“You can’t give up,” Asher whispered tearfully out, leaning his head onto her hand. “Please, baby.”
Clare simply squeezed his hand in return. She didn’t want to give up, but there was nothing she could do. She had been on bed rest since Summer went missing, and yet she still hadn’t been found. And then Chase went missing, too!
She closed her eyes, not sure how to fight, how to feel, any longer. It would just be easier to give up completely.
“Think of your sister,” Asher said, his voice muffled. “Would she want to come back to this? Or even nothing at all?”
No, no she wouldn’t. Clare knew that. What if she came back worse than when Chase had saved them both months ago? She didn’t have the energy to fight. She was worn out. Worn out from life. From everything.
“Please, Clare, honey,” Asher went on. He wasn’t going to give up on her. “I’m here. Please, find something to fight for. Give our baby a fighting chance."
“Can I talk to you?” asked the doctor, a name that Asher never took the time to learn. Kayla said she was better in this doctor’s hands than her own.
“I’m not leaving her,” Asher said, bringing his head up to meet the dull green eyes of the doctor.
“Okay,” she said quietly. Although her stance was tall, determined and knowledgeable, her voice was anything but. “I will be starting Clare on some anti-depressants. I was hoping to wait until we could stop the contractions, but as this is the third time in as many weeks, I can’t wait any longer.
“I am sure that such meds will help Clare cope with whatever is going on, that you both refuse to talk about.”
“Will it affect the baby?” Asher said in worry. He purposely avoided the subject once more. How the hell was he to explain their life to a doctor? There was no way he could say that he worked for the Marcel family and was part of the mafia.
“With any sort of mediation, there is a small possibility of a reaction. The baby is already in distress as it is, which that in itself can cause lasting effects,” she answered, squaring her shoulders.
“What kind of effects?” Asher said in a hard voice.
“I’ll be frank with you Mr. Bashor,” she said, not having any other choice. “Either the baby, without any sort of medication, may likely have heart issues if Clare goes untreated. He or she could also be born with a cleft palate from using the drug, it in itself can be fixed surgically after the baby is older. But there is also the possibility that the baby will be born perfectly fine, too.
“The pre-labor will only be stopped for so long. Her contractions are strong, and stronger each time she comes in. I have a feeling that the next time Clare has more contractions, the med’s will not be of any help.
“With treatment, it may help Clare to relax, to eat, and get the rest she needs. Being only twenty-six weeks along, Clare needs to rest. There is not a high chance that the baby will survive if it’s born right now, or even next week. I’d really like to keep this little one in there until at least thirty weeks, if not longer.”
“What will the anti-depressants do in the long term wise?” Asher growled out.
“There could be health risks. Stillborn, heart issues, learning disabilities. But they aren’t high. Not at this time of pregnancy,” she was quick to answer. “It is a better alternative than going into preterm labor fully right now.
“And when I checked when she was admitted, she was dilated to a three.”
“There has to be another way,” Asher said in defeat, hanging his head.
“Asher, dear,” Kayla said, entering the room with a nod towards the other doctor. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“Fine,” he sighed after a moment. He wasn’t happy with the way things were going, but did he have any other choice?
“Thank you,” the doctor said before quickly getting a liquid form of whatever she would be giving the girl in the hospital bed.
“I know this is tough for us all, Asher, but you need to be strong,” Kayla said with a hand on his shoulder. “The meds will help her, but I am sure that Clare will be kept here for at least week if not more.”
“No,” Clare’s small voice said, her eyes opening. “Please.”
What if Summer showed back up at home and no one was there? What if she sent a letter to her and she wasn’t there to see it?
Tears instantly gathered in her eyes once more. She looked pleadingly at Kayla, sure the older woman could convince her new doctor to let her go home that same day.
“Clare,” Kayla said gently, walking to where she’d be in her line of sight better. “You need to rest. You need to get better. What good will you be to this little one if you are hardly alive, fighting for your own life? I refuse to stand by and watch this. You know as well as I, that I can have this hospital keep you here until you give birth if I have to take that route.” She may just do that anyway, just to be safe.
Clare sank back down into the thin lumpy mattress, knowing she was right.
“Summer is safe, I promise you. She’s not going to return until it’s safe for her, but she’s as safe as can be where she is,” Kayla said, her voice low. She knew she shouldn’t say anything, but right now, Clare was her main priority.
Of course, Kayla had no idea Summer’s health or location, but she didn’t need to. Ivan kept in touch and knew her son was going stir crazy just with worry alone for the Princess.
“Promise?” Clare asked with red-rimmed eyes. “She’ll be back?”
“I promise,” Kayla said running her hand along Clare’s hair on her forehead. “She’s doing what needs to be done on her part, becoming someone that can be strong to stand against what is to come. She’ll be back.”
“Okay,” Clare choked back tears. With a deep breath, she’d fight. She had to see her sister again. And she wanted this baby; it was a part of her and Asher. Part of the love they shared.
“Thank you,” Kayla said with a happy sigh, kissing her forehead.
Kayla wasn’t sure what would be in store in the coming weeks, but her son’s house was ready for the return of the Prince, Princess, and the entire family. Every room was painted and redecorated, waiting to be used.
It was the only thing she was able to do to keep her mind busy. Summer’s iPad with all the ideas was easy enough to figure out what she had wanted to do.
They would all be ready for the return of the missing loved ones. Let it be days or years. They’d be there waiting with open arms.
Chapter 20
“So, tell me about who this John person is,” Summer said as they sat in the living room a few days later after a hard workout. She was determined to know who exactly they were up against, and with the army of family and friends behind her, the man would not stand a chance if it was up to her.
It really was all up to her now. Chase seemed to be AWOL, so it was time for the Princess to take control as much as she could. Only knowing John by name, and very little detail, was not enough to go by. If he was such a big shot, then Summer wanted to know what his deal was, and who he was.
Her hair was in a French twist, thanks to Heidi. Summer also wore a pair of black leggings under a purple plaid long sleeved shirt.
“What do you want to know, exactly?” Sebastian asked, leaning back in the chair, his gray socked feet out in front of him on the wooden floor. He knew this would happen, and he was as prepared for it as well as he could be.
“Everything,” Summer said with a blink. “What made him like he is? What does he want with me? What does he think he’ll achieve once he has me? How to outsmart him?”
“Full of questions, Princess,” Gabriel said, taking a stance, hands braced on the back of the chair. “Are you sure you want to know the answers?”
“If I want to beat him, I need to know. How else will I win against him?” Summer asked truthfully. She was ready. Ready to know what John wanted with her. Ready to know how to beat him. Ready to bring him down in any way she could.
It was a possibility that Chase wouldn�
�t be able to kill that wicked man, there for, Summer needed a way to get under John’s skin and do it herself. She knew it would take more than a gun and good aim.
She’d need to outsmart him.
“Well, as you know, he’s the oldest of the three of us,” Sebastian started out. “Although, he and Jason are our half-brothers. He’s always been a bit more dramatic, more demanding as we grew up. He thought he was the one that could always boss everyone around, and our father, Tony, always let him.
“Now, Tony, that man was a thorn in my side. He’s no longer of a concern, as I put him in his grave months ago. Tony never once looked at me, unless it was to demand I do something. Which I, of course, would have to do, or pay dearly.”
Summer refused to think of the consequences to that. At just the words spoken, her heart felt his pain he no doubt endured. Possibly the same pain she had to live with for so long.
“Anyhow,” Gabriel said when Sebastian trailed off. “Because John was always given the right to do whatever the heck he wanted, he tends to do so know. He sees something his little stuffed heart wants, he gets. And nothing stops him. He’s not scared to kill someone over anything at all.
“He and Jason were close for a time, even with the age difference growing up. When the Marcel family and our family went separate ways after the whole Meads fight, we each chose sides.
“John chose Meads, but also his own. He wanted to rule the world, but not in the same way that Chase wishes to do so. He wanted to have everyone follow his commands, and no one else's. He wanted to be King. When Chase threatened that by marrying you, John knew without a doubt that he’d lose that vivid plan.
“To get through to John, you have to play his game, but twice as good.”
“Which won’t be easy,” Sebastian butted in. “I wisely advise to not go that route. I can’t let you, either. I’d rather see you dead than in his hands, Grace. I’ve given my life to keep you safe, and John will destroy your heart and soul to make Chase cave. He’d even go as far as killing him in front of you, just to prove a point that he can control you.
“I know for a fact that John would love to see you bow before him and use you every way possible,” Sebastian ended, a hard tone to his voice. He would never allow Summer to be in a position as that.
“I’ve been through Hell already,” Summer said, sitting up straight. “I won’t go back. If Chase doesn’t get to him before me, John will be the one that will be bowing. You’ll help, right?”
“Of course,” Sebastian said with a small bow of his head, a smile on his face. “I’d love to see him bow to you, and I’d be more than happy to help make him do that.”
“What a picture that would be,” Gabriel said, an evil glint in his eyes as he looked up at the vaulted ceiling. “He’s not the type to bow willingly. I’d love to see him broken, begging for his life.”
“And he will,” Summer said with a hard tone. A tone that said she’d make that man pay. Pay for making her hide. Taking her be away from her husband, her home, and family.
“Everyone will, Princess,” Sebastian said. It would be the last thing he ever did if it killed him.
“Now, what is your lovely plan, Grace?” Gabriel asked, drawing her name out, just like Ryder had a few times.
“What is Ryder’s plan in all this?” she asked out, tilting her head to the side.
“He’s Chase’s next in command,” Sebastian said easily with a shrug like it made total sense. Maybe to him, it did. But not to Summer.
At her confused look, he went on. “He will be our key to keep us updated as much as possible. He knows my number and vice versa. He’ll show up if we need him, of course, but outside of us, no one knows where we are.
“We are off the grid, and I could easily make it even harder for people to find us by moving us all to a more remote place. With you being pregnant, it’s better for you, at least, if we are close to a hospital in case anything goes on that we are not prepared to handle.”
“I can only handle so much,” Gabriel said with a sheepish look. “I can stitch a man up, deal with blood and guts, but when it comes to birthing, I’m out. Sorry.” He held his hands up for emphases.
“Don’t blame you there,” Summer laughed. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to do the whole birthing thing either when the time came. “Would you be able to, if we have no else?”
“Yes, I am studying up on things that might go wrong, just in case,” Sebastian answered. God, did he hope it didn’t come to that. Of course, he had to do a rotation in OBGYN during his Residency, but he hadn't cared about pursuing it.
Summer had begun to read the book that Sebastian had bought her and found that everything seemed to be going just fine. She was eating healthy and didn’t suffer from morning sickness this time. Sure, once in awhile if she was overtired or if she didn’t drink enough water, she was sick to her stomach, but otherwise was lucky with this pregnancy.
She believed that it had helped with not being nearly as stressed as she had been the first time when everything happened. Now, she knew she had the support she needed to get through this tough time. She knew her husband would be back at her side, hopefully, sooner rather than later. But he’d be there.
She had a great set of family members and friends that showed constantly that they cared.
Summer was getting used to Sebastian and Gabriel caring so deeply for her. It was easier to let Heidi and even Fayth into her little bubble because they were women.
Gabriel gained Summer’s trust a tad faster, just because he didn’t seem to be so stern and tough about every little thing. He joked, acting more like a much older brother to her than Sebastian ever could be.
With the last few days, Summer watched Sebastian more closely. She took note of all the looks he sent her way when he thought she wasn’t paying attention. A week ago, she wasn’t paying attention. But with a new outlook on what needed to be done, she turned into her feelings to keep a monitor on everything and anything.
She remembered Chase saying that knowing what your gut says was the strongest way to decide on something. Summer couldn’t remember when he had said that, but it stuck, so it must have been true.
With Sebastian, Summer could see that he really did care. Not by just his words and actions, but with everything. He cared for her deeper than she had ever thought was possible. She found herself leaning on his strength more and more.
She watched him just as much, though.
Summer caught each grimace he made when he moved his arm that had been shot. She saw his eyes lighten when Summer would laugh at something. She even saw how he was trying to be a better person right in front of her.
He was still the cold hearted man when he was dealing with things outside of the family, but underneath that hardness, was a man that needed love in return.
Summer wasn’t sure she’d be able to feel that sort of emotion towards him anytime soon, but she knew he was trying. He was trying to undo his wrongs, to show that he was a person worthy to be someone to the Princess.
Summer knew, he’d be that person to her, given time.
Chapter 21
Summer was not quite desperate, but she was almost to that point. She was bored out of her mind. Being inside the house, as it was too cold and snowy to be outside, for over a month now. Much too long for someone that was once never allowed to even look outside, but could now move as freely as she wanted.
Summer had been held captive indoors before for months at a time, but after having so much freedom now, more than she’d ever gets used to, being inside was getting on her nerves.
Sure, everything she was learning with her newest family members took up a lot of time. But there was only so many hours in each day, and surprisingly, she knew almost every move that could be taught. Along with more information than she ever expected to learn.
Summer still had things to learn, things to practice. She was a quick learner and took to just about everything without any issues. When she put her mind to it, she go
t it.
It was still hard to wrap her mind around certain things, but she understood enough to get by more than she ever had before.
Between doing all her routines, her muscles were firmer. She’d still practice self-defense moves daily, or just boxing to keep up her strength. Even without Sebastian wanting to push her too far, she felt confident that she could take anyone down in a few simple quick moves if she ever needed to. She hoped that she never had to do that.
Being four months along now, Summer wasn’t nearly as tired with being in her second trimester. Still, she had a flat stomach, but Gabriel was certain it was normal. According to the pregnancy book that Summer had read now at least twice, said with a small frame, she may not show until six to seven months. Possibly longer.
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