Sweet Temptation (40 page)

“What happened?” he asked.

Craig spun around. “She cut herself pretty bad. We’re taking her to the hospital.”

He looked down at her. There was so much blood, way more than what he had seen when she split her head open. Craig ripped open the passenger door and slid in.

“I’m coming with you,” he said.

“If you are, hurry up,” Craig growled.

Nate spun around to his nephew. “Stay with Dom, I’ll be back later, okay?”

“Okay,” Tom answered.

Nate jumped in the back and closed the door as Alex sped towards the hospital. Arriving fifteen minutes later, Nate jumped out and opened Craig’s door.

“I’ll carry her,” he said.

Craig passed Skylar to him and they all ran into the emergency room. Craig went straight up to the window and explained what happened. A nurse rushed out to them. “Come this way,” she said. All of them followed her into the room. Nate laid Skylar down on the bed, and wouldn’t leave her side. The nurse removed the towel to have a look. Blood started rushing out of the cut. The nurse leaned over and pushed a button; moments later, three other people came running in.

“She’s hit the main artery in her right hand.” Two out of three of the nurses started pushing her out of the room.

“Is she allergic to anything?” the doctor asked.

Both Craig and Alex looked at each other. Craig walked up to the doctor and whispered something to him. Nodding, the doctor walked out of the room.

Nate frowned.
What the hell was that about?
Something was going on, and he was bloody going to find out exactly what it was. They were all told to wait in the waiting room until someone came out to get them. After an hour, he couldn’t take much more of it.

“What the hell is going on, Craig?”

“What do you mean?”

He frowned. “When the doctor asked if she was allergic to anything, you both looked at each other, and then whispered something to him. What was it?”

“I can’t tell you, sorry.”

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly that, it’s not my place to say,” Craig whispered.

Nate stood, pulled Craig out of his seat and pinned him to the wall. “I don’t like secrets, Craig.
Tell me
,” he snarled.

“Really, you’re one to talk, Nate. When were you going to have a chat with her about your son? If it really is your son, when were you going to break the news to her that you were going to be a family with your ex?” Craig growled.

Stunned, Nate released his grip. “How did you know about that?”

“How else would I know, Nate? Skylar heard most of the conversation you had with your ex,” he said.

“So, that’s why she’s been avoiding me? She really thinks that I would drop everything we had together to be a family with Natalie?”

“That’s what Skylar heard you say to Natalie, Nate. If it’s your son, you’d be a family, and if not, you never wanted to see Natalie again. Am I right?”

“I never said I would get back together with her, just to be a family, Craig. I just would be there for all the family stuff, not actually be with her.”

“Well, you really need to sit down and explain that to her, Nate. Skylar thinks differently of what she heard you say.”

There was something else going on here and it wasn’t about his assumed son. He was about to ask what when the doctor came out.

“Miss Montague is fine. She had managed a small slice in her artery, but everything is good and the bleeding has stopped. She will have to stay overnight for observation.”

“Can we see her?” Nate asked.

“She’s a little groggy, but one at a time would be fine.”

“Thank you,” all three said at once.

Nate turned and faced both Alex and Craig, “You guys can go in first. You both brought her here,” he said.

“Are you sure? I don’t mind waiting,” Alex said.

“No, you go. Just don’t say anything about me being here?”

“Sure.” Craig patted him on the back, “We’ll be out soon.”

He watched as both of them walked up the hallway and into her room. He sat down.
What the hell was he going to do?
The results from the test wouldn’t be back until the end of the week. There was no way he was breaking it off with Skylar.
How she could even think that?

* * *

Skylar
slowly opened her eyes. Jesus, she felt like shit.

“Craig,” she whispered.

“I’m here.” Craig gripped her hand.

“I’m so sorry,” she said.

“What for?”

“Everything.”

“Accidents happen, Skylar. At least you’re okay.

The doctor said you’d have to stay overnight, just to be safe.”

“Okay.” Skylar leaned back and closed her eyes.

As he stood up, Craig said, “You have a visitor.”

That made her open her eyes, “Who?”

Craig walked over towards the door. “I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll come back up later.” Craig moved out of the doorway. As she sat up, she wondered who would be here to see her; she hadn’t been here that long.

“How are you feeling?”

God, she knew that voice. It always sent a thrill through her system when he spoke. Looking up, she asked, “What are you doing here, Nate?”

“I saw Craig carrying you out to the car when you injured yourself. I came in with you.” He sat down on the end of the bed.

“Why are you here?”

“I was worried about you, baby.”

She loved it when he called her that. But she didn’t want to cry again
. Her stomach was starting to feel queasy again. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Nate stood and moved quickly to her side. “Do you want me to call the nurse?” he asked.

“No, I need to go to the bathroom.” She held her hand over her mouth.

Nate lifted her off the bed and carried her to the bathroom. He placed her down gently and she stumbled over to the toilet and threw up.
How long does morning sickness last?
She stood up and walked slowly to the sink and rinsed her mouth out.

“Are you feeling sick from the local?” he asked her.

She had to lie; she couldn’t tell him the real reason. “Yeah.”

Nate walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “The nurse should be able to give you something for that,” he said.

“No, they can’t.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause it makes me feel worse,” Skylar said.

“They still should have given you something for the sickness.”

Skylar turned around and pushed him away. “They can’t, and why do you care all of a sudden anyway?” she growled.

Nate folded his arms over his chest. “What’s going on?” he hissed.

“Nothing.” Skylar held onto the sink, starting to feel lightheaded again.

“Don’t give me that bullshit again. I know very well they can give you something for it. Why can’t you have it?”

“Nate,” she started turning towards him but then everything went black. Skylar let go of the sink and started to fall, but Nate caught her before she hit the ground.

“Baby!” Picking her up, he walked back into the room and placed her on the bed and buzzed the nurse.

“Is everything all right in here?” the nurse asked.

“She just passed out… can you give her anything?” he asked.

“Sorry, but I can’t in her condition.”

“What condition?”

“I can’t give out that information, unless you’re family,” she said.

Nate was about to ask her when Skylar moaned. “Baby.”
What the fuck was going on here? Why couldn’t they give her anything
?

“Nate,” she said with a shaky voice.

“I’m here.” Nate sat down beside her, holding her hand.

“Can you tell me what’s going on, baby? Please, you’re starting to scare me,” he whispered. She could hear the worry in his voice. She really wanted to, but how would he handle it?

“I can’t, Nate.”

“Why can’t you?” he asked.

“Can you just forget about it, please? There’s nothing to tell,” she pleaded with him.

“Visiting hours are over; you can come back tomorrow morning around 8:00 a.m. if you’d like. I’ll give you five more minutes and that’s it I’m afraid,” the nurse said.

Skylar watched as the nurse left, glad that he had to leave soon. She couldn’t tell him that her being pregnant was the reason she was and throwing up and why they couldn’t give her anything.

“I can see you don’t want me here, I’ll leave now.” Nate stood and walked towards the door.

Skylar couldn’t help the tears, “It’s not that I don’t want you here, Nate. I just can’t tell you anything, that’s all.”

“Sweetheart, I know something is going on. I’m not stupid. But like I’ve told you before, I don’t like secrets,” he answered her.

“Neither do I,” she said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“When were you going to tell me about your ex, Nate?”

“I wanted to find the right time to tell you.”

“And when would that be?”

“When we weren’t fighting, at the very least,” he said.

Skylar rolled over and faced him, knowing the tears running down her face were visible. “I think you need to sort this out with Natalie, Nate. I think it’s best that we don’t see each other until you know what’s going on,” she sobbed.

“Baby, how is that going to help? Whether I have a son or not, why can’t we still see each other?” he asked.

“If you do have a son, what do you expect me to do, Nate? Your son already has a mother and father. I’d just be a third wheel in it, and I don’t want to be that. I don’t mind helping raise someone else’s child, but I know deep down that it is not my child I’m caring for. Also, when would you have time for us? A child needs a lot of attention, no matter the age,” she cried.

“We can work it out.”

“No, we can’t, Nate. Do you expect me to just watch you play happy family with your son, and only see you when you want to get laid?”

“No, it wouldn’t end up like that.”

“Yes, it would. I think you need to leave now.”

He walked over towards the bed. “Baby,” he whispered.

“It’s not enough.” God, she wanted to tell him she was carrying his child. She just couldn’t.

“Okay. I’m so sorry.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on her head.

“Me, too.”