Bad Romance (19 page)

With a snarl in my throat, I lunged just as Paul went for him. My fist slammed into my father’s face and I felt the satisfying crack. He roared up at me and I felt him match me when his fist met the side of my head. I saw black spots for a few moments before his fingers were in my suit jacket and pulling me towards him. He got the upper hand again and my nose took the hit. I could feel the warm blood and scent the coppery fragrance. Fuck me I had to get back the upper hand. I snarled as I shoved at him, and my fists went off. I got him in the gut, then an upper cut to the chin. He was on his ass and I was on him. I didn’t see his hand move and he pulled from his waist a knife. He slashed at my arm on the downswing and that bitch hurt like a motherfucker. My flesh opened up like fucking butter. I knocked the knife away, yanked him up by his crisp, overpriced shirt and spit in his face.

“I’m going to kill you, you sick son of a bitch.”

And he laughed, “You’re too much of a fucking pussy. I only brought you here so I could get a piece of that little bitch you’re weak for. Oh, I’m going to break her. I’m going to split that little pussy in two, then her ass. Then I’m going to drop her on your doorstep. Would you still be able to fuck her after that—son?”

I roared and slammed my fist into his face. His neck snapped back and he was dazed. I didn’t stop. I went for him again, again, and again. I could feel my fists starting to ache. They were cracked and bleeding. I’m pretty sure I’d broken my fucking hand when I was yanked off him. My father collapsed to the ground, coughing and rolling to his stomach. He spat blood on the floor and started to laugh as Paul held me back.

“It’s over, Dax! It’s fucking over. We got him! We fucking got him! Enough! Don’t make me put you down, Dax. I will!” I stopped trying to get away and went limp against him. We were both breathing hard just watching my father try to crawl away. He finally gave in and collapsed on his back. His chest looked labored as he tried to breathe in and out.

I jerked away from Paul and stumbled before I got my fucking feet under me.

“Call Todd, now!” I swiped my hand over my face, smearing blood over it.

“Already done. He’s going in now for Clara.”

Relief flooding me and just as I stepped to head towards the car, sharp pain sliced through my lower back. Fuck me! I looked over my shoulder and my father had his fist still wrapped around the handle of the blade he had shoved right through my back.

“FUCK! Dax! NO!”

My father was tackled to the ground and detained. I went down on my knees hard and the pain bled into an icy chill. Paul was above me but all I could see was Clara’s face.

At least I had her for a little while.

Then, my world went black.

*
**

Clara

There were loud bangs, shouting, and gun shots. Today was the day. The drop had to have happened by now. I looked over at the digital display of the clock and it read nine in the morning. They were supposed to have the drop at eight. It had been an hour. I looked from the door to the closet. Then there was slamming against my door. I screamed and darted towards the closet. Rationally I knew that it wouldn’t stop them, but it would give me a few moments to get ready to fight. Paul told me to fight and I was going to fight for all that I was worth. I heard the door crack then break off. The crashing of it hitting the ground made me jump. I slowly rose up to my feet, and started to walk towards the closet doors. I wasn’t going to pin myself in.

“Clara. Shit! Clara! It’s Todd!”

Todd. It was Todd. I let out an ugly sob. Tears were running down my cheeks and I exploded through the door. Todd turned at the sound, surrounded by men in gear that read CIA in big yellow lettering.

It was over.

I knew that I was falling. I was going to hit the ground. Before that could happen, Todd got to me and pulled me up in his arms.

“Fuck, Clara, I got you!” He lifted me up in his arms and carried me out. Down the elevator I just curled up in his arms until we were in a car.

It wasn’t moving yet and it gave me some time to get myself straight. Todd was petting me. I felt silly in that moment and I pulled from him.

“Dax?”

“I need to get the call from my dad, then I know for sure it’s clear and we can go home.”

“NO! I want to see him now! I need to, I don’t know, I need to feel him!” I knew I was being irrational and stupid but I wouldn’t be safe until I was in his arms and I knew all this bullshit with his dad was fucking over.

“
Clara, listen. He is in a way dangerous situat
ion. I can’t call my dad until─” His phone rang and he cursed as he reached for it. He seemed to relax. “It’s my dad.”

“
I got her.” He paused and I heard shouting on the other end of the line. Todd suddenly went very pale, “Fuck,” he whispered. “Yeah, I’ll get us there. Just, Dad, take
care of it.” He hung up.

“What?”

I watched Todd’s throat contract. He wouldn’t make eye contact. A pain like no other enveloped my chest and a pained sound like a dying animal came out of me. I knew I was curling into myself.

“No! Clara. Fuck! Stay with me! He’s alive! Dax was stabbed and he’s on his way to the hospital! Please, fucking focus.” He was shaking me. I knew that I was screaming. I could hear the muffled sound of it as if I was underwater. “Clara! You’re no help to him like this! Get your shit together and let’s get our asses to the hospital!”

He was right. I knew he was so right but I was lost in my pain of possibly losing him. Once my breathing was under control. I nodded “Get us there.”

“On it, babe!”

He pealed out of the parking lot and into L.A. traffic, getting us to USC Medical Center.

Chapter Nineteen

Clara

Todd and I both raced into the hospital. He stopped long enough to ask what level Dax was on as I slammed onto the elevator. He was there as the doors slipped open, hit the button for the right floor, grabbed my shoulders and pulled me against him.

“He’s going to be okay. He’s built like a fucking tank, Clara.”

I couldn’t talk. I just wanted to see him. Once I saw he was breathing and surviving I could think about other functions of my body again. Right now it was about Dax and his survival. As the doors slipped open I could see Paul in the distance. Blood covered his hands and he was just standing looking down at them.

“Dad!”

He looked up and saw both of us. The man looked—defeated. Shit. Shit. Shit. All these powerful men were reduced to nothing in the face of all this chaos. My knees wobbled and Todd took my hand, pulling me over to Paul. He reached for me and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry, Clara. I promised.”

“It’s not your fault. You’re not a god.”

“No, you’re right.” He pulled back and looked down at me. “But I’m a real world superhero and I failed.”

“Is he—?” Shit. I couldn’t finish.

“
He’s in surgery. He got dug into pretty bad, lost a lot of blood and was out for a
while before the ambulance got there. We controlled it the best we could, mended him up, but─”

I gripped his arm. “Please, don’t lose it. I don’t know what I would do if you lost it. I’m barely keeping it together.”

He pulled me back into a hug and brought
us into the waiting room. Once he had me seated he went and cleaned himself up. I just stared at the floor. Every time I saw a nurse or doctor I got up. But each one passed by. My legs were bouncing and my hands tangled in front of me. Todd finally got fed up and grabbed my hands. When Paul came back he was hanging up his phone and he looked more put together. He squatted in front of me.

“That was your dad.”

“You called my dad?” I groaned.

Paul nudged my chin. “Even though you’re eighteen doesn’t exempt you from parental guidance. We called him the night you were taken, he’s been at your house this whole time. We all agree that it would be best if you went with your father for the Christmas break.”

“What? NO!” I started to get up. I could feel panic. My heart started to race and I wanted to go hide somewhere. “I’m not leaving Dax, not now! He’s not going to think I care about him! I need him to know!”

Paul was patient with me, shoving me back in the chair. “You have to. We have to make sure all Marcus’s men were rounded up and you aren’t in danger. The moment Dax is up and about I’ll send him to you. You might even be back before he’s recovered. But it is for the best you have family.”

I looked back and forth between him and Todd. “But, your, I mean Dax—you’re family.”

“No, Clara. Your dad needs you and you need him.”

I thought about it. It would be good to see him. Be in some place I
knew.

“Shannon is going with you,” Todd broke in.

I looked up at Todd, who was giving me this horrible, pained smile.

“Okay, I’ll go. Under one condition. I’m allowed to wait for Dax to be out of surgery and tell him goodbye, awake or not.”

Paul winked. “Deal.”

He got to his feet and started for the door. “Anyone want coffee?”

“Me.” Todd and I answered at once.

He left without another word.

***

Five hours.

Dax was in surgery for five hours. My dad had shown
up around the two-hour mark.

I’d taken to pacing at this point. No one could calm me or get me to sit still. Finally Paul grabbed my hand and took me on a little walk outside. It didn’t help. My mind, body, and soul was back in that stark, sterile building with Dax Trenton. Arrogant, cocky, overly self-assured Dax Trenton, who was no doubt fighting for his life on an operating table. I’d stopped crying hours ago. Around the time my dad had shown up, pulled me into a huge hug and apologized for leaving me alone. For not insisting that I do my semester there with him. For not being the parent I needed.

I’d asked him then. If he knew the whole time about what happened to my mother and Dax. His jaw ticked and he said nothing. It was clear. At that time I’d jus
t nodded.

Now I was inside my own head screaming at the top of my lungs and no one even looked up—or noticed.

“He’s a fighter, Clara. He always has been.”

Paul stopped trying to comfort me with hugs and fatherly kissing on top of my head. He’d taken to reassuring me with words. It was all so empty at this point. The only thing that would bring me back to Earth and make me believe that Dax could survive was seeing him alive, awake, and saying the “f” word. Yep, I needed the “f” word so bad right now. We were heading down a path around the hospital and I turned around abruptly. “I’m going back.”

“Wait, Clara.” I could hear him curse as I scurried down the path back to those glass double doors.

My reflection flashed back at me before I pulled it open, and Todd came skidding to a stop around the corner. I held my breath. I knew I was holding it. It wasn’t something unconscious. I physically sucked in my breath hoping that it would make the news good. Todd’s aqua eyes flashed towards me. “He’s out of surgery. He made it.”

“Oh my god!” I took off towards Todd. He was bracing himself for impact but I dodged right around him and went for the emergency set of stairs and ran up. Damn, I was out of shape but the elevators always seemed to take way too long when I was attempting to get to the love of my life. I ran around the corner of the waiting room and my dad was pacing. He looked up at me and gave me a weak smile. Dax was out of surgery but that didn’t mean he was in the clear.

I walked over cautiously to the man I called father, coming to a stop right in front of him. “Well?”

He cleared his throat. “He made it through surgery. Apparently his father dug and twisted a few times before he was stopped. They patched him up pretty good but he’s in ICU now. Only family is allowed so that’s Todd and Paul.”

Anger flashed read hot. “What?” I went to step around my father but strong hands landed on my right shoulder. A glance over my shoulder showed me Paul had finally caught up to me. His jaw worked as he tried to contain his own composure. I eased off on my rage a bit and turned to face Paul.

“Be patient. Go get something to eat with your father and I’ll be down to get you soon.”

I nodded.

I didn’t feel like talking. Then again, I knew that if I opened my mouth I would scream how I deserved to be the one with him, maybe even say something I regret. My dad tried to touch me but I shifted out of his reach.

They were kidding themselves if they all thought I was going to actually consume food at this point. I took small sips of my bottled water and sucked on some fruit that tasted more like those plastic fake fruits you bought at Pier 1. My father tried to make conversation but I would look down at my phone. I really wasn’t trying to avoid him—okay, I was a little bit. But I was also trying to see if Todd or Paul shot me a text because they’d pulled some strings.