Crossing Hathaway (23 page)

I let out a huge breath and squeezed Mom’s hand. It didn’t seem to matter how badly Dad treated me, my heart still knew he was my dad. “Yeah, that’s me.”

Mom and Gran held each other, laughing and crying at the same time.

“Can we all go?” I asked the doctor.

“I’d rather not have too many people in there at once. Don’t upset him, no matter what he says to you. He needs to rest and we’ll probably be looking at bypass surgery in the next few days.”

“Okay.” I kissed Mom on the forehead. “I’ll talk to him and hopefully you can see him after. Then I’ll take you home and spend the night, okay?”

Her usual vibrancy shone out from her eyes again. She nodded, patted my face. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

I followed the doctor down the hall, past doors where moaning and sounds of retching grew in volume, past the woman shouting curses at nobody in particular and another wailing and jabbering words I couldn’t understand. The stale vomit odor and senile chorus grated on my last nerve. My eye twitched. I rubbed my temples, my pulse galloping as we neared the end.

The doctor stopped and gestured to the last room. I stared at her, my feet unwilling to take me any farther. Why was I so afraid? I already knew why he hated me, that I was just another man’s child and reminded him of his sterility. Would it be so bad to hear it from his own mouth?

“Everything all right, Eva?” The doctor cocked her head and shifted her clipboard to hold it with both hands in front of her hips.

I waved her off. “Fine, just … hospitals freak me out a little bit, and I’ve had a stressful week.” After a few deep breaths, I entered the room. Dad lay on the bed with his eyes closed, a clear tube encircling his face just under his nose. IV drips connected to needles in the back of his hand and monitors next to his bed blipped along with his heartbeats. After everything he’d put me through, it still tore my heart out to see him that way.

I pulled up a chair to the side of the bed and sat. Away from Mom and with nobody to witness, Gramp’s words and the insanity my life had become crashed in on me. I pressed my palms against my eyes and gave in. A steady stream of tears washed down my hands and grief weaved around my chest and squeezed so hard I thought my lungs would collapse. I drew up the memory of Ben’s arms around me, let it fill me until I calmed.

“You came.”

Dad’s voice, though low and hoarse, made me jump. I dropped my hands and shifted forward on my chair. “Of course I came, stupid. Just because you have your head up your ass doesn’t mean you’re not still my dad.”

He chuckled but it turned into a hacking cough. “I don’t deserve your tears.”

“No, you don’t, but you’ll get them anyway because family still means something to me.” I sighed and contemplated how much to tell him. In case something terrible happened during the night, we needed to talk about it for both our sakes. “I talked to Gramps. I know what he said to you that night and it makes me sick.”

Dad nodded, stared at me with eyes that held more life than I’d ever seen in him along with sorrow he wore like a scar. “Can you ever forgive this stubborn old man?” He shook his head, his chin quivering. “Why did it take me almost dying to see how stupid I’ve been?”

I reached out and grasped his fingers, squeezed, and tried not to jiggle the IV. I’d never seen him cry before and it threw me off-kilter for a while. “We all look up to our dads, no matter how cruel they are to us. You were still upset about not being able to have children so what he told you had to have a profound effect. I just don’t understand why when you saw me as a baby you didn’t come around.”

“Once I got used to looking down on you as my own failure, my damned old-fashioned pride kept me from admitting my mistake.” With a grunt and groan, he rolled toward me as much as he could. “Just in case I don’t come out of here, I need you to know—I’m sorry, and even though I could never say it before, I’m proud of you.”

We stared at one another for a long time. I had no words to express the flood of emotion coursing through me. For the first time in my life, I understood my dad and recognized parallels in our lives. He’d pushed everyone away because of his own father’s cruel treatment, and I’d been doing the same for my entire adult life. If I ever had children, the cycle of horrible parenting would end with Dad. I smiled, imagining showing up at my parents’ door for dinner with Ben on my arm and being able to hug my dad, something I’d always wanted to do.

The doctor leaned through the door. “Your mother has asked to stay for a while so you’ll need to go. Visiting hours start at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”

I turned back to Dad with a lighter heart. “Do you think you can keep your stubborn ass alive until tomorrow?”

He gave a sleepy grin, one that changed his usually solemn face into one I wanted to kiss. His face in that moment would be a memory I’d cherish forever, burned onto my mind’s eye like a child’s dream. “If I don’t, make sure your mother doesn’t buy one of those expensive coffins with the frilly satin inside.”

I laughed with him, wiped away a few remaining tears. “Fine, I’ll give you a true man’s send-off. I’ll dump you off in the nearest cornfield so you can fertilize the crops and take the family out for a night of drinking in your honor.”

“That’s my girl.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Dad settled down farther against his pillow, the worry lines around his mouth softening. “Don’t you go missing any work over me. Keep that boss of yours happy.”

I saluted and went to find Mom, practically skipping down the hallway.

After ensuring Gran would take Mom home later, Bill escorted me to the stretch Porsche despite my preference to call a cab. Thankfully, we drove in silence to my apartment. I needed to pick up a few items if Ben wanted me to stay there until Friday.

The instant the car rolled to a stop in front of my building, I jumped out. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Ignoring me, he exited and sped around the front of the car. “I have to come up with you, ma’am. Mr. H. said you aren’t to go into your apartment until I make sure it’s clear.”

A growl trickled up my throat. “You can’t come up with me.”
You give me the sonic creeps.

“I have to follow orders, unless you want to take it up with the boss yourself.”

I don’t have time for this!

By the time I argued with Ben about it, I could be at his place. “Fine, come up and check it out. But make it quick.”

Bill raised an eyebrow. “Um, okay.”

Great. Now he thinks I’m an escaped loony.

We rode the elevator up in silence. The door opened on the third floor. I moved to leave first, but Bill put his arm out to stop me. “Can I please have your keys, ma’am.”

Biting out a few choice curses, I fished the keys out of my coat pocket and handed them to Bill. “I’m in three twelve.”

He nodded. “I know.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course you do.”

While Bill searched my apartment for signs of Richard, I waited in the hall and picked at a strip of the peeling, flowered wallpaper to avoid thinking about Ben. How could I get him to agree to screw over his brother? I thought about using my newfound sexual wiles against him, but didn’t like what that would make me in to. Not that it stopped him from using his against me, but that didn’t mean I needed to stoop to his level.

A glance at my watch revealed that five minutes had passed. What the blue blazes was he doing in there?

The guard emerged as I went for the door. “Can I borrow your phone?” he asked. “I need to call in before I can let you go inside.”

I didn’t have a landline, so I handed him my BlackBerry with a frown. My worn out brain had nothing left to fight the word of Ben Hathaway.

Bill punched in a number. “Yes, sir, this is Bill. She’s been delivered safe to her apartment—yes, sir—no, sir—absolutely.” He nodded and mmm-hmmmed a few times. “My pleasure, Mr. Hathaway.” The guard handed my phone back to me.

“I just need a few minutes,” I said, tucking the phone into its clip. “You can wait for me by the elevator.”

Bill sped down the hall, shooting glances over his shoulder.

Weirdo
. Grumbling to myself, I strode into my apartment and shut the door. Vibrations against my hip preceded a digitized version of Pink’s “Trouble.” Yeah, you’re in trouble all right, buddy. I wrenched open the bag beside me, whipped out the iPhone and answered. “What?”

“Why haven’t you answered your phone?” The wobble in Ben’s voice betrayed his worry.

“I’m just fine, thanks for asking. Dad too. I’ve been kind of busy at the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Silence for a moment. “Why are you angry? I thought you agreed to let my driver take you to your mother’s house. I’ve been worried.”

Ice grew in my veins. “What do you mean? Bill, your head of night security, brought me home in a stretch Porsche. He said you insisted he check out my apartment for signs of Richard and then he called you from my BlackBerry.”

He breathed faster into the phone, the panicked sound jacking up my alarm. “I don’t know anyone named Bill, nor did anyone call me from your phone.”

“That isn’t funny, Ben! He called you Mr. Hathaway on the phone.” I choked on the thought, my hand propping against the wall to keep me from falling down. “Shit!”

“Get out of the apartment, Evangeline. Get out now.”

With the phone pressed to my ear, I eased the door open.

“Stay on the phone with me, Evangeline,” Ben commanded. “I’m sending Eddy for you.”

I nodded, my tightened chest resisting the heave of my lungs. When I remembered he couldn’t see me, I managed a strangled, “Okay.”

After peering out to find Bill gone, I twisted the lock on the knob, shut the door, and rushed down the hallway.

I made it a few steps down the hall, and halted when the elevator doors dinged open. Staring with wide eyes, I put a hand over my heart to stem its rapid beat against my chest.

Richard stepped out of the elevator, straitening the cuffs of his royal blue shirt. The instant his gaze landed on me, his lips spread into a wicked grin. “Hello, kitten.” He ran fingers through his dark curls.

My taut muscles wouldn’t respond.

“Evangeline?” Ben shouted through the phone. “Talk to me. What’s happening?”

“He’s here.” I breathed the words through my dry throat.

“Get back inside!”

The sharpness of his words broke my paralysis. The phone fell to the carpet as I sprinted to my door. I cranked the knob and screamed my frustration when I remembered I’d fucking locked it out of habit. My fingers jostled the keys.

Footsteps pounded the carpet behind me. Cold prickles bit along my skin as I slid the key into the lock and started the motion to turn.

Richard’s hand clamped down over mine.

I choked on my frantic heartbeat.

“Allow me,” he said against my ear.

The press of his body against my back stole my ability to think and derailed the breath in my throat.

His left hand slid around my waist, tugging me closer, as his other turned the key and pushed the door open.

Ben called my name out of the phone on the floor, but I couldn’t remember how to work my vocal chords or move my lips to produce anything other than primal sounds. I screamed inside my head. My nostrils flared as adrenaline flooded in and jumpstarted my brain.

Richard shoved me inside.

I growled, dug my nails into his arm, and pried against his grip. When he twisted away from me to shut the door, I jammed my foot back against his knee.

He released me, crashed against the door and roared. “Bitch!”

I launched into the kitchen. His feet hit the tile a moment later. The speed and evenness of his footfalls let me know I hadn’t hurt him as badly as I’d hoped. I slammed into the counter and sent a silent “thank you” to Mom for the knife block she’d given me for Christmas. I curled my fingers around the handle of a butcher’s knife and withdrew it. Gripping it with both hands, I backed up and whirled to face him. A strand of my hair lifted with each of my giant exhales.

Richard stopped with his stomach only an inch from the tip of the blade. His glare burned along my skin. He spread his arms wide in surrender. For a moment, his upper lip curled in a snarl before he laughed, but it held only malice. “So the kitten has claws. All the more exciting, don’t you think?”

“Fuck you, Dick.” My butt bumped into the stove. A tiny squeak made it past my lips. “You said we had until Friday.”

“And you do.” He dropped his arms and leaned an elbow against the counter, looked me up and down with a lick of his lips. “But you see, Benjamin is a stubborn man. He needs more motivation than most to do my bidding.”

“You are such an arrogant prick.” I thrust the knife forward, encouraged when he jumped back and lost his grin. “What did Bill do to my apartment?”

Richard rested his shoulder against the cupboard and played his fingers along the countertop in a sensual manner. “He did what I paid him to do.” His green-eyed gaze, only a shadow of resemblance to Ben’s, rolled up to meet mine, amusement shining out from them.

“I won’t play this game with you.” Rage boiled, injecting a tremble into my voice. I jerked the knifepoint toward the door. “Get out!”

“Ahh, are you going to make me, kitten?” He shoved his lips out in an exaggerated pout. “Because nobody’s coming to help you. Not even Benjamin. You could be bleeding in the street outside his building and he wouldn’t come to you.”

His words stung more than they should have, and I felt the need to defend Ben whether or not they were true. “You don’t know him.” I uttered a hysterical laugh and tightened my grip on the knife. “No wonder so much shit falls out of your mouth, what with your head shoved so far up your ass.”

He lunged at me so fast I didn’t have time to think. His hands came from underneath, gripped my wrists, and slammed my fingers against the counter until they went numb. I lost my grip on the knife and it clattered to the floor.

With a chilling laugh, he kicked my feet out from under me and yanked me forward by my wrists. The kitchen whirled into a smear of white as he slammed me down onto the floor on my back.