Wildcard: Volume Three

“He’s been in there for hours.” I lace my hands behind my neck, the worry refusing to leave my head. I’m going over and over the worst-case scenarios. “Something must be wrong, Ryder. How can they still be working on him?”

“Scar.” He nods towards the corridor. I turn and see Doctor Hawthorne walking over to us. I push the cup into Ryder’s hand and run over to the doctor. He’s smiling.

Oh my God, he’s smiling.

My legs buckle under me. Ryder swoops in and wraps his arm around my waist, holding me up. I’m crying uncontrollably, because the relief I’m feeling is almost unbearable.

“He’s okay,” he begins. “The surgery went very well, and he’s in recovery. He’s still not out of the woods, but he’s a strong little boy. At the moment he’s stable. You can go and sit with him if you like.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, smiling through my tears. I’m aching all over. Every part of me is exhausted, but all I want to do is see my boy. I press my phone into Ryder’s hands. “Can you call Penny? She’ll want to know he’s okay.”

“Of course. I’ll be in there in a minute.”

***

Walking in to Jake’s room, I want to cry again. My boy is hooked up to so many machines, with tubes going everywhere. I move closer to his bed and sit down, taking his tiny hand in mine.

“Hey baby,” I whisper.

He cracks open an eye and smiles at me. “A few more minutes, Mom. Please, it’s the weekend,” he mumbles.

“You sleep all you want today.” I smile through my tears and reach up to his head, running my fingers through his short, dark hair. “I love you, baby.”

Chapter Three

Ryder

“I appreciate you staying with me.”

I smile as Scarlett snuggles up against me. It’s nearly midnight—three days since Jake’s surgery—and after another exhausting day, it’s good to be in bed. Jake is doing well, so much so that his doctor is happy for him to fly to London next week to continue with the trial.

“Of course I was going to stay,” I say, stroking her hair. I kiss her forehead, and she smiles. She’s been much more relaxed over the past few days.

“So you leave on Friday, and we fly over on Monday.”

“Yep. I’ll be waiting at the airport for to pick you up.”

“Good.” She shivers. “God, I’m nervous. I don’t think I can handle any more bad news. I just hope he responds to the treatment.”

“He will.”

I tilt her head and press my lips against hers. I wish I could do more for her. I wish she felt comfortable enough to tell me everything. Whatever she’s hiding from me is still weighing heavily on my soul. I can’t bring it up, but every day I’m wondering if we’ve really seen the last of Tony. Somehow, I doubt it. But for now at least he’s gone, and if that surprises Scarlett, she hasn’t let on.

“You know, I'm looking forward to getting you back to London.”

“Really?” She giggles. “And why is that?”

“For starters, Mum will kill me if I don't introduce the two of you.”

“Your mum knows about me?” Her eyes light up and I laugh. She's so damn cute sometimes.

“Yes. She may have coerced some information out of me while I was under the influence of some pretty intense painkillers.”

She laughs and leans over, kissing me. She shrieks as I haul her on top of me, her milky white thighs resting either side of my bare chest.

“I think we need to stop talking about my mother, or you’re going to scar me for life,” I mumble. I reach up and cradle her face, guiding her down until her body is flush against mine. Our lips meet as my hands squeeze her arse.

“Again?” She giggles as I grind my erection against her stomach. I groan in response and reach for another condom for the second time tonight.