Chapter Twenty-Four
♥
The SUV approached the manor house, and the second agent said, “Heads up.”
Gabe and Conor leaned forward, seeing the brightly colored white, yellow, and green ambulance stationed at the front door. An attendant had an empty gurney, and at first glance it wasn’t apparent whether it was going in or out.
Gabe palmed one of his guns and left the vehicle while it was still moving. He saw the groundskeeper, the older man Gabe knew only as Faolon, arguing with the driver.
“Bloody hell, you say!”
“Fwrail-awn! Fwrail-awn! Stop your squallin’ and help an old woman off the floor!”
Gabe heard his grandmother calling from within and raced past the men and up the front steps. He found her at the bottom step of the main staircase, shaken and obviously bruised. “Mamó! Are you injured?”
“That fuckwit Emma went and called 999 instead of just getting me back on my feet! And now Faolon is insisting they stick me in the back of that bloody wheelbarrow.”
“If you piss off the medical professionals by talking derogatorily about them—”
“Bloody hell! They’re not gone yet? Tell them they can piss off. I’m not leaving my home.”
“Mamó.” Gabe took a softer tone. “Tell me what happened.”
“My feet slid right out from under me, and I toppled a few steps.”
“Half a flight, ye stubborn old woman, and if ye call me a fuckwit again, I’ll leave ya here alone, I will, and then where will you be with no one to scoop you up every time you topple a little.”
Gabe could smell whiskey on his grandmother’s breath.
ALEXANDRA, CONOR, AND Jonathon rushed in the moment her Secret Service allowed them to enter, after assessing there was no imminent danger. Alexandra dropped to her knees and grabbed the old woman’s hand. “Mamó!”
Gabe’s grandmother shook her head. “Now don’t you start frettin’ too. All I need is to be helped to my feet.”
“As soon as we’re sure nothing is broken, I’ll make it happen. I’m going to feel your legs, and you tell me if it hurts.” Alexandra quickly started probing the bones of each leg, seeing Mamó wince when she pressed into her right hip socket.
“Now that’s me arthritis; nothing to worry about.”
Alexandra nodded, knowing if Mamó’s hip were actually broken, she would be screaming. She met Gabe’s gaze. “Let’s help her stand and see what happens.”
“Is that your professional opinion, Doctor?”
Alexandra frowned at his angry sarcasm but knew he was just upset and worried.
Conor slapped his back. “I agree with Xandra’s assessment. Let’s get her up, bráithre.”
Gabe and Conor got her to her feet. “Can you stand on your own?”
She squirmed away, clearly embarrassed by the attention. “I’m fine.”
Alexandra stepped in front of Conor and looped her arm around Mamó’s waist. “Let’s get you a cup of hot tea while Gabe and Conor tell the ambulance their services will not be needed today, eh?”
Mamó nodded agreeably. “I like you, Alastriona; you’re a good girl.”
Alexandra heard Conor trying to calm Gabe down but kept walking, directing Mamó’s attention from the men. She got Mamó settled at the small kitchen table and was thrilled when she saw Jonathon was a step ahead of her and already had the kettle on to boil. He met her gaze and nodded when she mouthed, Thank you.
She sat down in the chair next to Mamó and took her hand. “So tell me what happened.”
“Oh, bein’ foolhardy. I wanted to see if ye’aw needed any fresh towels or such. Emma said she would get around to it, and I’m an impatient old woman.”
“Impatient? That’s any woman, right? Young or old? ‘If you want it done right, do it yourself’ is the gist of it, aye? I know all about that, and I myself have been a long time learning to delegate. I always thought it made me look lesser somehow if I didn’t do it all—like I wasn’t smart enough, or fast enough, or strong enough—but I’m discovering delegating duties can be quite satisfying, plus it gives me more time to do what I want.” She winked.
Mamó patted her hand, cackling. “Like getting yer rock ’n’ roll on with my grandson. I do like that word—delegate, telling someone else to do it, right?”
“Yes, so maybe you can take charge as the true lady of the manor and start delegating, yeah?”
Jonathon put a beautiful china teapot in front of them and poured the milky brew into two matching cups. “I may be converted to a tea drinker out of pure appreciation for the beauty of the accessories.”
“Oh aye, I have dozens of sets. It’s a passion, and this ’un here can make a mean brew, eh?” The old woman took his hand and squeezed. “You’re a good boy, Jonathon.”
Overly creamed and heavily sweetened. “Very mean brew.”
♥ ♥ ♥
Alexandra and Jonathon got Mamó settled into her bed before meeting Gabe upstairs at his request.
“You are certain no bugs?” Gabe asked.
Conor confirmed, “Your man found nothing. He went through the entire house thoroughly. That is not to say Alexandra’s government is not listening in.”
“All right, let’s make the call.” Gabe dialed Dr. Cavanaugh and put the call on conference so the four of them could participate.
Alexandra sat in a chair in the corner, listening but not participating in the discussion as the doctor went over everything with Conor and Gabe to make sure they knew how to keep her safe during shibari sessions. When the call ended, Jonathon crossed the room and knelt in front of her. He laid his head in her lap. Alexandra ran her fingers through his hair.
He whispered, “Talk to me, Alexandra.”
She shook her head.
“Talk to Gabe? Conor?”
She bent and kissed his temple. “Stop worrying; I’m just wrestling the demons in my head.”
“Can I stay here with you?”
She met his gaze and saw that he had his rosary wrapped around his hand. “I’d like that, Jonathon.”
Alexandra leaned back and closed her eyes. She couldn’t deny there were babies growing inside her anymore, but she couldn’t face the fact that she was pregnant either. Seeing the ultrasound brought it all back. The hope. The desire.
Hang in there, babies. If you stay with me, I promise I’ll be a good mommy.
Alexandra started crying, but tried her best to keep silent the gut-wrenching sobs and primal screams inside her head.
JONATHON LIFTED ALEXANDRA and sat, pulling her onto his lap. He patted her cheeks. “Xandra, sweetheart, open your eyes. You’re okay. I’m here. Please.”
Conor noticed something was going on with Alexandra and approached Jonathon. Gabe turned around and demanded to know what in the hell was happening. Jonathon tried to explain, “She said she was wrestling demons—”
Gabe lifted her into his arms. She opened her eyes. He carried her to the bed, where Conor and Jonathon were pulling back the sheets. Gabe lay down with her and pulled her close.
“I’m here, love. We are all here.”
“I can’t do this again. I can’t lose my babies.”
“We’ll do all we can to keep them safe. Is this because of the phone call to Dr. Cavanaugh? Because you’re afraid of being tied up? Because we can table any discussions of shibari until after you deliver—”
“No! It has nothing to do with the doctor or shibari. I want you to tie me up. Every fucking day if it chases the demon from my head.”
Conor and Jonathon sat close. Jonathon whispered, “Tell me about the demon, Xandra.”
“Jonathon! Shut up!” Conor reprimanded.
Alexandra locked on Jonathon’s gaze and held her hand out to him. “The demon whispers, making me relive it again and again. I feel like it is happening now, in the moment, even though I know what he’s showing me isn’t real. Do you understand?”
“This is ridiculous!” Conor said harshly.
Jonathon took her hand and squeezed it. Meeting her gaze he assured her, “I do.”
Gabe turned her face to meet his gaze. “Sweetheart, when you find the void during sex, does it help?”
“Yes, it helps, but please don’t take what I need to say the wrong way. From now on, we don’t talk about them, okay? I want these babies to live, but for a while—I just can’t acknowledge them.”
“Whatever you need to help get you through this pregnancy whole, that’s what we do,” Gabe promised her. “We love you. Stop going inside your head. Promise me, from now on, you seek out me, or Conor, or Jonathon. You stay in the present. You do not talk to or listen to the demon. Do you understand?”
She nodded and whispered, “I’ll try.”
“No, you won’t try. If the demon contacts you, you’ll find one of us immediately.”
Alexandra nodded and closed er eyes, comforted that Jonathon was molded around her backside and Gabe was holding her tight against his chest so that she could focus on his heartbeat. She tried to ignore the hissed fight between Gabe and Conor, but it was impossible. Conor was making it very clear he believed they were all deranged for entertaining her delusions.