Chapter 26

26

Natalie

“Okay, everyone out except for Piston, I need to speak to my patient,” Cassidy says as I take in all the wires attached to me, my mind a little hazy.

The sound of screeching of tires echoes in my head, and I squeeze my eyes tight, willing them away.

What happened?

I remember being behind the wheel, but then everything is just….

Anchor, Steal, and Acid all kiss my head before leaving while Perrie hangs on for a beat, and I remark, “T-trying t-to dodge A-Acid?”

She smiles slightly. “Always.” I nod as she comes my way, kisses my head, and then mumbles, “You’re never allowed to scare me like that again.”

“Yes, Mom,” I reply, making her snort.

As soon as the door is shut, Cassidy’s doctor mode kicks in. “Okay, Natty." Well, it kind of kicks in. "First thing’s first, what do you remember?”

I blink, trying hard to remember, and rasp, “I-I remember the sound of screeching tires. I-I was behind the wheel, and then there was-was a loud crash….”

Cassie nods. “You didn’t have your seatbelt on, and your car flipped.” I wince, and she continues, “You had a concussion, but you slept most of that away. You had internal bleeding, and I had to remove your spleen, which, thankfully, all went well. You coded three times before surgery, so we weren’t sure whether you’d wake up, but all your tests came back clear, you just didn’t want to grace us with your presence.”

I snort. “Well, I have been extremely tired lately.”

She gives me a tight smile before sitting at the edge of the bed. I furrow my brows as she grabs my hand.

“Remember three years ago?” she asks, and I flinch but nod. She continues, “I saw you at what I believe was your worst. You blamed yourself, and you gave up on life, but what did I say to you, Nat?”

My eyes stare into hers, and I whisper, “You said it wasn’t my fault." She nods. “You said that maybe it just wasn’t mine and Elijah’s time for a baby, and when it was, I’ll make the best mom because I care so much and always put other people's feelings before my own. That I adore kids so much I’m stupid enough to work with them.”

She grins as Eli snorts, squeezing my other hand, but I don’t take my eyes off the woman who gave me my first drink after I met Eli.

She gives me a small smile and says, “And I meant every word then as I do now. You are going to be the best mom, and your child is going to be one of the most loved and luckiest kids out there.” My heart pounds, hearing her meaning. “You’re six weeks pregnant, Natalie, and so far, you are showing no signs of miscarriage.” She squeezes my hand. “With the trauma you’ve gone through, the car accident, and then after…there is a chance you may still lose the baby. But as long as you stay calm, and take it easy, things may be alright. I removed your contraceptive patch, and have been giving you vitamins through your IV.”

My tears fall, and she leans forward, taking me in her arms as the first sob releases.

Pregnant. I’m pregnant.

Half an hour later, after Cassidy finishes her checks she decides to leave so Eli and I can talk, stating she’ll come by in a before the end of her shift to see me. She says she’ll allow me at least ten minutes to give her a lecture about her leaving five years ago.

“She’s just trying to deal, Diamond,” Eli says after she shuts the door, my eyes firmly on it, still mad at her for leaving the way she did.

She works at Memorial, so she must have stayed here all this time. She told me she was on loan but wouldn’t say from where, and by the time I was discharged, she would be gone again.

I nod. “I know, but she didn’t give us a reason why she left like that.”

I look at my husband, bags under his eyes. He sighs as he admits, “Steal held a gun to her head and told her to leave, or he’d kill her. He…uh, fuck, he was told she was the one who stabbed Brute….”

I frown. “Cassidy doesn’t have a bad bone in her body, let alone the courage to kill someone. She’s a healer, Eli.”

He nods, grabbing my hand, playing with my fingers. “I know, Diamond, but the cameras were cut in the kitchen, and Faith said she walked in on her stabbing him in the chest. Steal never looked into it, believing Faith because of their history.”

My nostrils flare. “The same Faith who still hangs around the club, mainly around him? The same woman who wants his patch?”

He winces. “They’re not together, not that I know of. Anyway, I heard Cass on the phone the other day. It sounds like she’s seeing someone.”

I nod. “Good. Steal doesn’t deserve her if he wasn’t even willing to look into it.”

He smirks before getting serious. "Are you going to keep stalling, or are you ready to talk about it?”

I sigh. “I’d rather keep stalling, and discuss your shenanigans with my baby brother….”

My eyes widen. Cooper! The message from Henry! I try to remove the sheets and stand, but Eli quickly grabs hold of me.

“Don’t even think about it, Diamond,” he snaps.

I shake my head, tears building. “No, no, I need to check on Cooper. Is he okay? Henry messaged me, he said, he said….”

Eli stands and grabs hold of my shoulders. "He’s okay, baby. I promise he is.” My heart races, and he gently rubs my cheek. "Try and stay calm. Think of our baby, please….”

My tears fall. “Christy, she?—”

He cuts me off. "She is currently on the run. I’ve sent every sighting of her, so far, to our contact in the FBI, and now that you're awake, I’ll try harder to track her." He kisses my forehead, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I promise he’s okay. They sent him home two days ago.”

I furrow my brows. “Two days? How long was I out?”

He sighs. “A whole fucking week.”

My heart pounds. A week?

“What-what happened, Elijah?” I question, and he shakes his head, guilt pulsing off him.

“Killers attacked the club.” I suck in a breath. “They smashed into your car, causing it to flip, then dragged you out, and rode off.”

My eyes widen, an image of Adam lying on the ground, eyes wide open, and I gasp.

“Adam….”

Eli looks at me sadly, “Dead, baby. They killed him. He was buried three days ago. Steal, Acid, and I chased the fuckers when they took you, but they…fuck Nat, they threw you over Brooklyn Bridge. I dove in after you, but you-you weren’t breathing, and I had to give you CPR.” He breathes deeply, pressing his forehead against mine. “I need you to try and stay calm, to relax, and I know that’s easier said than done, but I can’t fucking lose you, Diamond.”

My tears fall at his heartbreak, and I hold him as tight as I can, my body still sore and stiff.

“I love you,” I murmur against his head before I feel wetness on my skin, his body shaking, and I squeeze him tighter, promising myself I’ll never let him feel this way again.

A few hours later, Eli is sitting on my bed, while I’m leaning against him as Cooper, who has a blue cast from his elbow to his hand, explains all about camp before Christy took him.

He breezes over it, not wanting to speak about how crazy she got, and I don’t blame him. The woman’s lost her fricking marbles; I mean, why take him to begin with? Why try and kill him?

I smile at all the pictures he shows me before he says he needs the bathroom.

When he’s out of earshot, Henry leans forward and demands, “Please tell me you caught the people that did this to her, Piston?”

I sigh, I am not up for this today—or ever, to be honest.

Twenty-four years he wasn’t a parent, and now suddenly he cares. I mean, come on! What game is he playing here?

Elijah squeezes me gently. "No, we haven’t. Their leader has gone into hiding, but I’ll find him, one way or another. And let’s keep the atmosphere light, yeah, Henry? Natalie doesn’t need the stress, and neither does Cooper.”

Henry sighs but nods, and leans back in his chair just as the door to the bathroom opens, and Cooper emerges.

I give him a smile while he looks at me with a little concern.

“I’m okay, Bud, I promise,” I try to reassure him.

He swallows, his throat bobbing before he admits, “I read your chart.” My eyes widen. “I-I didn’t understand it at first, but I saw the words baby and miscarry.”

“Fuck,” Eli mumbles, and Henry sits up again.

“You were pregnant?” he demands, and I sigh.

Seriously, where has this man come from?

“I was three years ago, but I lost the baby.” I give Cooper a small smile. “I am, however, currently six weeks pregnant.”

Cooper’s eyes light up, and Eli squeezes me tighter as he says, “There is a chance she could lose it, Coop, because of her trauma. Try not to get too excited, alright?”

Cooper nods seriously, his eyes full of sadness, and I open my arms to him. He comes instantly, and I wrap my arms around him.

I haven’t allowed myself to think about the baby.

Having a child of my own is not something I wanted, and then losing the baby three years ago, after I wished for there not to be one…guilt ate me alive, still does. And, here I am, pregnant again.

I just don’t understand how it happened. I was on the contraceptive patch, and I know they can fail, but I guess it was wishful thinking.

I squeeze my brother to me, grateful he’s okay as Eli runs his fingers down my back. I wonder if I can be a mom, if I can have this child.

What if I screw up?

What if I mess it up like my parents had with me?

What if it grows to hate me?

What if the Killers come for it?