"I'm sorry, baby. We don't have to do this now if it's going to upset you." I take her face in my hands wiping the tears with my thumbs.
"What has happened here is always going to upset me, so now is as good a time as any," she says with a sob, "but you need to hear what happened from Troy. Most of my stress has been caused by him. So you need to hear it from him." She goes to get off the bed, but I grab her arm to keep her from moving. There is a small knock on the door before it opens and in walks Sam, Miry and Rex.
"What's wrong, baby girl?" Rex says coming straight for Aubrey seeing she has been crying. Oh just great, I bet he's been here comforting her this whole time.
"I'm fine," she says, placing her hand over his that is on her shoulder. God do I hate him touching her.
"Hey, mate. You have no idea how glad I am to see that ugly mug of yours awake." Sam teases coming up to me and giving me a firm handshake followed by an awkward man hug.
"Ian," Miry says with tears in her eyes as she wraps her arms around me hugging me tight. "You jerk. You've put us through hell while you were napping." She lets loose of me giving my cheeks a little slap. I know she's kidding...I think.
"Ian," Rex says holding out his hand for me to shake. I do because it makes him take his hands off my girl.
"Thank you guys for taking care of my girl. I still don't know what has all transpired here, but I know you've been looking after her." I tell them. They nod slowly. "So what did happen?" I chance that maybe one of them will tell me, since Aubrey isn't.
"All I'm going to say is that you need to talk to your "next of kin"." Sam spouts angrily. "One thing I will tell you, if it wasn't for Aubrey getting on her knees and begging Troy to give you a chance, you would have been dead a few months ago." I glance at Aubrey and see the tears welling in her eyes.
"Can someone please have Troy come in here and talk to me." I grate. They all make to leave, including Aubrey, but I grab her. "Please stay." I can see the hesitation in her eyes.
"Ian, I'm not sure if I am ready to face him yet." She is anxious now and I want to be the one to calm her down. I don't want her going out there and seeking comfort from Rex. That's my job. I never want any man to comfort her except me.
"Aubrey, please stay I owe you an explanation also." Troy has entered the room without us noticing. He is solemn; shoulders sunken, looking like shit.
I take Aubrey's arm and place her between my legs so her back is resting at my front. I wrap my arms around her, kissing the shell of her ear, I whisper, "I love you."
"I want to start off by saying how very sorry I am, Aubrey." Troy sits in one of the chairs by the bed. "I want you to know that I was played, by my soon to be ex-wife. She had me convinced that Chelsea was telling the truth." He puts his elbows on his knees resting his face in his hands.
"You're getting a divorce?" Aubrey sounds shocked as she questions Troy.
"Yes, of course. What she did....damn she was playing with Ian's life. She knew Chelsea was lying, she confessed that to me last night when I confronted her."
"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" I hear the monitor start beeping faster as I get worked up. I grab at the lead that is taped to my finger and rip it off making the monitor go haywire. This causes a nurse to rush in.
"Everything OK, Mr. Brady?" The nurse notices the lead next to me on the bed. "The doctor hasn't given the orders for you to be unhooked yet." She comes up to me and goes to replace the lead.
"I'm giving the order, and I am also giving the order to get all this other stuff off too." I tell her pointing to the IV and other contraptions I am hooked up to.
"I will go talk to the doctor," she says not arguing seeing there would be no point anyhow. After she is out of the room everyone is silent.
"First thing I want to know is why Chelsea was here when I woke up." Troy looks down at the floor not saying a word.
"They got a restraining order against me, Sam and Miry over a month ago. I was kicked out of the room." Aubrey answers my question since Troy didn't.
"What?" I yell my question toward Troy. My sudden outburst makes Aubrey jump. I hold her tighter, and kiss her ear again. "Sorry, baby," I whisper.
"Apparently Chelsea had said you called her a week before the shooting. You told her that the baby wasn't yours and that you were leaving me. So after the shooting, Chelsea and Amy cooked up a plan to get me out of the way. Troy was going to take you off life support a week after you were shot. I begged him not to and he gave me 3 months for you wake up. After two months had passed, they came in kicking us out. I left this room kicking and screaming, having to watch Chelsea practically lay on top of your comatose body kissing you all over." Aubrey spits talking a mile a minute. She finally stops for some air.
"Troy?" I'm trying to control my temper. Thank God Aubrey is still between my legs, because I feel like I could get up and start swinging.
"Ian, I didn't know what to do. I was trying to do what you would want. I knew you wouldn't want to be kept alive hooked up to machines. The doctors said there was no chance."
"You only listened to one doctor and your stupid wife." Aubrey is out of my arms and standing in a second, shouting at Troy. "You weren't even going to give him a chance. I told you just let me fight for his life and I had to beg and plead for that." I stand to hold my girl, she is trembling she is so mad. She fights me turning back to Troy. "I know you don't know me that well, but you know Ian. Did you really think he didn't deserve a fighting chance?"
"Aubrey you have to believe that I was being influenced. I'm so sorry for what I put you through." Troy has tears in his eyes looking up at Aubrey. I've never seen such a pathetic look on his face. "I swear Chelsea was convincing. She said that the baby wasn't Ian's. Like you said, I don't know you that well. How was I to know you weren't just gold digging like she said?"
"Are you fucking serious?" Aubrey looks at me flabbergasted. He didn't know she had so much money. I never really talked to Troy about Aubrey. There wasn't time. He was on his honeymoon, and then we were back in New York. With Jim Olsen on the loose, catching up with Uncle Troy was last on my lists of priorities.
"Troy, Aubrey has more money that you, me, and Donald Trump put together." I tell him, feeling very responsible for the whole string of miscommunications that happened while I was in a coma. Troy looks up at Aubrey then back down again.
"I don't give a shit if he knew about my money or not. How could he believe Chelsea? Didn't you tell me she was crazy and a stalker? Surely Troy knew about that?" She says turning from me to Troy. I turn to Troy for an explanation, because he did know that I couldn't stand the little crazy bitch.
"I don't know. I was so confused. Ian, I don't know what to say, but I'm sorry. Aubrey, I'm sorry. I will never forgive myself ever for what could have happened," Troy says getting up. "You are the only family I have, and now you are having a baby. You two and this baby will be all that I have." The tears in his eyes are now starting to fall one by one.
"Look brother, give us some time." I tell him sitting back on the bed. "Just give me some time."
Troy turns away and walks out the door. I am so mad at the stress he put on Aubrey, and to think what that stress could have done to the baby, but he is still my family. All I can do right now is take care of myself and my girl. Hopefully time will heal this wound.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I am so sorry at what you went through." I tell her as she trembles in my arms.
"I talked to you all the time. I begged and begged for you to wake up. I knew you were still in there. I don't know how I knew, but I knew. I was on a clock, and increasing stress and anxiety as the clock ticked down to Troy's deadline." She is talking into my shoulder, her whole body shaking. "I don't know if I can ever forgive him for that, Ian," she confesses. All I can do is hold her and soothe her, because damn I don't know what to say.
Chapter 19
Aubrey
Not wanting anything like this to ever happen again, Ian sets up a make shift wedding in the ho
spital chapel the next day. I didn't care where I got married. All I wanted was to be married to the man of my dreams.
Ian was told by the doctor that after a few days of physical therapy, if he was still improving, he could continue his strengthening at home.
"Have you seen Rex's girlfriend?" Miry says to me as she fixes my hair, putting in a few little white flowers in my up do. "She's even prettier than she is in the movies."
"I saw Ethan chatting her up earlier. I haven't formally me her yet. I was waiting for Rex to introduce us." I'm a little perturbed that he hadn't done it yet. She flew in for the wedding, which I thought was very sweet. Once Ian heard that he was serious about another girl he visibly relaxed around Rex. I told Ian that if it wasn't for Rex, Sam, and Miry there was no way I would have made it through the whole ordeal.
My phone starts buzzing on the counter in front of me. "Mags," I answer fast as soon as I see it is her.
"Hey love, do you look like a cow in that white dress?" She laughs into the phone.
"Probably. Thanks, it's beautiful. Miry told me that you told her just the dress to buy." I laugh back. She called a ton of boutiques in New York trying to find the right dress. All Miry had to do was pick it up. It was all white and lacey with a bodice that did a very good job of hiding my baby bump. It was still noticeable, but not as much with the fit of the dress.
"Are you wearing knickers?" She teases.
"Hell yes, are you kidding me?"
"I know love, I wish I was there to see you. Take a ton of pictures. I love you girl, and I am so happy for you."
"Thanks, Mags, I love you too. Give your mum and dad a hug for me and send them my love." I tell her like I always do. Her pop is getting better, but she is going to stay in London for a while.
I stand up looking in the full length mirror. "So how do I look?"
"Like the most gorgeous shot gun bride I have ever seen," Rex says coming in the room with a smile from ear to ear.
"Thanks, I think." I laugh at him. Following him is Heidi, she is amazing. She has that Hollywood air about her as she flows in the room.
"Baby girl, I want you to meet Heidi," Rex says putting his arm around her.
"It's so nice to finally meet you. I have heard so much about you that I feel like I already know you." She beams at me. I'm not sure what I expected, but she seems very genuine in her words. She looks up at Rex and I can see the love in her eyes. It makes me feel warm inside. "I'm going to go take my seat," she says giving me a quick hug then turning to Rex giving him one hell of a kiss.
"You ready, everyone's waiting." Rex wipes his mouth with his hand from the very tongue on tongue kiss he just got and returned.
Miry, being my maid of honor, enters just before me walking down the aisle towards Ian and Sam standing at the altar. I take Rex's arm and he walks me toward a very happy looking Ian. The chapel only has Ethan and Heidi in the pews, and a few of the nurses that took care of Ian the whole time he was here.
"Who gives this woman to this man?" The Chaplin says when we reach the front.
"I do." Rex leans down kissing me on the cheek before he gives my hand to Ian. "I love you, baby girl." He whispers in my ear before he goes to sit next to Heidi.
Ian takes my hand in his. Looking into his deep blues, I know that this man is the rest of my life and I couldn't be happier.
Epilogue
A year later:
"Are you ready to make another baby, Mrs. Brady?" Ian whispers trailing kisses down my neck, waking me up with his erection pushing into my thigh. Being our first night on the island, we spent the night making love until the wee hours of the morning.
"Isn't that what we've been doing all night?" I moan as his kisses move down my body. We were in the Caribbean on our honeymoon, finally.
Troy and Ian started talking again after about 6 months. It's taking some time, but I am starting to come around also. It is very obvious the hurt he has been living with. His actions could have had horrible consequences, and it is not lost on him what could have been.
Our baby boy was born three weeks before my due day, and he is beautiful. Jackson Ian Brady has his daddy's dark hair and blue eyes. He is the light of our lives. Ian had said after holding his son for the first time that he could never imagine loving anything as much as he loved me, but his eyes swelled with tears for the love he had for Jackson when he looked at me. "I will love and protect you both until my last breath." He was able to choke out the words before he set Jackson on my chest.
I couldn't imagine being happier. I sold my shares of the company with the clause that Bradson Security kept their contracts. I also kept the W.S Jackson Grand in Las Vegas. I just couldn't let it go. Ethan was now the manager of the hotel and it was doing better than ever. I also sold the castle not wanting to ever set foot in that place again. It was all good, because I sold it for 12.5 million dollars. Ian and I were very wealthy after I sold everything. Ian took a year off work allowing Sam to take over. He didn't want to travel with me having a new born at home.
We now lived only in North Carolina, and moved three houses down to the house next to Sam and Miry's. It had more bedrooms then Ian's old place. I gave him the painting of me when we moved and he hung it in his office in the house. He was going to work mainly from home. He would have to travel sometimes, but I had Miry close.
In fact, Sam and Miry are on our honeymoon with us. Neither Ian nor I could stand the thought of being away from Jackson for more than a night. He was almost a year old now, and he loved his Aunt Miry, and Miry loved him like she never thought she could. She and Sam were even trying to get pregnant now. Even though she thought she never wanted kids, I believe her maternal instinct kicked in the first time Jackson cooed at her.
"I love you, Mrs. Brady." Ian breathes against my belly traveling lower past my belly button.
I was pleading my pleasure with groans when we heard a knock on the door. "Ugh." Ian groans, standing up putting on his pants and leaving the master suite to answer the door. I waited a couple minutes when I heard Ian yelling for me to come in there. I was panicked at his urgency, throwing on a robe I ran into the second room. Miry and Sam were standing at the door. Ian was on the floor his legs open and Jackson was walking without help into his daddy's arms.
Jackson had the biggest smile on his face and was giggling as he reached Ian, and he snatched him in his arms kissing his cheeks.
"Buddy, daddy is so proud of you." Ian gushed all over his son at his milestone of walking that far without assistance. I knelt beside them and Jackson reached out his sweet little hand to me. He looked so much like his daddy, and I knew some day he would be breaking hearts all over the place.
"Mama." His voice was the sweetest sound to me.
"Good morning, baby boy," I cooed at him. Ian looked at me and the love and happiness in his eyes melted me. Leaning in for a kiss, Ian took my lips and Jackson screamed with a delightful laugh pulling on my hair and smacking his hand on Ian's face lightly making both of us laugh.
This was my life and I couldn't imagine being happier with my husband and my son.
Bonus: Rex's happy ever after.
I never thought in a million years that I would ever find anyone that I could love more than Aubrey Jackson. She was the only girl in my life for so long. I was never faithful to any girl, except for when Aubrey and I were together. I was so in love with that redhead that I couldn't see straight.
After the attack and the burial of our son, Aubrey told me she had to leave. That she needed some space, and she left. She went to London. She wanted a whole ocean of space apparently. I hated it, but I understood. I knew that we would never be the same again, but I also knew that no matter what, when she needed me I would be there.
My four years in college were woman and football. I had sex with hundreds of women. Some I'd date for awhile, but as soon as they told me I wasn't allowed to talk to Aubrey, snip, snip. I'd cut them loose and not look back. We talked on the phone all the time. We would meet up on th
e occasional weekend. It was always nothing but friendly. I of course wanted it to be more, but she didn't. I would take her as my best friend any day just to have her in my life.
I kept my social calendar full. Don't get me wrong, I didn't pine away for Aubrey. I had enough distractions of the female persuasion to keep me from doing so, but nothing would brighten my day more than the sound of her laugh.
I tried to call her after her first board meeting. I called over and over that night with no answer. I was about ready to board a flight to go find her when I tried one more time.
Some man answered my baby girl's phone.
That's how I found out about Ian fucking Brady, the girl of my dreams man. God did I hate him.
Don't feel too sorry for me, that night I went out and picked up two hot girls. We had one hell of a hot sexy threesome. Like I said, I always found a way to cope.
The day that my baby girl called me crying, yelling at me about a tape was a hard one. She thought I knew about it. Hell if I did, it broke my heart that she even thought I did know about it. I had to get to her. I had to make sure she knew that I didn't know.
Meeting Ian fucking Brady standing at the door of my baby girl's apartment made my body twitch. If it was me, I would have sent myself packing. He didn't, in fact I knew I was screwed the minute he told me he knew everything. She never would have told him our secret if she didn't plan on spending the rest of her life with him.
Before I left though, I had to try. She didn't budge, she didn't falter. She had love in her eyes for him. She did for me too, but more in the way a girl loves her big brother. I knew then that it was never going to happen for us. I was happy for her, I was. That's the only thing I ever really wanted for her was to be happy.
I went about my life as usual. Casual fling, date a girl a couple of times, play football, hang with friends. You know the usual football star, rich, bachelor life style. I was with a cute blonde at a charity function, a $1000 a plate function, so only the who's who was at this shindig. I hated them, but my manager made me go to them once in awhile for PR.
Deep Blue Forever (Deep Blue Series) Page 8
