by Jillian Neal
“Actually, I think that might not be a bad idea.” He tried not to panic. Mrs. Haydenshire held out her hand. Rainer prayed that Logan wouldn’t feel like he’d betrayed him as he handed her the phone.
I’m freaking! I think I may have to take her to the hospital. She’s so weak but if I take her up there she’s gonna get fired. R u and Em coming home soon??
With a slight headshake, she moved smoothly to stand beside Governor Haydenshire. He was having a discussion with Jack Stariff and Governor Willow.
“Dear,” Mrs. Haydenshire interrupted.
“There’s my beautiful bride.” Governor Haydenshire’s entire face lit as he put his arm around his wife. The love between them was palpable to those around them.
Yvette Peterson rolled her eyes as Governor Haydenshire kissed Mrs. Haydenshire’s cheek. She smiled up at him adoringly, and nodded a greeting to the men he was with.
“I’m still not feeling all that well. I think I’m going to head home with Emily and Rainer, but you stay as long as you’d like.”
Governor Haydenshire begged the pardon of Governor Willow and Mr. Stariff. He guided Mrs. Haydenshire away from prying ears.
“I’ll take you home, sweetheart. I certainly don’t need to stay. I think maybe it’s time you see a Medio.” The Governor looked gravely concerned.
“Oh no, I’ll be fine. You stay. The kids are anxious to leave anyway.” Mrs. Haydenshire glanced at the Petersons.
Governor Haydenshire huffed, “Can’t blame them.” Then all of the wisdom of raising ten children with the woman he was gazing at seemed to fall on the Governor suddenly.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with why Logan and Adeline aren’t here, would it?”
Mrs. Haydenshire brushed a kiss across his jaw.“She’s never done anything wrong in her entire life, Stephan. It was bound to come out at some point. It sounds like she learned her lesson, but I need to keep her out of the hospital, as that would be a problem for both her upcoming trial and her career.”
Governor Haydenshire shot extremely disappointed looks at both Rainer and Emily. Then, with a defeated nod, he kissed Mrs. Haydenshire’s cheek.
“Let me know if I can do anything to help.”
Mom
Rainer drove Mrs. Haydenshire to the guesthouse as quickly as he was able. She was out of the car as soon as he put it in park.
Logan met them in the garage. “Mom!” He threw his arms around his mother and clung to her fiercely. “Thank goodness!”
Emily and Rainer followed Mrs. Haydenshire into the house. Logan had called in re-enforcements. Levi, Garrett, and Patrick were standing in the living room. They were staring down at Adeline on the couch.
She was as white as a ghost, and kept shaking and convulsing under the vast number of quilts Logan had tucked around her.
“I’m... so... sorry,” Adeline was crying as Mrs. Haydenshire moved to her.
“Sweet girl, we all have our breaking points. Let’s just not let alcohol be our coping mechanism next time, okay?”
“Garrett,” her voice turned commanding, “Go to the house and get the red stomach medicine from the cupboard. Hurry!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Garrett rushed out the door.
“Emily.” Emily appeared beside her instantly. “Go boil several cups of white rice. Run up to the house for some, if you don’t have any. Hurry and go with Garrett.”
“We have some.” Emily flew to the kitchen.
“Use just a bit of salt,” Mrs. Haydenshire called after her.
“Rainer, you and Logan make several cold washcloths, and keep them coming.”
Rainer and Logan wet washcloths, and Patrick helped them summon to cool them.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Haydenshire sighed as Rainer handed her the first stack of cloths. “Go help Emily hurry that rice along, and then you two boil some chicken broth. Quick now.”
“Patrick!”
“Yeah, Mom?” he rushed to her side.
“Go into town…” She turned to look down at Adeline as she pressed the washcloths over her face and chest. “What’s your favorite kind of Jell-O, sweetheart?” Adeline was gasping for breath and drenched in sweat. She didn’t seem able to answer.
“She likes that strawberry kind you make,” Logan supplied.
“Go into town and get several Jell-O cups and come straight back.” Patrick grabbed his keys from the kitchen table and rushed out the door.
Garrett returned carrying Keaton and the medicine.
“They were getting to be too much for Brooke,” he gestured to Keaton. Mrs. Haydenshire smiled, but continued to give Adeline a sponge bath. She was trying to cool her off without exposing her to most of Logan’s brothers and Rainer.
Keaton demanded that Emily hold him, so she hoisted him to her hip while stirring the rice.
“Logan, measure out four tablespoons of that,” Mrs. Haydenshire pointed to the medication in Garrett’s hand. Logan performed the task quickly and brought the ruby syrup to his mother.
She summoned instantly, and everyone watched as the red liquid turned a brilliant, glowing crimson. The sheer power of her double Predilection lit inside the medication.
“All right, Logan, hold her up while she takes this.”
“Yes, ma’am, thank you.” Relief eased his entire body.
“Here, baby,” Logan braced Adeline and held her upright.
“Ready?” Mrs. Haydenshire asked. With a slight nod, Adeline leaned forward as best as she could. Mrs. Haydenshire spooned the medicine into her mouth and made certain she swallowed it completely. “Ok, now, lay her back and go get clean sheets and pillowcases. These are soaking wet.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Logan raced to the linen closet in the hallway and returned with the linens.
“Lift her up carefully,” Mrs. Haydenshire relaxed slightly as Adeline’s condition began to improve. “Let me change these. Then lay her back down.”
Logan smiled adoringly at Adeline. He cradled her into his arms easily as she laid her head against his chest. She tucked her face into his neck. She didn’t want to see anyone.
Mrs. Haydenshire gave them both sorrowful looks as she made quick work of making up the sofa.
“The rice is ready, Mom,” Emily bounced Keaton on her hip.
“Good girl.” Mrs. Haydenshire gestured back to the freshly-made sofa, and Logan returned Adeline to the pillows. A little of her color was beginning to return.
“Drain the rice and put it in a bowl for her to eat tomorrow. Then bring me a bowl of the warm water that it cooked in.”
Emily handed Keaton to Rainer. He grinned at him and began entertaining him so Emily could work. Emily prepared a soup bowl of the rice water, and set it on a plate with a napkin and a spoon.
“Here, Mom, I’ll do it,” Logan offered.
“Yes, dear, you will,” Mrs. Haydenshire directed Logan to where she’d been sitting on the couch beside Adeline.
Logan carefully fed Adeline the water under his mother’s close watch. After an hour or so, Adeline was able to relax enough to fall asleep. Logan set the now-empty soup bowl on the coffee table, and sighed in relief. He covered her up, tenderly brushing a kiss across her cheek.
“Thank you,” he shuddered as he hugged his mother to him.
“You’re welcome,” Mrs. Haydenshire’s tone held disappointment and fatigue. “Now,” she continued, “you can wake her up in two hours and give her another bowl, and you can do that every two hours all night long, Logan.”
“Yes, ma’am, I will. I’m so sorry,” Logan sounded like he was ten years old again.
“Good,” Mrs. Haydenshire’s face reflected her deep disappointment. “Rainer, Emily,” she called them into the living room.
Rainer hoisted Keaton onto his shoulders as he moved quickly to Mrs. Haydenshire.
She turned to Logan. “Why didn’t you come get me last night?”
Logan let the deep guilt he’d been carrying all day break through his exhaustion.“Because I was smas
hed, too.”
Nodding, Mrs. Haydenshire turned to Emily and Rainer. “And you two were as well?”
Rainer and Emily nodded dejectedly.
“And who drove home?” her supreme disappointment rocked Rainer to the core.
“The liquor was enhanced,” he admitted. “It didn’t hit all at once, so I was fine until after we got home.”
Patrick had returned with the Jell-O a little while before and stored it in the refrigerator then he and Garrett left to get dinner for everyone else.
When they returned with several buckets of fried chicken and all of the fixings, they were joined by Will, Connor, and Brooke.
Governor Haydenshire arrived last and everyone ate in silence. They were afraid of disturbing Adeline.
Two hours later, Logan gently woke her. She’d consumed enough water and calories to be able to carry on a slight conversation. Using all of the energy she could muster, she apologized profusely to Logan and the Haydenshires.
“Shh, baby, it’s okay,” Logan soothed, “It was my fault.” The words seemed to taste very bitter as they left his mouth.
“Yes, it was, Logan,” his father gave him a disheartening glare. “And you can think about all of the ways that you failed to take care of the woman that you’ve pledged to marry next weekend when you help me redo Will and Garrett’s old room for the twins.”
“Perhaps peeling wallpaper, hanging beadboard, and redoing the hardwoods will help you remember how I taught you to take care of women in general, not to mention the one who is wearing your ring and has your heart.” Fury rang in every word that exited the Governor’s mouth.
“Yes, sir.”
“Governor Haydenshire, I’ll help, too,” Rainer pledged.
“Me, too, Dad,” Emily nodded.
“I had a feeling you would,” the Governor shook his head at all of them. “Now, this is the last I’d like to hear about your evening last night.”
That Isn’t You
More than ready to leave his endless weekend behind him, Rainer kissed Emily awake the next morning. “Hey, there; are you feeling better?”
After giving a slight moan, she wiggled closer to him under the covers. “Shh, I’m sleeping.”
“We have to get up. You have to go to practice, and I have to go to work.”
She tucked herself closer still. He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head.
“Baby,” he yawned deeply, “We have to get going.” He traced his finger down her side and threatened to tickle her awake.
“Stop!” She sat up, and Rainer laughed.
“If you get ready quick, we could grab some breakfast out before I take you to the Arena.”
“Waffle House?”
“Egg-white omelet and hash browns,” he supplied her order for her. She crawled out of bed and pulled off the t-shirt she’d slept in. “Or you could come back to bed and let me play for a little while. Then we could just eat cereal.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“Get up, Mr. Lawson. I want an omelet.”
“But I want you.”
Emily grinned and shook her hips for him. “Well, you will have to wait.”
Rainer stood and stretched. He slid to her side quickly. “I don’t want to wait, Miss Haydenshire.” He reached around with both hands and grabbed her backside.
She swatted his hands away. “I’ll make it worth your while.” With that, she traipsed to the bathroom and shut the door.
A little while later, Rainer settled in Vindico’s office with Logan. They waited for everyone, including Vindico, to arrive for the Monday morning meeting.
Rainer couldn’t recall a time he’d been at work and Vindico hadn’t. Bridgette, the dancer from The Tantra, and the argument Vindico and Garrett had gotten into Friday, flitted through his mind.
Garrett had been called back to the Non-Gifted precinct for the day to assist with a drug bust in Reston.
Portwood and Ericsson entered, along with Ramier and Tuttle. They were all discussing the challenge Saturday and what Wretchkinsides’ next move might be, since he’d apparently had quite a bit of money on the Sirens beating the Angels.
Several minutes later, Vindico finally appeared. His arms were full and an infuriated scowl shadowed his face. His seething glare landed on Rainer.
Rainer glanced nervously at Logan, and then Portwood and Ericsson, trying to figure out what he’d done.
“Everyone out!” Vindico shouted. “You two, stay put.”
Rainer’s heart raced as he racked his brain. He was still trying to determine what he’d done to elicit such fury.
Tuttle shot them a worried glance before he exited.
Vindico slammed the door shut behind Tuttle and spun to face Rainer and Logan.
“Have a nice weekend, Lawson?” Burning gall echoed around the question.
“Uh…” Rainer had no idea what the correct answer might be.
Suddenly, Vindico threw the contents of his arms onto his desk. Several of the day’s newspapers, magazines, a thumb drive, and numerous framed photographs spilled out over the desk.
Rainer choked and was certain his breakfast was going to make a rapid reappearance.
“Just got back from Alexandria. Your future father-in- law and I had to demand that these,” he pointed to the framed photographs, “were taken off of the walls of Anglington’s bar before they opened for business today!”
Rainer felt all of the blood in his body drain rapidly to his feet.
He glanced at the covers of three Gifted newspapers. They were all shots of him leaning Emily out over the bar at Anglington’s.
The magazines had multiple shots of him reaching his hands greedily up Emily’s skirt, licking her lips, and then throwing extremely cocky grins back to the crowd. There was a full-page shot of him emerging with the cherry and then taking a bow.
Rainer let his head fall into his hands and willed it to be some kind of horrible dream, but when he opened his eyes again they were all still there, staring back at him.
As he held up the thumb drive, Vindico seemed too furious to talk for a brief moment. “This is what I spent all night long trying desperately to force off the Internet, the entire thing, from your pulling her shirt up, until you sucked that cherry out of her mouth, and bowed to your adoring fans. I have never been so disgusted in my life! It seems dozens of your admirers were more than happy to sell the shots and videos they took with their phones for a pretty penny to any news outlet that flashed cash.”
Vindico leaned inches from Rainer’s horrified expression and menaced, “You listen to me, and you listen good. I’m sorry that you have to deal with your fame, which follows you around everywhere whether you wanted it or not, but you’re an Iodex officer now, and Wretchkinsides will use everything he can find to make sure that we don’t bring him down.”
“Did you for one fucking moment stop to think about what your uncle could do with this? You know the one who’s trying to take half of your daddy’s hard-earned money! This,” he held up the picture of Rainer feeling up Emily’s skirt, “is unacceptable!” Vindico bared his teeth furiously.
“And you,” he lunged at Logan. “Do you happen to recall, Haydenshire, my sitting at your family’s kitchen table telling you that being out somewhere, anywhere, that Candy Parker’s lawyers could use to prove that your precious fiancée is nothing more than a drugged-up, irresponsible teenager could end up sending her to jail?”
Terror filled Logan’s weak nod.
“Yeah, well, there are several shots of the two of you cheering him on! She doesn’t look quite sober in any of them.”
He threw his hand back and hit Rainer hard on the back of the head. Rainer clenched his jaw and refused to act like it hurt, though his head began to throb.
“Now,” Vindico continued to shout, “if you think you could keep your hands out of your fiancée’s skirt, I’d like you to actually get some work done today. After you take a trip down to the Governor’s office to beg his forgiveness for bending hi
s only daughter backwards over a bar while you used her as a shot glass, you can come back and we’ll decide what you two will be doing for the next week.”
“By the way, your uncle’s lawyer was very pleased with all of the press you got this weekend. Seems it did, in fact, play right into his case that you’re an irresponsible moron, so he bumped the trial up. Now, it’s early next week.”
“So, why don’t you go have a chat with your future father-in-law? I’m certain he can’t wait to see you. After a long day of whatever the hell I decide to make you two do, you can go home and inform Miss Haydenshire that I don’t give a damn if she single-handedly wins the Angels the Summation cup this season, this,” he held up a shot of Rainer bowing to the crowd, “will never happen in public again! Leave!”
Logan and Rainer stood to go.
Vindico gathered the papers, the framed pictures, and the thumb drive and shoved them hard into Rainer’s stomach.
“Here!” he sneered. “Souvenirs of your stunningly idiotic behavior.”
Rainer stumbled out of Vindico’s office. He couldn’t breathe. Logan attempted to shield him with his body from the nervous glances of the Elite team, the other officers, and aids on the Iodex wing.
They’d all heard everything Vindico had shouted. Rainer leaned over and placed his hands on his desk. He tried to steady himself. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t believe this was happening.
It felt like a horrendous nightmare that refused to release him from its clutches. As Rainer sank down onto his chair, reality crashed around him like a tidal wave that threatened to overtake him.
He shoved the papers and photos into an empty drawer of his desk, and willed himself to breathe and for his heart to beat steadily.
“Do you want me to come with you to talk to Dad?” Logan offered. Rainer shook his head and stood again. He searched inside himself until he finally located his voice.
“No, I did this. Not you.” He sounded like he’d just been rescued from a deluge. He felt his muscles begin to spasm as he considered what Governor Haydenshire had seen photographic evidence of.
