Shatter

“Son.” Dad braced Alec’s shoulders with his large hands. “People always say blood is thicker than anything. That saying means family is thicker than anything in this world. When things crumble around you, you’ll still have Demetri. He may be adopted, from a different mother, but he’s yours, he’s ours, he’s family. I’m leaving him in your care.”

“I can take care of him.” Alec raised his eyes to meet my dad’s and crossed his heart. “I swear, Dad. I swear. If I take care of him, does that mean you’ll live? If I promise right now, will God save you?”

“Son, I want you to listen.” He pulled Alec closer to him and kissed his forehead. “God saved me the moment he gave me you and your brother. He saved me when he gave me such special moments with you two. He may not save this cancer-filled body now — but you better believe God saves souls — and when I leave you — my presence will always stay. Right here.” He pointed to Alec’s chest. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes, Dad.” Tears streamed down Alec’s face. “I believe you. And I swear I’ll never let anything happen to him. I swear it.”

“I know.”

“Demetri? Demetri, are you okay?” Dr. Murray jolted me out of my memory — one I’d repressed for half my life. It was like I couldn’t breathe — when Alec had told me, I had a vague memory of Dad saying adopted, but I hadn’t remembered the actual conversation until right now.

I nodded but felt like air couldn’t get into my lungs.

“Demetri.” Dr. Murray gently put his hand on my shoulder and instructed me to breathe.

I wanted to say, Not helping, Doc, not helping. What came out was some sort of wheeze, and then I saw April.

My remaining family.

She was on a stretcher with a whole bunch of tubes hooked up to her. Her eyes were closed. Jaymeson was shouting for them to hurry as they rushed her into one of the operating rooms. I looked frantically to Dr. Murray. He nodded once and ran toward the closing doors, leaving me once again alone in the hallway.

Until someone put his hand on my shoulder.

I looked up into Jaymeson’s tear-filled eyes, not knowing what to do. Thankfully, he did. In an instant he had me in a tight hug.

“Brothers?” he asked shakily.

I pulled away from him and laughed awkwardly. “Always wanted more than one.”

Chapter Thirty-three

Alec

I checked my cell phone. Nat was taking way longer than the five minutes she said she would. Not that I minded, usually the girl got ready really fast.

Deciding to check on her, I took the steps two at a time and knocked on her bedroom door. The shower was still running. “Nat?”

I pushed open the door and went over to the bathroom.

Steam barreled out of the door that was slightly ajar. I knocked again but no answer. She was probably lost in thought. After one more knock I finally opened the door — only to find Nat on the ground, blood gushing from a gash on her head.

“Nat!” I shouted her name over and over again. “Nat! Can you hear me?” Hands shaking, I grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it as fast as I could. She moaned my name. “Thank God. Nat, what happened? Are you okay?”

Blood streamed down her cheek. I wasn’t sure which part of her head she hit, her eyes rolled back in her head again.

“Shit!” I picked up her limp body and ran with her down the stairs, stopping only to grab my keys and phone. I wasn’t waiting for an ambulance. Heart in my throat, I choked back tears as I set her gently in the seat and put a seatbelt around her limp form. “Sweetheart, it’s going to be okay. I promise. It’s going to be fine. Just…” My voice broke. “Just stay with me, okay? Can you do that? For me? For the baby?”

Nat moaned again.

I put the car in drive and made a beeline for the hospital.

What typically took at least ten minutes took me three. I blew through every yellow light and sped as if her life was in my hands — which it was. Only it scared the shit out of me, because it wasn’t just Nat I had to protect, but our unborn child.

I’d done this to her. Me. I couldn’t protect anyone or anything. It had been the one thing I’d wanted to do since I messed up all those years ago with Demetri. Grief had pushed me into that lifestyle, but our family ties and my dad’s memory had pulled me out of it.

And now I was failing everyone — including my dad — the one person I promised I would never fail.

I didn’t even turn off the car once I pulled into the hospital parking lot. I ran to the other side of the car and pulled Nat out, shouting at nurses near the entry-way that I needed to see a doctor immediately.

I ran through the open doors and tried to keep the towel around Nat as my eyes frantically searched for a wheelchair or something to put her in.

A nurse appeared, and then a doctor pulled her from my hands and placed her on a gurney. “What happened?”

“She… um.” I could not hyperventilate, I had to be strong. “She was showering and I think she passed out. She hit her head. And she’s pregnant.”

“How far along?”

I hated myself. Hated that I didn’t even know the answer.

“Twelve weeks,” a voice said behind me. A feminine hand reached out to mine and held it. “She’s twelve weeks along and has been taking prenatals for the past two weeks. She isn’t allergic to any medications and her dad is Doctor Murray.”