“Yeah, about that.” Chris cleared his throat. “I had to talk to a lawyer too and an ethics committee member to make sure, but you’ll be happy to know I didn’t break patient-doctor confidentiality with Izzy.”
My mouth fell open. The wind stole my breath as I stuttered. “H—how is that po-possible?”
“The test we ran didn’t break any laws because Izzy signed off on the paperwork to have the paternity test. She just never came in to give me a blood sample. The papers she signed don’t say how we were taking samples, only that samples would be used.”
The news was like music to my ears. This night kept getting better. Not only was I home visiting my family with my beautiful fiancée and protecting her and our child, I was hoping to prove once and for all that I never slept with Izzy and I didn’t cheat on Mia. If the results showed that the baby my ex miscarried wasn’t mine, I could finally confront her.
Now all I had to do was tell Mia what Chris and I did.
~Mia~
The sound of the door sweeping open alerted me to the fact that Ayden had come back inside. As I placed my plate and fork in the kitchen sink, Kay rinsed them off. Despite how much I protested and assured her that I could do it, she wouldn’t hear of it.
I was on my way to find Ayden when he walked into the kitchen. His cheeks and hands were blood red, and his nose put a clown’s to shame. When he first left the table to take the call, I assumed he was going to another part of the house. After hearing the front door open and close, I knew I was wrong.
He was outside all this time on the phone, and apparently without a coat. Why had he felt the need to take his conversation someplace else anyway? The longer I observed him, the more I worried that Izzy had made the call.
“Hey.” I pulled him closer and grabbed his cold hands. “What did you do, forget your coat?”
“Yeah.” His teeth chattered.
I did my best to warm his hands, but he needed his whole body warmed. “Come on. Let’s get you in front of the fire. I can reheat your food whenever you’re ready.”
“Already on it, sweetheart,” Kay chimed in. I glanced at the microwave, noting the plate inside spinning in a circle. I gave her an appreciative nod as she smiled. “I’m taking care of you guys while you’re here. That’s what moms do, so no arguing about it.”
“Thank you, Kay.”
She waved off my comment. “You don’t have to thank me. You’re family now, Mia. We take care of our family. By the way, you can grab the blanket off the sofa in the sitting room. Wrap it around Ayden.”
“Will do.” Nudging him, I motioned for him to walk forward. I guided him through the sitting room, making sure he went to the fireplace first, then I grabbed the blanket Kay mentioned. It was super soft and thick.
As soon as I wrapped it around Ayden, I unfolded his fingers and placed the edge of the blanket against his palm. Then I wrapped his fingers back around it. When I made my way around him and came back to the front, I reached for his other hand.
He drew me against him instead. Once he clutched the other edge of the blanket, our bodies pressed together. I gazed up at him, noting the smile on his face.
“Thank you.”
As he whispered the words, I said nothing when he eased back to look at me. Then his lips were on mine. His cold nose made me flinch, but I ignored it, focusing instead on the feel of his mouth. He wasn’t getting passionate with the kiss. It was sweet and tender.
When he finally pulled away, he leaned his head to mine. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you.”
He smiled again. It warmed my heart to see him feeling better, but a second later I noticed something else. His chest rose and fell with effort. The sigh leaving his mouth concerned me. Something was on his mind.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have something I need to discuss with you. Neither my mom nor my dad is aware of this any more than you, and I’d like to keep it away from them until it’s settled. You, on the other hand, need to be aware of what’s happening.”
He paused when footsteps sounded from the kitchen. I gazed over my shoulder to see Kay and Holden cleaning. As she sealed up leftovers and finished her dishes, Holden swept the floor.
Facing Ayden again, he continued, “I will tell you everything once we go to the apartment. Just don’t say anything in front of them.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything. Just focus on getting warm.”
I didn’t miss the way his lips crooked. “Trust me, the instant I felt your body against mine, I was better. I’d rather be alone with you, underneath the covers.”
It was an offer I couldn’t resist. I wanted to tell Ayden to follow me to the apartment so I could hold him to it, but I noticed his parents leaving the kitchen.
“Your parents are coming.” I tried to wiggle out of his embrace and put a respectful amount of space between us, but Ayden wouldn’t release me. He held on tighter.
“If you’re embarrassed for them to see us this intimate, don’t be. Body heat is one of the best ways to warm a person. Besides, I’m pretty sure they know we’re having sex. After all, you are pregnant.”
He could be a smartass when he wanted to be. I rolled my eyes at him and stopped fighting against his embrace. If he was going with it, so would I.
As his parents entered the living room, they didn’t come all the way inside. Both smiled at us, but his mother spoke first. “Your dinner is in the microwave, warmed and ready. I’m super excited you two are here. We’ll catch up some more tomorrow. Dad has to work in the morning, but I’ll be here.”
“I think we’re about to head to bed too, after I eat. It’s been a long day.”
“The apartment is unlocked and ready. I put fresh linens on the bed, the towels are stocked, and you have snacks and drinks in the fridge. If you need anything else, I can go to the grocery store tomorrow.”
“I think we’re good, Mom. Thank you. You guys sleep well.”
“You too, my boy.”
“Night, Dad.” Ayden waved to his father.
“Night, son. Mia.”
Both disappeared around the corner. Their footsteps sounded from the staircase, their voices fading as they climbed. Then a door closed. Once I was sure they were in their room, I glanced at Ayden.
My curiosity had gotten the better of me, as had my hormones. I wanted to know whatever secret he was keeping, but when he’d finished, I wanted him to make love to me.
I just hoped what he had to say wouldn’t ruin the moment.
The apartment was the perfect size for Ayden and me. It had one bedroom, a full kitchen and bath, and a quaint living room overlooking a pond and trees. The heat coming out of the vents had each room nice and toasty, but the fireplace in the living room added a comforting vibe.
I loved the apartment. It gave us just enough privacy for time to ourselves, but close enough that we could spend time with Ayden’s family. I knew how important it was to him that I get to know his parents, as well as his grandmother, uncle, aunt, and cousin.
Ayden rolled the suitcases toward the bedroom as I followed with the bags. At least I was able to help him with our luggage this time. He couldn’t argue about it when I grabbed the bags before he could reach them. I took them to the bathroom so I could put our toiletries away later. Ayden was hanging our coats inside the closet near the door.
I was putting away our clothes, humming a song softly, when I sensed Ayden enter the room. His hands heated my hips before he spoke the first word.
“Are you warm enough?”
“I’m perfect. What about you?” His skin teased my fingers as I caressed the back of his hands and leaned into him. When I gazed up, he smiled.
“I’m good right now. Doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to feeling your skin next to mine tonight.”
I lowered my hand and finished hanging one of his shirts. “Well, all you have to do to make it happen is tell me whatever it is you wanted to talk about. Then you can spend the r
est of the night focusing on feeling my body next to yours.”
This time when I glanced his way, the smile he wore was gone. His eyes closed as he drew in a deep breath. They opened when he exhaled. “I don’t want what I have to say to ruin the mood.”
How ironic for him to say such a thing when I thought something similar while we were in the house. I swore he could read my mind sometimes. Maybe he was just that attuned to me. That was a good thing.
“Don’t be afraid to talk to me, Ayden. We made that mistake in the past. This time, we’re doing things the right way. Remember?”
He tugged my arm until I stopped unloading the suitcase and gave him my full attention. Once I did, he cupped my face with his hands. “I’m not dredging up the past, but when Izzy lost her baby, I said some hurtful things to you. It didn’t mean I ever believed her child was mine. You know this, don’t you?”
I nodded. “Why are you bringing this up?”
His gaze shifted away from me as his shoulders slumped. “Mia . . . I never told you this, but after we argued in the emergency room and Izzy’s nurse came to get me, I never went to see her.”
Shaking my head, I did my best to understand what he was saying. I was so close to telling him about our baby that night. Had my sister’s nurse not come to find him, I probably would have told him then. Instead, I was hurt and ready to push him away for any reason.
I had so many regrets.
“You didn’t go see her?”
“No. I went to find Chris to ask him a question. I couldn’t locate him so I texted him. He didn’t answer me back right away, but when he did, he said he needed to talk to me too. I waited in the emergency room until he found me.”
I wasn’t sure why he wanted to talk to Chris, but it relieved me to hear that he didn’t see Izzy. If only her nurse hadn’t shown up. We would have saved each other a lot of heartache.
“What did you and Chris discuss?”
“The paternity test.”
My skin tingled. I wasn’t expecting Ayden’s answer. “Why were you discussing the test? Izzy never had her blood drawn, or did she?”
Ayden grimaced. “Not exactly. Chris told me that he could still run the test without Izzy’s blood. The procedure they gave Izzy removed what was left of her pregnancy. He said we could test a sample of it.”
It was morbid. No one could deny that fact. The longer I thought about, the more nauseous I grew. At the same time, it fascinated me to know that a paternity test could be performed this way.
“Are you telling me that you had the test run?”
“Yeah, I did. The sad thing is, the lab Chris sent it to couldn’t get a conclusive result.”
“So you never got an answer?” Disappointment kinked my heart. I was hoping he’d gotten an answer. Not because I wanted to know, but because he had a right to know the truth.
“No, I didn’t get an answer, but Chris said he had a friend at another lab who had better equipment. He assured me that they would get results. It would be expensive, but someone footed the bill.”
Disbelief overtook me. I eased myself onto the edge of the bed and thought about what Ayden said. Who would have known about the test, aside from Chris or him?
“Did he tell you who paid for it or how they knew?”
“No. Chris said he couldn’t say, but he told me all of this right after I got on the tour bus. He said he found some inconsistencies in Izzy’s chart at his office and the one at the hospital.”
I jerked my head back. “Inconsistencies?” This time when he nodded, I stood from the bed and approached him. “What are you talking about?”
“Dates weren’t matching up. Information was missing. And the procedure report had some info that caught his attention. He hasn’t confirmed this part yet, but he was suspicious that Izzy lost the baby before she fell down the steps.”
The deep breaths I took didn’t help me. This revelation rocked me soul deep. How could my sister have miscarried before she fell? “How would that be possible?”
Ayden’s lips thinned as his throat wobbled. “Chris reminded me about the day Izzy thought she was miscarrying, just before you took off to New York. Even though he heard the heartbeat, it was weak. He thinks she miscarried later that night. He said it was possible she didn’t know, but what if she did?”
“No way. She couldn’t have.” When his brows rose, I scoffed. “This is crazy, Ayden, even for Izzy.”
“Not really. You said she hates you. She came looking for us that night, and while she didn’t know we’d be on the staircase, I believe she had every intention of getting you to fight her.”
“What exactly are you insinuating, Ayden?”
He straddled my legs and held my hands inside his. “Izzy came to pick a fight that night so she could blame her miscarriage on you like she’s doing now.
My jaw relaxed as I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I knew my sister hated me and wouldn’t think twice about harming my child or me. She would even hurt Ayden because she knew what it would do to me. But to think she would hurt herself to fake a miscarriage she already had seemed bizarre.
Leaning back against the wall, I told myself this wasn’t possible, but my gut said it was. Izzy would stop at nothing to make sure I either spent time behind bars or ceased to exist. If my dad couldn’t get through to her, I didn’t know what would.
“So who called you this evening?”
“Chris. I had texted him before we left to let him know I would be out of town and my signal would be scarce. He promised to notify me if he heard anything about the tests. I wanted him to know he could send me a text in case I missed his call.”
Now my curiosity was in overdrive. I bit my bottom lip as I did my best to process everything. “Did Chris have any news?”
“Actually, he did. His friend at the lab said he had one more test to run on the samples, then he’d collect the data, compare the results, and have an answer. He assured Chris it wouldn’t be much longer.”
“I wish we could use this information to get Izzy the help she needs. I doubt we can. We’d have to be able to prove she knew she miscarried before the night she went to the hospital.”
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you. Wait. Let me show you.” Ayden pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the screen a few times. After a few seconds, he flipped it around and pointed to a message. “I got this text the same night Izzy miscarried.”
Taking the phone into my hands, I glanced at the message he received. The date collaborated with the time Izzy lost her child and I discovered I was pregnant.
Lies surround you, Ayden McAllister. You‘ve been given false information. Izzy Giles isn’t who you think she is. Don’t believe everything you’ve been told about her pregnancy or her miscarriage.
A chill ran down my spine. “Who sent this?”
Shrugging, Ayden accepted his phone from me when I handed it back. “I don’t know who it was, but they have information on your sister. They haven’t texted me since that night.”
My brain felt as though it would explode. As much as it bothered me to know that Ayden had hidden all of this, deep down, I knew he was trying to protect me. It’s not like I had given him the chance to fill me in when he returned to Music Haven, and we didn’t exchange texts while he was gone. So much had happened since he’d returned, I didn’t blame him for keeping this bottled up.
“So what do we do?”
Tucking my hair behind my ear, he stroked my cheek as he leaned in closer. “We’ll give your dad the information we have. Maybe he will be able to get her to confess.”
As much as I wanted to think it was possible for my dad to get through to my sister, I had my doubts. I’d never known Izzy as anything but confrontational. Without professional help and medication, I feared she would fake her way through whatever progress my father thought he was making.
I hated to admit it, but at this point in our lives, I wasn’t sure Izzy would ever change. Something inside of me w
as screaming at me to beware.
Chapter 14
~Ayden~
I heard the front door close as I cleared the lunch dishes from the counter to the dishwasher. Mom and Mia had gone outside after they finished eating when Mia mentioned the pond. Whenever someone complimented a piece of my mother’s landscape, she was always excited to take them on a tour of the property. She had many projects to show off.
Waiting for them to join me in the kitchen, I found the dishwasher pods and threw one into the slot before I closed the door. Before I could press the button, I heard footsteps behind me.
“Guess who?”
Hands covered my eyes as I stopped what I was doing and began laughing. I took a minute to feel the fingers on my face and played along with the ruse. “Hmm. I have no idea who could have such cold, bony fingers.”
“Hey! My fingers aren’t bony.”
I roared with laughter again and spun around to face my Aunt Jenny. She dived into my arms and gave me a huge hug. Her face planted against my chest as she took a deep breath. “God, it’s so good to see you, Ayden. We’ve missed you around here.”
“Thanks, Aunt Jenny. I’ve missed you guys too.”
Giving her a heartfelt hug, I eased away a second later. The instant I got a good look at her face, my body prickled. Her cheek and eyes were a pale purple and bluish green color from the bruise that was healing. Uncle Steve had messed her face up before, but this was the most prominent bruise she ever had to show for the abuse.
Touching her cheek, she winced and knocked my hand away. As she backed away, her eyes shifted to the ground and she cupped the side of her face to block my view.
“You don’t have to hide it from me. I already know what happened.”
“Are you going to lecture me too?”
Rubbing her upper arm, I shook my head when she looked at me. “I just want to know if you’re really finished with him this time?”
Love Deserved (Rock N Roll Heiress Book 3) Page 13
