An eerie calm washed over me, but I wasn’t going to allow it to lead my decision. I headed back inside and paced between the living room, foyer, and dining room as I stared at the card.
Is that little shit fucking with me?
How would he cure me?
What the hell would I tell Elaina? Or Mum?
I spent the next hour sitting at the table and flicking the card with my thumb, staring into space, thinking about the possibilities. It was very tempting.
“Afternoon, Mr. Harrison,” Carly murmured as Erik stalked back into Reede’s Hotel.
He had stolen the identity from one of the deceased recruits from the program, Leo Harrison. Because he knew the right people, Erik had all his paperwork and credit cards ready before traveling to the States.
Shoving his glasses back up on his face, he said, “Hullo, Ms. Reede.” He faked a smile and headed to the elevator.
The ride to the fourth floor lasted an eternity. Erik needed to get back to his room and calm down because Luke had terrified him. He hadn’t expected him to be so…off his rocker. His behavior was familiar and Erik feared the worst. He knew he had to be more cautious with every move because it felt like Roger was breathing down his neck once again.
The elevator chimed and the door slid open. Erik walked down the hallway and turned the corner. Xander was leaning against the door of his room.
“Bloody hell,” he mumbled, realizing he had forgotten about their meeting. As Erik approached, he asked, “How did you even know where I was?”
“Such a silly question.” Xander smirked.
Erik shook his head. “I need a moment to breathe before we start. Come on in.”
“Already been in your room.” He pulled a master keycard from the pocket of his leather jacket. “Lifted it off that gorgeous redhead at the desk.”
“Great. That’s just great.”
Xander chuckled. “Aww… Come on. I didn’t play with your simple white boxers.”
“Really?” Erik glared at him.
Xander shrugged and laughed as Erik opened the door. “How did your meeting go?”
“Do you already know and are just acting innocent?”
“Actually, no.”
Erik dropped to the couch and leaned forward. “I will admit he frightened me. Very similar to how Roger behaved. I think this may be a more difficult situation than I originally figured.”
Xander shifted his weight. “I told you he had been acting off.”
“He did take my card and promised a call either way.”
“Well, I need to know as soon as possible so I can make the arrangements.”
“When I find out, you’ll be the first to know. Until then, get your associates lined up.”
“You got it, boss.” He held out his hand.
“Right.” Erik stood and went to his bag, pulling out an envelope full of cash.
“Pleasure doing business with you.” Xander snatched the envelope and headed out of the room.
“Xander, one last thing…” He stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. “Continue to keep tabs on him. I need him and don’t want him doing anything which would jeopardize that.”
“No problem,” he said before he walked out the door.
Chapter 44
After two weeks of being lost in thought, Elaina ignoring me, and my mum cornering me, trying to analyze my every action, Gunther began reintegrating me into the gym. Of course, he threatened my very existence if I slipped up again. I started out just doing payroll and paying the bills, then moved up to giving tours and answering client questions. Soon, I hoped I would be picking away at the personal training schedule again.
However, Erik’s visit accelerated my usual distractions, making my life a nonstop onslaught of thoughts and worries. It was time to give him a call.
I was in my office at Edge, which was virtually the only private spot I had. I hopped out of the desk chair, closed the blinds, and locked the door. After sitting back down, I reached into the drawer and grabbed my wallet. Slipping the business card out, I flicked the edge with my thumb, wondering if calling was a good idea.
What if he was fucking with me and there is an entire new round of recruits ready to come after my family and me?
I cursed and grabbed my phone off my desk. Three rings later, I mumbled, “Come on, you tosser. Pick up.”
“Hullo?”
“I want details,” I muttered. Silence. I glared at the screen to make sure the call was still connected. “I’m not fucking around with you, Carlson. Give me the details now or I will hunt you down.”
“Yes, I apologize. First thing is you’ll have to be quarantined.”
“Nope. Not happening. ’Bye.” I pulled the phone away from my ear to hang up.
“No! Please, don’t hang up! Allow me to finish.”
I placed it back to my ear. “Go on then.”
“Let me start again. Honestly, I don’t know if you’ll make it through the process, but my team and I will do our best to keep you alive. I assure you. You have a fifty-fifty chance.” Erik cleared his throat. “You’ll have to go back to the facility, though.” I sucked in a sharp breath. I wasn’t so sure I could handle that. “Trust me when I say it’s different without the tyrants. It’s just me and my team.”
“Except for Gunther, they’re all dead,” I muttered.
“I’m sorry?”
Taken aback, I asked, “How do you not know this? I killed Kellan, Gunther killed Drew, then I killed Roger.”
“Right. I figured as much.” He paused for a moment. “Anyway, we’ll need a donation first so we have plenty of supply for more antiserum. Then we’ll harvest stem cells from you, and push the antiserum through an IV. It’s supposed to deactivate the virus, shorting out its ability to pick up the electrical signals of the brain. That should make it release its grip. In order to rid your body fully, we will have to clean your blood. We’ll transplant the specialized stem cells to aide in your recovery. During this process, we believe you’ll be extremely susceptible to infections, hence the reasoning behind the quarantine. This process is going to take several months, maybe longer, with an unknown amount of treatments. It’s not going to be easy and there is a possibility it could make you severely ill.
“Okay. Here comes the hard part…”
My eyebrow arched. “That’s not the hard part?”
“Well, this next step is even more dangerous.”
“How dangerous?”
“Larger risk of death.”
Of all the times I was ready to accept my fate, I wasn’t sure this was one of them. “I don’t know, Erik. I have a family now.”
“I feel I can save you. I’m well-versed in saving the turning, but I feel you need to understand the probability of a true death is still very real. I can’t guarantee your survival, but I will do my best.”
I rubbed my hand over my weeks’ worth of beard. “What do you have to do?”
“Suspend animation, then drain you. I need to be sure you won’t turn. We’ll transfuse you. Once you are healthy and stabilized, we can send you home.”
“So you’re saying I’ll be normal? No more virus, no more drinking blood, no more fear of turning…no more pain?”
The thought of being pain-free elicited such an adrenaline rush throughout my body, I had to stand and shake out my limbs.
“That’s what I’m telling you,” Erik murmured.
I paced around my office. “I have to say, this does sound appealing. How would we go about it? Elaina would never give me the go-ahead.”
“We will fake your death.”
I halted mid-stride and let out a breath. “And if I’m cured, I can come back?”
“Yes. Then you can explain everything to your family.”
“I need time. This is not something I can just say yes to.”
“I understand. Take your time. It’s a hard decision. It’ll take time to set it up anyway.”
“How long will you be in town?”
“Until you make your decision. I’ll be staying at the hotel in the city.”
“Okay.”
“I shall be off now. I have a lunch scheduled with a colleague. Contact me anytime day or night if you have questions or have made a decision.”
“Will do.”
As the possibility of faking my death thundered through my mind, I let out another loud breath.
“Henry, I swear. This is a serious offer and not a trap. I want to help change your potential outcome.”
“All right… I’ll think on it and call you back.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.”
“’Bye.” I didn’t even wait for him to answer before I hung up.
It took several minutes to gather myself before I was able to leave my office and look halfway normal…whatever that was.
“And?” Xander asked, stuffing a fry in his mouth.
Erik stared at him, Xander continuing to eat in an uncivilized manner. “He sounded as if he was considering and asked for more time to make a decision.”
“Right,” he said around a mouthful of burger. “You gonna eat those?” Xander pointed to the fries Erik had been picking at with his fork.
“No.” He slid the plate toward him. “I still want you to keep an eye on him.”
“Can do.”
“Have you lined up all your associates?”
“Of course.” He pointed at Erik with a fry. “They’re just waiting for you to pull the trigger.”
He scoffed. “It won’t be me pulling the trigger. That’s your job.”
“I have two potentials I’m following. Both are similar in height, weight, and stature as Luke.”
“Excellent,” Erik said with a smile.
Xander polished off the plate of fries and stood. “Thanks for the lunch. Got lots to do.”
“Likewise.”
Erik watched him walk off, then left the café himself.
Chapter 45
After many sleepless nights, the conversation with Erik was still fresh. I had spent the last week loading my schedule with training sessions, trying to tame the thoughts. No such luck. I was weary, and my demons were having a field day.
I was relaxing in bed and staring at the ceiling, my hands behind my head. It was dark in there, until Elaina opened the door and blinded me with the hallway light.
“You going to get up sometime today?” she asked with attitude.
“It’s my only day off, Elaina.”
“So that gives you the right to spend the entire day in bed not helping, not doing a damn thing around here?”
I rolled to face her. She was in her pissed off stance—crossed arms, shifting her weight from one hip to the other. She looked sexy as hell and I was getting hard. “Are you really going to go there?”
“While you are vegging out in the dark, I’m taking care of a young child, cooking meals, working on laundry, and cleaning up around the house. Oh, and I had to mow the lawn yesterday.”
“That’s great, Elaina. I appreciate your valiant efforts.” I rolled my eyes, then flipped back to my original position.
“I’m busy being wife and mom…”
“And I’m busy being a good husband, father, and son by providing a roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothing on our backs. Now, if you will excuse me, I’m busy vegging out after a solid seven days of training sessions.”
“I have no idea why you act like such a dick.”
“Thanks for that. You sure know how to kick me in the bollocks while I’m down.”
“I get it, Henry. You have problems and no one understands what you’re going through,” she muttered. “But I’ve tried to get you help. I do my best, but I have no idea how to deal with you anymore.”
“Great. Thanks again. I’ll be here if you actually need me for something other than cutting me down.” I rolled on my stomach and ignored her as she berated me. The longer I did, the more belligerent she became.
“I cannot believe you would be such an asshole to me! After everything I have done for you, everything I have been through with you, this is how you treat me? I have no idea why I even married you.” Then she mocked, “Poor little Henry and all his problems.”
I leapt off the bed and pushed her against the wall, pointing my finger in her face. “Don’t you fucking dare, Elaina.”
She tried to shove me back and growled, “Get your finger out of my face before I break it off and stuff it down your throat.”
I grabbed both her wrists and pinned them against the wall. “I don’t appreciate your mockery and insistence that I’m the only one who is doing something wrong in this marriage.”
Squirming in my grasp, she snarled, “Oh, sorry. Am I not giving you enough blowjobs? Maybe I should strut around in my lace panties or even touch myself for you? Because that’s all I ever get from you!”
“You want sex? I’ll give you sex. I’ll fuck you until you pass out. How about that?” I bit her lip, then pushed my thigh in between her legs and rubbed. “You like that? I hope you want it rough because that’s what you’ll be getting.”
“Let go of me!” she screamed.
“Hmmm… Nope. You want me to be more of a husband? That’s what I am going to do.” Pushing my weight into her, further pressing her into the wall, I maneuvered my hands to hold both of her wrists with one. Then I reached down and grabbed her heat. “You wet for me yet?”
“Henry… Stop! Please!” Her voice cracked, but I wasn’t relenting.
“You want my cock slamming into your mouth? You want to choke on it, baby?”
A quick sharp slap to her cheek and she yelped. Tears tracked down her face. “Stop! Let me go!”
The door flew open. “Luke! Let go of her right now!” my mum yelled.
The shouting of my birth name stunned me, so I dropped Elaina’s wrists. She pushed out from under me and ran out the door. I watched her fall to her knees in the hall, sobbing.
“What in God’s creation is wrong with you?!” I hung my head and stalked back to the bed. “Do you have any idea whom you were behaving like?”
“Him,” I whispered.
“Don’t you dare turn into him. I won’t stand for it!” she shouted, then stalked out of the room. She wrapped her arm around Elaina, pulled her up, and walked her downstairs.
Then it hit me. I just sexually assaulted my wife. I knew the shame and sadness she would feel. I had no idea what to do about it or how to handle it. There was a brief moment when I thanked whatever god there was that my mother stopped it because I had a feeling I would’ve raped her.
I curled up into a ball on the bed and cried so hard, I threw up.
Sobbing, Elaina couldn’t walk another step, so she and Anne sat at the bottom of the stairs. Every time she tried to inhale, her whole body shuddered. She leaned down and hugged her legs, tucking her face into them.
“I’m so sorry,” Anne murmured, pulling Elaina’s hair back. She turned her head toward Anne, the pain clearly evident in her eyes. “Oh, Elaina…”
“He hurt me…,” she choked out.
“Yes, he did, and I understand how you feel. I’m here for you.”
“My heart… It hurts,” she sobbed.
“I know what it feels like to have the man you love and cherish turn on you in such a horrific way, but I want you to know no matter what transpired beforehand, you didn’t deserve to be treated in that manner.”
Elaina wiped her eyes with the collar of her t-shirt. “What do I do?”
Anne shook her head. “What do you want to do? Do you want him to leave? I can call Gunther, or we can call the police. I’m sure they would arrest him and take him away for the night.”
She shook her head. “No. I can’t do that to him.”
“He’s my son and I love him with all of my heart, but he assaulted you. I’m afraid what would’ve happened if I hadn’t stepped in. Your scream terrified me. He should answer for what he did. I’ve been there, wishing someone was
there to help.”
“He can’t go to jail.”
“Okay, I won’t push…” Anne trailed off.
They sat silently for a moment until Elaina confessed, “When I was on the ship… It was just like that. His eyes and demeanor… Henry looked just like Roger.” Elaina shuddered. “I thought I had put it behind me, but that just brought it all back.”
“Let’s get you upstairs to rest. You can stay in my room. I’ll take care of Nicky today.”
“Okay… Thank you.”
Anne helped Elaina stand and supported her as they made their way upstairs. She lay on Anne’s bed, not wanting to do anything but cry.
Chapter 46
Several days had come and gone since Henry had assaulted Elaina. The quiet, tension-filled atmosphere in the house was uncomfortable. Henry had called out sick every day from Edge, and Anne felt Gunther needed a real explanation. She felt she could count on him.
After Anne rang the bell a second time, Gunther finally opened the door, Everette fussing in his arms. “Hey. Sorry. Come on in. She fell and bonked her melon.”
“Poor lass,” Anne murmured and rubbed the blonde curls spilling over Everette’s face. She focused on Gunther. “Can I chat with you for a minute?”
“Of course.” He ushered Anne into the living room. “Have a seat. What’s going on?”
“It’s about Henry.”
Gunther sighed. “I knew it. He’s not sick, is he? What happened now?”
“No…” She shook her head. “His behavior is so erratic. He’s just not himself and is…” The rising goosebumps made her rub her thin arms. “I caught him behaving like Roger and it scared the hell out of me. Poor Elaina. Everything he did to her was exactly how Roger treated her on the ship.”
“Christ. Did he hurt her?”
“Thankfully, I caught him before he did too much, but Elaina hasn’t been right since.”
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I think he would get violent and it wouldn’t turn out well. I just don’t know what to do about it. I tried to get Elaina to call the police, but she refused. I can’t make her do something she doesn’t want to do.”
Blind Faith (Shattered Lives, Book Four) Page 39
