Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
T hey had driven all night, Drew and Ryan taking turns at the wheel.
The guys looked exhausted, and Karlie was pretty sure that she and Jenna didn’t look too much better.
They went straight to the hospital, both she and Jenna were so worried about their mom.
She found her dad sleeping in the chair next to her mom’s bed, hunched over.
Her poor mom looked like someone had run her over with a tractor-trailer.
Her face was pretty bruised up, and her lip and eyebrow were both stitched up.
The doctor had told them that she had three broken ribs and a fractured wrist. Karlie was furious.
She wanted to find Jake and kill the bastard for what he did to her family.
Her father woke up when they all entered the room.
He looked exhausted and worried. Jenna hugged him as he stood to greet everyone.
“She’s been sleeping for a while now,” he gently whispered.
“She had trouble getting some rest, so they gave her something to help.” He shook Ryan and Drew’s hands and just looked at Karlie. He smiled when he noticed her belly.
“Well, it looks like I am going to be a grandpa times two now,” he grabbed Karlie and pulled her into a bear hug.
“I still can’t tell you how sorry I am that we ever believed that liar.
Jake should never have been given the chance to touch any of you.
” He looked from Karlie to Jenna and then at his wife.
“We need to catch him before he has the chance to ever hurt anyone that I love again.”
Ryan stepped forward, “We will, Sir. We will find him and make sure that he’s locked away for a long time.” He reached for Jenna’s hand and squeezed it. Mr. Angel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He smiled, seeming to see what Karlie and Drew had seen earlier.
“Well, you two seem cozy.” His smile never faded. He seemed happy about this little twist.
Jenna pulled her hand from Ryan’s, “Um, no—Ryan is just a friend, Dad. I’m finished with men and bad choices.” She rubbed both hands over her belly, “Well, except for one little man.”
Her dad just nodded, “We’ll see.”
Jenna doubled over, seemingly in pain. Ryan put his arms around her. “What is it, Jenna? Is it the baby?”
Jenna was breathing heavily and nodded her head.
“I think, Ouch—God, that hurts.” She doubled over again.
Her water broke, leaving her pants and the floor around her wet.
At least they were at the hospital, but the timing couldn’t be worse with Jake still on the loose.
“I’m so sorry,” Jenna said, looking around the room, embarrassment showing on her cheeks.
Ryan brushed his knuckles over her red cheek, “Don’t be sorry, Jenna. It’s natural, your water broke.” He smiled, trying to reassure her.
“Yeah, but it broke all over your shoes.” She apologized again.
“Not a big deal, honey,” he shrugged. “They’ll dry. Right now, we need to find you a doctor and get you into a bed.”
“You two go, and I’ll be there soon,” Karlie said. “Jenna, I can be your coach if you’d like. I know Mom would be your first choice, but—” She looked back at her sleeping mother.
“You two girls go,” Mr. Angel told them. “Your mom will be okay—you just worry about bringing my grandson into the world, safe and sound.” He kissed both of his daughters’ cheeks.
“But, I don’t have my bags,” Jenna cried. “I need my music and the things I packed for the baby.” She looked at Ryan.
“I’ll go back to your house and pick them up for you,” Ryan offered.
“You shouldn’t go alone,” Drew chimed in. “Jake still has the keys to their house. We can grab her bags and then call a locksmith to have the locks changed.”
Jake and Ryan agreed on the newest plan, even if the plan seemed to change from second to second.
Karlie was so excited to meet her nephew, she’d do whatever it would take to keep Jenna calm.
They got Jenna settled into the prenatal wing of the hospital.
She was all hooked up to baby monitors and an IV by the time the guys left to grab her bags.
The contractions were coming so fast and hard that the nurse didn’t want to call for an epidural until the doctor had a chance to examine her.
Jenna was trying to breathe her way through, but Karlie could tell that she was in a good deal of pain.
Karlie rubbed her baby bump and worried about what was to come.
“Karlie, you still have time before your little one will be here,” Jenna said, seeming to read her thoughts. “It’s not that bad,” she lied. “Once I get the epidural, everything will be great, you’ll see.”
Karlie nodded, “I know, but I’m still worried about you. You’re my little sister, and I don’t want you to have any pain. Where is that doctor?” Karlie looked out the door as if willing him to appear.
“Why don’t you go and get something to eat and drink? I am probably going to be here for a while. I read that first-time deliveries can take days sometimes. You need to take care of yourself and your baby,” Jenna insisted.
Karlie thought for a moment, trying to decide what to do.
“Karlie, Jake can’t get to me here. Ryan and Drew warned security, and they have a guard outside the pregnancy unit and outside of Mom’s door.
We are all safe—please go eat something.
” Jenna grabbed the bed rail and started breathing.
When the contraction was over, she smiled at Karlie as if trying to ease her worry.
“Okay, if you’re sure, I’ll go grab a quick bite. I won’t be long.” She walked over to Jenna and kissed her sister’s cheek.
“We’ll be right here, but give the nurse your cell number, just in case your nephew decides to come a little more quickly.” Jenna gave her another shaky smile.
∞
Karlie was hungry. In fact, she was starving.
It was like someone turned on a light switch, and her hunger was out of control all the time.
Her stomach growled as if on cue, and she patted her belly.
“Okay, baby girl, we’ll get something to eat in a minute.
” She was just about to go to the hospital’s cafeteria.
The floor she was on was all but deserted since it wasn’t quite lunchtime.
“Aww, how sweet—talking to the little bump.” The voice behind her made her jump and squeal—Jake. How did he know where to find her? Did Jenna tell him that she was in labor?
“Jake,” she whispered, “How did you—”
“Find you, baby?” He reached to tuck her hair from her eyes, and she tried to block his hand. Jake grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, making her cry out in agony.
“Honey, I’d find you anywhere. I told you that when I texted you.
You belong to me. I’ll always find you, baby.
” He released her arm, pulling her closer into his body.
His hold was so tight that there was no way she could have gotten away.
She was afraid of struggling, not wanting to give Jake a chance to hurt her baby.
“No,” she spat, “I don’t belong with you. Drew will find us, and he’ll kill you for what you have done.”
Jake laughed, “Honey, no one can touch me. I have you as my insurance policy, and I’m sure that big, bad Drew won’t do anything to hurt his baby.” He patted her baby bump, causing her to swallow back bile.
“Don’t touch my baby,” she yelled. “Keep your fucking hands off her.”
Jake laughed again, “She’ll need to get used to her Step daddy touching her. You will be mine, Karlie. She will be mine, too.”
“No,” she screamed, “you will never take her.” Now, she started to struggle. If Jake had planned to take her, she would fight like hell before she would let that happen. Karlie started to scream, and Jake put his hand over her mouth.
“Shut your fucking mouth,” he hissed. Karlie bit down, causing him to scream in pain, and he took his hands off her. She turned, starting to run toward the elevators. She didn’t get far; he reached her so easily. She forgot how crafty Jake could be.
“Please just let me go. I won’t tell anyone that I saw you. I need to get back to Jenna.” She cringed with her last statement, not meaning to alert Jake to his baby’s birth.
“Jenna? Why is Jenna here? Is it the baby? I knew that beating the shit out of her precious mother would bring Jenna home. I never imagined that you would come along, too. I was hoping to finish what Jenna, and I started. That little bitch knew where to find you, but she got out of the closet before I could get it out of her.” Karlie quickly looked around, trying to find a way to get away from him.
The elevators hadn’t opened in what seemed like forever.
The stairs were her only option. If she could just keep him talking, she could distract him enough to get free.
“Jenna didn’t know where Drew and I were. Ryan brought her to us,” Karlie whispered.
Jake’s hold tightened around her, “Why the fuck is Ryan involved in this? Ryan is my friend. Why would he be helping you?”
“He’s Drew’s brother, and you’re a psycho-douche. Why would Ryan choose you over his brother?” Karlie questioned, taunting him. Her words seemed to just anger Jake; he pulled her hair back so hard that the pain made her tear up.
“It doesn’t matter, Babe. You’re here now, that’s all that matters.
” He kissed her mouth, and she felt sick.
She struggled, trying to pull away from him.
“Oh, we’re just getting started, honey. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.
I want to take my time with you. I have a special little place I’ve set up, and we’re going to get nice and cozy again.
” She was crying, in pain from the grip he had on her hair, and scared of what he had in store for her.
Where was Drew? Why hadn’t he found her yet?
“Please find me, Drew.” She must have said that out loud because Jake started laughing again.