CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
John Halsey delivered the news without sugarcoating. “They’ve been found. They were in a car accident and the driver who hit them called 911. It doesn’t look good, gentlemen. You’re gonna want to hurry to the hospital.”
Atlas wanted to drive fast, he wanted to go 150 miles per hour. But getting himself killed wouldn’t help Fino or Ebony, and he’d vowed to protect them from here on out.
I’m coming, he whispered as he fought the urge over and over to run red lights and stop signs, his knuckles the color of chalk on the steering wheel. Wait for me. Don’t give up, baby.
Beside him, by the looks of things, Cormac was every bit as terrified and trying just as hard to hold it together.
As they rounded the corner to the hospital, he spoke suddenly.
“Atlas…you and I have never particularly seen eye-to-eye, and I think that’s partially my fault. I don’t give a lot of myself away, and I’ve made mistakes in our relationship…but god, man, I love that boy. I adore him, he’s the son I’ve never had – and thought I never would have. Doctors told me there was very little chance I could conceive a child naturally.” His half-smile was sad. “So, you can see why Ebony’s pregnancy is a big deal for me.” He rubbed his face and to Atlas’ surprise, reached over to grip his shoulder. “Atlas…all I care about now is whether Ebony, Fino and the baby are okay. Everything else can wait until we know they’re safe.”
Atlas nodded, his heart in his mouth so he couldn’t speak. They parked and ran into the building at a full sprint. As they waited, John Halsey, who met them in the lobby, told them what happened.
“We had our suspicions that Bella was involved, so we had her tailed. She led us right to where Ebony and Fino were being held, but before we could act, Carson shot his accomplice and Bella and took off. That’s when the accident happened – one of our men side-swiped their vehicle by accident when Franks pulled out in front of him.”
Atlas, almost demented with worry, struggled to control himself. “Ebony? Fino?”
“Ebony wasn’t buckled in,” Halsey said grimly. “She went through the windshield. We just don’t know the extent of the injuries she received…or the baby. The doctors will be able to tell you more.”
Cormac was suddenly there, holding Atlas up with a firm grip on his bicep. “And Fino?”
“He was in the trunk,” Halsey replied, waiting until Cormac stopped cussing a blue streak. “He’s shaken up and terrified, but the impact was far enough from him that the paramedics said they think he may only have a concussion.”
It was Atlas’ turn to support the man who he’d loathed up until this day. As they sank into nearby chairs, twin expressions of anguish on their faces, Blue jogged into the hospital.
He didn’t stop as Atlas and Cormac jumped to their feet. “I’m on my way into surgery,” he called as he shoved open the door to the stairs and vanished inside. His voice floated back before the door closed behind him. “Romy’s there already. I’ll come update you as soon as I can.”
They were staring after him when Halsey appeared again. In the overall chaos, they hadn’t even noticed he’d vanished.
“You can come see Fino. They have to do scans, but he checks out as okay enough for relatives.”
Traumatized as the boy was, his head swathed in a bulky bandage, he was admirably composed. Terrifyingly so, Atlas thought as he held Fino close before letting Cormac get in for his own hug. Who knew how many years of therapy it would take to help the kid stop having nightmares about the last month.
There were so many questions running through Atlas’ head he didn’t know where to start, afraid of overwhelming his already trembling nephew. So Cormac asked the hardest question.
“Did the man hurt you, Fino?” Cormac asked, sitting down on the edge of the hospital bed even though it wasn’t allowed. “We know he put you in the trunk. But did he…touch you or talk to you in a way that made you uncomfortable?”
Fino shook his head, thankfully unaware of Cormac’s subtext, and Atlas swallowed a sigh of relief. “He was scary, but he didn’t hurt me. He hurt Ebony…he had a knife, and he cut her. Ebony said it was okay, but she was in pain. There was blood.”
“God…” Atlas felt the blood drain from his face. He had no doubt that had they not found them, Ebony and Fino would be dead right now. Fino reached out his small hand and put it on Atlas’s face.
“Don’t cry, Uncle Atlas…Ebony said we were going to be family and I believe her. She’ll be okay.”
Even Cormac got teary then, much to Atlas’ astonishment. He got up. “Look, I’m going to go talk to the detective…and then I’m going to call my lawyer. Drop the case. In the end, Fino’s happiness is all I care about.”
He turned on his heel and walked out of the cubicle, and Atlas could see the defeated slump of his shoulders. He looked at Fino. “Fino, would you be okay alone for two minutes? I have to ask Cormac something.”
Fino looked like he was going to protest but then nodded, laying back on his pillows and closing his eyes. Atlas found a nurse to sit with him then went to find Cormac. Cormac was standing outside, out of the rain under the hospital’s canopy.
“Cormac?”
Cormac turned to look at him. Atlas went up to him, then after a second, offered him his hand. Cormac shook it. “Whatever differences we have had in the past, and however strange this set up is…Fino loves you,” Atlas said gruffly. “Ebony is carrying your child, whether I like it or not. So…we have to find a way of working this out.”
Cormac nodded. “I agree. Look, here’s the bottom line. A year ago, I was told it was unlikely I would ever have kids. My sperm count is low. I reacted by going a little crazy, going to sex clubs. Ebony…I could tell she was a newbie, so I took care of her in the club…and yes, we made love. I used a condom, but it broke. I swear, I did tell her, but the whole time, she never saw my face. I was wearing,” and he laughed now, “one of those ridiculous masks…hey, I was trying something new, okay?” He added as Atlas smirked. “So, she really, truly never knew it was me. She told you the kid wasn’t yours?”
“Yes.”
“I respect her for that. Hell, I just respect Ebony – I’m sorry I called her a whore; she’s anything but.”
“Tell her that.”
“I will, I promise.” Cormac sighed. “So, bottom line, I just want to be involved with my kid’s upbringing, as well as Fino’s. I’ll let you be a family, Atlas. Just allow me to be part of it. Please.”
“No more shady tricks?”
“None.”
Atlas regarded him for a long time. “When you told me you were the father of Ebony’s child, I just flipped. I felt like everything, everything was being taken away from me. Mateo, Fino, Ebony, the baby…everything.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“I am too. We’ve both screwed up beyond belief, but at least you’re making amends. I haven’t even started yet.”
“She’ll forgive you,” Cormac replied. “You were out of your mind for any number of reasons that day. Doesn’t make what you said right, even if I pushed you over the edge. But she’ll forgive you anyway, because she’s that kind of person.”
Atlas nodded, shrugging off more chaotic emotions. “And thank you for dropping the case. Fino does belong with Ebony and me - but he needs you too. As for the baby, really, that’s up to Ebony now.”
“Agreed.” Cormac rubbed his face. “I wasted so many years hating you and Mateo for what now seems to be completely useless reasons.”
“It’s never too late.”
“You’re right.” Cormac clapped Atlas on the back. “Come on, let’s get back to Fino and wait for Blue to update us.”
Two hours later, Blue came to find them…and he was smiling.