Behind His Eyes - Truth (27 page)

Answers slowly trickled in regarding the incident. When Tony read that the assailant’s name was Patrick Chester, all of the air left his lungs. He knew the man was familiar; however, it’d been over twenty-five years since he’d last seen him. According to the information, Chester had planned to kidnap Claire and ransom her to Tony. It didn’t make sense.
How did Chester know about his connection to Claire? How did he know that the same man who’d been paying him for all of these years was Anthony Rawlings?

As hour after hour passed, Tony’s impotence wore on him. He was so close, yet so far. He didn’t want to think about Claire’s
accident
or compare the circumstances; however, the similarities screamed for acknowledgement. Almost three years earlier, she’d been in a similar situation and so had he. Tony remembered Dr. Leonard asking him to leave the room. His exact words echoed in his mind:
Mr. Rawlings, she is not related to you. We must allow her some privacy
. Those words continued to haunt him. Once again, he wasn’t related —yes, that was his doing, and he regretted it more than anything in his life, but it was still the truth.

The question that tumbled through his mind, resurfacing at the most inopportune times was
did she lose the baby?
When she told him that she was pregnant, Tony didn’t know what to say or do. When he took her to the meadow and explained, it wasn’t truly to say he
wanted
a child, only that he was
unsure
—Claire had used the word
scared
. Truthfully, in the meadow he was unsure; now, he was frightened. Tony didn’t only fear the loss of the child; he told himself repeatedly they would survive as a couple, and if Claire wanted children—fine, they’d try again. What he feared, as hours turned to another day, were his memories of after Claire’s accident and before her breakdown on the front porch. Those weeks preoccupied his thoughts.

As soon as Tony returned from work, he met Catherine in his office for an update on Claire’s condition. Unfortunately, after over two weeks of consciousness, her activities were virtually the same from day to day. She’d eaten two meals, although Catherine mentioned that she’d eaten very little of those two meals. After bathing and dressing, she napped. After lunch and reading, she napped. Catherine assured him that she was now awake and waiting for his arrival.

Tony approached the door to her suite with a combination of anticipation and dread. If only he’d find her talking and flitting around the suite as she used to; instead, he feared he’d find what he’d found the day before, and the one before that. Slowly, Tony opened the door and spotted Claire on the sofa. She was reading, or pretending to read. Silently, he watched as her eyes drifted toward the fireplace and stared. The reflection of the flames was the only spark of life he’d witnessed since she woke.

Securing a smile, he opened the door further and announced his presence. “Good evening, Claire,” he said, as lightheartedly as he could manage.

When she turned, her dead gaze met his and her lips obediently move upward. “Good evening, Tony. Is it that late already?”

Kissing her cheek, he assessed the woman before him. She was dressed impeccably with her hair and makeup flawless. “You look lovely tonight. Obviously, you knew it was time for dinner.”

Lifting the blanket that covered her legs, Claire gazed at her attire. With no emotion, she replied, “Oh, yes, that’s right. Now, I remember.”

Offering his hand, he asked, “Won’t you join me? You’re too beautiful to keep in this suite. Besides, you must be tired of these four walls. Let’s go to the dining room.”

The stillness of the flat green gave way to an instant of panic before settling again into nothingness. “Tony, I’d rather stay here, if that’s all right with you. The dining room is so far away.”

He didn’t argue that night or even the next few. It wasn’t until almost November before he convinced her to leave the suite. Then, slowly, he made more progress. First, it was the dining room, then the sunporch, eventually they made it outside. Even the fresh air didn’t bring back the sparkling emerald he craved. Tony tried gifts. It didn’t seem to matter if it was an inexpensive scarf, a newly released book that she’d been anticipating, or jewels valued in the thousands of dollars—though her lips smiled, her eyes remained dead.

That was why he’d talked to Courtney about a visit with her and Brent. Tony had hoped that taking her anywhere would help. He never expected that it would be the practice drive that would bring her back to life.

What if when Claire woke and if their baby was gone—what if her eyes were once again dead?
With each hour, Tony promised he’d move heaven and earth to assure the spark of life in her eyes. If it meant he had to walk the gauntlet of her family and friends, he’d do it. Whatever she wanted, he would do.

His phone rang. “Anthony Rawlings,” he answered.

“Sir, she’s awake.” Tony’s heart leapt. “The doctor is with her now.” The line went dead. Seconds later a text came through from Clay:

“THE DOCTOR LEFT MS. NICHOLS’ ROOM. SHE IS AWAKE. HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE HERE.”

Tony didn’t know if they would all be in her room or not—it didn’t matter, he was going in. As he approached he saw his ex-in-laws by her door. John was the first to see him. The combination of hatred and shock in John’s gaze fueled Tony’s determined steps. Tony wasn’t stopping until he was in Claire’s room. He couldn’t. He had to see her—see her eyes—and know that she was all right. He needed to be near her, to take her hand and promise more children.

“
You
are
not
welcome here,” John proclaimed, as he stepped in front of the door. “I can’t believe you would have the nerve to show your face after all you’ve done.”

Tony saw Clay sitting inconspicuously in a nearby waiting area and shook his head in his direction. He would handle this on his own. Ignoring the daggered stares of his ex-sister-in-law, Tony stopped within a few feet of John. “I want to see her.”

“I don’t care what
you
want. I don’t even know how you learned that she’s awake, but you’re not going near her.”

Emily backed her husband. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

Making no aggressive movements, Tony ignored Emily and continued with John. “I suggest we ask Claire.”

“I’ll call the police,” Emily said, as a crowd began to gather. Tony recognized Amber from Simon’s funeral, but he didn’t know or care about the identity of the man by her side. Baldwin was missing from their group.

John interrupted with a tone of superiority, “I’m sure
Mr. Rawlings
doesn’t want it to come to that. After all, we’d hate for him to go to jail—unnecessarily. Leave now, before—”

Claire’s door opened, silencing the growing crowd as Baldwin emerged from within. Tony’s chin lifted indignantly, knowing that Baldwin had been where he wanted to be.

Harrison Baldwin spoke, “John, stop! Claire wants to see Mr. Rawlings.”

Emily gasped before she said, “I haven’t even seen her yet. She’s my sister.”

“
Claire
wants to see
him,
now,” Baldwin repeated.

Tony shifted his gaze from John Vandersol to Harrison Baldwin, and replied, “Thank you, Mr. Baldwin.” He then offered Harrison his hand, and the two men shook as John and Emily turned away. Tony hoped that he and Claire would be granted privacy, but Baldwin followed him into her room. Clenching his jaw, Tony summoned his courage as he assessed his ex-wife. He’d prepared himself for the worse. She was bruised and battered, one eye in particular was darkened; however, that wasn’t what he saw—he saw the emerald glow as a tear trickled down her cheek. When Tony’s gaze met Claire’s, the rest of the world disappeared. Before him he saw the spark he’d feared was gone.

Relief opened the floodgate to rage. Red seeped from the corners of the room as Tony imagined someone doing this to her. Breaking his trance and the deafening silence, Claire spoke. Her words were a reminder that Baldwin was still present. “Please give us a moment alone, Harry. I promise I’ll be fine.”

Tony turned to the young man, summoned his public persona, and said, “Mr. Baldwin, I will only stay as long as Claire allows.”

After a moment of staring at Tony, Baldwin stepped toward Claire and squeezed her hand. Tony tried to ignore their familiar interaction, as Baldwin said, “I’m right on the other side of that door.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “For everything.”

After a prolonged stare at Claire, and then again at Tony, Baldwin silently opened the door, allowing the protests of Claire’s family to infiltrate the room. Her family’s words barely registered over Tony’s anger, as the memories of her
accident
intermingled with the new source of his red. Claire’s voice came like a lifeline, pulling him from the downward spiral. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

He took her hand, noticing her moist cheeks, and said, “The last time I saw you like this…”

“I’m all right.”

Tony refocused his anger, his threat sounding more like a growl. “If that son-of-a-bitch weren’t dead, I’d kill him myself.”

“Tony,
we
are both okay.”

His eyes opened wide; the hours of tension and worry fled from his muscles, leaving him momentarily stunned. “I haven’t been able to get any specific information. I just assumed—”

Claire interrupted, “The doctor was just here. She said
our
baby is fine.”

Her words overwhelmed him, causing his vision to blur. It was too much; their baby was all right. His baby—her baby. Tony didn’t realize how much he truly wanted this child until that moment. He paced near the end of her bed, allowing his thoughts to settle. Finally, he spoke, “Claire, just like your accident, this is my fault, too.” She shook her head, but he continued, “I don’t know how Chester found you or knew of our connection. I don’t even know how he knew me. I knew him when I was Anton.” He moved closer and started to reach for her chin, but stopped, afraid that if he touched her, he’d hurt her. “And now look at what he’s done.”

Claire reached for his hand and lifted it to her face, completing the contact he sought. “Thank you for coming. I feel so much better having you here.”

As her face inclined to his touch, Tony’s forehead fell to her chest, and he sighed with relief. “I knew my presence wouldn’t be welcome. I’ve been waiting on another floor for word of your waking.”

She smiled. “Yes, I heard your welcoming committee.”

He looked into her eyes, and his voice hardened with each phrase. “When you’re well enough to travel, you’re coming home where you’ll be safe, and where Catherine can take care of you.”

Claire’s eyes narrowed. “That didn’t sound like a question.”

He returned her glare. “It shouldn’t. I would hate to mislead you; it wasn’t.”

Claire exhaled. “Chester is dead—no more danger.”

Tony leaned closer. “Are you seriously going to argue about this, covered in bruises, and carrying my baby?”

Defiantly, she raised her chin and kissed his pursed lips. “Not right now,” she mused. “Let me get some rest and get a little stronger. Then I will.”

“Good.” He kissed her again. “I look forward to it.” Squeezing her hand, he continued, “We don’t know if Patrick Chester was working alone. Until we find out and locate your laptop, this isn’t negotiable.”

Claire sighed. “I need some sleep for this headache to go away, and then I’ll respond with the appropriate cheekiness for you.”

Tony grinned. “Even looking like you do, I think you’re sexy as hell.” He gently kissed her forehead. “Do you think now is a good time to tell your entourage our news?”

Claire looked down. “No, they know.” Tony’s eyebrows went up as Claire continued, “The doctor told Harry before I woke. He told everyone else.”

Red once again threatened. “Why would the doctor tell
him
?”

“She assumed he was the father.”

Tony tried to process. “And does
he
assume that as well?”

Shyly, she replied, “Yes.”

If she’d slapped him, he couldn’t have stood faster. Suddenly, Tony’s envelope ripped open and the relief he’d just experienced evaporated. “
You got what you gave
.” Tony searched for the source of Nathaniel’s voice as he paced around the hospital room.
“You got what you gave.”
He could hear the words as plain as day. The divorce was his doing—not hers. He had a chance for happiness staring at him from behind a bruised face.
Would he let this news steal it away and leave him again with nothing?
When Tony turned back to Claire, her eyes were closed and her head rested against the pillow. She’d said she had a headache. He knew he should let her rest, but first Tony needed confirmation. “You’re sure that
I’m
the father?”

Emerald green filled his vision, as she replied without hesitation. “Yes, you were at the condominium two weeks before Harry and I—well, at the ultrasound, the doctor said the heartbeat isn’t detectable until six weeks. If he were the father, I would’ve barely been five weeks along—at that time, I was seven.” She reached out to him and after only a moment of hesitation, Tony stepped forward and took her hand. Claire went on, “Tony, I didn’t know we were together until you confirmed it at the gala. I remembered it, but I’d convinced myself it was a dream.”

He sighed and resumed his seat on her bedside. “You were very tired, but you were talking. You mentioned something about a dream. I may be guilty of taking advantage of a tired woman, but nothing else.”

“How did you get back in the condo? I remember closing and locking the door.”

“You closed it, but you didn’t lock it, or it didn’t lock. I came back to say something, and I heard something fall. It sounded like it broke. I listened, but I didn’t hear anything else, so I decided to check on you. The door opened.” He confessed, “I didn’t knock. When I walked in you were asleep on the couch, so I carried you to your bedroom. I can say
with honorable intentions
, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Claire, I asked you multiple times. You
never
said
no
.”