“Oh, God! Is she okay?”
“We took her to Cape Canaveral Hospital. She’s heavily medicated. Her injuries were pretty substantial, but not life-threatening.”
Cameron snatched his keys out of his desk, slammed through the glass doors, and sprinted toward the rear of the dealership with no explanation to his manager. He’d call him later. “What happened?” he asked the paramedic.
“One of her neighbors found her on the stairwell of her apartment and called 911.”
“Thank you. I’m on my way.”
Cameron shifted his Jeep into first and peeled out of the employees’ parking area. Cape Canaveral Hospital, thankfully, was nearby, only minutes from his work, but the time felt like an eternity. Every car seemed to be going thirty-five in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone.
Alexandra hadn’t been kidding when she’d said she had misfortune. Would she view this as an omen and call off their engagement? How had she fallen on the stairs? She’d said she was klutzy, but she seemed graceful to him. She may be a blonde, but she clearly was able to walk and chew gum at the same time.
He found a spot easily enough and darted across the parking lot to the ER entrance.
Approaching the front desk breathless, mostly from nervousness, he requested information on her whereabouts. The woman asked if he was family, and he announced for the second time that he was Alexandra’s fiancé.
The elderly woman — a volunteer according to her nametag — retrieved the information in the computer and pointed him in the correct direction.
Cameron waited while they buzzed him inside and then frantically searched for a nurse who could direct him to Alexandra’s room.
A young R.N. approached, all business like, advising him that they were readying Alexandra for surgery. A look of utter horror must have overtaken his face because her look softened. “Alexandra came in with a compound fracture to her ankle and had to be put under to straighten it.” She paused for a second, then pulled him to the side. “She’ll have to undergo a second surgery, as there isn’t much remaining of the bone.”
The blood drained from his face. “Can I see her?” he begged.
“We gave her benzodiazepine, an amnesic sedative. She’s awake, but she’s not responsive. Then, as I said, we will have to put her under to perform the surgery to piece her leg back together in laymen’s terms. I’m sorry. But I will notify you when she is awake.”
He left the area, returning to the waiting room. Then a thought occurred to him, and he ran back to the R.N. Her look of shock, revealed the expression that must have surfaced on his face.
“She’s pregnant!” he said in a panic. “Is the baby okay? Is the anesthesia safe if she is pregnant?”
“Yes. The paramedics gave her enough morphine to take down a horse, but she’d been wide awake, screaming about being pregnant and asking if her baby was okay. She hasn’t miscarried, and we’ll be keeping a watchful eye on her.”
Cameron sighed with relief; they couldn’t lose the baby. “Thank you. Please call me the moment I can see her.”
“I promise, sir.”
Hours ticked by. Cameron called and explained to his manager why he’d stormed out of the dealership like a banshee. Then Cameron called Alexandra’s manager to inform him where she was. Based on the man’s bitter attitude toward him, Cameron assumed the man thought he was Jonathan. Everyone at her employment must know about the loser. Cameron explained who he was, and the man’s demeanor changed immediately. Gary’s words turned apologetic, but his irritation seeped through over the fact that she would be out for a while. Cameron didn’t elaborate that she probably wouldn’t return. Her leg would surely be in a cast. And by the time it came off, she would certainly be showing.
It was the only good thing about this ordeal. Alexandra wouldn’t be able to work as a waitress anymore, so she would probably be willing to take him up on his offer of moving in with him.
If that happened, he would have to furnish the spare room. No way could he have her in his arms every night; he’d never get any sleep. Unless … maybe she’d be willing to marry him immediately — the sound of his name interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see the kind nurse standing at the doorway.
“She’s out of surgery. We don’t have a permanent room ready for her yet, and she’s not awake, but you can see her in recovery.”
Cameron jumped up and followed her down the corridor. The nurse handed him a bag containing her cell phone, keys, and her engagement ring. He hated that she hadn’t had the ring on twenty-four hours and already it was off her finger.
When he entered the room, his heart plummeted at the sight of Alexandra. He walked over to her bedside and rested his hand on her cheek. She looked as if she’d been in a car accident. The left side of her face was red and swollen. He pulled up the sheet to reveal that her right leg was in a cast up to her knee. Both of her knees were practically raw. He noticed injuries on her left leg too, but it didn’t make sense. Long scratches covered her leg as if she had fallen through shrubbery. But the paramedic had said a neighbor had found her in the stairwell. He brushed her hair off the side of her face and looked closer at the marks on her left cheek. There was no denying the marks; the welts were perfectly spaced. Only a man-slap to the face could cause those marks. He looked at her left leg again, and there, underneath, were the undeniable marks where the man’s fingernails had dug into her skin as she’d tried to escape. Jonathan?
His stomach churned as his mind transported him back ten years. The body, the blood, the smell. It’d been all over him. The memory of Cora lying there — Alexandra moaned, bringing him back to the present, releasing him from his own personal hell.
He dropped the sheet and moved to the head of her bed. “Darling, what on earth?” he asked, taking her hand in his.
Tears flooded her eyes when she looked at him. She closed her eyes as if it took great effort to keep them open. “Is the baby okay?” she asked softly, her words barely audible, eyes still shuttered.
“Yes,” he breathed, kissing her on the forehead, happy that she was cognizant enough to speak and worried about their baby.
He rested his hand against her cheek. “Alexandra, who did this to you?” He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that her injuries had happened from falling down a stairwell. Pushed downstairs was more like it. God help him when he found that loser. He’d pay dearly.
Her eyes opened again, but there was pain in them. “I fell down the stairs.”
Cameron narrowed his eyes. “Alexandra, you were attacked! You don’t sustain a slap to the face and fingernail marks from falling down a flight of stairs.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want you to get involved.”
He sighed. “I am involved. And if you don’t tell me, I’m heading over there right now.”
“No! Cameron. Please …”
“Tell me the truth, and we’ll call the police. Otherwise, I’ll personally pull the confession out of that loser.”
Tears streaked down her cheeks.
“Alexandra, why would you protect him?”
“I’m not,” she whimpered. “I’m protecting you.”
“Me? You don’t have to worry about me. I assure you, I can take care of myself.”
“He’s crazy, Cameron. But he’s never hit me before. He was there when I returned home this morning. He saw the ring and went berserk. It was so sudden. I tried to get away from him. He didn’t actually push me. I did fall … trying to escape him. But he didn’t push me. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, darling, don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault. I need to call the police, though.”
She shook her head. “It won’t do any good. His mother will just have him bailed out again.”
Everything in Cameron’s core burned to make Jonathan suffer as Alexandra was suffering. It had been a long time since he’d felt such unrefined hatred toward a man — no, he wasn’t a man. He was a deplorable monster. Any man who could hurt an innocent woman didn’t deserv
e to live, and he’d be happy to deliver that punishment.
A police officer had taken a report, but without witnesses, there wasn’t much they could do. Jonathan had no prior arrests for violence, and when questioned about his whereabouts, his mother claimed that after his release, he’d been with her the entire time. His mother, a wealthy attorney in Melbourne, evidently knew people and highly respected people didn’t create false alibis. The officer looked apologetic, but there wasn’t going to be an arrest.
Cameron could do nothing but think of ways to make him pay while he watched Alexandra sleep. The hospital would keep her overnight, but tomorrow she would be free to return home. Well, that wasn’t happening. How could she care for herself when she couldn’t even lower her leg?
Due to the hardware and severity of the injury, she had to keep her leg raised for at least two weeks, and she couldn’t put any weight on her ankle according to the orthopedic surgeon. A steel rod with six screws on the outside area of her ankle and a pin and wire on the inside were literally holding her ankle together.
Decision made, Cameron leaned over Alexandra, kissing her lightly on the forehead. “I have to handle a couple of things, but I’ll be here to pick you up in the morning, okay?”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Cameron,” she mumbled.
“Yes?”
“I can’t lose you. Please don’t do anything stupid. Please don’t go after him. He isn’t worth it.”
Her statement warmed his heart. “I won’t,” he told her honestly. Not tonight anyway. “I just have to handle some things tonight. I’ll be here first thing in the morning, okay? Try to get some rest.”
Cameron knew the loser wouldn’t think of returning to the apartment, so he stopped at Home Depot and picked up a box of extra-strength garbage bags.
Surveying the parking lot, he noticed Alexandra’s car. Well, if he was in her apartment, he would regret it soon enough.
He opened the door and peered inside. It didn’t appear as if anyone was home. Good. He went directly to work shoving anything that looked like Alexandra’s into bags. After he had everything that looked feminine in the bags, he carried them down to the Jeep.
Next, he returned to the apartment and stuffed everything else he found of value into garbage bags. He was taking out the trash. He thought about shoving the items in the dumpster but decided it’d be too easy. He might come back and find them.
He looked up a location for the Goodwill on his phone. Perfect, there was one located right off Courtenay Parkway. He took the TV, the stereo, every bit of men’s clothing and dropped them off. At least someone would make out. If any of the items belonged to Alexandra, he would reimburse her if she needed them. Right now, she needed nothing but clothes, because tomorrow she’d be moving in with him.
When he returned home, his mother was there. She swayed just a fraction as she watched him drag three black bags into the condo. “What’s all this? You’re supposed to take trash out of the house, Cameron, not bring it in.” She giggled. So she’d decided to drink at home this evening, must have been running low on funds, waiting on her social security check to arrive.
“This isn’t trash, Mother. These are Alexandra’s things. She’s moving in tomorrow.”
His mother’s face puckered. She knew him all too well. “That doesn’t sound like you, Cameron.”
“I asked her to marry me, Mom. But this is strictly platonic until we get married. She was in an accident today. She’s hurt badly, and I’ll need your help.”
“Oh, Cameron, that’s wonderful. I’m sorry to hear she’s hurt but ecstatic to hear you’re getting married. I really like her.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Every once in a while, his mother surprised him by being altruistic. It wasn’t in her nature. “There’s something else you should know. She’s pregnant.”
“Cameron,” she said, feigning distress. “I’m surprised at you. I thought you said you’d never —”
“Please, Mom, do we need to rehash this?” He shook his head at his mother. “I’d say I was unhappy about my actions, but I’m not. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“I can see she is. I haven’t seen you like you’ve been lately since you were a child.”
“Goodnight,” he said, with no response to her comment. Didn’t she know why he was so unhappy? Didn’t she understand that he didn’t have time for a girlfriend in his attempt to take care of her? Well, he was done. He couldn’t continue to feel guilty for causing her troubles. He had Alexandra to watch over now. If his mother didn’t want to help, then she could leave.
After dragging the bags to his room, he cleared a section of his clothes and put them in the spare room, making room for Alexandra’s things. He then emptied several drawers of the dresser. He neatly folded and hung all her clothing. If she wanted to move into the spare bedroom, he would shop for furniture tomorrow, but he was certain she wouldn’t mind sharing with him. He’d realized he’d just have to get used to her beside him every night. After all, soon they would have to prepare the spare room for the baby.
The next morning, Cameron showed up bright and early to bring Alexandra home. His manager was not happy about him missing a Saturday — the biggest day of the week — but he had never taken one off.
When he walked into the room, Alexandra was still sleeping. He’d hoped she’d look better, but unfortunately, she looked worse. Her face, previously only red and swollen, was now several shades of color from yellow to blue. Heat rushed through his veins. When he got his hands on Jonathan, nothing would restrain him, even Alexandra.
He walked over to her bedside and lifted her left hand from the bed. She stirred slightly, her eyes opening and seeing him. She actually smiled. How could she smile after all she’d been through? “Good morning, sunshine. I knew it was an appropriate name for you. You are the only woman I know who could smile after what you’ve experienced.”
She gulped as if trying to clear her throat.
Laying her hand back down, he turned and found the water pitcher on the bedside table and poured her a cup, handing it to her. She took it gratefully.
He reached for her left hand again. “You’re missing something,” he whispered, sliding the ring back on her finger.
“Thank you, Cameron,” she murmured, her voice hoarse.
“I’m taking you home, Alexandra,” he stated matter-of-factly. There would be no arguments. She had nothing to return home to anyway. She didn’t respond, so he continued, “I brought everything from your apartment last night. It’s all in my condo waiting for you.”
“Cameron, you shouldn’t have gone there. What if he was there?”
Well, at least she hadn’t complained about him emptying her apartment. “I would have probably killed him, Alexandra.”
She closed her eyes at his statement.
“Would you have honestly cared?” he asked.
“Yes,” she choked out. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Promise me you won’t do anything to him.”
He bit down on his lip to control his anger, hoping she couldn’t possibly care about his well-being after what he’d done to her. “How can you care … after what he did —” He sighed exasperated.
“Cameron, two wrongs don’t make a right. And it’s not him I’m worried about. Promise me, please.”
“I can’t promise that, Alexandra. But I promise I won’t go after him. I don’t think I will have to. If he shows his face around you, though, he will pay.”
This time she sighed.
“So, you’re not going to fight me about coming home with me?”
“Cameron, I don’t want this to sound wrong, because I would never take advantage of you, I swear. But I don’t think I have a choice.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I certainly don’t want you to feel as though you don’t have a choice.”
She exhaled a long breath, shaking her head. “No, no, I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It’s okay, darling. I know you
don’t want to accept help. But you agreed to marry me before this happened, so I am happy to care for you. For better or worse, right? We may not have said the vows yet, but we made a commitment.” He smiled at her, and thankfully, she smiled back again.
He bent over and kissed her forehead. “Let me find out what we have to do to release you. I’ll be right back. Get some rest, okay?”
Within the hour, they were driving to his condo. After two quick stops; first, to get a wheelchair at a medical supply place the hospital directed them to. Second, to get pain medication at the pharmacy as Alexandra was in a lot of pain.
When they returned to his home, Alexandra requested he push her out to the lanai. She loved the patio. Every time she’d come inside his home, it was the first thing she did.
He lifted her out of the wheelchair and lowered her to the chaise. “You love the water, don’t you, Alexandra?”
“Yes. It reminds me of when I was a child. I was born in Destin, and I honestly thought I was a princess and that my mother and father were the king and queen. Everything was perfect until a drunk driver killed my mother when I was eight. After that, my father married, Cruella, my evil stepmother, and everything has kind of sucked since then. Until now. You are my knight in shining armor, Cameron. By the way, do you know what your name means, where it originated?”
He shook his head. “No. All I know is that my father was English and Scottish and refused to allow me to have a Greek name. He said it would sound ridiculous with Collins. So he named me after a favorite grandfather.”
“I looked it up. It means crooked nose.”
“You’re kidding?” He laughed heartily. “Well, that stinks! Pun intended! What was my father thinking?”
“But there’s more. He was a prince or a super-strong warrior, according to legend, who moved to Scotland looking for a wife. Imagine that? He married the daughter of an affluent nobleman, and his nose had been broken several times defending his family in many battles. Now, that sounds exactly like you, Cameron.”
He smiled and his face felt hot, had he actually blushed? Funny how she could make him feel. “I like that story, Alexandra.” He leaned over and kissed her. He’d meant for the kiss to be short and sweet, but she grabbed him behind the neck and pulled him closer. Very gently, he sat beside her on the chaise, never breaking their kiss. He could spend hours kissing her. Their mouths melded perfectly together as though they were made for each other. Other women he had dated never seemed to like French kissing, but Alexandra seemed to enjoy it immensely. Their tongues danced together in a spectacular performance, moving rhythmically to his heartbeat. When they finally separated, he was happy to see she looked flushed too.
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