Once Upon A New York Minute: Part 2 Read online

  ONCE UPON A NEW YORK MINUTE

  Copyright © 2018 Sherry D. Ficklin

  All rights reserved.

  THIS book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  NO part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Table of Contents

  Leap Of Faith

  Fighting For Something

  Unwelcome Visitor

  Rendezvous

  The Accident

  The Best Made Plans

  Searching For Clues

  A Night Out

  A New York Minute

  Coming To A Head

  The Beginning Of The End

  Through The Looking Glass

  The Morning After

  The End In The Beginning

  A Modest Proposal

  Wedding Bells

  About The Author

  Leap of Faith

  Waking in the hospital, I jolt upright in bed. It’s only Liam’s presence there that keeps me from boiling over into full blown panic.

  “Hey,” he soothes, laying a hand on my leg, “Haven, it’s alright. I’ve got you.”

  “Is Tommy alright?” I ask, clearing away the last of the fog from my mind. My shoulder is on fire, my throat sore, and voice ragged.

  “Tommy’s fine,” he says. “He ran into the royal guard when they were already on the way to the estate. Once we realized you were both gone, I knew she had to be behind it. We were already headed to rescue you.”

  Swallowing, I wince. Motioning toward a pink plastic cup, I ask, “Can you help me?”

  He takes the water cup and gently sets the straw in my mouth, holding it as I drink. My left arm is in a sling, thought it takes me another moment to remember why.

  “Kato shot me,” I grumble.

  “And so you decided to do a swan dive off the building?” his tone is sharp, his face flushed. “I watched you fall, Haven. I heard a gunshot and I looked up and you were falling with your eyes closed. I thought you were dead. Then you hit the water—and you didn’t come up.”

  “You jumped in after me,” I say, suppressing a smile. “You saved my life. I was drowning.”

  “You did drown. When I pulled you out, you weren’t breathing. I’ve never been so afraid in my entire life. If I’d lost you,” his expression changes, his eyes bloodshot and red with dark circles below. “Haven,” he whispers my name, his lips pressing into a thin line, as if fighting to say more but his lips won’t allow it.

  Beside me, one of the machines beeps, and I look over, seeing it attached to my IV pump.

  “What’s that?” I ask, warmth flooding through my veins.

  “They put your pain meds on a timer,” he says, shaking his head. “Saved by the bell.”

  I frown, not understanding. “You’ve been here the whole time?”

  He nods. Reaching down I take his hand in mine.

  “I heard you,” I say. “Under the water. I heard you telling me to swim, not to give up.”

  “It’s just the meds talking,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze.

  “No,” I protest. “I heard you. Like you were right beside me. You told me to fight, to breathe. You wouldn’t let me go.”

  He closed the distance between us, his hand still in mine as he lowers himself over me, kissing me gently on the forehead. “Thank you for listening, thank you for coming back to me.”

  “Will you stay?” I ask, already the sides of my vision grow hazy.

  “I promise.”

  I want to say more, I want to ask what happened to Kato and Genevieve, I want to know if Aiden is alright, if he knows I’m safe. But the words won’t come. I don’t fall asleep, not really, I just sort of hover on the edge of consciousness, refusing to surrender to the rest I know I need.

  Liam stays, never letting go of my hand. Eventually Aiden comes. I want to shake free of the fog, I want to throw myself into his arms, but I can’t. I can only lay there, unmoving as the drugs hold me under.

  “How is she?” Aiden asks, coming to my side. I feel him run his hand along the side of my face gently, as if he’s afraid I might break.

  “She’s in and out, mostly out. They gave her a lot of pain medicine.” Liam finally releases me and I try to reach for him again but still can’t.

  “That’s good, at least. I hate the thought of her being in pain,” Aiden whispers.

  “She’ll be fine, she’s tough. I spoke to the surgeon who removed the bullet. He says she got really lucky and the damage is mostly superficial, except for the soft tissue and a nick off her clavicle where it went through, it will barely even leave a scar.”

  Aiden sighs, “One more scar she shouldn’t have to carry. And this one is my fault.”

  Liam’s tone changes, now he’s angry, “Unless you pulled the trigger, there’s no way this is your fault.”

  “I brought her here,” he says. “I put her in harm’s way. I may as well have painted a target on her back.”

  “Point of fact, I brought her here. So, if anyone is to blame for that, it’s me.”

  Now Aiden’s voice is the one tinged with barely contained rage, “What good is being a King if I can’t protect her? If I can’t keep the one person who means more to me than anything else in the world safe?”

  “She’s safe,” Liam says. “Look at her, she’s fine.”

  “She’s in a hospital with a hole in her shoulder. That’s far from fine.”

  “I think she would disagree.”

  I struggle harder, trying to swim to the surface of consciousness. I want to speak, want to let them know how I feel. But it’s just out of reach.

  “She’d have been better off if she’d stayed in New York. I’ve caused her so much pain. I’m afraid,” his voice drops to a whisper. “I have to let her go, Liam. But I don’t know how.”

  No! I scream inside, beating against the inside of my own head until I finally find the strength to blink, turning my head to look at Aiden, who is watching me with concern etched in his features. Licking my lips, I swallow a dry lump in my throat.

  “Don’t you dare,” I manage hoarsely.

  Aiden’s expression softens. “I thought you were sleeping.”

  I frown, “Who can sleep with you two yammering on in my room?”

  “We’ll take it outside, I’m sorry,” Aiden says, kissing me again.

  “No,” I say again, this time out loud. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to push me away, Aiden. Don’t even try it.”

  He takes my hands, “I almost lost you today.”

  “Yeah, and guess what, that’s life. Now quit being stupid and come lay with me so I can sleep.”

  “Haven,” Aiden begins.

  “Don’t fight with me on this. I got shot today and I’m sore and tired and cranky.”

  “Told you,” Liam says, crossing his arms over his chest.

  With a resigned sigh, he nods. I scoot to the edge of the bed, patting it for him to join me.

  “Just hold me,” I order. “Just don’t let me go.”

  “As you wish,” he says, settling in beside me and taking me gently in his arms.

  “I’ll leave you to it,” Liam says.

  “Hey Liam,” I call after him. “Thanks for not
letting me die.”

  “Anytime,” he says. “Not really, though. Don’t ever do that again.”

  “I mean, I’ll do my best.”

  Once he’s gone, I settle into the warmth of Aiden’s embrace. I practically whimper. “Please don’t send me away.”

  He kisses my lips tenderly, “I couldn’t live without you if I wanted to.”

  I want to believe him, but there’s a sadness in his voice that worries me, A resigned tone that threatens to break my heart.

  “Rest now,” he orders. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”

  Fighting for Something

  I’m only in the hospital another day before they finally—reluctantly—release me to the care of the palace doctors. The sling is gone quickly and I meet with a physical therapist once a day for a week before I can convince him that I’m fine. I’m sparring with Liam again in no time, though now under the watchful eye of my new personal guard.

  “You alright?” Liam asks, knocking me to the mat for the fifth time today. “You seem distracted.”

  He offers me a hand and I take it. Exhaling deeply, I shake my head, reluctant to admit the truth.

  “It’s been almost three weeks,” I say, blushing.

  “What since you got out of the hospital?”

  I make a face, “Since Aiden has…it’s like he’s terrified to touch me. Like he’s going to break me.”

  Taking a step back, Liam raises his hands, “Hold up. I’m really not the person to be discussing this with.”

  I attack while his guard is down, sweeping his feet from under him. He hits the mat with a grunt.

  “Yeah, its awkward. But I need you to get over it because I really need some advice. I’m afraid…”

  He looks up at me from the ground, “Afraid of what? Kato’s going to rot in that cell and Genevieve’s lost her place on the council and been exiled. Neither of them will ever hurt you again.”

  “It’s not that,” I crouch beside him. “I think Aiden’s going to call off the wedding.”

  He barks a laugh and when I don’t join him, his expression drops. “No way. Aiden’s crazy about you.”

  “I don’t know how to explain it, since I’ve been back, he’s been distant.”

  “He’s just busy.”

  I rub my face, sighing heavily. “He’s ghosting me. I can feel it.”

  “Ghosting you?”

  “It’s like when someone slowly dissolved from your life before vanishing completely. He’s distancing himself so it will be easier when he makes the break.”

  Sitting up, he lays a hand on my knee, “Haven, I really think you’re taking this too personally. This is what a king’s life is. He won’t always be able to give you the one on one time you want.”

  Throwing my head back I stand. “Nevermind. I should have figured you’d be on his side.”

  He stands, “Hey, I’m on your side too.”

  “Could you just…I don’t know talk to him? Please?”

  He makes a face, “I will see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” he says, holding his arms open for a hug.

  Without thinking about it I step into his arms, only to have him flip me over his knee and drop me to the mat.

  ****

  We finish sparring and I get cleaned up to meet with my new Lady Chamberlin, Claire Dunmore. After interviewing the candidates, I decided to go with someone with a bit more experience and who made me feel comfortable, and she fit the bill nicely. In her early thirties she’s divorced with one older son, currently away at school. She married young, a sailor in the royal navy, and spent many years traveling abroad before returning to court to settle down. I’m not sure what lead to the divorce, and it’s not my place to ask. Plus, she seems completely over it all—like it was another lifetime.

  She waits for me, tablet tucked in one hand, her tall, thin form exaggerated by the sharp pencil skirt and tall heels she prefers to wear. Her hair is brown with yellow tones, her eyes blue and piercing. She’s stunning, and looks far younger than her years. She also, like Sarah, has a knack for seeing all the angles of any situation.

  “Your Grace,” she says, falling in step beside me.

  “Good morning, Clair. How was your evening?”

  She smiles politely, “A cup of tea and a good book never fail to offer comfort after a long day.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  She sighs, “Reality television is the tragedy of my life. But I can’t seem to stop watching.”

  “Did he send the crazy girl home?” I ask. “Or the one with the um,” I make a gesture toward my boobs.

  She laughs, “He kept both, actually. He cut the def girl. I quite liked her.”

  I shrug, “He was probably just upset she couldn’t hear him telling her to make him a sandwich. She’s better off. The guy’s a troglodyte. So, what’s on the schedule today?”

  “Actually. His Majesty called this morning and asked me to reschedule your appointments. He’s asked you to meet him in the garage.”

  I frown and she clutches the tablet to her chest.

  “Oh dear, is everything alright?” she asks softly.

  I sigh, “Between you and I, things have been…strained since the attack. I’m half wondering if I’m going to show up to my bags packed in the back of a van ready to move me out of the palace.”

  “I’m sure that’s not the case,” she offers. “Would you like me to go with you?”

  Biting my lip, I’m tempted to take her up on the offer. But whatever happens, I think Aiden and I need to talk—alone.

  “No, but thank you. Is there anything else on my schedule today?”

  She shakes her head, “No, Ma’am. I cleared the whole day.”

  “Then you should go take a day off. See you tomorrow?”

  She curtseys, “Bright and early, Your Grace.”

  Once she’s gone, I take a deep breath, making my way to the garage in the rear of the palace, the whole time twisting my ring nervously around my finger. I’m barely aware of my guard following me, always a few paces behind but never far away. It should make me feel better having him close, but all it does is remind me how vulnerable I feel.

  When I walk into the garage, my guard waits outside the door as I step in. Aiden stands with his back to me, his hands clasped behind him, in front of something with a large sheet draped over it.

  “Aiden?” I ask, walking toward him slowly.

  He turns, his eyes meeting mine. His expression is resigned, almost angry.

  “Haven,” he says, facing me. “Thank you for coming.”

  I rock back, folding my arms across my chest. “Well you did summon me. Through my assistant, no less.” I shake my head, “Is that how it’s going to be for us now? You avoiding me for weeks and relaying messages through intermediaries?”

  He opens his mouth to say something, but closes it quickly.

  “Because I hate it. And I don’t deserve it,” I add.

  He looks down, shame registering across his features. “No, you’re right. You don’t. I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry I’ve been distant.”

  “Look, Aiden, if you’re having second thoughts about marrying me, I wish you’d just be honest. If you don’t want to be with me…you should just say so instead of freezing me out.”

  His head snaps up, “That’s not…Haven that’s not what this is. I swear it.” He sighs.

  “Then what is it?” I demand. “I think I deserve an explanation at least.”

  “You got shot,” he rages, curling his fingers like claws before raking them through his hair. “You were abducted and shot and thrown off a roof. You nearly drown.”

  “Point of fact, I jumped off the roof,” I say lightly. “And technically, I did sort of drown. Liam CPR’d me.”

  “That’s not any better,” he says, his emotions coursing through him like I’ve never seen. He’s frantic, out of control, pacing around me like a tiger in a cage. “You almost die
d. And not only was it my fault, but I couldn’t come save you. You understand? Once we realized you were gone, we tried to pull footage from the cameras but the garage cameras had been disabled and you were just gone, Haven. If Liam hadn’t suspected Genevieve, if he hadn’t insisted on taking guards to her home to search for you…” he growls, a feral, wild sound. “And then my own guards wouldn’t let me come to you. I wanted to, but they physically held me back. If Liam hadn’t pulled you out of that pool, I’d have lost you forever. I’ve never been so broken, Haven.”

  Taking a deep breath, I watch him with cautious eyes. He’s more worked up than I’ve ever seen him, and I have no idea how to approach him in this condition.

  “You weren’t at the hospital,” I whisper. “When I woke up. What took you so long to come to me?”

  He looks away, not able to meet my eyes. “When I heard what happened, I called the guards, they brought Kato here before taking him to the police.” His voice shakes, “What he did to you, I wanted to kill him, Haven. I considered it. I could have done it, I almost did.”

  Reaching out I take his arm, “But you didn’t.”

  When he looks at me again, his eyes are wild, desperate, “I’ve never hated someone so much in my entire life. Even after I sent him to the police, I felt this rage. I knew I couldn’t see you like that. It took me hours to calm down, to be able to look at you without changing my mind and…”

  He pulls away, his hands balled into fists.

  “But once I saw you, once you were safe in my arms again, all I could think about was how to protect you, how to keep something like this from happening again. But as long as you are with me, you’ll be a target. People will always want to hurt you, if only to get to me. I don’t know how to live with that.”

  Licking my lips, I take a step back, “I understand wanting to protect the people you love. If the roles were reversed, if it had been you who almost died, I don’t think I’d have had nearly as much self-control as you did. But I meant what I said in the hospital. You can’t keep me safe, Aiden. You can wrap me in bubble wrap and have me carried around by armed guards twenty-four-seven and it still won’t keep anything bad from ever happening to me. That’s just life.”