Final Surrender (24 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Angela hadn’t slept even a minute that night.

Every time the door opened to her hospital room, she’d look up to see if it was Clay returning. She wanted to tell him the truth. Tell him what really happened so many years ago. Confess that she still loved him. That she’d always love him, and ask how he didn’t know her better than what he thought she had done?
Didn’t he believe in me more than that?
she wondered.

But he never came.

She kept reaching for the phone but she couldn’t make herself dial his number.

They were still running tests so nurses kept coming in to check her blood pressure and her vital signs and help her to the bathroom.

The last nurse had left a few moments ago so she lay down, looking out the window where the sun was trying to peek over the horizon.

Dawn was always her favorite time, but today it reeked of loneliness.

The door opened again and the reflection of a large man standing in the doorway stared back at her. Her heart caught in her throat as she turned, expecting to find Clay’s face.

To her surprise, Mark walked into the room with a duffle bag. He wrapped her in a gentle hug, settling next to her on the edge of the bed.

Tears fell down her cheeks and he beamed. “I’m going to be an uncle?”

He smoothed away her tears and she tried to smile, “God willing, yes, you’re going to be an uncle.”

He stared at her with scrunched eyebrows. “But why did Clay bolt? He’s loved you almost as long as you’ve loved him.”

Angela probably looked like she’d been goosed with a cattle prod. She opened her mouth several times but nothing came out.

“Wow. I made
the
Angela Meyers speechless. I must have really done something.”

“Oh, it looks like you’ve done something, you ass. I thought I’d covered my tracks when I left Texas. How did you know? Who else knows?” she asked as she rubbed a hand over her face, feeling lost.

“You were changed after prom. Different enough I was worried and may have nonchalantly asked Becca months later what apartment complex she picked you up from.” He shrugged. “It wasn’t too hard to figure out that you probably fell hard, so did he, but he’s had his head up his ass for too long and didn’t realize what a good thing he had.

“Then he unknowingly confirmed it a couple weeks later when we were talking. He asked if I’d heard from you and wondered how you were in New York. I knew right then that you had his heart. Just took me a while longer to figure out a way to convince you to give him a second chance.”

Angela had no idea what to say. She wanted to beat her brother for manipulating her and wanted to kiss him for trying to help her be happy.

“But it’s all wasted now.”

“How do you figure? You’re pregnant by him and he’ll stop freaking out and come to terms with it. It’ll all work out, you’ll see.” He smoothed her hair away from her face.

“You don’t understand,” she whispered as she looked out the window. Wringing the tissue in her hands, trying to keep the tears at bay.

“Don’t understand what?” He looked down at her with such concern that her façade finally crumbled.

She blubbered incoherent words as the tears nearly choked her. Finally, pulling in great gasps of air, she told him how she had loved Clay and he had regretted it. In fits and starts, she told him how she couldn’t love anyone but him and how he couldn’t love at all. How all the complications just became insurmountable and she didn’t think she had anything else to fight for. The fact that she was pregnant before spilled forth before she could stop herself, and how Clay reacted when he found out.

Mark looked shell-shocked. “God, Angela, you went through all that and you didn’t tell me? What happened?” he asked. She only shook her head.

She refused to tell him the whole truth what happened with the baby. It was too close to the surface to let it out and survive. She already felt raw. Exposed.

“It was my decision, Mark, no one else’s. He was your best friend. I couldn’t come running to you, because he didn’t love me. But I loved our baby, you have to know that. You have to know that much. I’ve made a mess of everything,” she cried, hanging her head in shame and sorrow for how she’d handled everything.

“No, Clay’s made a mess of things and I’m going to kick his ass,” he declared as he stood and paced the small confines of the room.

“You can’t do that, he’s your best friend. It’s why I never should have loved him in the first place,” she admitted.

“Please, it’s because he’s my best friend that I’m going to kick his ass. He shouldn’t have ever let you walk away in the first place, not to mention yesterday, before you had the chance to tell him everything.”

Angela took a shaky breath. “I don’t think he wants to come back, and… I don’t know if I want him to. I won’t accept a relationship with him if he can’t love me in return. I…” she rubbed her flat stomach, “…we deserve more than that.”

Mark put a hand over hers and said, “You deserve all of that, and so does Clay.” He winked at her and she almost believed him, until she remembered the loathing in Clay’s face.

“I’m staying until Campbell arrives, then I’ll be on the way back to Texas to talk this over with Clay in person.”

Mark’s eyes twinkled as the word
discuss
exited his mouth.

Angela closed her eyes, loving her brother for wanting to protect her, knowing in her heart that it was pointless.

“Just leave it be,” she said under eyelids heavy and fatigued.

“Not a chance, little sister, not a chance,” he declared as he kissed her forehead and sat back down next to her until she fell asleep.

Hours later, Campbell opened the door as Mark sat in a chair next to Angela, holding her hand while she slept. At least he thought she slept. Her eyes were closed but her mind just wouldn’t be quiet. He knew there was a lot more to the story than what she had told him.

“Certainly not the load of crap Clay shot his mouth off about and, by God, he would get to the bottom of it.” That was at least what he’d told her before she closed her eyes the last time and faced away.

Her free hand remained on her stomach.

She couldn’t stop holding her abdomen. Protecting her baby.

Campbell quietly cleared his throat, Mark settled her arm next to her on the narrow bed and he followed Campbell out into the hall, almost shutting the door behind him but not quite. She could hear every word they said.

“How is she?”

“Better. They think she’s just having a hard time of it. Can’t exactly figure out what’s causing the pain. Hyperemesis maybe. They think she’ll be released in a couple hours.”

“I’m here under Clay’s request as long as you and she approve of it.”

“I approve and think Angela will, too. She’s way too fragile right now to have to handle all of the upheaval and I won’t put her through trying to find another firm. As long as I have your word you will guard her with nothing short of your life, then I will agree to her care under your protection.”

“You have my word, Mark.” He looked dead serious and nodded. After a moment’s pause he asked, “Why did Clay leave anyways? You’d think if his woman was in trouble, he would fight hell and back to be by her side. He put his foot in his mouth again?”

“You could say that,” Mark answered with a groan. “Did he say she was his?”

“Not in so many words, but he threatened me nothing short of my balls and the ability to ever make love to a woman again if I let anything happen to even a hair on her head. I like my balls and my women, so I guess that means I’m here until you can figure out how to get his foot out of his mouth.”

Mark chuckled and it sounded like he clapped him on the back and added, “Let’s go introduce you to Angela so I can get back to Texas and talk some sense into that boy.”

“You’ll have to hurry. He’s flying out of the country tomorrow.”

The door partially opened and then stopped. Mark stood in profile, facing Campbell. “Out of the country how long?”

“Couple months at least. My clients were about to leave on an extended European vacation. I was going along as their detail for the entire trip. Clay is taking my place.”

“Shit,” Mark grumbled as he pushed into the room.

“Are you sure we should wake her up?” Campbell questioned as he took a hesitant step into the room.

Mark said, “If I know my sister at all, she’s heard our entire conversation and introductions are past due.”

She looked up as they entered and slowly rolled over to sit on the side of the bed.

The tall blond guy had a huge smile on his face. He was trim and ruggedly handsome. Any other single woman would have probably loved seeing him walking towards them. Angela? No reaction. It was as if everything below her neck was just…dead.

Her usual smile was wearily absent but she held out her hand and Campbell took it tenderly.

“Hi, Campbell, nice to finally meet you.”

“You too, Angela, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’ve been fully brought up to speed on your case and the New York detectives have already been informed of my arrival. James and I were together in the service as well. We’ll nail this asshole to the wall, I promise.”

She attempted a smile despite herself but it probably fell a bit flat.

“So what’s the plan, Mark, since you’re the mastermind behind all of this?”

He sat beside her again and held her hand. “As soon as you’re discharged we’re going to get you home and then I’m going to catch the next flight back home so I can talk to Clay before he leaves. You really know how to make a statement, don’t you, Ang? He not only ran, but he’s leaving the country.” He smiled at her and squeezed her hand but she just didn’t have anything to give back.

“What can I say? It’s a gift. Just help me to the bathroom and then you can go, so you can get back to Clare and the kids. I’m sure Campbell and I can handle the rest, right, Campbell?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a salute.

“Okay, then, let’s get you ready to leave and I’ll see if I can’t go talk some sense into that friend of mine.”

Angela got up from the bed, careful to hold the flap on her gown closed. Mark guided her into the bathroom and offered, “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I can, you know.”

Angela turned and said, “No, I’ve got to get on with my life. Nothing you say is going to change what Clay thinks of me. I’ve got just to let it go, for both of our sakes. I’ve waited for him my whole life. I can’t wait any longer for him to believe in me…in us,” she added. “So the sooner I get back to work and back to whatever the new normal is going to be, the better.”

Angela’s heart ached as she declared her future. If it were up to her, it would be devoid of love. Too hard. No point in all that heartache if the other person in the relationship wasn’t there to fight for them.

“I’m not going to let that happen, little sister.”

“What, Mark?” She held on to the doorknob as she faced him.

“You giving up on him.”

She tried to smile but it felt as if her face were made of glass. “I already have.”

Closing the door felt very final.

Hours later, Mark stood outside Clay’s apartment door, waiting for Clay to answer his knock. As if he knew he stood right on the other side of the door he glared at the peephole. It was close to midnight but he knew his friend wasn’t going away. Clay wondered if Mark knew what he accused Angela of? He wiped a hand down his face again and thought about ignoring him.

Probably spoiling for a fight Mark pounded on the door again. He wasn’t going to be ignored. Clay’s day of reckoning had arrived.

On the last beat of Mark’s fist, Clay swung the door open. No emotion. He couldn’t afford to let any kind of emotion show through his mask. “What do you want, Mark?” he asked defiantly. He was unshaven, his hair everywhere.

Mark’s fist connected with Clay’s jaw before Clay could even think of putting up a fist. It knocked him back a step. He stumbled but righted himself, shaking his head. Swiping his lip with the back of his hand, it came away smeared with blood.

“Aren’t you going to ask me in?” Mark asked roughly.

Clay turned and walked away. “Suit yourself.”

“So that’s how this is going to go?” Mark asked sourly. “I’m short on sleep and plumb out of patience.” He took two steps inside and closed the door behind him.

Clay carried a glass bottle of dark brown liquid that smelled a bit too much like whiskey. Straight whiskey. Which it was. He glanced at the bottle again and took a pull off it. “Happens to the best of us.” He mock saluted his best friend with the bottle and sucked down another shot.

“My knuckles hurt, and the impulse to beat the shit out of you is racing up my arm.” Mark walked to the refrigerator and helped himself to a beer. After using a bottle opener, he took a long pull and threw the cap in the garbage. He turned back around to eye Clay. “Do you think I’m going to attack you…again?” Mark asked, looking slightly amused.

“If it was my sister and you’d just knocked her up…again, then I would beat the shit out of you, so I’d say I have it coming at this point.” He took a hard pull from the bottle in his hand and then set it down on the counter. Fortifying himself for what he was for certain came next.

“Martyr doesn’t work for you, and if you ever say that again I
will
beat the shit out of you,” Mark ordered.

“Don’t say what?”

“That you knocked her up. Don’t equate what happened to some cheap one-night stand that ended in an unfortunate accident. I know the truth no matter how much you want to deny it.” Mark took another drink and stepped right in front of Clay, who clenched his fists but didn’t take a swing.

“I’m not letting you out of this one easy. We’re not going to fight it out like we used to. I hit you once so at this point I’d say we’re even. For the moment. You’re going to face this once and for all, or your life is getting flushed down the toilet if you haven’t totally fucked it up already.”

“What life, Mark? I crossed a line with Angela I never should have crossed.”

Before Clay could continue Mark cut in, “This time or the night you crossed it a decade ago?”