Heart's Desire (Game of Hearts Series Book 2)

by Sarah Alabaster

  Keep it together. She needs you to be strong for her—for us.

  He grabs her cold hand, and the touch reverberates throughout his whole body. She’s alive—not conscious, or here at the moment, but she is alive, nonetheless. That alone is something he can work with.

  It’s a start.

  He turns to acknowledge the nurse who is taking her vital signs.

  “Can I touch her?”

  “Yes, just don’t jostle the connections, or remove any of the bandages.”

  It seems as if is she is annoyed with him for bypassing the rules and regulations. Unable to concern himself with her cool regard for him, Devin places his hand over Clara’s, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

  “I’m right here, baby. Please don’t leave me. Please stay with me. I love you, so please don’t go anywhere. Come back to me. Come back to me soon, baby. Please.”

  Finding a chair and moving next to her, he gently places her hand in his and decides not to leave this spot until she wakes up. Desperate to hear her voice again, he sits and just watches the equipment beep her vital signs. Placing his head on his outstretched arm that holds her hand, he watches her chest expand and contract, and it lulls him to sleep.

  ***

  My eyelids feel like they are held down by weights. My body feels numb, and so cold. I want to scream, but the words won’t come out. There is something on my arm pinning it down, and it’s making me panic as I pant in frustration. I will my body to move, but nothing is working. I try to open my eyes again, but the effort it takes is exhausting.

  What is wrong with me?

  I hear faint voices in the distance. If only they would come closer so I could make out what they’re saying.

  “Can you speak up?” I ask, but the words don’t come out.

  Horrified that no one can hear me, I begin to panic as I feel my body plummet into oblivion. Sleep claims me yet again, and I’m aware of only the breath and whispers against my ear.

  “I’m here, baby. I’m right here. I’ve got you, so just rest and come back to me. Please.”

  It’s his tone that grabs at my subconscious. I know that voice, and I know the way he is saying my name in a mantra of sheer agony as it escapes his lips.

  “Clara, baby. Clar baby. I love you.”

  It’s his nickname for me, Clar baby, that has me wanting to be here with him now. I want that more than anything. I try to wake and open my eyes again, but the effort is exhausting, and I feel myself continuing to helplessly fall into the darkness.

  ***

  “Why isn’t she awake yet?”

  Devin is almost shouting his aggravation as he stands just outside the door to Clara’s room at the hospital. It’s been a week since the attack that nearly took the love of his life. After some unexpected complications, she’s had to endure additional surgeries to fix the damage done by her assailant, as well as fight a slight infection afterward. The doctors keep telling him they are doing the best they can to help her, but he feels like he’s living in a constant state of annoyance.

  “Enough!”

  Finally unable to contain his anger any longer, he pulls out his cell phone and presses one of the numbers on his speed dial.

  “Alexis Robinson, please.” Listening to someone on the other end, he huffs out a breath. “No, I’ll hold. Thank you.”

  His sister Alexis is the best doctor at Seattle Hospital, with a degree from Johns Hopkins to boot. She has offered to look in on Clara, but at the time she was doing so well and making her way toward a full recovery, so he saw no point in having her travel out when she really didn’t need to. After all, these doctors seemed to have things under control. But now it’s a week later and after two additional surgeries, it’s becoming increasingly clear that these doctors don’t exactly have anything “under control.”

  “Hey Lex, it’s me.” He pauses as he listens to his sister. “No, she still isn’t up yet.” Once again, he pauses to take in what she has to say. “You will? Great! I’ll send the helicopter to get you in twenty minutes. Okay, thank you, sis.”

  Hanging up the phone, he regards the doctor coldly and tells him he’d like to see the hospital administrator as soon as possible.

  ***

  “You will allow the helicopter to land on the helipad on the roof, because the passenger is Dr. Alexis Robinson, and she needs to see her patient immediately.”

  The hospital administrator spiels off some information regarding protocol and other issues involving non-emergency use of the helipad, but Devin won’t be taking no for an answer.

  “Here’s the thing. I have been patient. I have been understanding, and now your patient is not getting any better under your care. As a result of this, she has had to endure additional surgeries, and undergo procedures to combat the infections she now has, once again, under your care. You know I’m suing your hospital. You also know I’m taking over your hospital and replacing your board of trustees. You will allow that helicopter to land on the helipad on the roof, or you will be losing your job, too. Do you understand?” Without taking a breath or breaking eye contact, he just stares at the soon-to-be-replaced hospital administrator. “Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, Mr. Robinson.” Turning to alert the staff, the hospital administrator picks up the phone and rambles quickly into it. “Let them land, and then escort Dr. Robinson to her patient.”

  Hanging up, he then turns and exits without a word.

  Probably going to clean out his desk, Devin thinks at he bores holes in his back. Who’s next? he wonders as he returns to Clara’s room.

  He sees his sister as she approaches Clara’s room, and thinks, not for the first time, that Dr. Alexis Robinson is a force to be reckoned with.

  Gathering her chart from the nurses’ station, Dr. Alexis makes purposefully her way past her brother to get to her patient, trailed by some of the nurses.

  “Has she woken up at all over the past week?”

  “No, doctor.”

  “Have you induced a coma?”

  “No, doctor.”

  Concern is etched onto her face as she regards first the chart, then her patient.

  “Help me remove her bandages. I’d like to inspect the wound myself, and get me the on-call doctor who first treated her, along with the surgeons that worked on her afterward. I want to see them face-to-face when they try to explain her current state.”

  “Yes, doctor.”

  The nurses don’t dare say anything further as one makes her way out of the room. The other one stays to help with the dressings, as well as anything else Dr. Alexis may need.

  “This is not the way her wound should be patched up. Devin, I’m sorry, but I’d like to open her up again.”

  “Again? Seriously?” His eyes shot up to Lexie’s as he counted the number of times she’d already been in surgery this week. “Can she handle another one?”

  “I’m going to give it to you straight, Dev. I don’t think they fixed everything, and I want to go in and see for myself what’s going on.”

  Touching an area that was clearly inflamed and dark red, Lexie brushes her fingers over the stitches and regards Clara’s facial reaction during the process.

  “She’s not reacting to the pain I know she’s in. I want to see what’s going on inside.”

  “Lex, she’s so pale.”

  A single tear slides down his cheek, and Alexis expels a breath.

  “I know, big brother, but you’ve got to let me fix her up, okay?”

  She touches his arm as he swipes away the tears that have spilled.

  “I trust you, Lex. That’s why I called you.”

  Should have called you sooner, he thinks to himself.

  “Devin, I’ll fix her. I’ve seen worse. Not much worse, but I’ve seen it.”

  Talking hurriedly to the nurse, she orders Clara to be prepped for surgery, then swiftly leaves the room.

  Probably to get permission to work at this hospital. Ugh, this place is seriously pissing him off. He’ll
fix that later. Right now he needs Clara fixed and on the road to recovery.

  He answers his phone as it vibrates in his pocket.

  “How is she?” Jason asks. He’s been calling several times a day to check in on Clara’s progress.

  If Devin wasn’t secure in his relationship with her, he’d probably be upset at how much attention his brother is giving his girlfriend.

  “Lexie’s here. She just saw her, and she’s prepping her for surgery to fix whatever they missed.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me! That poor girl just can’t catch a break. What is this, number three on the surgery count?”

  “The best thing you can do for her is work on finding her assailant. This guy who hurt her needs to be caught, and you’re just the man for the job.”

  “You’re right. And Lexie will fix her. She’s fantastic at this stuff.”

  Reassurance isn’t really Jason’s strong suit, but he needs to vocalize this for his own sake, as well as for Devin’s peace of mind.

  “I’ve gotta go, they’re just about ready to take her into surgery, and Lexie said I could watch from the observation deck.”

  Devin doesn’t really want to watch Clara get opened up, but he can’t leave her side for anything, so Lexie is making it possible that he can be there. Gratitude is overflowing in his heart as he walks with them both toward the surgical ward.

  “You go that way. We’ll work on her, and then you can meet up with us in post-op. I should know more by then about what’s going on, and what we can do to get her well again.”

  She stopped talking then, gathering her thoughts.

  “Dev, you need to know something, too.”

  “What?”

  “I want to make sure, before I say anything, but you need to be ready in case she doesn’t make it.”

  “What? What do you mean? Fix her, Lexie! Please fix her. Lexie, please!”

  He collapses against the wall as she tries to hold onto his elbow.

  “Brother, look at me.”

  But he couldn’t out of fear of what he might see.

  “Look! I will do everything in my power to take care of her and fix her, but you need to be prepared. I saw her chart. Her body has been through a lot already from the last attack. This time, she has something going on inside that was missed for a week. That’s some serious stress that not everyone could handle.”

  Lexie looks at him with compassion, as well as the strength of her conviction.

  “I will do everything I can to help her. I will try not to let you down, but if she doesn’t make it, I don’t want you hating me for it. That would kill me, and I just couldn’t live with myself if everything I did wasn’t enough. I need to be focused solely on her to help her. I need you to release me from that worry while I do my job. Do you understand?”

  Devin knows what she means. It’s the same crippling worry he felt after he called her for help. It was why he tried not to involve her in the first place, but now here they were, and it was a life-and-death situation.

  “Lexie, do your best. That’s all I can ask for. The rest is up to God.”

  “Thank you.”

  She leaves him then and makes her way into surgery.

  He collects himself and makes his way to the observation deck, praying that whatever she does will be enough to save Clara. The alternative just isn’t an option.

  The beeps of the machine echo throughout the room when Devin arrives. He presses his forehead against the glass as sweat beads on his brow.

  Beep, beep, beep.

  Burrrrrrr…

  When the beeps abruptly stop, Devin slams his hands against the glass and screams.

  Chapter Eleven

  Darkness gives way to the memories of the day, and what lies ahead. Seventeen hours of touch-and-go surgery, where Clara crashed on the table twice, only to find that a nicked artery was to blame for the complications. The nick was so small everyone had missed it—everyone except his sister, that is.

  After she crashed the first time, Jason had been called in to keep Devin “under control”—if that was even possible when the woman he loved was going through so much right in front of him. At one point, Lexie had yelled up at him, “You wanna be removed?” and he had shouted back, “No!”

  After which he worked more on behaving, so as not to be removed from watching what was going on right in front of him: the woman he adored being sliced open, yet again. But thank goodness Clara had made it through the surgery and was now in recovery. Devin feels exhausted. It’s as if he himself performed the surgery with how tired he is.

  When Lexie comes into the room to check on Clara’s vitals, she looks the picture of being put together, which irritates Devin tremendously. Not that he isn’t grateful that she saved Clara’s life, but after seventeen hours of nonstop surgery, his sister looks as though she’s just been out running—and eager to go back out again.

  “Are you a machine or something? Those seventeen hours look more like seventeen minutes on you.”

  “It’s the adrenaline. Believe me, I’m exhausted and plan on sleeping for a week after this, but I need to watch Clara for the next two days before I can take care of myself.”

  “Dang, sis, you’re unbelievable. Thank you for all that you did, and all that you’re still doing.”

  Devin comes around and waits for Lexie to finish what she’s doing, then he promptly takes her into his arms for a crushing hug.

  “We’re not out of the woods yet, Dev, but she’s got a better chance now than she did before.”

  Releasing his sister and taking in the sight of Clara, Devin realizes for the first time that her color is finally returning.

  “She looks better already.”

  “That’s great news, Dev. Now, I’m going to go take a break. I’ll be back in a little while to see how she’s doing.”

  “Lexie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you again.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m just happy I could help, and that she’s pulled through the toughest part.”

  “She’ll make it. She’s strong.”

  ***

  Smiling, Lexie can’t help but feel the love Devin has for Clara. It spreads throughout the room as he takes his place next to her, placing her hand into his. Resigned to get some much-needed rest, Dr. Alexis exits the room to give them some privacy.

  ***

  Thank God, my eyes can finally open.

  Trying and succeeding in lifting my arm, the pain ripples through me when I see the IV attached.

  Man, that smarts. Where the heck am I?

  Taking in the surroundings, I figure I am in the hospital. That much I can guess from the beeping machine to the left of me. Something is pinning my other arm down, though. Not surrendering to the panic, I turn my head to see Devin resting with his arm stretched across the bed as his forehead rests on the crease.

  My hand is warm, and when I look down, I notice that it’s within his. No wonder my arm wouldn’t move when I tried. Taking my free hand to graze across his forehead, I smooth his hair to the side as I regard his face.

  Devin’s eyes pop open, twitching in response to my touch. He’s trying to figure out where the touch is coming from, only to gasp when he realizes I am awake.

  “Oh, God, Clara, you’re awake! Thank God.”

  Shooting up and simultaneously releasing my hand and freeing my arm, he takes me into a gentle embrace, trying hard not to squeeze me in the process.

  “What’s going on, Dev?”

  “Oh baby, thank God. You’re finally awake!”

  I try to move into a better position, but pain shoots through my body, stopping me before it can get any worse.

  “Ouch! Ugh, what happened, Devin?”

  “Damn baby, take it easy. Let me call a nurse, and let them know you’re awake.”

  Kissing me on the forehead, he reaches for the call button on the side of the bed.

  “Thirsty.”

  I smack my lips together and ask h
im for some water.

  “Okay, okay. One minute, and then I’ll get you some.”

  “Ms. Stephans, good to see you awake.”

  The nurse comes into the room, taking my chart with her as she begins to check my vitals.

  Devin steps aside to give the nurse room to work, placing a call to his sister.

  “Lexie, she’s awake.” He listens as he watches my every move. “Great, thank you.”

  “Who was that?”

  “My sister, Alexis. She’s your doctor now.”

  That’s news, but everything is news right now.

  “Okay, tell me later. I’m so tired, just give me a minute more to rest.”

  Closing my eyes, I hear his clothes shuffle in the quiet of the room.

  “Rest honey, it’s just good to have you back.”

  He takes his place next to me, but doesn’t touch me as the nurse continues checking my vitals and the machines, monitoring me and then writing her findings down in the chart. She is turning to leave when Devin asks if I can have some water.

  “No problem. That should be fine. Sips though, real slow.”

  It takes another hour before I’m able to hear the details leading up to me being in the hospital. Devin tells me all about the attack, recounting all the minute details, including his part in it. Head bowed, he begins to apologize to me, but I pull at his sleeve to stop him. It’s the closest part of him I can reach.

  “Devin, look at me.”

  “No, baby, this is all my fault.”

  Hanging his head, he feels the weight of his disappointment spread like acid across his skin.

  “Devin, please look at me.”

  He lifts his head reluctantly, feeling dread at what she might say next, but all he sees in her eyes is love—and concern.

  “You have nothing to apologize for, do you hear me? You are the most wonderful, protective, fantastic man I have ever known.”

  “Please don’t.”

  “You do realize you couldn’t be with me 24/7, right? You have to understand that, no matter what, he was going to get me at some point. You know that I always knew this.”