Falling In (The Surrender Trilogy 1)

Quietly slipping from the room, he called the front desk to order food and several trash bags. He also ordered a maid’s cart to be brought up, knowing Evelyn’s pride would forbid another employee she saw as her peer to clean up after Pearl. He would tend to the mess, because there was no way he was allowing her to exert another ounce of energy.

The food came and he quietly placed it in the living room. Returning to the guest room, he found Evelyn slumped in her chair, holding her head up with one weak hand. She looked to be asleep, but he knew she wasn’t. Her heavy eyes watched her sleeping mother’s form through tiny slits.

“Evelyn,” he softly whispered. Her motions were slow and delayed. She turned to face him with great effort. “You need to eat. Why don’t you go clean yourself up and I’ll stay here with Pearl.”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but her verve had simply been too depleted to try. Weakly nodding, she stood on shaky legs. He helped her gain her equilibrium and waited as she staggered with the grace of a zombie into the bathroom.

As the door closed behind her, Lucian went to the hall and pulled the maid cart in. Careful not to disturb Pearl, he slipped on gloves and began bagging up the soiled linens, then sanitizing every surface. He heard the shower running and wondered how Evelyn was even still standing.

By the time the room was disinfected and put back to sorts, he called Dugan to come handle the disposal of items, knowing Evelyn wouldn’t want people unnecessarily wondering at her private business. He held on to the maid cart, figuring they’d need it again, and simply tucked it out of the way.

She returned to the room, looking depleted and beaten. “You need to sleep, Evelyn. She’s resting now and I promise to stay with her and wake you if she stirs. Take your rest while you can so that you have your strength when she wakes.”

She nodded and turned to go to the master bedroom. He waited until she was asleep, then went to clean himself up.

Once he washed up and changed into fresh clothes, he returned to Pearl’s side and settled into the chair beside the bed. Lucian drifted in and out of a restless sleep. Pearl moved very little, but often moaned quiet, agonized whispers of nonsense.

He had lost all sense of time. His phone had continued to ring until he finally shut it off. People would have to go on without him for the next few days. His priorities were here, with Evelyn.

Chapter 33

Skewer

A severe attack to a valuable piece that compels it to move

Lucian felt the weight of her gaze on him before he’d fully awakened.

“Am I in a hospital?” Pearl looked frightened and pitiful compared to the uncontainable force from the day before.

“You’re at the Patras Hotel. I brought you and Scout here.”

“Scout’s here?” She asked the question with evident doubt.

“She is. I hope you know your daughter loves you very much.”

Pearl moaned and gripped her stomach, curling into herself as sweat beaded on her brow. “Get Scout,” she groaned. “I need Scout.”

“Your daughter’s sleeping.”

“Get her!” she shouted. Knowing Pearl would only continue until she woke Evelyn up herself, he stood with resignation and much dislike for the woman resting in his home, and went to wake Evelyn.

Keeping an eye on the guest room door, he carefully sat on the bed of the master bedroom and touched Evelyn’s cheek.

She started and came awake immediately. “Is Pearl—”

“Pearl’s fine. She’s awake and asking for you.”

Evelyn rushed to stand and he eyed her wearily. She’d lost weight over the past two weeks. Her skin looked pale and her arms frail, but most disturbing was the change in her eyes. They had lost so much of the vibrancy he’d seen when they first met.

Pearl was sitting on the edge of the bed when Evelyn approached. He stayed at the door and observed them together.

“Scout,” Pearl sighed with obvious relief. “Baby, where’s my stuff? Someone’s gonna steal it.”

Evelyn smiled sadly. Gone was the glint of laughter in her crystal eyes. Her mouth held no happiness. He wanted to shake this rotten women for what she’d put her daughter through.

“Momma, your stuff’s fine. Don’t worry about that now. You’re sick and you need to get well.”

Pearl only half listened as Evelyn went on about how worried she was and how delirious with fever Pearl had been. Her mother scratched at her arms, her eyes jerky and her demeanor skittish.

As Evelyn was professing how relieved she was that she was awake and showing signs of life again, Pearl interrupted, “Scout, I need some money. I need a fix. Can you get me one? It hurts, baby. Make it go away.”