Sirens sounded as police and EMTs grew closer to the building, but Gabe was focused on the smooth skin of Sloane’s wrist beneath his finger. He watched her face as Sophie pulled back from CPR while Nash continued chest compressions.
“How long should it take to work?” Gabe asked as Sloane continued to lie motionless.
“Five minutes maybe,” Piper said, never taking her eyes from Sloane. She looked down at her watch. “She’ll be okay. It’s only been two and a half minutes since she was injected. We got to her fast.”
The room was quiet except for the soft sobs of those surrounding Sloane. “In here!” someone shouted a minute later.
Gabe looked up as police, with guns drawn, rushed into the theater. “Hands up! Get on the ground!”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Aniyah called out as she blocked them from the stage. She gave a squeak as an officer spun her around and handcuffed her.
“DeAndre Drews, State Police. I’m in charge of this scene. We need EMTs immediately!” DeAndre boomed as he held up his badge and marched forward.
“Drews, huh?” An officer grabbed the badge and called it in.
“Ask for Detective Andrea Braxton while you’re calling me in. She’s the police liaison for this case with FBI Agent Ryan Parker.” DeAndre stood tall with his hands on his hips and stared down the officer. “Now uncuff my girlfriend or I’ll knock the shit out of you.”
A voice on the other end of the radio came through and cleared DeAndre’s identity as EMTs rushed in and Aniyah was uncuffed. Gabe wasn’t paying attention, though. He and Piper were staring at Sloane.
“Two minutes since injection,” Piper said faintly. With every minute that passed, Gabe felt hope fading.
EMTs pushed onto the stage. “Overdose,” one said as they took in the needle on the ground next to Piper. “Get the naloxone kit.”
“No!” Piper shouted, blocking Sloane’s body. “I’ve injected an antidote. Naloxone won’t save her. It isn’t heroin. It’s White Lace.”
“There’s no antidote for White Lace,” the EMT said as they put in an IV and bagged Sloane so they could continue to get oxygen into her.
“There is now . . . maybe. She’s in full cardiac arrest,” Piper told them as she looked at her watch. “For four minutes and thirty-eight seconds.”
“When was CPR administered?”
“Immediately,” Nash responded. “It’s been continual,” he said as he continued the compressions.
“Shock her!” the head EMT called out as the men and women with him scrambled to hook her up to the defibrillator. “Stand back,” he ordered.
“Shocking,” a young woman said and pressed a button.
Gabe reared back as Sloane’s body spasmed from the shock. Nash immediately resumed CPR. Gabe reached for her hand, but the EMT was already telling them to stand back again. The defibrillator recharged and was ready for another jolt.
“Shocking,” the woman called out before pressing the button the second time.
Gabe recoiled as Sloane’s body jumped. All was quiet for a second as Nash immediately resumed CPR, but that second was all it took to hear the faint beep of a heartbeat on the monitor.
“We’ve got a heartbeat!” the EMT called out as everyone gave muffled cries of relief. Gabe let out a strangled cry as he reached for Sloane’s hand.
“You’re okay, sweetheart. Can you hear me? Sloane?” Gabe called, praying for any sign of life.
“Step back, sir. We’re going to transport her to the hospital.”
Gabe had to let go of her hand and was left back in the arms of his family, helplessly watching the woman he loved fight for her life.
“Gabe.”
Everyone froze as Sloane suddenly sucked in a lungful of air and sat straight up on the floor. The EMTS who were attempting to place her on the stretcher jumped with surprise as Gabe shoved past them.
“Sloane, sweetheart, talk to me, please,” Gabe pleaded as he looked into her shocked face.
“What happened to me?” she asked as she grabbed his hand. Gabe pulled her to him and cried with relief.
30
Sloane remembered getting ready to go on the stage. Then her heart began to beat so fast it felt as if it would explode. She had staggered forward, wanting to reach Gabe when everything went black.
The next thing she remembered was a rush. Her whole body felt as if it had been stripped bare and then flooded with energy. She’d sucked in a breath and her eyes had popped open.
“What’s everyone doing here?” Sloane asked Gabe as she saw Piper on her knees crying. Mo held a tearful Dani, and Mila openly sobbed into Zain’s shirt. “Did someone die?”
Gabe choked and then cupped her face between her hands. “You did, sweetheart. Oh God, I thought I lost you.”
Sloane looked around and down at her. Her dress was ripped and defibrillator pads were on her. Nash and Sophie were next to Piper. Nash was covered in sweat.
“Ma’am, you overdosed on White Lace,” the EMT explained to her. “This lady administered an antidote I didn’t even know existed while these folks performed CPR.”
“Valentina,” Sloane whispered, fear shocking her already fragile system.
“Abby took care of that,” Gabe murmured.
“Where did you get the drugs, ma’am?” an officer asked, pushing his way into the conversation now that Sloane was stabilizing.
“She didn’t,” Abby said, appearing from behind the crowd. “I was right behind her. Some man stabbed her with it and ran off.”
“Did anyone get him?” the officer asked.
“No. He got away.”
Sloane grasped Gabe’s hand. They would never be safe.
Gabe pulled her to him and put his lips to her ear. “Sloane, listen to me. Abby got her. Bridget and Ahmed dragged her away. I saw it. Abby must be up to something.”
“Why would someone stab you with White Lace?” the officer asked.
“Excuse me, but this conversation can be moved to the hospital,” Gabe said, standing and putting himself between Sloane and the officer. “Call Detective Braxton and have her meet us there.”
“I give the orders here.”
“Not with her you don’t,” Gabe told him with a deathly calm.
“And who are you to order me around?”
“Prince Gabriel Ali Rahman, and I forbid you to question my girlfriend until she’s received medical care.”
“She’s a suspect—”
“Guards, move Miss Holiday to the hospital.”
Sloane leaned past Gabe to see who had spoken now. “Draven?”
“And who are you, another prince?” the officer snorted as a senior officer started to smack him.
“No, I’m the other prince,” Mo said stepping forward. “Prince Mohtadi Ali Rahman,” Mo said with a lifetime of power behind his words.
“I am King Draven Nassar of Bermalia, and you had better be ready to explain to the President of the United States why you denied medical care to my friend.”
“You’re free to take Miss Holiday, but I’d recommend the ambulance,” the older officer said respectfully.
“Thank you,” Draven said with a nod to the EMTs, who instantly picked Sloane up.
Sloane couldn’t process what was happening. It was all too much, and she wasn’t herself yet. “Wait!” she called out. “You all came to my graduation.” Tears pressed against her eyes when she realized she had a massive crowd of people there to support her. “And I didn’t even get to walk across the stage and get my diploma.”
Gabe was at her side. “How do you feel?”
“I have a massive headache, but otherwise I feel okay. I still can’t believe I’m alive. Piper, thank you.”
Piper squeezed Sloane’s hand. “I’m glad it didn’t kill you.” She laughed with relief.
“Let’s see what we can do about getting you that diploma.” Gabe smiled down to her.
“President Fellows, I’m sure you can get everyone to take their seats,” Dani
suggested, even as it came out as an order.
The bald little man bobbed his head as he hurried to the microphone. Sloane watched as the audience moved back to their seats, whispering among themselves. Her classmates, EMTs, and the police cleared the stage.
“Ian Gyles,” President Fellows announced. Sloane watched as the young man crossed the stage with a slightly stunned look to get his diploma. “Sloane Holiday.”
Sloane put a hand on Gabe’s arm, and even though she felt slightly weak, it was worth it to hear the cheers of the crowd. Her smile couldn’t have been any wider as she shook the president’s hand and accepted her diploma. She’d almost given up her life to get it. But with Gabe’s help, she’d accomplished her dream.
Sloane turned and blew a kiss to the entire row of friends from Keeneston. She was waving to them when their mouths fell open in surprise. Sloane turned to ask Gabe what happened but she gasped, too.
Gabe was on one knee, holding out the largest, brightest emerald ring she’d ever seen. “I was going to give you time,” Gabe said, reaching for her hand and taking her diploma from her. President Fellows happily stepped up to take it and stepped back out of the way.
“I wanted to give you time to get used to becoming a princess. I wanted to give you time to love me as much as I love you. But today I realized time can be taken from us. And today I realized time didn’t matter. What matters is what we both realized the second we met. We were meant for each other. Our bodies, our minds, and our hearts already know that.”
Sloane shook her head and tears silently rolled down her cheeks as she looked at the love of her life. “I don’t need time to know you’re the only man I want. I love you, Gabe.”
“Then, Sloane, will you be my princess, my partner, my one love, my light, and my wife? Will you marry me?”
Sloane cried happy tears as she nodded. “Yes,” she answered, her voice raspy with emotion. She watched as Gabe slipped the ring onto her finger to the deafening cheers of a theater full of people.
Gabe stood up and kissed her. This time he didn’t hold anything back. The cheering crowd disappeared the second his lips touched hers. The electric touch strummed through her body as he picked her up and carried her from the stage.
* * *
Gabe couldn’t stop smiling. Sloane had said yes. He sat on the hospital bed with her, her hand in his, as they waited for all her test results to come back. So far Piper’s antidote had worked wonderfully.
There was a knock on the sliding glass door and it opened a second later. Abby walked in, smiling at them.
“You!” Sloane said, holding out her other hand and motioning for Abby to take it. “I have to thank you. I’ve already told Piper I’d name our first child after her, so I’m sorry all I can give you is my eternal gratitude. You did get my sister, didn’t you?”
Abby nodded her head. “I got her. That’s why I’m here.”
“Why did you tell the police that some man stabbed me and then got away?”
“Because I killed your sister. She went after me with a syringe full of White Lace. I won. I’m sorry, Sloane, but I didn’t want any questions asked because there’s more.”
Sloane shook her head. She should have felt sadness, but all she felt was a sense of peace until . . . ”What about my parents?”
“The cartel leader and some of his soldiers have been rounded up with all the evidence the FBI and DEA found at the Malone compound. The brother of the arrested head of the family is the new leader of the cartel and is pissed. He blames the Malones. Your mother and father are also dead. They were killed in prison an hour ago. I’m sorry, Sloane.”
Gabe felt Sloane go stiff next to him. “Then I’m in danger from the cartel. They’ll kill me.”
“Chanel Malone is already dead. Why would they kill Sloane Holiday? No one would have any reason to go after you. I would advise letting my brother, Kale, build you a fake background. He’s good, damn good. He can get you pictures of a childhood you never had, school records, and even pictures of you in a yearbook for a school you never went to. Not to mention making certain name-change documents suddenly disappear. No one from Keeneston will talk and all reference to you in legal papers is as Jane Doe or as Lisa Malone’s daughter,” Abby explained.
“Call Kale,” Gabe said quietly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Sloane safe.”
“But what about my mother being in Keeneston?”
“The new head of the cartel is offering five million for Valentina, dead or alive. I’ve talked with Ryan. The reports read as ‘Lisa Malone’s daughter’. Everyone will think it was Valentina hiding the recipe for White Lace, and it was Valentina who got her mother caught. A leak to a big-time reporter will confirm that Valentina was an informant for the DEA and FBI. They were in Lexington to purchase a horse, and it is all very shocking to the quiet small town of Keeneston. Meanwhile, Valentina’s body will be delivered to the cartel. It’ll be over. There will be no one from the Malone family alive for the cartel to hunt. Do you understand? Chanel Malone must stay dead.”
“Do it,” Sloane told her with determination. “I have a future to look forward to. I wanted my freedom, and now I have it. I always felt as if I were really Sloane, and now I am.”
Abby smiled at them. “Then let me offer you my congratulations. I’m very happy for you both, but now I need to take a little trip south of the border. I’ll be back for the wedding,” she winked.
“Who is she?” Sloane asked once Abby was gone.
Gabe laughed and then kissed his future wife long and hard. “She’s our guardian angel.”
“Uh, excuse me,” the doctor said, clearing his throat. “Miss Holiday, you can go home. Whatever this antidote is that Dr. Davies gave you, it worked phenomenally. There’s no trace of White Lace anywhere in your system. How are you feeling?”
Sloane looked into Gabe’s eyes. “Like I’ve been given a new life.”
* * *
The next morning, Sloane sat in the living room at Gabe’s penthouse in Lexington and held her future husband’s hand. Gemma Davies sat across from them with a giant smile on her face.
“I feel so foolish. I didn’t realize you’re the famous writer! Taylor Everett has been in your movies. She’s my favorite actress.” Sloane said, still not believing it.
“Yes, well, I still enjoy writing columns for my little newspaper. It brings me back to the old days of when I was a gossip reporter. Gabe getting hitched is the gossip scoop of the year.”
People from the graduation crowd had filmed the entire proposal along with Sloane dying and being brought back to life. Sloane and Gabe hadn’t watched the news clip and never would. Luckily, no one had paid attention to the woman Abby was battling while Sloane was dying. This morning the cartel had received Valentina’s body wrapped in a ribbon. Abby had leaked a picture to the Mexican press. It was now widely known and reported that the entire Malone family was dead.
That morning, Sloane had also received a thick packet from Nash. Kale, Abby’s brother, had flown in the night before and worked all night with Nash to develop Sloane’s background. He’d reported that the name-change file had been burned by someone named Dylan Davies while Kale deleted all digital records of it. Also inside the folder were hundreds of pictures of Sloane as a child, a teen, and in college. Two people who looked faintly like Sloane were pictured with her on vacation and at graduation from high school. There was an obituary for her parents’ death right after she’d graduated from high school. They’d died in a car accident. There was even a police report included.
“Now, tell me how you two met?” Gemma asked.
“I was a waitress at Billy’s,” Sloane began as she and Gabe told her the story, minus the life-and-death situations.
“And after you survived that crazed addict attacking you with White Lace, you must have a new outlook on life?” Gemma asked.
When the police officers and Detective Braxton arrived the hospital, the story had already been laid out by Ryan and Abby.
Abby, who was next to Sloane in the graduation line, stated that a person had grabbed her cap and pushed his way toward the stage. Abby could tell he was on something and tried to grab him. He thought it was Sloane trying to steal his drugs and stabbed her with the needle full of White Lace. Abby gave chase, but he got away.
“Yes. I feel as if I get to start all over. Only this time, I’ll have Gabe by my side. I was afraid to love a prince, but almost losing him was enough to realize I’d give anything to have one more minute with him. All those silly fears and worries disappeared the moment he asked me to marry him. Love is all that matters.”
“The Waitress and the Prince. It’ll be the title of the piece running tomorrow,” Gemma told them as she thanked them for the interview and snapped a couple of pictures. “But now we have to go or you’ll be late to your own graduation slash engagement party.”
* * *
Gabe walked through the patio doors with Sloane on his arm. They were laughing and smiling as they accepted hugs and well wishes from everyone in Keeneston. The walls Sloane had built up to protect herself had crumbled, and he didn’t know how he could love her more than he already did, but it was possible.
“I can’t wait to get married,” Gabe whispered in her ear.
“Then let’s not. If this experience has taught me anything, it’s that I’ve been waiting my whole life to love someone and to be loved. I’m no longer afraid, Gabe. I want to be your wife, your princess, and your partner. How soon do you think we can get married?”
“Two weeks!”
“Mom!” Gabe rolled his eyes. “How did you hear that?”
Sloane laughed as Dani beamed halfway across the patio while Miss Lily casually tried to hide the listening device behind her. “You make sure everything royal is taken care of while I have a word with Father Ben.”
Gabe covered her lips with his and kissed her hard and fast. “I’ll do anything if it means I get to marry you sooner.”
Sloane watched Gabe walk over to his parents before heading to Father Ben, who was standing near the bonfire lighting the night sky. Ben clasped her hand in his as soon as she neared. “I’m so thankful you are safe.”
Forever Concealed Page 23
