Seduced 5 (2 page)

Chapter 2

Nikki

“What options do we have now?” Carrie shrugged, looking into oblivion. I knew she knew there was no option for us. The company was completely doomed without the money.

“I don’t know. I know squat, really.” For the last five hours, I’d been sitting there thinking about what to do. But I couldn’t come up with anything. I missed my dad and Granny. Both were very strong in dire situations like this.

“I wish Granny was alive.” My fingers traced along the edge of the bed. “I’d planned on going to her old house in Mexico and celebrating my first Christmas with Stephen. But now...” I sobbed again. I didn’t know if Stephen would be with me on Christmas.

“Relax, Nikki. Why don’t you ask Tristan for help?” She rubbed my shoulder.

“I can’t. He just told me he loves me, when he was drunk last night.” Tears swallowed my words.

“That’s  good news. Why are you so sad? Don’t you love him, too?”

“Yes, I do.” I felt guilty inside. I sounded like a selfish bitch to myself.

Carrie cheered. “What’s the issue, then? We should go to him and ask him for help. Yes, that sounds like a plan. Let’s go and meet him.”

“No, we can’t.” My voice rose; she was pushing me down the road I didn’t want to travel.

“Why not? What’s the issue? You love him, he loves you. He even saved your life once. Why are you so tense about meeting him?”she urged me.

I couldn’t take it any longer. She didn’t know I might be the reason he would break up with Trisha. “Because for God’s sake I’m under stress, Carrie. I don’t want to lose Stephen at any cost. But I just don’t have a way out.”

“But Tristan…”

I cut her off.”That’s not an option.”

“But why?” Her voice rose.

“Because, damn it to hell, he loves me and he is already dating someone else.”

“The petite blonde you told me about?”

“Yes, that’s the girl. Her name is Trisha Summers.” I felt guilty when I remembered her cute face.

“And yet you had sex with him last night?” Her face glowered with lots of questions.

“Yes, that’s the sin I would never repeat and that’s why I don’t want to ask him.” I pushed my head in between my thighs.”“He would help, he would do whatever was in his power to do. He would even sell his company for me. But I don’t want to disturb his emotional life anymore. I’m dead to him now.” The words were hard; they were betraying my heart. More than anything, I wanted to run in his arms and cry until my eyes became dry.

She touched my arm. I could feel the same pain radiating through her body as mine. “But do you think you have a choice here?”

“I don’t know. If only granny was alive, he would have helped me.” I missed her so much.

“You have her home right? Even this home is on your name. You can sell these.”

“I’m not sure if I can do that. Dad’s will was so complicated. I couldn’t understand a single thing out of it, but one thing was clear from it. That bastard...” Shaun’s face appeared in front of me. I wish he was really there, I would have killed him there only. “He has all the proofs. He was the one who took Stephen away from me couple of years back and he can do that again.” I wanted to cry, but only dry gasps came out of my mouth. Even the tears left me alone.

I was helpless. My eyes darted to Stephen, he was playing with a toy. I grabbed him and hugged him tightly. Maybe I put more pressure on him and he started crying. But I couldn’t do anything. I let him cry until he got tired and fell asleep right in my lap.

“Let me put him in the bed. At least he would sleep better.”

“Please.” I handed Stephen to her.

When I saw his innocent, sleeping face I felt like crying again. I stood and went near him and lifted him in my arms.

“No more hugs, please. He is not a toy.” Carrie frowned.

“I’m sorry.” I gave him to Carrie and sat near her, my fingers still tracing through his hair.

My cell buzzed.
Where the heck is it?
“Who is calling right now?”

“Maybe its Gerome, he might be gone for some genuine reason!” Carrie said, igniting a hope inside me.

She might be right.
I quickly jumped on my feet’ and reached for my bag. With a hope I opened my purse.

My face darkened as I saw who the caller was. It was Shaun. “Fuck. What does he want from me now?” I looked at the screen in horror.

Chapter 3

Nikki

“Who is it?” Carrie asked.

I pressed the accept button.“Hello, Shaun.”“Hello, pretty lady. I won’t ask how you are. Because I know you are not doing well.” He chuckled, with the sound sending a shiver across my spine. His accent was Canadian, but as much I knew, a Canadian accent was a pleasure to hear. But some people can make anything sound dirty and bad.

“What a pleasure you called me.” I tried to sugar things up. My heart knew what he was going to say. I hoped he might have called me for something else this time.

“No-No, it’s my pleasure.”Even that sounded dirty. “But baby, I’m afraid I have’ bad news for you.” His tone changed into something sharp and pointed.

I knew what he would be saying. It must be about the company’s performance. My heart wasn’t prepared to hear that, at least not today when I'd found out my husband betrayed me, ran off with my money and I couldn’t even file a complaint with the police.

“What bad news?” I had’ no choice.

“We are filing a case against you for your company’s performance. The company will be merged with the trust. And the trust will take care of the all business.”

“You can take that company whenever you want, Shaun. I’m really not into it much.” I hoped that was it and he wouldn’t’ say anything about Stephen’s custody.

“And and...listen, the good news is yet to come. We will be taking custody of Stephen from you and transferring it to the trust. We don’t think you are a good mother to look after that poor soul. You know what I mean...” He laughed wickedly.

“You bastard,” I shouted. “I know exactly what you mean and I won’t let that happen. Trust me, Shaun, you are not getting Stephen from me. Even if I have to go to the president for that, I’ll do it. He’s not going with you,” I screamed from the bottom of my lungs.

“The court will decide that. I just thought I should warn you beforehand so you won’t suffer from a heart attack when you receive the summons,” Shaun said.

My knees went weak. Anger turned me inside out, twisting my heart until I couldn’t breathe.

Carrie came forward and saved me from falling down. But she couldn’t save the fate of the cell phone. It shattered in pieces with a breaking noise.

“What happened? What is that jerk telling you now?” Carrie was holding Stephen in one hand and holding my arm in other. She helped me to sit on a chair and then put Stephen on the bed.

“Shaun, he is filing a court case against me to merge the company back with the trust. And top of that, he is also filing a custody change case.” Tears were raining down from my eyes. It was a second blow. My heart twisted inside out, my brain was on a roller coaster ride. Nothing looked remotely hopeful to me.

I knew Shaun would do this eventually, but I wasn’t prepared to lose Stephen again. First I'd lost him to my dad and now Shaun wanted him to take him away from me forever.

No, I couldn’t let it happen.
I won’t allow him to take the piece of my heart away from me.
“I won’t let them take away Stephen from me, I won’t. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Stephen with me,” I hollered, but nothing could take away that pain from my heart. The pain was killing me from inside. That bastard was going to put a case against me and I had’ no chance of winning it.

“No, I won’t let that happen.” Somehow, a little piece of strength started flowing through my veins. There was a choice; I could give up or I could fight against him.
Yes, I’ll fight against him. Why not?
I would show them what it takes to be against a mother. I would’ protect my child’s custody at any cost. Even if it killed me.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a loud sound of someone falling on the ground hard. My chin jutted up; Carrie was standing in front of me, looking at me with her brown eyes. I turned to look at Stephen, but he wasn’t there on the bed.

“Stephen,” I cried.

Carrie jumped back and ran outside. I followed her. I could see blood; Stephen was lying unconscious on the ground. Blood was coming out of his head. My heart stopped. What just happened to my baby?

“Oh, my God. He must have fallen off the chair,” Carrie shouted. She shook my shoulder. “Grab him, Nikki. We need to take him to the E.R.” She called someone and ran down the stairs.

I picked up the piece of my  heart and pushed my hand on his wound. It was still bleeding. Stephen was unconscious. Seeing him like that tore out my heart.

I tried to wake him up, but he didn’t even move a single finger. The blood was still flowing so I grabbed a bandage and placed it on his wound. My heart was continuously praying to God to make him well.
God, please, save this child.

I rushed to the elevator. Carrie was already out. I ran out of the house; Carrie was outside already in the car. The nearest ER was ten minutes away, I was praying and praying for my son’s safety. My heart was bleeding heavily; I couldn’t see him unconscious.

“If anything happens to him I won’t be able to forgive myself. I was responsible for this and I should be punished.””

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to him. He will be fine,” Carrie said.

Carrie almost crashed into a parked van, but I didn’t care. I walked out of the car and another car almost hit the van from the other side. I was frozen for a second and then Tristan jumped out of the car and rushed to pick Stephen from me. He grabbed him, held him to his chest and rushed inside the hospital.

“I called him. We need him right now.” Carrie patted my shoulder and ran inside.

I walked inside; I knew Stephen was in safe hands. If anyone could help him better than me, it was Tristan. I knew he loved Stephen like his own son.

As I walked in, I saw Tristan was quarreling with a doctor. I don’t know what he said to him, but that doctor admitted the kid and took him inside.

“He is a star here. The doctor knew him and only because of him he admitted that child.” Carrie came to me with a thin smile on her face.

“Thanks for calling him. He is the best.”

We waited there for fifteen minutes. Tristan was gone inside with the doctor.

Tristan walked out with a worried smile on his face.

“He is stabilized now. But, did you know his blood type is OH-” He came and wrapped me in his arms. “Don’t worry, everything will be all right.” He wiped tears from my eyes.

“Yes, but why?”

“What is yours? Mine is O+,” he said, his face ambivalent.

“How is he, Tristan? Is he okay?” I clung to his back tightly. I needed his support at that darkest hour of my life.

“Yes, he is fine, but he needs OH- blood immediately. Any one of you have that blood type?”

“No, Gerome had it. But he is not around.”

“What do you mean he is not around? Where is he? Shouldn’t he be here at this time?” His voice cracked.

“He is not around, he is gone somewhere.” A fresh burst of tears came out. I wanted to tell him the truth, but I couldn’t. My tongue was stuck inside.

“What?” He pushed me to arm’s length away. “Are you serious? He is a jerk.” His cheeks turned red. His fingers stretched into a fist and he hit a nearby wall.

“I’m sorry, Tristan, but he is not here now...” I cried more, my heart was hurting. I was the reason for everything.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find someone who has that blood type.” He darted at Carrie, “Can you look after her, please.”

“Sure,” She said.

He walked away, calling someone.

“Damn, not OH-” Carrie whispered.

“Why?” I couldn’t understand the concern. “The hospital should have it, right?” I was still shocked.

“It’s very rare and hard to get. Few in millions have that blood type.” She rubbed my shoulder.

I watched her in horror. The world was falling in on me.

Chapter 4

Tristan

“Trisha, Tristan here. Call me back as soon you get this one.”
Damn it, why isn’t she picking up the phone.
I’d been trying her cell for the third time in a row, but it went to voicemail.

I bumped my hand on the  steering wheel. The horn went on. “Fuck it.” I needed her and she wasn’t picking up the damn phone. “Where the hell are you, Trisha?”

I hit the horn again, this time on purpose. I was about to hit a van on the highway. I was driving like crazy, but still it was nothing in front of the emotions I was holding in my heart. I couldn’t let that kiddo suffer because of my slow driving. The situation was urgent.

My mind drifted back to two hours ago, when I received a call from Carrie.

“Tristan, Stephen is injured we are taking him to the Acute ER, please come there.” Her voice had been shaking.

“Carrie, what happened to Stephen? Talk to me, please,” I howled, but the phone was long dead.

“Fuck.” I took my keys and ran outside.

“Tristan…” Trisha was standing at the front door. “Where are you running to? I came to tell you something…”

“Later, Trisha. I need to go. Sorry.” I tapped her head lightly and jumped outside. I couldn’t waste a second talking with her. Stephen was in danger and I couldn’t bear that.

“But…” Her voice faded as I pushed on the gas. The car jumped out of the gate in a blink. I’d driven to the ER like a criminal on the run. I couldn’t lift my leg from the gas pedal. The ER was forty minutes away, but I covered it in less than fifteen minutes.

When I almost crashed my car into a van, I saw Nikki. She was frozen, Stephen in her arms. My eyes darted to the blood covering her hand. Stephen was bleeding.
Damn, what is happening? it can’t be the blood of that kiddo.
My heart jumped out of my rib cage. The pain that child must have suffered was astonishing.

Carefully, I took that kid from her grasp and ran inside. She stood frozen there, but Stephen was more important than her at the moment.

“Doctor,” I yelled as I entered the reception area.

A nurse came running towards me.

“Where is the doctor? I want to see one.”

She stared at me first and then Stephen in my hands. “Relax. The doctor is on the way, but can you fill this form first. We will take care of the child.” The nurse tried to take Stephen away.

“No. I want to see a doctor right now,” I yelled at her again. I couldn’t let that nurse take that kid. I wanted to see a qualified doctor.

“Are you Maxim?” A doctor in a white coat came running towards me.

“Thank God, Doctor. can you please check this kid? He is injured.”

The doctor took him from my hands and put him on a stretcher. “How did he get injured?”the doctor asked, checking Stephen. “I need to know from where the blood loss happened.”

I had’ no information. My eyes were already becoming watery by seeing Stephen silent like that. I’d never seen him like that. He had been always cheerful, making different sounds or trying to play with my long hair. But today, he was all silent, not a single sound from his mouth. My eyes darted to Carrie, asking help.

“Doctor, I’ll give you all information. He fell down from the chair.” Carrie filled in quickly.”“

I thanked her with my eyes.

“Nurse, get him to the emergency room. We need to scan him first. Do it quick, please. “The doctor shot an order and nurse came running.

I refused her help and took the stretcher in. I wanted to see what the doctor was doing with Stephen. I couldn’t let that child be out of my sight even for one second.

“Nurse, check the blood type first, "The doctor asked nurse and took off the bandage Nikki or Carrie had applied at home.

My legs went weak as I saw the wound on his head. His hair was all dripping in blood.

And above that, the nurse took out a shot of blood from his hand.

“Nurse, hurry please. Stop this blood first and then get the child to the x-ray room. I need to see how much injury there is.” He looked at me. “And Maxim, please stand in one corner. I can’t let you disturb the whole thing, only because you are a celebrity.”

“I’m sorry, doc. I’ll stand anywhere you want me to. But please save this child.”

“We are doing our best, Maxim, "he said, confidently.

The nurse was running here and there, while I was praying to God for the safety of that child.

Fifteen minutes later, the doctor came back with Stephen on a small stretcher.

“Doctor, how is he?” My hands were closed down in a prayer position.

He looked damn serious. “The brain is not damaged and that’s a good thing. But we need a blood transfusion.”

“Take mine. I’m O+,” I said with a smile. I could give away all of my blood if it was required. I didn’t care what happened to me, but at any cost I wouldn’t let anything happen to Stephen.

“Sorry, but he is OH- and that’s a rare blood type. Rare means one in millions. And unfortunately, we don’t have it.”

“Can’t you use mine? I’m O+. You can use mine right?” I asked. I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t use my blood when I was a universal donor.

“Well, we can use some of your blood. But that wouldn’t be enough. O+ can donate only a small amount of blood to a patient. But we will require an OH- person’s blood with you.”

“Where can I get one, doc?”

“I checked my files and there are only two people in our registry who have this blood group," the doc said. “And the more time we waste, the more dangerous it becomes for that kid.”

“Give me the names. I’ll fetch them from the grave,” I shouted. The tension was burning my soul. I wanted answers.

“Gerome Lewis and one named Trisha Summers?”

“Did you say Trisha Summers? Living in the suburbs?”

“Yes, but how do you know her?”he asked.

“I’ll get her as soon as possible. No, I’ll get her here in half an hour. Please save the kid till then.” I ran out of there. Nikki was sitting on a chair, frozen, looking at a tree.

“He is stabilized now. But, did you know his blood group is OH-?” I wrapped her in my arms. “Don’t worry, everything will be all right.” Her cheeks were wet. I wiped them with my thumbs. Her skin had become chapped because of constant crying.
Don’t worry, babe, everything will be all right.

“Yes, but why?”

“What is yours? Mine is O+,” I said. She might have the same blood group as Stephen.

“How is he, Tristan? Is he okay?”

She stood and wrapped her arms around me tightly. Tears were dropping all over from her eyes.

Then she told me that Gerome was gone somewhere. How could that jerk go somewhere partying when his wife was in need?
Thank God he didn’t run away with the money, at least.

“Don’t worry, babe. I just need to get Trisha for some blood and he will be all right.” I brushed my lips on her cheeks and ran out of the hospital.

I called Trisha, but it was going to voice mail again and again. I couldn’t wait anymore. I took my car and started driving. I had’ to get her from any corner of the city and I knew where she would be.

***

Present time.

I unlocked my house. As I wandered in, Trisha was there sitting alone, crying.

“Trisha. I need you.”

“Tristan, I’m going away. Sorry, but I can’t stay here anymore. It’s hurting me.”

“For God’s sake, Trisha, let’s go to the hospital first. A kid need your blood. we will talk about everything after that.” I grabbed her arm and dragged her out. I pushed her in my car and drove back to the hospital.

Her face was calm by the time we reached halfway to the hospital. “What happened? Who needs the OH-?”

“So you know you are the rare one?” I asked. The more we were getting closer to the hospital, I was getting normal.

“Yes, I’m the second one known to them. They call me many times for blood. But who needs the blood now that you had to drag me out?” Her voice was cracking. She looked calm, but she was crying inside. In that moment, as well, I understood her feelings about me.

“Stephen, Nikki’s son.”

“What the hell? That little kid? Why did God gave him the rare blood type?” Her voice trembled. “I know what it is like living with the fear of losing blood.

“Why is your phone switched off? I’ve been trying to reach you from some time.” I asked.

“We’ll talk about it later. Now let’s focus on that kid.” She darted her eyes on the road.

I pushed the gas pedal until it touched the steel.

***

“Doctor, here she is. Just take the blood and give it to that kid,” I said.

“Nurse, quick. Normal infection tests on both of these.” He looked at us. “I hope you don’t have any disease.

“No, I’m clean. Do the tests quick,” Trisha said, her voice still cracking.

The doctor ran a few tests on us and then gave us the go-ahead. When they took the blood out of us and gave it to Stephen, I could see Nikki pushing her nose on the glass door to look at us.

I looked Trisha lying down on the bed near me; a drip was taking the blood out of her body, slowly.

“She looks so perfect, but so vulnerable right now.” Trisha rolled her eyes to Nikki’s face watching us from the glass window on the brown ICU door.

“Yes, she is calm only when she is asleep. You should have seen her sleeping. All other times, worries keep eating her from inside out. I wish I could take her worries away.” I paused, looked back at Trisha. “Are you having dreams about her now?” I tried to ease the mood.

“How many times do I have’ to tell you, Tristan, I’m not…”

“Gay.” I completed her sentence. I wanted to smile, but the tension was eating at me from inside. “Do you think everything will be all right?” I asked, with clenched teeth.

“Yes, Tristan, you and Nikki would make a great pair.”

I looked at her in surprise; she was still looking at Nikki’s face. “No, I asked about the little kid, Stephen.”

“Yes, he would be great. The blood will do the job.” She smiled.

“Thanks for your help, Trisha, that means a lot to me. Actually, you mean a lot to me.”

“You both were together last night, right? After so many months, you finally got her back. Now I can go away somewhere.”

“Don’t tell me you already booked your tickets.” I wonder if she was at my house to tell me she was going away. Deep inside, I knew that would happen.

“I don’t need to, you already know everything.” Trisha’s face was calm and yet vulnerable, like the decision she took was forced by her own self.

“I’m sorry, Trisha. I won’t ask why. I won’t even stop you. You deserve something better than this.” I smiled at her. Telling her the truth would make her stop here for me and I didn’t want that. It was better that she move on. At least one should get peace. I had to keep the secret to myself. I couldn’t tell her that Nikki chose to be away from me.

“I’m sorry, too, but it’s for the best…” She exhaled.”“At least I think it is.”

“It is, Trisha. Don’t worry and you know my number. any issue, give me a call and I will be there for you.”

“That’s why you are a sweetheart, Tristan. You always put other people before yourself.”She smiled.

“That’s it, guys. It’s enough for the kid.”The doc came and stopped the drip.

I looked at Nikki. Her face was flowing with emotions; fear, curiosity, awareness of the future, everything was there. I smiled at her, tried to give her some confidence.

“How is he, doctor? Is he conscious yet?” I asked.

“Yes, he opened his eyes few moments ago, but now we have given him some sedatives so he would only wake up tomorrow.”

“Did you tell this to his mother?” I asked.

“Nope, I thought you were his father and she is your friend," The doctor said, confused.

“He is almost his father, doc.” Trisha giggled.

Nikki was watching us curiously, wondering what was going on inside.

“She must know this. The tension must be killing her.” I walked out. There was some dizziness because of the blood loss, but I managed to control it.

“How…”

“He is fine. Out of danger.”

“Thank God.” She hugged me right away. “Thank you, Tristan,”

I wrapped her close to my heart. “I’ll never let anything happen to that kid.”

“Can somebody tell me what happened? I’m as much responsible as she is and my heart is about to get an attack now.”Carrie came forward looking at us.

“He is fine, Carrie. He opened his eyes some time ago, but he is under sedation now. Danger is passed,” I said.

“Thank God.” The tension disappeared from her face. She came and hugged us both.

“Hey, guys, can I come in your hug, too? I need one.” Trisha came out of the room.

“You are always welcome, my dear,” Nikki said, wiping her tear out and opening her arms for Trisha to sneak in. “Thanks a lot.”