered “Unless it’s a Doctor or a Nurse no one steps foot into her room. Understood?” He asked sharply.
I knew he wanted Jessica as safe as possible until we could figure out the reason behind her attack.
Nodding “Of course,” I replied, pulling my phone out to text Les, the head of my security firm. Letting him know to send two men to San Francisco General and to call me as soon as they had arrived.
“Why would Jessica need security?” Macey asked puzzled, looking back and forth between Riley and Donald needing answers. Riley held her hand to his lips placing a gentle kiss trying to reassure her, still in shock himself.
“It’s just to make sure no one can get to Jessica. We don’t know the reason behind the attack, and I’ll be damned if they come back to try and hurt her again.” I informed Macey, not giving Riley a chance to speak.
I put my phone back in my pocket.
“Cillian, you should go home and get some rest.” Marie calmly said.
She looked to be on autopilot just going through the emotions.
It was heartbreaking to watch.
“I can’t. I’m not leaving Jessica.” I declared, putting my arm around her. I pulled her closer to me trying to comfort her. Marie was the closest person to a mother figure I had growing up, I held nothing but admiration for her. She was a loving mother that would do anything for her children.
How could Annie not have been a mother as good as Marie was, I found myself thinking.
Enough Cillian, that woman doesn’t deserve anything, I scolded myself. I would deal with Annie another time, right now the family I had grown up to be a part of needed me.
“Cillian, give me your keys. Macey and I will go to your apartment and get you a change of clothes and some of Jessica’s stuff” Riley insisted, holding his hand out waiting patiently.
I took my keys out of my pocket and passed them to him. Macey and Riley both hugged me tightly hurdling us all together before they turned and walked away. I was grateful to have him. He always had my back, he was the one friend I knew wasn’t just in my life for the money I inherited or the businesses I had to maintain.
The evening passed in a blur. The doctors moved Jessica into a room of her own giving us privacy. I sat by her side holding her hand. Symphony of sounds echoed from the machines that had wires coming out in all directions attached to Jessica’s body.
Marie and Donald were falling in, and out of sleep checking over Jessica every so often. They were exhausted but refused to leave their daughter’s side.
She was so peaceful looking, her chocolate brown hair was lying strewn around her face, her pale skin even paler from the blood loss.
She was still beautiful to me. I stroked her hand, where her ring laid only hours ago. I knew the doctors had removed it and given it to Donald for safekeeping. He hadn’t said anything since then.
I knew he would when the time was right.
I sat patiently waiting, looking at Jessica. Hoping she would wake up or give me a sign she was coming back to me. A flinch, a flicker anything, but there was nothing. I only hoped she wasn’t in any more pain. Why couldn’t it have been me? Why Jessica, who would do this to her? My body was trembling with frustration. It had to be one of the men taking our photos. I was sure of it.
Why would they do this? What did she ever do to them? Unsettled, I kept repeating the same questions over and over in my head, trying to make sense of everything. Then I remembered Donald cursing and pointing the blame at Elijah.
What if it was Elijah? How could someone that once loved Jessica hurt her like this?
I didn’t sleep at all, the men from my security firm were standing guard at Jessica’s room door. I knew she was safe, but I still couldn’t bring myself to sleep just in case she woke up. I decided to go and grab some coffee instead. I quietly left the room, giving Jessica one last glance before opening the door. The two young men on security watch were tall like me, they turned and nodded. They didn’t say anything I preferred it that way, I didn’t want to make small talk.
Instead, I nodded back acknowledging them.
I made my way towards the coffee machine at the bottom of the corridor, as I was walking down, two official-looking people were walking towards me. The lady wore a navy trouser suit and a white blouse, and the man had a charcoal gray suit with a white shirt and gray tie. They didn’t look like average doctors.
To serious looking.
They stopped, as I rummaged through my wallet for coins for the machine.
“Cillian Claremont?” The voices said simultaneously. I turned and looked at them. Please don’t be from a magazine. I am not in the mood for this bullshit. I straightened up ready to tell them to leave me the fuck alone.
I was in no mood for anyone.
They stood watching me as they both flashed badges at the same time.
I frowned. Detectives.
“Yeah?.” Is all I managed.
“I’m Detective Malone,” The female said, before pointing to the bloke “This is my partner Detective Smith, we’re with the San Francisco Police Department” She had the alpha female look about her like she took no shit from anyone. Her Carrot Orange hair was scraped up. I looked to her partner; he stood a foot behind her allowing her to lead the conversation.
“Sorry to disturb you. We have Jessica’s attacker in custody,” She said getting straight to the point.
How did they find her attacker? I didn’t even call the police. I hadn’t even thought about it. I just wanted to make sure Jessica got to the hospital in time.
“You have her attacker?” I asked, confused.
They work quickly.
The detective op
ened a paper file that she had in her hand, holding up a photo of a man I didn’t recognize.
A stranger to me.
“Does he look familiar?” She asked, waiting for my reply.
I stared hard at the photo, trying to wrack my brain as to who he could be.
I shook my head “No” I replied truthfully.
“We have one more picture for you.” She declared.
I turned to the coffee machine, inserting coins, pressing the button to allow my drink to be prepared, as she shifted through some paperwork.
Turning back to her, she held up another man’s photo as the beverage dispensed. I drew closer to the picture she held up.
Shocked “I know him!” I blurted out “He’s one of my employees at my nightclub Oval!” The picture was of Ryan, my bartender. I was confused as to what he had to do with Jessica’s attack.
“We also have him in custody.” The female detective said, breaking my concentration from the photo and reverting my attention back to her.
“What does he have to do with Jessica’s attack….I don’t understand?” I tried to ask but stuttered out most of it. I was never one for lack of words, but none of this made sense.
“The photographers noticed a stranger among their flock. Apparently, they all know who’s who and what magazine they come from, but they didn’t recognize him. He fled the scene dropping the camera behind; it was traced back to a …” She reverted back to her notes, double-checking. “Mr. Elijah Wolfe.”
Even the mention of his name had my fists clenching in a rage.
“Wait! What did you just say?”
I needed her to repeat the words. I needed to make sure that was the name I heard her say.
“Elijah Wolfe,” She repeated, holding up the first photo again for me to put a name to the face.
Scum bag, so that’s what he looks like up close. That son of a bitch was still causing trouble!
He looked different from the video footage my security men took when Jessica went to confront him. It wasn’t a mugshot; it looked more like a picture someone would put on their social media profile.
