“No. He’s been denied bail because he fled Missouri and came back here to wreak havoc. Dominic, as you may know, is my lead attorney for Davenport Enterprises. He’s been following his case and attending his hearings, speaking with prosecutors both here and in Missouri. He was extradited there on Wednesday. Basically, Dominic has enchanted the councilors and the judges to make sure they do their jobs properly. Meaning, there will be no plea bargains. He will stand trial for his crimes and receive the appropriate sentences in each case.”
“That’s brilliant news.” A small part of him still wanted to visit the bastard in jail and plant suggestions in his mind, such as seeing writhing insects when he looked at his food. But he’d made Chelsie a promise, and he’d honor his word.
“I’d hoped you’d think so.”
An awkward silence ensued for several moments, then Nathan said, “I’m assuming you and Chelsie patched things up?”
He smiled. “Yes. I gave in. I suppose she was right, and knowing you’ve helped to make sure he gets the book thrown at him lessens my need to rip his throat out.”
Nathan rubbed his chin. “Yes, I can sympathize with your desire to do so, but a man has to know when to let go in order to keep the peace.”
“I know. I’ve given her what she wants, but it wasn’t easy.”
“Well let me just say, that one is very much like her mother. She’ll keep you on the straight and narrow with the proverbial rod and staff. And sometimes their sting can hurt like hell. Good luck, my friend.” He grinned.
Asa sucked in a large breath. “Don’t I already know it.”
***
As soon as Chelsie walked on the stage at Cajun Refugees, the boys spotted her, stopped setting up, and headed her way. She’d called them the first week after Asa’s shooting to tell them she wouldn’t be at band practice until further notice. They hadn’t known about Asa, because they hadn’t witnessed the shooting. They’d been too busy fleeing for their lives the awful night Chad pulled that gun at Cajuns. None of them could believe Chad had degenerated so far as to try to kill Chelsie’s fiancé. It was a sad time right now for the band with no male lead singer and their contract pulled thanks to Chad’s insane behavior.
Randy said, “How are you holding up, Chels?”
She didn’t have to force a smile as she’d been doing all week when someone asked her that question. “Really good. Asa’s been released from the hospital. He’s doing much better, and he’ll be staying with me for a while.”
“That’s great news,” Cody said.
Wayne added, “We’re all sick about the shooting, Chels. Glad to hear Asa’s doing okay though.
“Have you heard any more about Chad?” Randy asked.
She had, because Nathan had kept his promise to keep her abreast of details on Chad’s cases. “He’s in Missouri right now being held without bond until the rape case goes to trial. Once that’s over, they’ll get a crack at him here in this state. Dominic, my brother in law, has been following Chad’s case for me. He thinks, based on the charges, he’ll get somewhere between thirty to life if he’s convicted.”
Cody let out a low whistle. “Talk about stupid. He flushed our recording contract down the toilet and all of us with it. He’s always been a crazy SOB, but none of us thought he was homicidal crazy.”
“Neither did I.” At least not until the night he’d pulled that gun on her in her apartment. She would never forgive herself for trying to exact revenge on Chad, because ultimately, her actions had caused Asa to be shot. Part of the reason she’d stood her ground with Asa over his insatiable need for revenge was because she’d seen firsthand how easily revenge could turn on the person dishing it out. Lesson learned, but a hard one it had been for Chelsie.
Cody said, “The guys and I have talked about it, and we don’t think we should replace Chad. You are, and always have been, the magic of Twisted Dixie.”
Wayne nodded then added, “We want you to be lead vocalist—period. We all took a vote and decided that we stay in New Orleans. The money’s been decent, and with Chad out of the equation, there will be more money for everyone, including you.”
Chelsie held up her hand. “I won’t take any money. I don’t need the band to support me. My day job pays very well. And I’ve already told you that there will be nights I can’t play because I’ll be on call or delivering a baby. If I can’t be there for you one hundred percent, I don’t feel right taking part of the cut.”
“Yeah, understood, but we’re all pissed off that Chad’s been pocketing your cut for months, and we want to make it right. We know you let him because it was supposed to be distributed between us, but it wasn’t. In fact, Cody broke into Chad’s place and got ahold of our books. He’s been going over them.”
Chelsie snorted. “I can only imagine what that revealed.” Based on their rancorous expressions, the news couldn’t be good.
Cody said, “Chad was taking fifty percent of every dime we brought in, plus your twenty percent.”
“Oh, God, that snake!” Chelsie snarled, palming her cheeks. No wonder the boys had been struggling to make ends meet.
Wayne injected, “Snake is too good of a term for that rat-ass bastard.
Cody continued. “The good news is we can actually make it now with Chad gone and just you as lead vocalist. In fact, if my figures are correct, none of us boys may need day jobs any longer.”
“That’s awesome news,” Chelsie exclaimed.
“So will you agree, Chels?” Cody asked.
She smiled. “Of course I will. But I won’t take a cut. I’m perfectly happy to be singing just to sing. Now, despite the train wreck Chad nearly made of each of our lives, my man is on his way to a swift recovery, and each of you can do what you love for a living without working yourselves into an early grave.”
Wayne said, “Let’s hear it for Chad! Thirty to life! Thirty to life!”
The boys chimed into the chant. Chelsie refrained, but she couldn’t help but laugh.
Crime never paid, as the old saying went, but Chad would be paying thirty to life.
***
Chelsie was beat, and two in the morning rolled around rather quickly. Their show had been a joy in Chad’s absence. For the first time in weeks, she’d felt such peace and found herself singing with a passion she’d almost forgotten she possessed. The only thing that would have made the night better was having Asa there to support and cheer her on.
She arrived home a little before three and expected Asa to be asleep on her couch. When she opened the door to her apartment, she found him sitting on the couch and a small buffet of food covering her coffee table.
“What’s all this?” she asked as she made her way across the living room.
He stood and faced her, brandishing a giant grin. “Dinner. I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for, so I ordered Chinese, Mexican, and pizza. Hope you’re hungry. Although, it’s been sitting here awhile. We might have to heat it up.”
Chelsie could get used to this. Coming home after a long night to such a spread? Oh yeah! “I’m starved. This is so sweet, Asa, but way too much food. We’ll have leftovers for days.”
He shrugged. “I’m a fan of cold pizza for breakfast.”
Chelsie didn’t know what to say. This was so thoughtful of him, when what he really should be thinking about was his own needs—rest and healing. “You’re amazing, Asa.”
“So you’ve said a number of times. But you can keep saying so. I don’t mind. Sit down here and eat.” He sat and patted the cushion on his right.
She didn’t have to be told twice. She settled onto the couch and began dishing out the food on the plates he’d provided from her kitchen. “How was your evening? I hope you’ve been resting and not exerting yourself too much.”
“I’m sore, I won’t lie, but I’ve been taking it pretty easy. Christian threatened to take me back to the V clinic if he heard boo from you. So with the two of you ganged up on me, there’s not much I can do but rest.”
“I hate that I missed you sing tonight. How did it go?”
“It was great actually. No Chad.”
“Humph. I can only imagine.”
She chose not to tell him about Cody’s discovery regarding Chad’s shady bookkeeping. Asa’s change of heart regarding Chad was too fresh, and she didn’t want to risk getting him all foamed up. “The guys and I have chosen not to replace Chad. Better yet, the boys are staying here in New Orleans with just me as lead vocalist. It will be a change, but from the audience response tonight, I don’t think Chad—or a male lead vocalist in general—will be missed.”
“I can see that. I never thought his voice was all that great, and that opinion occurred before I made a vow to choke him out.”
Chelsie gritted her teeth then said, “Let’s drop the Chad subject. I’m more concerned about your continuing recovery. I think you should sleep in my bed, and I’ll take the couch. I have an amazingly comfortable king pillowtop, and I think you’ll sleep better there.”
Asa nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I appreciate that, but I don’t see any reason why we can’t share your bed. If I do need something, you’ll be right there handy.”
She bobbed her head back and forth. “That’s true. Okay. Could we cuddle?”
Asa smiled. “All night long if you like.”
“That sounds amazing.” Chelsie built a plate for herself then dug in.
“I think we should discuss rescheduling a date for your turning,” he said then took a bite of pizza.
Chelsie swallowed her food and said, “That’s ultimately up to how quickly you recover, Asa. What does Christian think regarding a timeline?”
“I spoke with him earlier. Probably about two weeks, but I don’t want to put it off any longer than necessary. As long as I have daily transfusions, I’ll be capable of donating in about a week.”
Chelsie wanted to err on the side of caution. “I’d feel better if we waited two. You lost an awful lot of blood, and it takes so much longer for a vampire to regenerate their own blood, even with daily transfusions.”
He sat his plate aside and pivoted to face her. “I realize that, which is why I asked my parents to donate their blood. They’re going to do it tomorrow before they leave for Texas. So, see? I have all bases covered. A week will be fine, and it won’t impede my health; I promise. I worry about your health and the impact these last couple of weeks have had on your body. You lost too much weight too rapidly. That’s a very bad thing for a cancer patient.”
“It was just the stress, Asa. My stomach was in knots. How could I have eaten?”
He blew out a long breath and reclined into the couch. “You’re a deeply compassionate person, love. It’s a good thing to a point. But it’s time for me to start taking care of you. A week. I insist.”
It did seem like he had all the bases covered. Plus, she knew the longer she waited the greater the chance for complications during the early stages of her turning. It was her greatest fear regarding the procedure. Finally, she nodded and said, “Okay. How’s a week from tomorrow sound?”
“Perfect. If you’re finished eating, what do you say we go cuddle?”
Chelsie grinned and set her plate aside. “Now that sounds perfect.
Chapter 19
Chelsie was both excited and scared as she watched Asa connect the first unit of his blood to the main line of her IV. She’d eagerly anticipated this day since she’d learned the procedure would save her life, but now that it was here, she worried her tumor was too far progressed and that she might wake up paralyzed in some region of her body. Asa and Christian had both told her that, due to the size and location of her tumor, a stroke was a very real possibility. However, backing out wasn’t an option, because her only other alternative was certain death.
Once he was finished, he turned to her and smiled. “This is it.”
“I know.”
He took hold of her hand. “You’re sure you’re ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be.” She glanced about the ICU suite, the same one she and Asa had shared a little over a week ago. All the equipment necessary for the procedure encircled her bed: the IV, a heart monitor, an EEG machine, and a ventilator. Asa and Christian would intubate her once they put her under and induced a coma. She’d be pain free her entire turning. In just a few minutes, Asa would put her to sleep, and if all went well, she’d wake up a cancer-free vampire.
“Then here we go,” Asa said. He adjusted the valve on the main line of the IV, and his blood began to filter down the tube into her arm.
“Here we go,” she repeated. She felt like butterflies were dancing in her stomach, but a little apprehension was normal at this very pivotal moment.
“In about thirty minutes, things will begin happening rapidly in your body, and if you were awake you’d begin hurting. If there’s anyone in your family you want to talk to one last time, you have about fifteen minutes to do so.”
“Thanks, Asa, but no. I’ve said all that I need to say, and so have they. I’m ready. Just stay by my side until I fall asleep.”
“I’ll be right here every second until you wake up.”
“I know you will. So I guess I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Yeah, on the other side.”
He was worried; she could tell by the horizontal lines creasing his forehead, the tense edge to his smile. Her entire family who had gathered here today for the event also worried, but they held hope and faith that prayer would bring her through this with a healthy, cancer-free body. She’d spoken to each of them prior to Asa hooking up her IV, and she’d been brutally honest with them regarding potential complications, but they hadn’t tried to talk her out of it. Asa explained in detail her prognosis as a human with a stage four glioblastoma. Even if she’d opted to try every treatment available, the best outcome she could have hoped for was remission, which would likely only have been temporary. Of course, she’d known that, but it was important for them to understand why she was willing to take this giant risk.
“You’ll still be you, you know,” Asa said as he gave her face a gentle caress.
“I know.”
“There will be major benefits. One, you’ll be healthy. You’ll be able to see clearly, but you’ll need sunglasses for all daytime outings.”
“I know, Asa.”
“You’ll be able to move, run, and lift things ten times better than you can now. Psychic and telekinetic abilities will follow in a year or so, and of course you’ll be able to initiate a mental connection with me any time you want.”
She knew all of this and could only assume Asa made idle conversation because he was nervous. He was starting to make her nervous. “I know all of this, Asa, and I’m not worried about my new body. After all, a body is just a vehicle for the soul. Like a car. No matter the make or model, it’s designed to get the person inside from point A to B. As long as I’m healthy, that’s all I care about.”
He grinned wickedly. “In my opinion, yours is a Porsche. I can’t wait to get my hands on your wheel and make your engine purr.”
She laughed. “Neither can I. Soon. Okay?”
“Soon.” He picked up a syringe he’d placed on her bedside table, which held the sedative that would put her to sleep. “If you’re ready, here goes.”
“I am.”
He leaned down and kissed her one last time. “I love you, Chelsie.”
“I love you too. So much. Go ahead, Asa. Just do it before I lose my nerve.”
He nodded once then injected the medication into the rubber-capped joint on her main IV line.
Moments later, her eyelids began to droop. Her last vision was Asa’s beautiful face smiling at her.
***
“Sweet dreams, love.” Asa caressed Chelsie’s cheek then pulled her sheet and blankets over her arms.
He sighed then opened the line on her IV to allow the steady release of anesthesia
needed to keep her sleeping comfortably. Done with that, he walked around her bed and began setting up the needed supplies to intubate her.
A few seconds later, he heard the door slide open. He turned and forced a smile for his best friend.
“How are you holding up?” Christian asked as he made his way across the small cubicle.
“Nervous as hell, Chris.”
“To be expected. Why don’t you let me do this for you?”
Asa shook his head. He’d promised Chelsie he’d be here for her every step of the way, just as she’d been there for him in his hours of need. “I’ve got it, but you can help.”
Together in silence they intubated her, then rigged her up to the EEG machine, which would monitor her brain activity throughout the induced coma to test for normal brain activity and alert them to an impending seizure or stroke.
When Asa could do no more to protect her from what her body was about to endure, he dragged a chair to the side of the bed and sat down. He glanced over at Christian, who was standing in the center of the small space with his arms crossed, wearing a sympathetic smile. “She’s going to pull through this perfectly fine, Christian.”
“Of course she is. She’s strong, and she’s a fighter. Look how hard she fought us all in the beginning to have one of us do this for her. She blackmailed my ass into a corner. She’s got spunk. I’ll give her that.”
Asa chuckled, recalling that meeting she’d held and how she had, without showing her hand, trumped Christian’s negative vote with the family card. “If she hadn’t been so damned stubborn about keeping her cancer a secret from her family, all of us would have voted in her favor and maybe this would all be done and over with.”
“Maybe. Like I said, she’s strong. She’ll pull through. That’s where your head needs to be for the next three days—and some prayer wouldn’t hurt either.”
Asa snorted. “Her family’s got that covered. Besides, it’s been so long since I said a prayer, it would be a waste of time and breath. God wouldn’t even recognize my voice.”
“You’d be surprised. I thought the same thing when Tiffany was in Chelsie’s position. You know how dicey it was for Tiffany because she’d been poisoned and had to endure a turning with human organs in shut-down mode. Chelsie’s in far better shape than Tiffany was. She’ll make it, Asa. Keep the faith, and don’t discount prayer. I know mine and everyone else’s prayers brought Tiffany back to me.”
Deadly Secrets (Forever and a Night Book 3) Page 23
