REBORN (Metamorphosis Book 1)

by Williams, Marissa

  "When you put it that way, how can I say no?"

  He kissed me and then pulled away saying, "Stop distracting me woman, I have to get back to work." His voice sounded stern but his face had an expression of amusement.

  "Me, what did I do?" The innocence in my voice was not convincing.

  "You are tempting me with your lips and your movement, so don't play innocent." I just shook my head and tried to move away from his lap, but he wouldn’t let me. Warmth flooded my blood, making me hug him even harder.

  "Before you get back to work, do you have any plans for Sunday?"

  "I was thinking about driving to Door County for the weekend. Why?"

  "My friends have been planning a spa day Sunday; you know, for female bonding and pampering. I'd love to join them, we usually get together about once a month and I was out of town the last two months."

  "Well, we can go Friday night and get back early Sunday morning, if you think that's sufficient time."

  "That will work, I'll join them after lunch."

  "Okay then, I'll spend the afternoon with my brother catching the Bears game."

  I lay on his lap to read a book, and he opted for the tablet to check his email. I must have fallen asleep and Kayden taken me to bed because the next morning I woke up on the bed with him wrapped around me. Lately this had become my favorite way to wake up; Kayden holding me close to him, his legs over my body, his skin so warm I didn’t need a blanket. I caressed his beautiful face and touched his lips with mine, then tried to get up when I heard him say, "Thinking that you can escape me again?" He held me tighter, then climbed over me, caging me in place.

  "Where do you think you are going?" he said in a sleepy voice.

  "I didn't want to wake you up."

  "I'm awake now, so where are you going?" he asked as he began to kiss my neck, my shoulders, my breast, my stomach.

  I responded in an incoherent way, "no where," because there was no other place I wanted to be than under him right that moment.

  After Kayden went to work I stopped by my apartment to change for my meeting. I checked the answering machine and noticed it was full of messages, primarily from Julian but a couple from Vickie. I decided to answer Vickie's from the car. I had no time or energy to talk to Julian. I had to get ready and had less than an hour to do so.

  For my meeting I chose a flare-bottomed cobalt blue dress with a short black jacket and black ankle boots; pure sophistication! I picked up my black clutch, my cell and keys and headed downstairs. Aldo was waiting for me; he opened the door of the limo and off we went. He must have known where we were heading because he asked no questions.

  My cell phone rang; it was Kayden. "How are you feeling this morning?" I asked.

  "Thanks to you I feel like a million bucks," he responded.

  "Did you call to brag or do you have a question?"

  "So impatient. I called to ask if you wanted to go running today after work; I'll be home around six."

  "I'd love to, just don’t complain when I beat you," I said, laughing.

  "Well, bring it on, I like a good challenge, baby."

  His endearment made me blush. "Love you," I responded.

  "See you tonight my love," and he hung up. I smiled and held the phone to my heart for a few more minutes.

  I was in such a good mood that I decided to send a text to Victoria instead of calling her; I did not want to be upset before my meeting.

  Is everything okay? At a work-related meeting, will call after I'm done. Love, Mom

  The meeting with Ronald went on for about an hour. He was very understanding and happy to have me back. We agreed that I would start on Monday, with the understanding that in a couple of weeks I was going to need a couple of days to settle affairs in Miami.

  I texted Kayden from the car:

  As of Monday I'll be gainfully employed, I want to celebrate. Love EMM

  He responded:

  Celebrations r always good, work not necessary; you have money, I have money. Yours, K

  But will ur money or mine keep me occupied and out of trouble during the long hours of waiting for u? Desperately waiting until u get home, EMM

  Good point, we'll talk about it. Getting hard just thinking of ur desperation K

  I asked Aldo to take me to the supermarket. I wanted to cook for Kayden so we did not have to go out after our run. I decided on lasagna, garlic bread and a salad. I picked up some wine and all the ingredients to make a flan. Aldo was very helpful; it turned out he was new to this position, he used to be part of the security detail for the company. After he drove me home I dismissed him for the rest of the day. I wanted to spend the afternoon cooking and perhaps resting a little bit. I also needed to call Vickie.

  "Hi, Mom," she responded in a grave tone.

  "What's wrong?" I asked, concerned by the sound of her voice.

  "That's what I was about to ask you; Dad came back to the office yesterday afternoon with a bruise on his face. He said it was Kayden who hit him over a misunderstanding. What's wrong with your boyfriend?" I did not like her accusatory tone.

  "First, there is nothing wrong with Kayden; second how dare you accuse him without having all the facts? And third, there was no misunderstanding; your father tried to force himself on me and Kayden found him before he could do any damage," I responded in a stern and angry voice. "Last, tell your father that I am tired of covering up for him." I was so incensed that I hung up the phone on my daughter! How dare Julian accuse Kayden of bullying when he was the one to attack me!

  I called Julian and dove right in. "This is the last time I want to see you in my apartment, and if you touch me again I will press charges. For a minute I thought you were a decent man, but lying to our daughter about what happened is where I draw the line."

  I didn't wait for him to answer, just wanted him to understand that I was not playing games.

  Kayden came at six as promised. He found me in the kitchen putting the final touches to the lasagna. He came behind me and kissed me on the neck; I turned in the circle of his arms seeking his lips. He did not disappoint.

  "If it tastes as good as it smells it's going to be amazing."

  "I thought we'd have dinner in tonight; besides, some say I am a pretty good cook. You'll be the judge."

  "Anything you make will be good; beside, this is the way I dream of finding you, barefoot and in the kitchen."

  "So funny, ha, ha."

  "I'll be ready in a few minutes for our run." Then off he went into the bedroom to change.

  While Kayden was changing I placed the lasagna in the oven and set the timer so that it would be ready when we got back. I sliced and buttered the bread and finished the table. I was already in my running gear, just needed the shoes.

  Kayden came out looking as handsome as ever in anything he wore. He had navy blue shorts and a plain white T-shirt.

  "Are you sure you want to go out? We can stay in for the night," he suggested.

  "Oh no, if we are going to eat this huge dinner, we need to exercise first."

  "Let's get this over with then; I have plans for tonight," Kayden said in a seductive way.

  The evening was perfect for running, a cool seventy-four degrees and a light breeze from the lake. We headed toward the lakeshore, my favorite route to run because of the beautiful views of the lake and the Chicago skyline. We could see the sailboats in the distance and the couples walking their dogs on the beach. Heading south from Oak Street Beach, the vision of Navy Pier and the Museum Campus appeared. Chicago in all its magnificence spread before us. What a perfect way to end a day, running outdoors with the man I loved enjoying my favorite city. It was heaven.

  "Don't feel bad if you can't keep up, I know how you high-power executives spend your day sitting down at meetings," I teased, knowing very well how competitive he was.

  "Oh baby, I so love a challenge! Care to make a small wager?"

  "I hate to take advantage of your gullibility, but bring it on."

  "Me, gulli
ble; that's not a word anyone has ever used to describe me. But if you think so… then if I can keep up I get one wish, anything I want."

  "You already get everything you want, but it's a deal." I hoped I didn't have to regret my cockiness, I knew he had a definite advantage over me, after all his legs were longer and his stamina was at least ten times that of mine. However if I was lucky we'd both win. I bit my lip in anticipation. His smile told me he knew what was in my mind.

  Half way into our run a couple of guys came running toward us, tripping Kayden. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. At first, I thought it was an accident, but when one of the men started kicking and hitting Kayden while he was on the ground, I knew we were being attacked. I screamed at the top of my lungs; one of the men hit me in the face to try to keep me quiet. I jumped on him and started hitting him. He was too big for me and threw me to the side like a rag doll. Kayden was being pummeled by hits, but managed to grab the man's leg sending him off balance to the ground. I continued to scream until I got the attention of a few passers by. Someone must have called the police because I heard the sounds of sirens in the distance. Blood was dripping from my head. I collapsed on Kayden as a foot landed on my ribs. The men ran off when they heard the police sirens and noticed all the bystanders. My head was throbbing and everything started turning black. I lay unconscious on Kayden's lap as the ambulance arrived.

  Chapter Thirteen

  We were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital via ambulance. I woke up in a bed with a terrible headache. My hand instinctively went to my head to feel the bandages. All of a sudden images of an injured Kayden came to my mind. I tried to get up to go to him but couldn't. I called for a nurse.

  "The man who was with me, he was hurt, where is he? I need to go to him," I told the nurse.

  "You will do no such thing; you are in no condition to go anywhere. You are to stay in bed, doctor's order," the nurse told me in an unyielding tone.

  "Please, I need to know how he is doing," I pleaded with her.

  Her mask softened. "I'll try to find out, but you are not moving from here."

  The first one to arrive at my bedside was Emily. She took the train from Evanston to downtown Chicago in no time.

  "Mom, oh my God, Mom what happened?" she cried out as soon as she saw me.

  "To tell you the truth I don’t know, all I remember is Kayden and I running along the lake and being assaulted by two men. Can you please find out how he is doing?" I asked. Just as I finished my statement the nurse I had asked returned followed by two police officers.

  "Mr. Hale is being treated now and causing quite a havoc in the ER." My heart collapsed at her words.

  "Does Mr. Hale have any family we can notify?" asked the nurse.

  "He has a brother who is a doctor at Rush Presbyterian, Dr. Carmelo Hale. He is the head of Hale Enterprises so I suppose you can contact his secretary tomorrow morning for any additional information," I told the nurse, but the police officers were also taking notes. Emily was standing by my side, holding my hand when Julian and Vickie entered the room. Julian gasped when he saw me; Vickie ran to my side.

  "I am sorry to interrupt, but we need to ask Mrs. McCabe a few questions, in private."

  "Ms. McCabe," I corrected.

  "Sorry," said the police officer.

  Julian identified himself as a lawyer, and requested to stay. The officers looked at me and I said, "It's okay Julian, I am the victim of the crime not the perpetrator." With that statement, Julian reluctantly stepped out with Emily and Vickie.

  The police wanted a full statement, but the doctors had limited the time they could talk to me because of my head injuries. I just told them the little bit I remembered. We were out running, a man who came running at his side tripped Kayden, and then he was viciously attacked.

  "What is your relationship to Kayden Hale?" a policeman asked.

  "He is my boyfriend," I responded.

  "Do you know if he has any enemies?"

  "No." I was emphatic. Kayden was not the type of man to make enemies; at least that's what I told myself. The reality was that I did not know much about his business dealings.

  At that moment the nurse came in and told the officers, "End of the interrogation, Ms. McCabe needs her rest."

  "Just a couple of more questions?" the police officer asked.

  "There will be no more questions until the doctor authorizes it." And with that she ushered the officers out.

  She leaned toward me and said, "Mr. Hale is going to be okay, but I will deny providing any information."

  "Thank you; thank you so much. When can I see him?"

  "We'll see what we can do tonight after visiting hours. He has been calling for you and threatening everyone if they don’t let him see you; that's what I hear from his nurses."

  Tears fell down my eyes, Kayden was as worried for me as I was for him. Despite the nurse's reassuring words I could not stop worrying about him until saw him. Oh God, let him be okay, I sent in a prayer.

  Julian and the girls came back into the room and fussed over me until visiting hours were over. Julian did not say much except that he knew I shouldn't have moved to the city. Both Vickie and Emily admonished him. They were gone at nine. At ten an orderly wheeled Kayden into my room. It seems he had been screaming for me, threatening to crawl out of bed and find me if someone didn't take him to me. The man could be persuasive!

  When he saw me, connected to all those machines and half asleep, he rushed to my side. He called me softly, "Ellie, baby, are you okay?"

  "Yes Kayden, please don't worry about me. You are hurt much more than I am." He came close to me, took my hand, and kissed it.

  "Oh thank god you are here." Silent tears came down our eyes. He just sat there holding my hand while I went back to sleep.

  Then the orderly came and said, "You have to go to your room; you suffered a concussion and need to be in twenty-four-hour observation."

  "No way in hell I am moving out of here," he responded.

  I opened my eyes for a brief second and begged, "Please don't go, Kayden."

  "I am not going anywhere baby; I am right here." And with those words he announced that he was not moving. The orderly left to look for help, and by the time he came back Kayden had fallen asleep at the side of my bed with his hand tightly holding mine.

  "Leave him, we'll keep an eye on them. We don’t want to cause her additional distress," I barely heard the nurse announce.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I woke up at six a.m. to the sound of voices in the room. Kayden began to stir at my side when he felt me move. Dr. Carmelo Hale smiled at me and then said, "So you must be Ellie, the woman who captured my brother's heart. I'm Carmelo Hale, the much better- looking brother of Kayden."

  "You only wish," Kayden said with a tired voice.

  "So you are awake, good thing, I was ready to kick your ass before Mom and Dad get here and beat me to it."

  "Why are they coming? I'm okay," Kayden said.

  "And here I was thinking you were viciously attacked and with multiple injuries. What was I thinking calling Dad and telling him about it? Don’t you know that if I didn't tell Mom I'd be the one lying in that bed instead of Ellie?" Then he turned to me. "How are you feeling? You gave the nurses quite a run for their money last night."

  "I'm much better; can Kayden stay here with me?" I asked.

  "I don’t know, I have to consult with your doctor. It's his decision, but I'll talk to him." Carmelo then turned back to talk to Kayden's doctor about his prognosis. I tried to listen but they moved away.

  I turned to Kayden. "How are you feeling?"

  "Better after seeing you," he responded.

  "I don’t know how long you can stay." My words were full of pain; I could not bear being separated from him.

  "Don't worry, I am not leaving you, even if I have to sign myself out of the hospital. Don't they have any double beds around here?" he asked his brother.

  The orderly came to the room with
a wheel chair to take Kayden for an MRI. Getting out of bed was more difficult than he anticipated.

  Sadness came over me when I saw him flinch after a simple movement. Tears poured out of my eyes all of the sudden; I was not able to control them. I tried to stand to move away from him so he would not see them. Unfortunately I collapsed.

  I woke up in a fog in a strange environment. In the distance I heard a muffled voice, "I told you to scare him, not almost kill him you imbecile! And you were not supposed to touch her. Don’t call me again; keep a low profile."

  I opened my eyes but did not see anyone. Maybe it was a dream or a figment of my imagination. I was in a different room. I looked for Kayden but could not see him anywhere and panicked. The door opened and Julian came in.

  "Where am I, Julian?" I asked.

  "You were moved to a different unit after you collapsed. They want to keep a closer eye on you until you get better," he answered nervously.

  "What are you doing here?" I was feeling inexplicably anxious about his presence in my room.

  "Making sure you are cared for," he responded with a smirk.

  I cringed inside, feeling queasy about his presence. I needed him out of my room. "Please call the nurse Julian, I don’t feel well."

  He ran outside to call the nurse, who came immediately. She sent him out so that she could examine me.

  "How are you feeling? Your husband said you were feeling sick," the nurse said.

  "He is not my husband, he is my ex and I don’t want him in my room. Was he here before?"

  "He's been here for about an hour," the nurse responded. The feeling in my stomach just got worse; I gagged and felt like throwing up.

  "I'm calling the doctor," she said.