by Nicola Jane
I look up and spot Alaric at the window, smirking. I’m so mad and yet so exhausted that I don’t move quick enough to stop Lake from rushing out and grabbing Alaric by the collar. He shoves him against the glass window, and I’m thankful that the office is empty. “You think that was funny?” asks Lake.
“Lake,” I snap. “Let go of him!”
Lake pulls his fist back and smashes it into Alaric’s face, then Alaric shoves Lake away and punches him right back in the jaw. I rush to them, pulling them apart as they continue to try and punch each other. “You let him fucking touch you?” yells Lake.
“Of course, she did,” growls Alaric. “We’re together.”
Lake growls and shoves Alaric hard. He catches himself and charges towards Lake, knocking me out of the way as he does. I fall back, losing my balance and crashing into the door, which isn’t closed properly. It slams back against the wall with me against it, shattering the panel of glass, and I land in a heap on all fours. Both men stop and turn to me. My stomach landed across the bottom piece of broken pane, and when I try to pull free, a pain rips through me. I cry out, gripping my stomach, and when I pull my hand away, it’s covered in blood. I look at Lake in shock, holding up my hand for him to see. He drops to his knees beside me and lifts my jacket away so he can see my stomach. His face pales and his eyes give way that something bad has happened.
Suddenly, everything speeds up. Alaric’s speaking into his mobile, explaining everything to the ambulance dispatch. Lake is holding my hand tightly, reassuring me that I’m gonna be fine. “I have an appointment,” I whisper. “The adoption people.”
“Don’t worry about that now,” he says, rubbing my bloodied hand.
“But I need them to know that my answer is no. I changed my mind. I’m keeping him,” I say, adding a smile.
“We can tell them once you’re sorted,” Lake assures me.
LAKE
I watch the paramedics tend to Sara while the fire brigade works out a way to remove her from the door panel without her losing her insides. A sharp piece of glass is embedded in her abdomen, and they’re worried if they remove it here, she’ll bleed out.
Eventually, they settle on cutting the bottom panel away and taking it with Sara to the hospital, where they’ll remove it safely. “Are you her boyfriend?” asks one of the paramedics.
“No, I am,” answers Alaric, pushing forward.
I bite my tongue and go back to Sara’s side while they explain things to him. Sara’s dad rushes in and stops dead, staring at the scene before him. “What the fuck happened?” he yells.
“This piece of shit pushed her,” shouts Alaric.
My mouth falls open. “That’s not what happened, and you know it!” I snap.
“Tell it to the cops,” her dad snarls. “I want him arrested for assault,” he says over his shoulder. Two officers walk in, and I groan.
“You gotta be shitting me. I didn’t touch her.”
“We’ll establish facts down at the station, sir,” says one of the officers. “Are you gonna come quietly or do I need to put the cuffs on you?”
“Can I just speak to her for one sec?” I ask, and the cop nods. I crouch next to Sara, who’s drowsy from blood loss and pain relief medication. “Baby, I gotta go.” She reaches for my hand and makes a noise, letting me know she doesn’t want me to leave, and I smile at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back. Stay strong until I get back to you. I love you, Sara. I really love you.” I kiss her on the head, and she smiles weakly. “If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you,” I snarl at Alaric.
“Lake,” Sara whispers. I stop as she mouths the words ‘I love you too’ back at me.
The cop steps forward. “Let’s go.”
“I told you, I didn’t touch her. That piece of crap came running at me and knocked her out the way. She’ll tell you herself once she’s able to,” I tell the interviewing cop. He glances at his cop friend and something passes between them. “She is okay, right?”
“Look, we just need to establish what happened. It was a serious assault, and I won’t lie to you, she’s in a bad way.”
“And the baby?” I ask.
“We really don’t know any more. Let’s get back to this,” he says. “Who threw the first punch?”
I groan. “Me.”
“And why was that?”
“He pissed me off.”
“Because he’s in a relationship with Miss Falcon?”
“No, because he’s a dick. Look, charge me or let me go. I need to be with her.”
“Sir, you can’t go anywhere near her in light of the allegations.”
“But he can?” I yell my question.
“He’s her partner and the father of her baby.”
“He isn’t.” I scrub my face with my hands. I’m so frustrated right now. “I am.”
“Sara’s father confirmed Alaric Clements is her boyfriend and the father of her child,” says the cop impatiently.
“He’s lying. He paid me off to stay away. I didn’t take the money because I know it’s my kid. I didn’t push her. I love her. I’d never hurt her.”
“But you have a record for assault, right?” The cop smirks, opening a paper file. “Two past charges for assault, one on a female.”
My heart sinks. “That was when I was a fucking teenager!” I yell. “That woman abused me. You’d better get my lawyer here,” I mutter.
“It’s not looking good.” My lawyer looks grim. “With your past and her father siding with this Alaric guy . . .” he trails off, shrugging.
“My past has fuck all to do with this,” I snap. “Go and ask Sara, she’ll tell you the truth.”
“I can’t do that. The police will do that once they can. For now, they want to hold you longer. They’ve applied to the courthouse to extend your stay in custody.”
“Are you shitting me?” I growl. “I’ve done nothing wrong. I need to be with her,” I state.
“Lake, the chances of you walking out of here and being allowed to see Sara are very slim. The first thing the police will do is tell you to stay away from her. As far as they’re concerned, she’s a victim of a crime you committed.”
“They have no evidence,” I point out.
“Apart from this Alaric guy who’s had stitches in his face because you assaulted him and admitted it. Of course, they’ll take his word over yours right now. You’ll be transferred out of here to a temporary holding cell until the morning, when they’ll interview you again. I’ll see you then.”
“Can I call Riggs?” I ask.
He hands me his mobile and steps outside the room, giving me some privacy. “What’s going on?” asks Riggs as soon as he answers.
“Some bullshit about me hurting Sara. It was her new boyfriend, nothing to do with me. Look, they’re gonna keep me here. They’re saying I can’t go near Sara, even when I get out. Ask Tillie to let Sara know that it’s not because I don’t wanna be with her. If I could, I would.”
“I’m sure she already knows that, Lake. Look, the last we heard, things weren’t looking good, man. Tillie’s with her at the hospital, but she said the doctors aren’t too hopeful right now.”
“Send Connor,” I snap. “To be there instead of me.”
“Brother, I don’t think they’ll allow that.”
“Just try, Riggs. I’ll also need a phone.”
“We’ll sort that. I’ll be in touch, brother. Stay focused.”
Chapter Thirteen
Sara
“Can you hear me?” a voice whispers in my ear. I try to open my eyes, but they feel so heavy, I can’t lift my hand to prise them apart. A loud beeping begins to quicken. “Sara, it’s okay. You’re okay. Try and stay calm.” It’s the same voice, but I can’t place it. Wetness coats my lips. It feels nice, but when I try to lick it away, something hard presses down on my tongue. I cough, realising that I have something in my mouth. I panic and begin coughing harder, then gagging. A buzzer sounds, and I hear a female voice.
“Stand back, Mr. Clements. We need to remove the tube.” That’s followed by a tugging sensation which makes me gag harder, and then it’s gone. I suck in a deep breath—my throat is burning, and my mouth is dry. “Sara, I’m a nurse in the London General Hospital. Can you open your eyes for me?” I try again and this time, I see slits of light. “You’re doing amazing,” says the nurse. When I finally get them open and the room comes into focus, I see Alaric smiling down at me. My heart hammers in my chest as I begin to remember. “My baby,” I whisper.
“All in good time. Let’s get you sorted first,” says the nurse. “I’m sure you need a drink.” She holds a sponge on a white stick and rubs my lips again. Water trickles onto my tongue. “We’ll sit you up slightly,” she adds, pressing a button to raise my head. I gently place my hand over my stomach and feel padding, like bandages.
“My baby,” I repeat.
Alaric moves back to my side and takes my hand. “Sweetheart,” he says gently, “they had to remove the baby to save your life.” My eyes widen, and he rushes to calm me. “He’s in the neonatal unit.”
The nurse smiles, pulling out her phone and holding up a picture of a tiny baby lying flat on its back with his arms and legs spread either side of him like a little frog. “He was born at twenty-four weeks. It’s not great, but many babies survive being born this early. We’re doing everything we can for him.” Tears roll down my cheeks as I grip her phone and stare closer at the picture. “You’ll be able to visit him once you’re feeling a little more mobile.”
I open my eyes and blink a few times. I keep drifting off to sleep like I have no control of it. Alaric’s still here. He smiles and moves to my side. “What happened?” I ask. My memory is fuzzy.
“Your ex turned up at the office,” says Alaric. He points to some Steri-Strips on his eyebrow. “He got mad. He didn’t like that we were hooking up.” Seems like Lake. “He got hands-on with you,” he adds, and I frown. That doesn’t sound like Lake at all. “He pushed you, and you fell into the door. It smashed and some of the glass went into your stomach.”
I place my hand over my stomach again. The padding makes sense now. “You lost a lot of blood. They thought you weren’t gonna make it. I’m so glad you did.” He squeezes my hand again, and I smile weakly. I need to see Lake. It just doesn’t sound like him. He’s never been violent towards me.
“Has he been to see me?” I ask.
Alaric shakes his head. “No. He was arrested shortly after the incident. He’s not been to the hospital at all. Your friend, Tillie, and another guy, erm, Connor? They came by, but I sent them away. You’re not up for visitors.”
“I’d like to see Tillie.”
He smiles stiffly. “Let’s see our son first,” he says. I frown again at his use of the word ‘our’ and he notices. “Seeing you hurt like that made me realise what’s important. And we were getting on, weren’t we?” he asks, and I nod. “I think we should make a real go of it.”
“It’s a lot to take in,” I manage to mutter.
“Of course, it is. I’ll let you rest and come back to see you later. I have a meeting with your dad soon anyway.” He kisses me on the forehead and leaves.
I’m drifting back to sleep when the nurse pops her head in. “You have a visitor. Mr. Clements asked that no visitors be allowed, but I wanted to check with you.”
“I want visitors,” I say, and she smiles, opening the door wider. Jacob steps in, and I burst into tears. I’m so happy to see him that when he leans in to kiss me, I throw my arms around him and hold him tight. “It’s so good to see you,” I whisper.
“You’d better tell me what’s been going on.” He takes a seat, and I fill him in.
“It just doesn’t sound like something Lake would do,” I finish.
“Trust your gut. You’re good at judging people, and if you say Lake wouldn’t do that on purpose, I believe you.”
“Maybe it could have happened accidentally,” I say, shrugging. “But Alaric made it sound like he attacked me.” I frown, trying to remember.
“Where’s Lake now?” asks Jacob.
I shrug. “Apparently, he was arrested, but he hasn’t been to the hospital.”
“You want me to go see him? Find out what happened?”
I smile gratefully. “That’s a good idea. You fancy meeting my baby boy before you play detective?” I ask, and Jacob smiles wide. “Take that as yes. Go get the nurse, she said she’d take me.”
The nurse insisted on pushing me around in a wheelchair, but once we get onto the neonatal ward, I stand. Inside a small plastic box is my baby. He’s so tiny, it’s a miracle he’s here. Tears fill my eyes. There’re tubes and machines beeping as Jacob takes my hand. “He’s so tiny,” he whispers.
“He’s doing really well,” says a second nurse, smiling. “He’s a little fighter. Have you thought of a name?”
I shake my head, not taking my eyes off the tiny bundle. “You can touch him, just put your hand through the side,” she says, pointing to a circular hole. I carefully push my shaking hand inside and gently stroke him. He automatically grips my finger when I press it against his palm, and I smile with tears in my eyes.
LAKE
I drum my fingers against the countertop. I was released on police bail two nights ago on the condition I stay away from Sara and I report back to this damn station every day to prove I haven’t skipped the country.
I sign my name on the dotted line then head back to the club. It’s never felt more like a prison than it does right now. Tillie can’t even see Sara because her prick of a boyfriend is stopping all her visitors.
“Lake, a visitor,” shouts Riggs from his office.
I pop my head in and see the guy who was with Sara at Six that first night. “Hey,” he mutters.
“Is she okay?”
He nods as I step into the office. “She sent me to see you. Alaric told her what happened, but she doesn’t believe him.”
My girl knows me well and it makes me feel happier just knowing that. “Because he’s a fucking liar,” I snap. “He pushed her and then blamed it on me when her dad came.”
“So, she doesn’t remember anything?” asks Riggs. “Cos that means a fucking big problem for Lake.”
“She will remember. She’d only been awake a few hours when I got there. I had to wait for Alaric to leave and practically beg the nurse to see her. I don’t like this guy, he’s too full on,” says Jacob.
“I can’t go near her,” I say. “Not until the police get to the truth. Is the kid okay?”
Jacob nods, smiling. “I got a picture, if you wanna see.”
I stare at him, battling with myself. I’m pretty certain the kid is mine, but there’s still a small doubt that she was telling the truth and it isn’t. I shake my head. Jacob frowns, then takes a deep breath. “You know he’s yours, right?” When I don’t reply, he sighs. “She’s my best friend. She tells me everything. When she told you he wasn’t yours, it was to set you free. Her plan to give him up for adoption was all set, but then you told her you wanted to be a dad, and she didn’t want to put you through the pain of the adoption. She’s keeping him, and if you don’t step up and claim him, Alaric sure as hell will.”
“Why would he do that?” asks Riggs.
“I don’t know, but I suspect it has a lot to do with her dad. He wouldn’t want his name associated with the Kings. Her parents are all about appearances.”
“She needs to remember so I can get these charges dropped. Until then, I can’t claim anyone,” I say. “Will you go back to see her?”
“I dunno. Depends on her bodyguard.”
“If you do, tell her I love her and I’m coming . . . for her and Leo,” I say.
“Leo?” repeats Jacob.
“It’s what we’re calling him.”
Jacob grins. “I’ll let her know.”
I pull out my mobile. “Send me the photo,” I say, showing him my number. I’ll look at it in my own time.
Connor opens the traile
r and screws his nose up. “Is that meat?” he asks, gagging. I throw him a pair of rubber gloves. “What?” he asks, his eyes wide.
I grin and turn my back, leaving Tiny to show him the ropes. I walk towards the water’s edge of the docks and sit on the wall with my feet dangling over the edge. I pull out my phone and unlock the screen. After a few minutes of staring at Leo, my thoughts are interrupted by Riggs calling me. “Vinn called, the licence has been denied,” he says.
“That piece of shit,” I snap. “Can we do anything about it?”
“Apart from kill the fucker?” jokes Riggs. “I dunno. I’m gonna try the mayor next, but I have a feeling this arse’s reach goes as far as him and higher.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sara
“Alaric, why are we here?” I ask, turning in my seat to face him. We’re outside my parents’ house. When Alaric said he’d collect me from the hospital, I assumed he’d take me home.
“It’s closer to the hospital so we can visit the baby daily. Plus, your father asked us to stay.”
“Both of us?” I ask. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he sees it too. We’re meant to be together, Sara.”
I get out of the car, avoiding the conversation because it’s all he ever says, and I’m tired of it. Mum greets me with a stiff nod. She’s waiting by the entrance like a doting mother. My dad appears behind her, smiling. “Welcome home, sweetie. Good to see you up and about.”
I wince with each step. The wound is padded and dressed, but it’s still sore. “We’ve made your old room up,” says Mum.
“We won’t be staying,” I mutter.
Alaric exchanges a glance with my dad, one that says he tried. “Nonsense. You’re staying. No arguments,” snaps Dad. “We’ve gone to a lot of trouble. Go and take a seat in the living room, and I’ll get us some tea,” he adds.
