Sinful (Goddaughter Book 2)

by Raven Crow

  “We are almost to the hospital where they took Sax.” I felt her soft hand on my hand I had on my lap.

  “What are you going to do about what you found out in those letters Gio? Are you going to talk to your parents about it?”

  “No—no way am I going to give away the element of surprise. My parents hid those from me for years and I intend to find out why.”

  “I will help you in any way that I can.”

  “Thank you that means a lot but I think that you should steer clear of this. I have no idea what kind of situation I’m diving into here but from the sound of that last letter it will be dangerous.”

  Chapter 18

  Jo

  I don’t think that I had ever seen a man scared before until I saw Gio’s face when we arrived at the hospital. He had seemed to be unreadable while remaining extremely, quiet the whole trip back. He had only spoken to Sax’s parents on the phone and maybe a few times to me.

  My eagerness to see Pen grew once we exited the elevator to the ICU floor. I spotted Pen through the glass of a waiting room straight ahead of us. I could tell immediately that she was clearly upset. She didn’t notice me when we entered the waiting room. She had her head cupped in her hands with her eyes closed wearing an expression that looked like she was thinking.

  Gio walked over to Sax’s parents in the opposite corner of the room to talk to them. I sat down next to Pen who had remained so fixed in thought that she still hadn’t noticed me.

  “Pen…?” I almost hated to pull her from her head but I had to let her know that I was there for her. “It’s your sister Jo.” I added while wrapping my arm around her.

  “I didn’t see it coming…he was only trying to help them. I don’t understand how this could happen to him.” She rambled while slowly opening her eyes. “He wouldn’t have even of been there if it wasn’t for me. This is my fault.”

  “No—don’t blame yourself for this Pen.” A man said. “Those men were to blame for this. They got themselves killed and they nearly killed Saxon at the same time. I shouldn’t have hired them.”

  “What happened, Pen? What men is he talking about?” I begged for details.

  “Two of the men on the crew that was repairing my families’ marina got into a fight, Sax and Blaine—I mean King Moreau II, tried to break it up. At first it seemed that they had got the men to stop but then one of the men started it up again. I don’t know how but the bait shack came crashing down on top of them all Sax included.” Pen pained out the story through a tear covered face. I hugged her.

  “I’m so sorry that this has happened. Have you heard anything from the doctor yet?”

  “No—not a thing, he is in surgery right now and we won’t know until after that. Now all we can do is sit here and wait.” She closed her eyes again.

  I looked up checking for Gio. I was surprised that he wasn’t in the room anymore. He had left without me noticing and without saying a word.

  “Don’t blame yourself for this, it was an accident. Sax is a very strong man he will pull through this.” I offered some comfort but I had no clue if he’d be ok.

  “I’m going to call a few people to see if I can get a specialist here to look at Saxon. I don’t trust these small hospitals. I’ll be right back Pen.” The man said to Pen, she nodded.

  He quickly exited before disappearing down the hall.

  “Who was that Pen I don’t think I have met him before?” I asked about the man.

  “That’s King Moreau II, have you not met him before now? He was at the wedding.” She asked to which I shook my head. “He was at your birthday party slash coming out party, remember?” She pressed with her eyes wide. I shook my head. “Ok I don’t know how you missed him. He’s the other king of the gypsies.”

  “Ok. I had not realized that he was working with you. You didn’t told me about the marina project. I guess because I was out of town?” I stated but really I was concerned that she hadn’t kept me in the loop. I wondered why?

  “It all came out of nowhere really. I didn’t even know that I had a marina. That old marina had been closed down for years before I was born. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you about it before hand.”

  “No—please don’t be sorry I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m being stupid right now. I was only concerned about you Pen. I love you sis.”

  “I love you too sis. I’m so glad that you are here with me right now Jo. Are you here alone?”

  “No Gio brought me. We came straight from Maple Ranch to the hospital. Gio was really worried about Sax.” I looked up while looking around in the surrounding halls but still I couldn’t see Gio. “He was here a minute ago. Maybe he went to talk to the doctors or something.”

  “I need to get some air.” Pen leaped to her feet before heading out the room. I followed her. “There is a roof access door over this way.” She opened a door to the stairwell before racing up the steps. I tried to keep up but she was going like a sports car.

  By the time I reached the top she was already outside. I opened the door to join her out on the roof. The town was blanketed in darkness and hundreds of small light dots which seemed to stretch out for miles. You could see the huge endless lake as it rippled under the glow of the moonlight.

  “This is beautiful. I never realized just how big Greenville was until now.” I gasped with my mouth wide.

  “I keep forgetting that you weren’t born here. This place is tiny compared to Bakersfield you just can’t tell because you can’t see Bakersfield from here the lake between us is too wide.” She informed me before she walked over to the roof’s edge. “So how was your vacation with Gio? Any exciting happen?” She winked at me.

  “What do you mean by exciting?”

  “Come on I know that you two are—well you know banging or you want to I can see it when you two are together. No one can hear us out here so you can tell me.” She pushed.

  “Honestly, yes something exciting did happen, twice now.” I spilled the truth. Her eyes spread wide.

  “Twice—really on vacation?”

  “No once on vacation and once on my birthday.”

  “Oh…I had no idea that you two had been together before now. How do you feel about him Jo…do you like him?”

  I wanted to tell her that I loved him but I fought back the words. My phone rang suddenly saving me.

  “Hello,” I answered without looking.

  [“Jo where did you two go…the doctor came back, come meet me by the ICU nurses’ station.” Gio ordered into the phone before disconnecting.]

  Normally such rudeness would have upset me but he wasn’t thinking clearly his thoughts were only on his friend’s health and recovery so I thought nothing of it.

  “That was Gio…the doctor came back. He wants me to meet him at the ICU nurses’ station.”

  “Ok let’s go.”

  She jetted off with me alongside her this time.

  *

  I saw Gio standing by the nurses’ station as he had said he would be. He was wearing the same unreadable face making it impossible to know what the doctor had said.

  “They said that we can go in two at a time. His parents are in there with him now.” Gio said to us.

  “So he’s going to be ok?” Pen asked.

  “Yes—but he has some injuries that they are going to keep him here for. What happened out there on the marina Pen? The doctors said that he had injuries to his back that appeared to be caused by a person not by falling debris.”

  “There was a fight on the marina between two of the crew. Sax and King Moreau tried to break it up twice the second time was when they fought by the bait shack. There were too many men blocking my view all I could see was their backs. I didn’t see Sax at all before the shack collapsed.” Pen looked over at me.

  I couldn’t believe that Sax was in the hospital let alone with such serious injuries that might have been intentional.

  “Well I called my father he’s looking into this situation further. If this
was some kind of tribal retaliation he’ll find out.”

  “I assure you that I am doing everything I can to get Saxon the best medical attention possible. I can promise you though that no one from my tribe meant any harm to befall Saxon. This was simply a situation that got out of hand and the men involved are dead, by their own doing.” King Moreau II approached us. He seemed to be sincere in his intentions but I didn’t know him.

  He seemed very young almost too young to be a king. His hair was light brown. His eyes were green with blue centers. He was very handsome.

  “I thank you for you offer but my family will surely take care of any bills associated with Sax’s recovery.” Gio demanded before he looked over at Sax’s room.

  “Saxon wants to see you all now.” Sax’s dad said while he held the door to his room open. “Come on all of you.”

  We all quickly piled into the room where Sax was sitting up in his bed like nothing had happened.

  “I could hear you all out there talking about paying my bills.” Sax barked.

  “Yes—I’m taking care of your expenses.” King Moreau II retorted.

  “And I told you that I will handle it.” Gio barked back.

  “Oh my God I can pay my own damn bill gentlemen.” Sax snapped back. It was the first time he had seemed angry.

  “Fine…I guess you won the pissing contest bro.” Gio barked back.

  Suddenly all three men started laughing. Pen and I looked at each other before rolling our collective eyes at their caveman like behavior.

  “I think that I am going to go grab something to drink would you join me please Pen?” I begged which she nodded to.

  We slipped out of the room as the men quickly turned into boys with their continued crass humor. I spotted a pop machine before moving towards it Pen stopped me.

  “Let’s go to the hospital cafeteria downstairs in the lobby. I need to get out of the ICU, if you know what I mean?”

  Once we were down in the lobby Pen raced over to the hospital café. I caught up to her. There was a retractable gate in front of the café’s entrance.

  “It looks closed to me.”

  “Here let’s go around to the back to see if we can get in from there.”

  “But what is the use if the place is closed?”

  “It doesn’t need to be open for us to seat down and enjoy the free coffee inside. Now follow me.” She arched her brows up twice with a huge grin.

  I followed her while we jetted off down the dark hallway which led us to a dead end. The hallway was blocked by construction plastic which hung from the ceiling to the floor.

  “Now what…this is the end of the road for us I guess?” I went to turn around while Pen lifted the plastic up before ducking under it to process down the hallway.

  “Come on Jo.” She waved to me.

  Against my better judgment I quickly followed her through to the other side of the plastic.

  “Now what the hallway is blocked by furniture we’ll never make it through that mess.” I pointed to the blocked hallway.

  She shook her head while pushing passed the furniture with ease. Her tiny body moved through the twisted up chairs and desk like they weren’t there at all. I carefully followed her while I made my way through nearly knocking down a stack of chairs.

  “Be careful don’t get hurt.”

  I wanted to shout to her that we should go back as I felt an uneasy feeling settling in my belly. I started looking around us to see if we were alone. The hallway had gotten narrower from all the stored furniture. The fluorescent lights were flickering on and off over our heads making our progression more difficult.

  “Are you sure that you want a drink this badly Pen? What if we get caught back here what are you going to say?” I struggled to keep up with her down the endless hallway.

  “I think I see a door to the kitchen just ahead. I am not sticking around to get caught so hurry up girl.” She snapped in a playful voice.

  “Ok alright I am right here.” I announced while emerging from the twisted messy hall.

  She was standing in front of a door with a smile like she’d found a treasure chest. She turned to open it surprisingly it opened on the first try.

  “Yes—I knew it come on we’re in Jo.” She walked through the doorway into a darkened room with me on her tail. “Let me find a light switch here she felt for a switch on the wall before flipping it causing the room to light up. “What—the hell is this?”

  We stood inside a room surrounded by examining tables and metal shelves filled with glass jars full of different body parts.

  “If this is the kitchen then I am never eating what they serve here.” I gagged.

  A loud sound came from outside in the hallway startling us. Pen scrambled for the light switch before shutting it off making the room incased in darkness again. I pushed the door closed careful not to slam it shut.

  “Someone is coming in here.” Pen mouthed to me with small sound.

  I realized she was right as I heard the sound of footsteps just outside of the door. Pen pulled me by my arm yanking me behind one of large examine table where both ducked down just as the door open and the lights came on exposing the room to the stranger inside.

  “Who is it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The person started to near the table that we were hiding behind. My heart pounded in my chest with every step they took towards us. I felt compelled to peak to see who was there. I snuck a peek from the side only seeing the legs of the person. Pen grabbed me pulling me back while she held me just as the person turned to leave the room. She shook her head while holding her index finger over her lips to urge me to be quite. I was paralyzed with fear while holding onto her. I held my breath while my body began to shake violently as the lights went off.

  Pen stood up leaving me on the floor. She waved me up but I shook my head refusing to move.

  “Are they gone…what if it is the killer Pen?”

  “Yes they are gone. Let’s get out of here.”

  “Who was that?” I stood up.

  “I don’t know. It sure wasn’t a hospital worker though.” She looked at me with a look of fear in her eyes.

  She must have had the same feeling that I had when the person was in the room with us.

  “Do you think that someone followed us back here?”

  “Maybe…I’m not taking any chances though. I want to get out of here.”

  “Ok…you lead I will follow you.”

  Chapter 19

  Pen

  I had come to feel like I was a patient after three weeks of sleeping on a sofa chair in the ICU next to Sax. All the nurses knew me by my first name the doctor had slipped up twice by calling me Mrs. Danes.

  Sax’s progress had been slow going he seemed unfocused while lacking motivation. I had even learned the daily routine of rehab exercises that he was supposed to do so that I could help him. Every time the doctor had come in to talk to Sax about his recovery I was sent out by him. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t let me know how things were going, what had he been hiding.

  He had sat all morning staring out the window into the parking lot at nothing. His hair had grown long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail. He had a beard and mustache which made him super handsome and more mature looking.

  “Hey sweetheart do you want anything to eat or do you want me to get you something to read?” I asked him while his head remained turned from me. “Hello…anyone home?” I added some humor which made him look.

  “What…huh…no, I don’t want anything thanks Pen. Why don’t you go on home and get some decent rest in a bed? There isn’t any reason for the both of us to be prisoners in here.” He pushed.

  “Is that how you feel, like you are a prisoner? I am sorry that this happened.” I took his hand into mine. “What has the doctor said about your injury? Did he tell you how long you need to stay in the hospital?”

  “Ha-ha he said that my recovery demands entirely on me, whatever that means.”
He scoffed.

  “So you can leave anytime you want than?” I asked for clarification.

  “Pen have you seen me even so much as move either one of my legs during any of the endless hours of rehab exercises?” He begged while tensing up his hand. “I’ll answer that for you—no, I haven’t moved a muscle.” He barked in a low tone.

  “I’m not trying to upset you Sax I only want to help. I’m going to go.” I stood to leave before he grabbed me by my arm slowly pulling me back. “I thought that you didn’t want me here.”

  “Please stay Pen. You’re the only thing that works right around here. I’m sorry about my negative attitude. I will try harder to shake it off but I’m not used to feeling stuck like this. My body doesn’t seem to want to listen to my brain.” He moved side to side while easing himself up more on the bed with his arms. “The doctor told me that I have some nerve damage in my back. He said that most of the damage isn’t permanent. However, he also said that some of the damage will never heal. So you see maybe the fact that I haven’t moved my legs means that I am not going to walk again.”

  “No it doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to walk again. Can you feel your legs?” I brushed my hand down his leg.

  “Yes I can feel your hand Pen but I still can’t get my leg to move even now.” He shook his head.

  “So you are not paralyzed?”

  “No I’m not paralyzed I just can’t make my body do anything I want it to do anymore. I feel like a big ball of dough.”

  I had run out of helpful suggestions. My positivity bucket had run dry leaving me silent.

  “I should call Gio to see when he’s coming by?”

  “No don’t bother him his is going to the coronation today and so should you as well, it is your marina after all. You should be there. I would feel even worse knowing that you are missing out on seeing how the marina turned out. Have you even seen any pictures of the marina since last we were there?”