by Angel Steel
“I’m leaving, without you,” she stated. She couldn’t look at him anymore. Images of him and Renee together kept popping in her head, and it was making her feel sick.
“No, you’re not. I’ll take you home.”
“It’s over between us, Dominic. You were with not one, but two women when you were supposed to be with me.”
“I was never with Maria. She works with me. And it is never over between us, ever.” He growled.
“I don’t care if she works with you. And the funny thing is, you haven’t denied it once that you spent the night with Renee. I have never kept anything this big from you, Dominic. Obviously I’m not enough for you if you need to go to another woman to fulfil your needs.”
“You are enough, and more for me, Chan. I don’t want any other but you. You are all that I think about, morning to night. I dream about you, and when I can see you next and be in that beautiful body of yours again.”
Tears were streaming down her cheeks; she couldn’t hear any more that was coming out of his mouth. It was all lies to her. She needed to get out of this club and away from him. Looking over at Lex, who was standing with Megan, she really hoped he could get her out of here, with no hassles.
“I don’t believe what you say anymore.”
“I will make you—”
There was only one way she knew to end it between them. “Firefly.”
Dominic froze. She just stood there staring at him, and he did the same to her.
“You don’t mean that,” he whispered.
“Yes...I do.”
She moved back fully away from him, and turned to where Lex stood. “I know we don’t know each other, but can you please walk me outside. I want to go home.”
“As you wish, Chantal,” Lex said.
Lex moved beside her and walked her towards the front entrance of the club. She never once turned back to look at Dominic. If she did, she had no idea of what would have happened.
“He is better off without you. You never could hold on to any man that you were with, Chantal. And especially a man like him with the needs that he has. You were eventually going to lose him anyway, better now than in a year or two,” Renee called from behind her.
It all happened so quick. One moment she was facing the door, the next, she watched as her fist came up and connected right at Renee’s nose. She heard the bone break, and then Renee screaming in pain as blood rushed from her nose and down the front of her. Turning, Lex held her close as she moved out the door, leaving Renee screaming after her and Dominic standing there, stock still, as she had guessed.
Megan handed her bag to her. Pulling out her phone, she had no idea who she was going to ring or where she was going.
“Would you like a lift somewhere?” Lex asked.
“No, but thank you for the offer.”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re not a member of the club, Chantal. Every submissive that walks through those doors is taken care of, no matter whom they are. They hold the reins in a relationship with their Dom. If the submissive is not happy, or their Dom has done something, one of us stands in. We don’t like our subs unhappy. If you ever decide to come back, these doors are always open for when you.”
“Thank you, but I won’t be coming back. I need to make a call.”
“I’ll wait till your ride arrives,” he said.
Taking several steps away, she only knew of one person that would come and get her, and he wasn’t in the damn club.
“Chantal.”
“Jason, could you please come and pick me up?”
“Where are you?”
“The corner of Alexandra Street and The Esplanade. The club is called Inquisition.”
“Be there soon, Chantal.”
Lex stood back with Megan, giving her the space that she needed. It wasn’t exactly that she needed it; she wanted to be held after finding out what she had. Fifteen minutes later as she stood there, her dad’s town car pulled up. Jason and Gavin both got out and stood near the back door, holding it open.
Turning around she faced Lex and Megan. “Thank you for staying out here with me, you didn’t have to, but I appreciate it.”
Both of them walked up, and Lex let go of Megan’s hand. She thew her arms around Chantal’s shoulders.
“If you ever want someone to talk to, or do something with, give me a call. I’m sure Master Lex will allow it,” she said, handing over a small piece of paper.
“I will, promise.”
She smiled towards Lex, and he nodded his head. “Take care of yourself, Chantal.”
Turning around, she walked over to where both Jason and Gavin stood. She slid into the backseat of the car, and Jason followed as Gavin walked around to the driver’s seat. Gavin started the car and started pulling away from the club. Movement outside caught her eye. Looking out the window, she found Dominic standing there staring as her car left the sidewalk. He never attempted to stop her from leaving, not even a flinch of it.
She held it all in till now; seeing him standing there, watching as she drove away from him.
“Chantal, everything alright?” Jason asked.
“No,” she sobbed. Jason removed both their seatbelts and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her.
She didn’t have to say why, he just held her while she cried. Every single tear that was shed was over how he had kept the biggest secret from her, not trusting her with that secret, no believing in her, nothing. It just showed how much he really did not love her, or care about her.
Her bag beside her started vibrating. Reaching in for her phone and checking it over, she had seven voicemails from Nate, and text messages from Nate and Skylar, but nothing from Dominic. Did she really think that after what had happened and her saying her safe word that he would call or message her? Not likely.
Reading the first message from Nate, she had to read it several times before it clicked in her head.
Nate: Chantal, we are at the Mater Hospital. Skylar has gone into early labour.
The message had come through an hour ago. Shit!
“Gavin, we need to turn around. Skylar’s in hospital.”
“Sure thing,” he replied.
Jason held her tighter as Gavin turned all of a sudden, and sped off towards the hospital. God, she really hoped Sky was not having the baby early. Why couldn’t those two have an easy break? They didn’t need any more bad luck between them. With everything that happened tonight, she needed to forget it and concentrate on Skylar and the baby. She could break down after she got home, and she didn’t want to do it in front of Skylar or Nate. She didn’t want to explain to them what had happened. She just wanted to forget about it happening all together.
Chapter 50
Skylar had three more contractions before they pulled up in the emergency bay. Nate never left her side as they pushed her down the corridors of the hospital. The foetal heart monitor was attached to her and beating away. Hearing her baby’s heart was a blessing. But the contractions had to stop. She didn’t want the baby to come this early, and by the look on Nate’s face, neither did he.
Once she was in a room, nurses started fussing over her. She hated it. She needed someone to explain to her what was going on, not ignore her. After five minutes of nurses running around, the doctor walked in.
“Miss Montague, I’m Dr. Stevens. I hear you are in labour?” he said, smiling.
“Apparently, but it’s too early for it to happen.”
“Let me go over your chart.”
All she could do was stare at the doctor as he did so. Nate held her hand, never once letting go of her.
“Well, it is early. You’re only thirty-two weeks. Let’s see if you have dilated any further.” He washed his hands, pulled on a set of blue gloves, and moved to the end of the bed. “This is going to be uncomfortable, but I need you to bring your legs up to your bottom and hold them there.”
She did exactly what he had asked, and Nate’s hand tightened over hers. She knew he hated
seeing another male near her, but this was for the safety of their child.
“You’re still two-centimetres dilated. How far apart have the contractions been, and the intensity of them?”
“They’re about ten minutes apart and they’re really strong on a scale from one to ten, they are about a seven. What are you going to do?”
“We need to stop the premature labour and prevent the foetus from being delivered before it is full term. We will start off with intravenous fluids. The extra fluid might be enough to stop the contractions. If the contractions continue or increase, we’ll inject a drug called magnesium sulphate to stop the contractions all together. After that, we need to do a urine and blood sample to see if there is an infection. And then we will do an ultrasound to see age and weight of the fetus, and the condition of the placenta. If that all comes back fine, we will consider doing a vaginal culture and an amniocentesis,” he stated, as he removed the gloves and threw them in the bin.
“What are a vaginal culture and an amniocentesis?” Nate asked.
“If we need to do the vaginal culture, all it is, is a cotton-tipped swab that is used to collect some fluid and cells from the vagina, to see if there is a vaginal infection. The amniocentesis is a procedure where a needle-like tube is inserted through your abdomen to draw out some of the fluid surrounding the fetus. Analysis of the amniotic fluid can determine if the baby's lungs are mature. If we can’t stop the labor, we want to know if the baby’s lungs are mature enough to survive outside of your uterus.”
She didn’t care what she had to go through, as long as the baby didn’t come out, she would be happy. Nate’s face paled when the doctor explained how the amniocentesis was done. She didn’t like it much either, since she was completely scared of needles.
“Is there anything else that you might do?” Nate whispered.
“Skylar may need to continue on with medication for the duration of the pregnancy. I’ll wait and see if any results come back from the urine and blood sample, and we will go from there.”
“Thank you,” she said.
The doctor nodded and left the room. She was scared shitless with what was going on. She prayed that their child wouldn’t decide to come early, and would wait for the actual due date.
She needed to get Nate’s mind off what the doctor just told them. “Nate, did you get hold of Chantal?”
He was still looking out the window. She gripped his hand tighter, “Nate?”
“Sorry, what did you say, baby.”
“I asked if you had gotten ahold of Chantal.”
“No, I didn’t. I’ll go and give her another call. You’ll be alright while I’m gone?”
“Yeah.”
She watched as he stood from the chair he was sitting on and walked out the door, never once indicating that he was going to give her a kiss or anything. She knew by what they were told that there was a small possibility their child might be born sometime soon. She didn’t want it to happen; she was excited to meet their bundle of joy, but not right now.
******
Nate hated hearing what Skylar would be going through if their child decided to come early. He didn’t want her going through any more pain than what she had already. He was going to be there for every step, but actually seeing a needle tube inserted into her abdomen was going to kill him. Just seeing and hearing her having contractions was enough for him. If he could change places with her and take the pain himself, he would.
Walking out the doors, he lifted his phone and dialed Dom first. He had a feeling since he had rung both Dom and Chantal earlier that they were still together.
“Chantal.” Dom’s voice came over the line.
“Wrong person, mate.”
“Sorry to be rude, but I’m kind of in a hurry.”
“Is Chantal with you? I have tried ringing both of you. Skylar’s in hospital, she’s in labor.”
“No, she isn’t. Shit, Nate. Is she alright? Are you alight?”
“I don’t know what to think right now. We haven’t really spoken to each other much since we arrived at the hospital. They’re starting to do some tests now, and going to try and stop the labor.”
“Ok. I’m heading your way now. I’ll let Chantal know and meet you both there.”
“Thank you. It might help having Chantal with Skylar through this.”
“We’ll be there soon, Nate. Just keep it together for the both of you.”
“I will try my best,” he replied before he hung up.
Next person he was calling was Chantal, God he hoped she picked up this time.
“Nate, I’m on my way now. Were about five minutes away?”
“Thank God, Chantal. I’m so glad you answered this time. I don’t know if I can go through with what is happening.” He slid down the wall outside of the hospital. He wasn’t going to run, he would never do that again to her, but he was scared out of his mind with the possibilities of what could happen to the love of his life and unborn child.
“Nate, listen to me. Skylar is a tough one. Both her and the baby are going to be fine and are in great hands. The doctors will do everything they possibly can, for them. Just breathe, stay where you are and I’ll be out front soon.”
“Thanks, Chantal. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye, Nate.”
Wiping the tears that slowly slid down his cheek, he took a deep breath and then stood up. He wasn’t going to walk back in there crying in front of Skylar. He needed to be strong for both of them and their child. He would just have to suck it up and hold it in until he was alone. She didn’t need any more worry with what they were going through now.
Standing near the front entrance, he waited for Chantal to arrive. He hoped that would make Skylar feel somewhat better than what she was feeling now, being in hospital that is.
After he stood there ten minutes waiting patiently, a black town car pulled up out the front and out hopped Chantal. He was relieved that she was finally here. He walked out to meet her halfway, and she ran into his arms.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here earlier. Things are really crazy right now,” she said as he watched two well-built men jump out of the car that she came in.
“Who are they?” he asked.
“They are my dad’s security team, well only two of them. There here with me, and they’ll leave with me when I go.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, it will be. What room is she in?”
“She’s in the last room on the left in emergency. You go on ahead, I’m going to call Craig and Alex again, and then I’ll be up.”
“Don’t be too long, you know Skylar hates hospitals.”
“I know, I promise I won’t.”
She let go of him and walked into the hospital entrance with those two guys following, he nodded his head towards them as they passed, receiving the same in return.
He needed just a couple more minutes to himself, before he made his way back up there. Maybe if he waited long enough, Dom could walk him up there. If he got there soon. Damn, why did everything have to go wrong between him and Skylar? It was like the gods hated the fact of them being together.
Needing a drink, he made his way inside. He sent Dom a text, telling him he was waiting in the cafeteria. He couldn’t be down here too much longer, if he was Skylar would think he had done another running, but there was no way in hell he was deserting her again, to go through this all by herself.
******
Chantal ran to the lifts after meeting Nate outside. He looked like shit when she saw him, and she didn’t blame him either. Nothing was going right between them at all. Maybe the news that their child could be coming early might bring them closer together, but she couldn’t push either of them, it wasn’t her relationship to mingle with.
Everything would work out perfect for them, she knew it would. On the other hand, her so-called relationship she had with Dominic was nothing but a complete lie. Everything that they had, meant absolutely nothing to him. The only th
ing that did mean something was him taking complete control over her, and he had.
And he had proven how much power he had over her in the club. God. She felt so sick. If only he told her about his job as an escort in the beginning, they could have worked it out. She didn’t see anything wrong with doing, whatever he did in his line of work. She would never end it with someone over what job preference they picked, it was the fact of being lied to this far in, and all the stupid secrets, way too many of them.
When she told him that she had never kept something this big from him, she knew that was a lie. She could never get it right how she was going to tell him about the stalker that she had, and the things that she had received from said person. He was going to be completely pissed once he found out about it, if he still cared at all for her.
The lift doors binged and then opened. After making her way towards the emergency counter, she stood there waiting for one of the nurses to end their call that they were on so she could sign in as a guest.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see my sister, Skylar Montague.”
“Let me have a look.”
Reaching for her phone, she was about to turn it off when the nurse spoke.
“She has just been moved up to the birth suite up stairs. That is on the third floor, room 12F.”
“Thank you.” She made her way back towards the lift, and waited for it to come to her floor. She sent Nate a quick text, letting him know what was going on.
Chantal: Nate, Skylar has been moved up to the birth suite on the third floor, room 12F.
Seconds later he replied back.
Nate: Thanks for letting me know.
Turning her phone off completely as she stepped onto the lift, she again counted the floors as it went up. She needed something to distract herself with, the lifts in this hospital were pretty slow, and she hated being on them. She always worried that she would be one of those people to get stuck in one and have to wait a stupid amount of time before anyone came looking for her to let her out.
Once she reached the third floor, she scanned the numbers on the rooms, walking right past the nurses’ station, to get to the room they said that Skylar was in.
