The One Addicted (The One Trilogy Book 2)

by Alexandra North

  Fuck - this is like déjà vu- never did like that saying. My mind flickers back to that God awful time; it’d be four years ago now. I was so conflicted with my emotions; it had been so amazing as it brought Finn into the world and I love that little guy so much, but it had also been absolutely horrific, as it had nearly taken my best friend from me in the process. Now I’m here, again, at the same bloody hospital! I’m desperate and out of control and rendered fucking useless!

  “Sebastian Silver?”

  My eyes meet black boots and travel upwards. The boots belong to a PC in his mid-late forties who is accompanied by a female policewoman. I stand to greet them and nod. “Yes.”

  “I wonder if we could speak to you about the accident your girlfriend was involved in tonight on Wagon Lane? We’ve taken statements from several witness that have come forward…”

  “Witnesses?”

  “Yes - they came forward when we were doing our reports. It appears Miss Myers was in a high speed chase, which resulted in her crashing into a wall. From the looks of her car, she is very lucky to have walked away.”

  “She’s in surgery right now.”

  “I know, I’m sorry - turn of phrase. We’ve opened an investigation and when I can, I would like to get Miss Myer’s statement. We are taking this very seriously.”

  I should fucking think so.

  “But they fled the scene? Bloody cowards.”

  “Unfortunately yes, but we have a couple of good leads with reference to the car and the plates so I will keep you in the loop.”

  The female police officer makes notes during our conversation and I wonder what she’s writing. Wish I could get a copy of those witness statements or at least their names - I might need to do some of my own digging around. I knew a guy who was a private detective - might be worth a call.

  I say nothing of this to the coppers of course and instead, shake both their hands. “Thanks. I appreciate your time and being there for Lu when she was… well when she was alone.” I run a hand over my head and he pats my shoulder. Alone, scared and in pain.

  “I hope Miss Myers is OK. We’ll be in touch.”

  With my face burrowed in my palms, I spend the next twenty minutes thinking of every worst case scenario, dealing with that, then moving on to the next - I was going out of my mind and am about to completely lose it when a soft and calming, yet authoritative voice brings me out of my gloomy fog of memories and I snap my head up in answer. An attractive female surgeon, dressed in scrubs offers me a rather tired but comforting smile.

  “Mr. Silver?”

  “That’s me.” My hands are clammy and I wipe them nervously on my jeans as I stand, before folding my arms tightly in front of me to stop them shaking.

  “Dr. Haines; I operated upon your friend.”

  “Girlfriend.” I correct her.

  “I apologise, your girlfriend. Why don’t we take a seat?” She points to the rack of half seats along the back wall. “Is her next of kin here?”

  “Her parents are on their way, they should be here by now, but if you don’t tell me soon I’m going explode Dr. What the hell is happening to Lucia?”

  “It’s not protocol to discuss a patient’s condition with anyone but their next of kin…”

  “If someone doesn’t start talking soon I swear I won’t be culpable for my actions.”

  “As I was saying, it’s not protocol to discuss a patients condition with anyone but their next of kin I’m afraid, but I can tell you that you’ve got a very gutsy lady there. We managed to find the bleed eventually - she kept us guessing for a while, but if we’d known all the facts before she went in, then maybe we may have reacted quicker…” she looks intently at me, as though questioning something but seeing my blank look continues. “But… we got there in the end. She will make a full recovery.”

  “What the hell was it?”

  “I can’t discuss the full details with you, Mr. Silver.”

  “This is unbelievable! That is my woman in there! She means everything to me!”

  “I understand that; believe me I do. Look - when her parents arrive, if it’s ok with them, you can be included in the discussions.”

  That’s just fucking great!

  I’m seconds away from tearing someone a new arsehole and take a minute to inhale deeply and exhale with a whoosh of emotions as I watch her retreating form and hang my head in my hands. Deep breaths - she’s made it through surgery. She’s OK and that’s all that matters.

  “Seb - what’s going on? Abs will be here in a bit she’s just parking the car.”

  My brother’s voice is like a flame to a moth - I completely lose it. “They won’t fucking let me see her! They won’t tell me what’s wrong with her! I’m not her next of fucking kin!”

  “Hey, hey, easy bro - easy - take a seat and take deep breath. Is she out of Theatre?”

  I nod, my teeth biting hard on my lip. “Just. I’ve just seen the Doc. She won’t tell me bloody anything, but she made it.”

  Nathan rubs my shoulder and I allow myself to be drawn into a hug, something men didn’t tend to do much of but just what I need. It lasts seconds before I nod and push away. “Cheers, Na. Thanks for being here.”

  “Of course. Thank fuck she’s out of Theatre. Look, Seb - I can’t begin to imagine what you are going through, but it’s not the Dr.’s fault. I get that you’re angry. Be fucking angry with the bastard that did this to her. But not the person who tried to save her life.”

  “You’re right.” I span my hand across my face to try and hide my frustrations from him but instead he just ignores my attempts and embraces me in another hug. “We’ll get through this mate and at least she’s through the worst of it now. Lu’s a trooper.”

  She is that. She is strong and kind and deserves so much more than this.

  I lift my head as I hear voices heading in our direction, and watch as Abby, Nina and Mac Myers jog down the corridor towards us. One look at all their faces and I can see my own pain reflected there.

  “Seb? What’s the news? Is she Ok? What’s happened?” Nina’s anguished flutter of words, are filled with a pleading I recognise from my earlier time with the surgeon. I enfold her in a quick welcome hug, do the same to Abby and shake Mac’s hand before explaining the situation in full detail to them.

  “Right, well I’ll go get this Doctor then shall I - to come and say her piece - to all of us? As far as we’re concerned Seb you are family.” I sigh in relief, watching Mac disappear in the direction of the doors, and feel Nathan pat my shoulder in comfort again.

  “Where was she?”

  I look at Nina’s anguished face and understand her worry. “She was on her way home from work and apparently some idiot ran her off the road, or so the coppers are saying. When they arrived at the scene – hers was the only vehicle there.”

  “So how do the police know she was run off the road?” Abby interjects.

  “Because, Abs, there were witnesses – apparently a dog walker described a car tailing her before the bridge on Wagon Lane and then a couple of other witnesses described a dark car driving alongside of her, racing, until they met oncoming traffic. She was shunted into a wall so the idiot could save himself.”

  “Oh my poor girl. Are the Police here?”

  “Don’t worry, Nina. I’ve spoken to them and there will be an investigation, but I just wanted to be here for Lu.”

  “Of course, hunny – we can sort all that out later. Broken cars can be fixed but bones are more tricky.”

  “Seb can I have a word?” I look up as Abby waves me over and we excuse ourselves, moving a little further down the hall. “I need to tell you something.”

  “What’s up Abby?”

  “Ok. Lu and I met a few days ago and she was worried – she’d been feeling a bit freaked out about being watched, you know?”

  “No, Abs I don’t – what are saying?”

  “I don’t know whether I should tell you – maybe we should wait until Lu wakes
up and then she can discuss it with you. It might be nothing… this was a bad idea. I think I’ll wait…”

  “Abby! - For fucks sake - your killing me here. What is the problem? If you have information that could shed light on what’s happened tonight, spill it now - we’ll deal with any repercussions later.” I soften my voice as I assess her pale face. “Please, Abs.”

  “For weeks she’s felt like she’s being watched – at first she thought it was all in her head, then she started noticing a car, a dark car, parked outside her house. She’s felt she was watched at your house on a few occasions, and at the party at the Ashton – it was all starting to stress her out and she mentioned it to me yesterday for the first time. She said she thought things had gone missing and that maybe someone had been in the house? You don’t think this is something to do with it, do you? Oh God. I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything yesterday.”

  My skin blisters with goosebumps as her words wash over me. What the hell had Lu been hiding from me? Is this what she’d been trying to tell me? I shake off my own concerns and out on my best brave face, slipping an arm around Lu’s best friend in thanks for her breaking the girl-code and give her cheek a kiss as we walk back to the others. “Thanks for telling me Abs – I’ll look into this. It’s probably nothing to worry about but I’m glad you told me.”

  “Do you think?”

  “I don’t know but I’ll get to the bottom of it. I promise.”

  With a weak smile she nods. “Oh and there’s something else…”

  More, really? “Right?”

  “That same day Lu told me she was pre…”

  Suddenly, the commotion to our right, drowns out any words Abby is trying to communicate, as Mac returns with the surgeon, interrupting any further discussions. All current conversations are forgotten.

  “Right, are we all here? I have a surgery that can’t wait, so I’ll get right to it if that’s OK.” We all nod in rapt silence. “Ok. Ms Myers suffered a dislocated wrist and a difficult fractured scaphoid, which we have re-set in surgery - it will heal nicely - now it has been put back into place. She has minor cuts and bruises, which have been stitched where necessary, in particular to her temple, where we had one of our plastic surgeon team sort her wound - it should heal with minimal scarring. When she was admitted, she was initially unconscious, due to a nasty bang to the skull, we will monitor her for the after effects of that and she has a nasty concussion, but I am not concerned about swelling to the brain… now.”

  “Thank God for that.” Nina’s interruption says what everyone else is thinking.

  “However, on admittance her blood pressure was dangerously low and all her observations in A&E led us to a possible internal bleed. We reacted quickly and in Theatre we finally localised the bleeding and its culprit. We resolved things and her blood pressure returned to a more manageable level.”

  “What caused the internal bleeding?” Mac Myers asks Dr. Haines, concern etched across his face.

  “Mr. Myers, perhaps we can discuss this is private.” The doctor’s eyes dart back and forth between the intimate group of family and friends gathered around her, desperate for information.

  “No, no, you can say what you have to say in front of everyone here. We are all Lucia’s family.”

  “In that case, this will be hard to hear for all involved, but I am sorry for your loss.”

  Abby’s sharp in take of breath is enough to set panic amongst us all, but the Doctor continues. In fact I hear my own curse under my breath.

  “Ms. Myers was around 7.5 weeks pregnant and I’m afraid she suffered a miscarriage during the crash.”

  It’s as though everything has gone into slow motion as I hear the last parts of her spiel. “…I’m afraid she suffered a miscarriage. Ms. Myers was around 7.5 weeks pregnant… I’m afraid she suffered a miscarriage.”

  She was pregnant? She was pregnant. Pregnant. Carrying our baby.

  NO! Why hadn’t she told me? Seven weeks?

  She must have conceived the first time we slept together; the morning after pill must have never worked. But that was only five weeks ago, she must have been ovulating - talk about destiny! Oh, Jesus. I’m not sure how I feel right now - in shock? Empty. Angry and utterly devastated for a loss I didn’t really have or know anything about!

  “Will she be able to have more children, Doctor?” Mac asks quietly and I hold my breath.

  “Like I say, she’ll make a full recovery – just give her time. I’ve arranged for a bereavement counsellor to visit her whilst she’s in the hospital and she’ll have regular check-ups with her gynaecologist.”

  That was something at least. The thought of having to tell her, that her choice had been taken away, when she came to - as well as the fact that she’d lost our baby was unthinkable.

  I can hear the Surgeon saying her goodbyes in the background and her hand on my arm and mutter of, “I’m sorry for your loss.” I’m too floored to speak.

  “Oh, Seb lad - come here.” Nina’s perfumed embrace is supportive and unexpected. “She’ll be OK now. We’ll get her through this. I’ve a serious case of déjà vu here - just so sad about the circumstances.”

  “She lost our baby.”

  “I know, son, but you can’t think about that now. She’s alive - and that is the most important thing. Did you know she was pregnant? I certainly didn’t. I wonder if she even did with her periods?”

  I look up everything hazy and suddenly remember Finn – in all the rush I’d never given one thought to him. I’m appalled at myself. I think I remember Lu saying he was with Niall?

  “Where’s Finn?”

  “He’s fine, son, don’t worry he came back from Niall’s and I asked Suzie & Gino to come over to ours and look after him. Suzie wanted to come to the hospital with us and leave Gino with Finn but with what’s happened I’m so glad she didn’t – she would have been so upset and it wouldn’t be good for the bab...”

  She stops herself just in time and looks up at me sadly, her green Lucia eyes so warm and comforting and I nod in understanding. Suzie was five months’ pregnant herself - this would have been hard on her to deal with.

  “Look, I’m going to take a minute to process all this if that’s ok - you and Mac go and see her first and then I’ll go sit with her.”

  “You sure - Nathan, you’ll look after him?”

  “No probs, Mrs. M. Abby and I will be here. I promise.”

  “I know you will.”

  I pull myself together as Abs and Na hug me in quick succession before I excuse myself for some much-needed fresh air. I’m claustrophobic from the web of emotions wrapped tightly around my mind and clawing at my heart.

  Lucia was pregnant, no had been pregnant with my baby, and some bastard had taken it all away from us in the blink of an eye. When I found out who’d done this, they would fucking pay.

  *****

  Counting to three, I look down at my feet and try to maintain my breathing. My nerves are shot to pieces. I knew she was OK - over the worst of it - Nina had told me as much and Abby and Nathan. They’d all been providing me with regular updates, along with the medical team as I handled the Police and obtained as much information in relation to the accident as I could. I told myself it was for Lu - for her insurance purposes but the reality is, now that I’ve got that evidence I wanted the facts just as much if not more for my own needs - there was no fucking way I was going to let this one go.

  The Police had informed me that witnesses had reported a dark saloon driving carelessly alongside Lucia at the time of the accident, causing the car coming down the hill in the opposite direction to swerve to avoid the saloon, and head straight for Lu’s car - she was forced into a wall to avoid the third party.

  My jaw hurt, from clenching down on my teeth in anger. What the fuck had this person been on and why her? Something I’d immediately asked the officers and been scared shitless by their answers. In their opinion this had been sabotage. It had been a deliberat
e attack - nothing random and most certainly planned. Which meant our unborn child had been murdered.

  Take a breath mate and put your hatred for this arsehole to one side - this has to be about your woman now - she needs you and you’re no good to her if you can’t give her everything. She deserves everything.

  With a tentative push, I enter the hospital room and feel myself going back in time to that day four years ago; like I’ve walked through a portal into 2011 - it even smelled the same. God, I feel sick. Just like last time, she lies unmoving within the bed, her frame petite within the setting - apparatus recording her readings and tubes running from her arms. She’s fine though - I convince myself. Broken, but still alive. My rusty prayers had been answered.

  Her head wrapped in a bandage, a cast covers her wrist and her eyes are both blackened like a panda - Oh, baby. What have they done to you? As if I’d spoken the words aloud, she opens them and smiles weakly. “Seb, you’re here. I’ve been asking for you.”

  “I’m here, darling. Gave us all a bit of a shock didn’t you?” I’m aware that my attempts to lighten the mood fail miserably when my voice breaks. “Don’t ever leave me like that again, Lu - I almost didn’t survive!”

  We kiss passionately and she winces, causing me to jump back apologetic. “What did I do?”

  “Just pulled the cover too tight - I’m fine, honestly. The drugs are goood - I feel so out of it.”

  “That’s probably for the best. You’ve only just had surgery. When did you wake up?”

  “Not long - when my mum was in? I don’t know - no one’s really telling me anything and I keep drifting in and out - dreaming…” Her eyes close once again and I smile. Bless she always fights sleep, whether she’s been drugged or not.

  Stroking her arm gently, I take a seat next to her, noticing the flowers around the room - she’d only been there hours and the room was full of roses, lilies and peonies - her favourite. My popular girl.