CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ebony’s shoulders slumped. “God, that’s wonderful news, baby.” She squeezed her eyes shut, grateful Atlas was at the other end of the phone and couldn’t see her crying. “And you promise, Romy’s okay?”
“She’s getting there, it’ll be a long road, but I think hearing Carson Franks will be put away for a long time is helping.” She heard him sigh.
“Tired?”
“Exhausted, but I need to check in with my lawyer before I come home. I could bring take-out?”
“Good idea. Fino seems a little brighter, still clingy. Bella’s taken him out for hot chocolate.”
Atlas sighed again. “Good. You’ve been an angel with him, but I’m glad you have some time to yourself. I’ll be home soon. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby. Drive safe.”
The empty house still echoed with grief. Ebony decided she would go to the kitchen, bake some cookies while she waited for the others to return. Stanley, who she had grown close to over the past couple of weeks, was in New York finalizing his retirement plans, and with Bella and Fino out of the house, she felt strange about being here alone.
Mateo’s death had left a rip in their foundations, and Ebony didn’t know how they would ever repair it. She tried to imagine if Obe died, how she would feel, but couldn’t even bear to contemplate it.
Pushing the thought away, she settled into making some oatmeal raisin cookies, and when she slid them into the oven, the kitchen began to fill with the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. Ebony rubbed her belly unconsciously, then startled as she heard a step behind her.
Cormac Duggan smiled at her, but his eyes were narrowed and cold. “Ah, Ms. Verlaine. I see you’ve made yourself at home.”
Don’t rise to it. “I think Atlas would rather you didn’t come here at the moment, Mr. Duggan,” she snapped back. “Not while you’re waging this petty custody battle.”
Cormac hooted. “Wow, he’s really turned you into his Stepford Wife, hasn’t he? Tell me, with your month-long experience of this family, what else Atlas would like?”
Ebony grimaced and turned away, but he grabbed her wrist. “I asked you a question.”
Ebony wrenched her arm from his grip. “Don’t you ever touch me again,” she spat at him, then took a deep breath. “Look, I’m asking politely. Please leave.”
At that moment, something in her stomach cramped violently, and with a gasp, she bent double.
Cormac’s mood shifted immediately. “Are you alright? Here, sit down.” He pulled a chair across and helped her into it. Ebony kept her head down, black dots appearing at the corners of her vision. She heard Cormac running the faucet then he was back with a damp cloth. “Here, put this on your head.”
Ebony sucked in a couple of lungfuls of air and concentrated on figuring out what the pain was. Was she miscarrying? Jesus, woman, don’t be so dramatic, it’s probably gas. Another sharp twinge and she clenched her fists tightly. Ouch. A definite cramp, but she knew it could mean nothing.
“Are you okay, Ebony?” Cormac’s voice was softer now. She nodded, but then an even harder cramp hit her.
“Jesus, no…I’m not okay. Pregnant,” she hissed through gritted teeth. The next moment, Cormac had swept her into his arms, and before she knew it, she was in his car.
“What the hell are you doing?” She managed to choke out the question between doubling-up.
“Getting you to an E.R.,” Cormac said. “Not only is it the responsible thing to do, and you do seem to be in considerable pain, but I can only imagine how Atlas would use the fact I was with you if you do miscarry.”
Ebony looked at him. “Atlas isn’t that petty, Cormac.”
Cormac gave a short bark of laughter. “Ebony, don’t be so naïve. I know you love him, but you’re young, and you see him through rose-tinted glasses. Mateo wasn’t mature enough to raise a child – what makes you think Atlas is?”
“Mateo was a wonderful father, and you damn well know it. Oh…oh…” The pain was getting worse, and she cried out as the car went over a pothole. Ebony felt Cormac’s hand on her back, rubbing it. She didn’t understand him; he seemed so kind, and yet he was set on making Atlas’ – and by extension, Fino’s – lives a living hell.
“Cormac, I’m asking you to please drop this lawsuit. When our baby is born, Fino will have his cousin and we’re going to be a family. If you really love that little boy … don’t tear us apart.”
Cormac didn’t answer her but instead tapped on the phone on his dashboard. A second later, Ebony heard Atlas’s voice.
“Atlas, I’m with Ebony…I’m driving her to the E.R. at Rainier Hope. I think she’s just experiencing cramping. I just want to get her checked out.”
Atlas was silent for a second. “Can I speak to her?”
“You’re on speaker phone. I’m driving.”
“Atlas?”
Immediately Atlas’s tone softened. “Are you okay, sweetheart? Has Cormac been bothering you?”
“No, not at all. I’m sure this is nothing, but it’s best to get a doctor to say so.”
“I’ll meet you in the E.R., baby.” There was a silence. “Thank you for bringing her to the hospital, Cormac.”
“You’re welcome. See you soon.”
Ebony didn’t have the chance to say goodbye before Cormac shut off the phone.
Atlas was waiting for them at the entrance, and he helped Ebony into the cubicle the receptionist directed them too. Cormac followed them, but as he stood by Ebony’s bed, Atlas turned to him and offered him his hand. “Thanks for bringing her in,” he said coolly, “But we can take it from here.”
Cormac looked at Atlas’s offered hand a long moment before shaking it. He gave Ebony a look she didn’t understand, then nodded, once, briefly. “I’ll let Bella know what’s going on.”
“Thank you.”
As he turned to go, Ebony called out to him. “Thank you, Cormac…and please, consider my request. That’s all I ask.”
Cormac nodded again, holding Ebony’s gaze a beat too long, then left them alone. Atlas pulled up a chair next to the bed. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “How are you feeling?”
“Crampy,” Ebony winced as another hit. “God, I know I said I didn’t know what I wanted before, and when I found out I was pregnant, I didn’t know what to do, but I hope to God that I don’t lose her.”
Atlas kissed her softly and said nothing, the pain of so much loss already etched deeply in his face.
In a few minutes, an OBGYN joined them. Dr. Melissa Fraser smiled at Ebony as she closed the curtains around them. “Hey there, I hear you’ve been having some pretty painful cramps?”
Ebony nodded, and Atlas, holding her hand, studied the doctor. “Is it usual to have these symptoms so early in the pregnancy? She’s been having morning sickness too.”
“How far along are you?”
“About six weeks or so.”
“Well,” the doctor was examining her stomach, “it’s probably just cramping from the fetus attaching itself to your uterus. Are you spotting?”
“A little.”
Dr. Fraser nodded. “Then I would be inclined to think that this is that. But we’ll run a few tests and do some scans to make sure you’re not experiencing anything like a tubular pregnancy. Is there anything in either of your medical histories I should know about?”
Ebony and Atlas looked at each other for a long moment then Atlas, clearing his throat, spoke. “Doctor…I’m not the biological father of this child, although I am hoping Ebony will let me be his or her father, to be sure.”
“Ah, okay.” The doctor’s face wasn’t judgmental in the least much to Ebony’s relief. “So, do you know anything about the father?”
Ebony’s face burned bright red. “I’m sorry, I don’t.”
“Well, not to worry, let’s just concentrate on you, Mommy.”
The doctor ran through some basic questions as she examined Ebony, then left them alone while she went to find an available scanner. Atlas kissed Ebony softly. “Are you okay, honey?”
Ebony nodded. “I feel a little foolish, but yes, I’m okay. It does make me realize how little I’m prepared to be a mother though if I don’t even know the basics of pregnancy.”
“Sweetheart, that’s something we can do something about. Classes, online research, talking to Artemis, or Romy – when she’s better, of course.”
“Of course.” Ebony leaned into Atlas’s touch as he cupped her face in his palm. “Maybe after we’re done here, we can go up and see her.”
“I’ll call Blue and see if she’s up to it. After the scan,” he added as Dr. Fraser returned. Ebony grinned at him, at the excitement in his eyes. She loved how the thought of being a father thrilled him. How Cormac could say he wasn’t qualified…
Midway through the scan, the doctor smiled at her. “Well, all is well, Ebony. I think it’s just the fetus implanting itself and causing you some pain. Obviously, if it continues or your bleeding gets worse, come back.”
Ebony thanked the doctor, and in a few minutes she was dressed and ready to go. Atlas was on the phone as she signed some paperwork and as she turned, she was surprised to see Cormac standing out in the corridor, staring at her. Ebony stepped toward him, then stopped as she registered the dislike on his face. It was so palpable it shocked her, and she gaped at his retreating back as he turned and stalked away from her. What had she done wrong?
Fuck. Her hormones were working against her now, and her eyes filled with easy tears. She quickly dashed them away before Atlas could see them. He wrapped his arms around her now. “Blue says Romy is sleeping at the moment but we can go sit with her for a while.”
“Okay.”
Atlas looked down at her. “You okay?”
Ebony nodded, and kissed him. “Always with you.” And she took his hand and led him to the stairwell.
Blue stepped out of Romy’s room to take the call from Det. Halsey. “Did you arrest Franks?”
He heard the hesitation in John Halsey’s voice. “He got away. He knew we were coming and disappeared.”
Blue cussed loudly. “Jesus, Halsey! How did this happen? Who screwed us?”
“We’re working on it, Doc, I promise. Until we get more answers, we’re sending extra protection for your family, for Mr. Tigri’s, for Haven. We will get our man, Dr. Allende, I promise you.”
Blue ended the call and cursed under his breath. He hated the thought of Franks being out in the world, able to get to Romy. The day she’d been stabbed…it had been the worst day of his life, even worse than the day his step-brother had shot her. Would the woman he loved ever be safe?
“Hey, Blue.”
He turned towards the sound of the soft voice and smiled at Ebony. “Hey, yourself, gorgeous. Everything okay?”
She smiled at him. “Yes, the baby is fine.”
Blue smiled and kissed her cheek, shook Atlas’s hand. “Congratulations to you both. And don’t let anyone tell you it’s too fast – I wanted to marry Romy and have kids with her the minute I met her.”
Atlas nodded. “Thanks, man.”
Blue looked at him. “Hey, while Ebony is in with Romy, can I grab a couple of words? No biggie.”
“Of course.”
When the two men were alone, Blue repeated what the detective had told him. Atlas’ good mood disappeared. “Fuck.”
“Yep. Look, it goes without saying, security is a priority.”
Atlas nodded. “Considering our combined wealth, we can throw everything at it.”
“Agreed. Look, I think the more we coordinate our plans, the better. Is your mansion secure?”
“It is now,” Atlas said grimly. He sighed, rubbing his face. “Look, there’s no way else to say it, but I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about the threats.”
“Atlas, there’s no use in brooding over that – at least that’s what I’m telling myself now. Romy’s alive…I’m sorry. I liked Mateo very much, he was a great man.”
“He was. It’s Fino who I’m scared for. Ebony has been so great with him, as has Molly. Now this thing with Cormac…”
“He’s a jackass,” Blue said, angrily. “Anyone who could do this…” He trailed off. “Cormac, we can handle. Atlas. You need testimonies, witnesses, we’re there for you. But Franks is a different prospect entirely. He threatened to kill my kids. He threatened to kill them as he was butchering my wife. Franks doesn’t get to buy his way out of this.”
Atlas nodded slowly, holding Blue’s gaze. “Agreed.”
“I swear…Romy, my family, your family…I’ll do whatever it takes to make them safe. Whatever it takes.” Blue could see Atlas followed his deeper meaning as the other man, his eyes dangerous, nodded.”
“Oh yes,” Atlas said in a low voice. “Whatever it takes.”