by Beth Mikell
Vaguely, Savannah heard the doctor mumble through the fog about a nurse bringing a prescription for prenatal vitamins and instructions for her broken ankle. Yet, the emotion choking her throat prevented her from saying another word.
Laura stepped up closer, laying a hand on her sister, “Savannah? Are you alright?”
No, she was abso-freakin-lutely was not all right!
Chapter Nine
All generalizations are dangerous, even this one. ~ Alexandre Dumas
Her mood parted the sea of friends and family leaving her alone with her newly crowned baby’s father. Wow! What a title! A baby? Just the thought was disturbing. But, she didn’t want Hex here. She needed time to process and didn’t think she could do so with her beautiful biker god looming over her with his next to death expression cauterizing her every move. It was just…weird.
“Get out of here Hexon.”
“Savannah,” he croaked, trying to stamp down a hunk load of pain. The only thing flashing in his mind was baby equals betrayal…eventually and nothing good could or would come of the situation.
She finally looked him straight in the eye, “No, I’ve nothing whatsoever to say to you.”
Shit. He threaded a frustrated hand through his hair, “Come on princess give me a break here.”
“Don’t call me that! You lost the right to call me that the day you walked away leaving me with a crass note thrown on my pillow.” Happily, he winced and she went on. “Before you lecture me on what to do or not to do, you just remember who walked out on whom, capish?”
His hands reached out to grip the hospital bed rails and he leaned forward--anger vibrating his voice and body without control. “That’s my baby you’re carrying and I’ll be damned if I lose it again.”
Her eyes narrowed, “Again? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” He straightened, feeling shit-fucked he even opened his mouth. Dammit, the past needed to stay buried.
“Oh no Hexon James Montgomery, you opened Pandora’s Box, so spill. This isn’t a battle of wills, but a real issue and I’ll be damned if you just slam the door in my face. But, then again, you’re good at walking away.”
“Dammit, Savannah!” he hissed, “I was engaged to be married two years ago to a girl too young to know right from wrong and who aborted our child without my knowledge. She walked away and I won’t let you do that to me.”
Pissed, she folded her arms in front over her, adrenaline flooding her veins in a rush—pounding her heart up into her throat. “Wow! And this is your opinion of me? Here I thought I had the mother of all shit lists. You top me and then some,” she said with heavy sarcasm. “If I can’t rank any higher than your ex-girlfriend then it’s obvious we have nothing more to discuss. The fact is, you used me as a cheap lay and walked. Now, because of our baby, you miraculously want me back? As far as I’m concerned, you have nothing. Not even my respect.”
A stellar pound of anger fled throughout his body. “So this is the high and mighty Savannah Deason-- ready to end the life of another just because it doesn’t fit into your diva lifestyle?” Cold condescension unleashed with cool arrogance.
The man was a double ass. “You’re a bastard. You know absolutely nothing about me, nor did you bother to stick around and find out. I may not be seen as the motherly type, but I am above the easy way out. But, if you had taken even two seconds beyond your own selfishness, maybe you would know that about me.”
Before he could reply, a nurse came in the room handing over her prescription for prenatal vitamins with a detailed sheet for cast care. After signing her discharge papers, the nurse left, leaving the battle of the sexes still underway without a conclusion.
“Savannah, please--” Hex began only to have her cut him off. “I need time to think without you in my face.”
“And I can’t leave with part of myself in you.”
She huffed, but nearly melted at his words. The idea part of him developed within her made her sweat.
“So, are we at an impasse? Lucky me.”
His mind raced and Hex remained quiet for a few moments, his eyes never leaving her face, “I want you to move in with me,” he said quietly.
Savannah nearly jumped off the bed, her sudden movement jolting her injured foot, but she ignored the pain of her casted ankle despite her anger. “Like hell!”
He met her wrath head-on, his stubbornness kicking in. “I will not allow you to harm my baby. Moving in with me will gain you some trust and alleviate some of my fears.”
“So what? Am I to be bullied by you simply because you can’t trust me now? Oh you have a lot of nerve.”
Patience ensued, barely. “I think it’s the best step towards trust.”
“Or control,” she said vehemently.
“What is it you want?”
“Your absence.”
“Not going to happen.” He shook his head with a definite negative, “Wherever you go, I go…like a shadow. Frankly, the way I see it, you have nothing to lose.”
Except her self respect and love for him, the fool. But who was the bigger fool? Him or her? Probably her for ever laying eyes on him the first place, but yet that was her anger speaking. Sure, she lacked good judgment where he was concerned…now a baby? His baby. A strange, unsettled feeling washed over her at just the thought of a life they created between them…from the amazing passion they shared. Their baby thrived within her body. Her spirit warmed at the prospect of nourishing his child…an unselfish act fed by her heart, straight through to love. Could this be the beginning of something? Or was this just the edge of goodbye? The obscurity of their relationship, if called even that, hung on the fate of distrust and a potential fail. Great odds.
But, she had just enough new found love to try--for herself and their baby. In that moment, she was willing to surrender, though Hexon hardly deserved the concession. He actually deserved a hard and fast kick in the ass for acting like a distrusting idiot. His attitude of wanting her only for the baby was about as low as a bottom feeder. Yet, it was her hope he would see her through deeper eyes to her soul…not to change him, but for him to know she wasn’t only an immoral diva he claimed her to be. She wanted him to see she wasn’t his ex-girlfriend. But, more than that…maybe love? No scratch the thought...yet that would be…more than wonderful.
“Savannah, I--” He started, his impatience wearing thin.
“I accept.”
Stunned, Hex leaned closer, “What?” Though he was prepared to fight more, he wasn’t quite sure he heard her whispered words.
She breathed in a deep wad of cleansing air, though her heart nearly broke—she had never imagined herself in love, but surely it wasn’t like this. Pain, distrust…even dishonor? Strangely enough, she felt Hex deserved a chance, however minute.
Savannah turned her empty eyes upon him. “I said I accept. I’ll come stay with you, but you can’t keep me a prisoner for nine months simply because you distrust me. You have to meet me halfway…even just a little, Hexon. I am stronger than you give me credit for and not in the monster category you wish to lump me into.”
He wanted to be happy, but the bleakness of her eyes killed any such elation. What had he done? But, he didn’t apologize, not even when he wanted to choke on his feelings of remorse. “I’ll arrange everything.”
Savannah looked away and only nodded. She was sure she was in the waiting line of hell’s entrance and couldn’t imagine a happy ending—not with her biker god’s distrust hulking over her.
~~~
Hex was sure he must have bartered his soul to Satan because he found himself on the receiving end of a hell’s embrace, yet again. He walked out of Savannah’s hospital room and drew a deep breath. Was history repeating or was he just a good at replicating same scenarios? He once thought life would rue the day it pissed in his cornflakes and called him a loser to his face, yet he deserved his current state of misery.
His blood pounded hard through his veins and he trembled against the injustice of hi
s own wrong choices…yet part of him wasn’t as angry as he claimed to be. Savannah was nowhere near the she-devil Jessica was—at all. Yet, he just treated her like it. Hadn’t he come back to work things out with Savannah? Not just because she was a goddess and tormented his every waking moment, but because on a subconscious level, she reached a part of him he thought forever dead.
Now a baby? That changed everything.
Was justice being handed to him? He couldn’t answer that. A baby? His and Savannah’s child shot through his body with a thrilling amount of ‘oh my’ god--just enough to stuff him through a garbage shoot onto a platter of heaven.
He couldn’t believe it! His sarcasm princess carried his child…though she hadn’t known she had been pregnant, she was fighting against him to keep her child. That alone spoke volumes to his distrusting soul. Did they have a chance in all that was holy to work things out? He didn’t know, but he couldn’t relax enough to relinquish his guard, yet--because frankly, Jessica wiped his ass but well on any level of trust where women were concerned. He just needed time to breathe…right? He needed to coast through the current storm unscathed…if there were such a thing.
And not to forget that she wouldn’t even be in the hospital in the first place if he hadn’t gone to visit her. She never would have been angry and stormed out of her office—running from him.
With a heavy sigh, Hex pulled his cellphone out of his suit pocket and began many calls to bring his princess home. He felt jubilant...nervous as an idiot holding a metal rod in a lightening storm.
~~~
Laura bent down and slipped a black ballet slipper on Savannah’s right foot before standing up next to her hospital bed. Dressed in a soft brown slip dress and black tailored sweater…one the simple dress allowed for ease of movement with her cast, two…well there wasn’t one. Savannah reached up and pulled her hair into a loose ponytail, the blonde ends cascading down over one shoulder.
“You don’t have to do this, you know. Come stay with Sean and me. Jean can cook scrumptious meals and you can play with Devon. I’ll take care of you.” Laura gushed, leaning forward to pick an imaginary piece of lint off Savannah’s shoulder, her brandy colored eyes filled with tears—trying to hold herself together and not cry full-on.
“I know.” Her voice shook an octave above a whisper. “But, I have something to prove.”
“Prove what?”
Savannah shrugged, looking away from the tears in Laura’s eyes, which made her very uncomfortable. The whole emotional thing—was not her thing and if she didn’t get control of the situation, she may begin her own bout of water works. “The man is an ass as I mentioned before,” she began and rushed on as Laura opened her mouth to speak. “I want to prove that I am worthy, Laura.”
“But, you are--”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not enough. Hexon is a deeply troubled man in more ways than one. And let’s face it, I’ve never been the epitome of possible motherhood—hell I haven’t even thought that far into the future. But now,” she said placing a hand over her flat stomach, “I have more to think about. Hex has fears—I have fears, but we won’t ever overcome them by running away. I have to see this through.” Though she failed to mention Hex’s threat to follow her wherever she chose to go--some things were better left unmentioned otherwise she'd incite her sister's innate concern.
Still, Laura shook her head in disapproval, “I know he is Sean’s good friend from college, but…you’re my sister. All of this is happening so fast…I just can’t see you unhappy.”
“Give me a little time, Laura. If it becomes too awkward, I’ll send out a SOS.”
Laura rolled her eyes, “That’s so comforting.”
Savannah smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes as she tilted her head to the side, “Did you just use sarcasm? I like…”
Before Laura could form a reply, the door opened with a nurse maneuvering a wheelchair through with Hex and Sean close behind. Savannah shuttered her expression from Hex’s fastened stare…though her heart skipped a beat, the traitor. Yet, how could she not? Time away, no matter the length, made him more beautiful each time she saw him.
He had changed, she noted—from GQ suit back to jeans, black t-shirt and scruffy cowboy boots, oozing all sex and beauty, stunning her. The firm set to his lips indicated a measure of displeasure, yet a devilish part of her was happy about his annoyance, but she quickly dispelled the notion with a lump of guilt. She didn’t want his misery, though she was still hopping mad at him as well as pregnant and hobbled—yeah her nerves were shot. Not the most endearing way to begin their conflicting relationship.
“Here we go, Ms. Deason. Everything is ready for your departure,” the nurse said, pushing the wheelchair next to the bed.
Savannah eyed her new chariot and could have found 101 things to say about it, but her sarcastic wisdom faded as Hex moved closer. Without a word, his hands slid up under her thighs, lifting her easily and her hands went up around his neck—he smelled divine. She had to fight the urge to bury her lips into his neck and suck. The heady musk scent made her head spin, but before she could linger in the depths of aromatic pleasure, he set her in the wheelchair and backed away, while the nurse adjusted the chair for her cast, elevating her leg.
She looked up into the faces of Laura and Sean, swallowing back a glob of tears choking her throat. She hated the emotional feeling so easily accessible from her tormented insides, but realizing the source…her pregnancy, she understood. She was seriously hormonal. Everything made sense, from her bouts of sickness to strange eating habits—erratic bitchiness. She was on the strangest roller coaster ride ever and going to an even stranger place on top of it.
She didn’t want Hex to stir up trouble by following her if she insisted upon going to her sister’s home—his threat to be her shadow should be only for her toleration. And by toleration, hers was hanging by a thread.
With good-byes to Sean and Laura, Hex and Savannah left, though they didn’t speak the whole way to his house.
Fine, she thought. Fine, fine, and double fine. Other than being angry, she had nothing new to offer up and wisely looked out the window, trying to enjoy the scenery. He lived in a very posh, rich neighborhood…but wouldn’t he? Mr. MK Steel? Why hadn’t he told her? She felt like she needed security clearance just to speak to him. The whole prove something business may prove to be harder than she once thought. With a deep breath, she decided to try remaining calm, which seemed something out of her jurisdiction, but she was learning. Breathe.
Hex pulled up outside the wrought iron gate of his home and opened the gate by remote control, they continued. By light of day, his house was even more magnificent—still appearing as something out of a sci-fi movie with elegant shards of metal woven into the boxy two-story structure with huge windows sparkling in the sunlight. Well, if this had to be her prison, at least it was a luxurious one.
The front door swung wide open as they pulled up close and young man met them. He looked to be in his late teens, early twenties with dark brown hair and same blue eyes as the silent oaf who exited the SUV.
The young man opened her door and smiled, “Hi there. I’m Jagger, brother to this guy.” He offered, thumbing in the direction of the approaching storm cloud.
“Back off, Jay.” Hex by-passed his brother and slipped his hands under Savannah, lifting her out of the vehicle with careful consideration.
The younger brother shifted to the side and threw his hands in the air in mock defense. “No problem. Just came to help.”
Hex only grunted, choosing to brood.
Savannah's hands slid up around Hex’s neck and she smiled at Jagger. “Nice to meet you," she said as her biker god took her through the house and gently laid her upon the sofa, propping her leg with a pillow before settling an afghan over her legs. His care and attention nearly had her in tears—damn her emotions. But, his kindness knew only limited boundaries as he turned away and left her. Deflated she decided to ignore his bad attitude. Y
et, the memories of being in this very living room spun around her mind and made her ache for such a freedom with Hex again.
Would they ever reach such a point again? Man to woman?
Jagger came to sit on the opposite sofa, his eager smile upon his lips. “So, looks like we’ll all be roomies for a while.”
A frown creased her brow, “You’re living here too?”
His smile never faded, “Only just recently. You could say I had a run of bad luck.”
Hex came back through, offering her a glass of water and one a prenatal vitamin and Tylenol, which she took from his hand without hesitation.
“Is that what you’re calling it, Jay?”
A red swatch of color appeared across Jagger’s cheekbones indicating his embarrassment, but he recovered. “Well, I didn’t know if you wanted me to announce that I’m a recently released convict. I wasn’t sure how well that would go over.”
Her eyes widened and she nearly choked on the pills.
But, it was worth it to see Hex grin at her, “He’s kidding. True, he recently forgot his brain somewhere on highway stupid, but I fished his butt out of jail before the fun really began,” he said, turning to cuff his brother on the back of the neck. “Smooth…real smooth. You really need to work on your people skills.”
“Just following your lead brother bear,” Jagger retorted with a playful wink.
Yeah, she choked on the water at that comment. No statement more accurate.
Hex reached out to cuff his brother again, but Jagger wisely ducked and moved a safe distance away, his laugher resounding within the spacious living room. The moment settled as a short woman appeared with a dishtowel thrown casually over her right shoulder.
“Hey, Annabelle, save me,” Jagger said, moving to stand behind the woman out of reach of Hex.
