Page 26 of Shattered

The phone rang again, the ring somehow more urgent this time. Almost annoyed. Again, Taya didn’t answer, and this time she didn’t feel bad about ignoring it.

Finally a text came back.Tell him I’ll call him once he’s better.

Taya blinked in shock, then stared at the screen in utter disbelief. Was that it? No,I’m pulling for him/praying for him, orplease tell him I love him despite the distance between us. No offer to travel there as soon as possible, as her father was doing right now. As her brother would as soon as he heard the news. No words about wanting to see him, to be there for him.

And then it hit her, with all the force of a sucker punch to the stomach.

Dara wasn’t worried about him dying, didn’t care if he did. No, she was worried he would die and leave the unsettled issue of the inheritance—a small amount of money Nathan didn’t give a rat’s ass about anyway—with Taya listed as the beneficiary of all his assets.

She didn’t give a shit about her brother or what he was going through right now, what sort of recovery or maybe diminished life he faced if he pulled through this. She just wanted the fucking money.

It was the most disgusting, damning evidence Dara could have given.

And there was no goddamn way Taya would let that kind of poison touch their lives ever again.

Rage burned through the fear, obliterated the helplessness. Setting her jaw, she typed back her final message.Don’t bother. And don’t contact either one of us ever again.

As soon as she hit send, she blocked the number, instantly feeling stronger. More in control.

Resting a hand to her belly, she sent a silent message of comfort and reassurance to the fragile being tucked deep inside her body. She had a family of her own to protect now: her husband and their unborn child. She would protect them with all of her strength, until the last breath left her body.

They were everything. And next to that, nothing else mattered.

Chapter Nine

Carmela burst through the hospital’s main entrance with her hair a wet, tangled mess, wearing the first top and pair of jeans she’d found in the closet, and a terrible sense of déjà vu stalking her. This was like Miami all over again, rushing to the hospital while not knowing if one of the most important men in her life was dead or alive.

Only this time, it wasthemost important man in her life.

Thirty seconds out of the shower, getting ready to go pick her mom up at the airport, she’d gotten the call from her brother. His words had hit her like a shockwave.

You need to get up here to the hospital. Our plane crashed. Sawyer’s hurt bad.

She didn’t even remember the drive here, barely remembered her frantic call to her mom, who was on a plane heading up here right now. She wasn’t even sure her mom would be able to understand the message she’d left, her voice had been unrecognizable, even to her.Mom, the team’s been in a plane crash. Sawyer’s hurt bad. I’m heading to the hospital now.

All she knew was Sawyer had been caught in the blast when the plane exploded. No one knew how extensive or severe his injuries were.

God, she couldn’t believe she’d been so annoyed with him yesterday about his lack of enthusiasm over the wedding plans. What the hell did it all matter now? She’d been so caught up in the details, wanting her own way, pushing him on each point to get him to agree when she knew damn well he didn’t want any of it.

She felt sick over it, and also that she hadn’t taken the time to say a proper goodbye before he’d walked out their door this morning. The terror of losing him had wiped all the unimportant things away, showing her what really mattered. She only hoped she got to make amends and honor his feelings the way she should have all along.

Frantic to get to him, she flew around the corner and almost barreled into a wide chest. Strong hands caught her, steadied her, and she jerked her head up, looking into eyes the exact same golden brown as hers.

Her throat closed up. “Ethan.”

Her brother gathered her into a tight hug, his chin resting on the top of her head. “Hey, hon.”

She set her hands flat on his chest and pushed, meeting his eyes. He had little nicks on his left cheek and his face was streaked with grime and smoke, but otherwise he seemed fine. She shoved that worry aside and focused solely on Sawyer. “What’s happening? How is he?”

“He’s gonna be okay.”

Carmela stopped breathing for an instant, searching his eyes. Was he lying? People always said things like that when they were trying to calm someone down. Break it to them gently. “You better not be lying to me right now.” She’d never forgive him if he was.

“I’m not. He’s awake and talking. That’s great news. I don’t know anything else, the staff kicked me out of the treatment area while they were looking at him. They took him down for x-rays and a CT scan.”

Relief hit her so hard she sagged, her knees melting like hot candle wax. Ethan caught her with a muttered curse and held her tighter. “You swear?”

“I swear.”

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