Black Butterfly (47 page)

It’s really ok.”

Todd sat next to Trish, watching her sleep. She’d been sedated when they’d brought her to Sail Brooke.

When she’d come to, he was out in the hall, handling her admittance paperwork. Finding herself alone, she’d completely lost it. Her hysteria had alerted the hospital staff on the floor, and they’d given her something to calm her. He hadn’t left her side since then. The doctors had asked him to get some rest, but he’d refused to budge until he knew she was safe. He was still wearing the same soiled clothes from yesterday.

Trish moaned and turned over, then opened her eyes, looking into his.

“Hi, you,” he said softly, smoothing her hair from her face.

“Hi,” she said weakly.

Todd blinked in surprise. The doctors had said that her catatonic state after the coma wasn’t medical.

All her neurological tests had come back fine. They’d marveled at how quickly she’d recovered from the toxins that she’d poured into her system. Apparently Trish was stronger than they’d all thought.

“How do you feel?”

She looked past Todd and surveyed the room. “Where am I?”

“In the hospital.”

Trish burst into tears. “I’m so sorry.”

Todd pulled her to him. “No, don’t apologize. You’re ok. I won’t let you get hurt again.” Trish shook her head. “He’s found me.”

“Don’t think of him. Look at me.” He turned her face gently toward his. “Focus on me and you, ok?

Nothing else.”

“Ok.”

Todd smiled. “Now, are you hungry?”

Trish shrugged.

“Good enough. Stay here. Let me tell the nurse you’re awake.”

“Did you hurt Portia?” she asked weakly as he walked toward the door.

He turned to look at her. “Not the way she said, Trish; I swear it. I did sleep with her. I was mean about my refusal to help her, but I didn’t rape or attack her.”

Trish wiped her tears with her hand. “I wish I could believe you,” she said, her bottom lip quivering.

Todd returned to her bed and sat down again. “Look at me. Look into my eyes. I kept it from you, and I know that was wrong, but I never lied about my feelings for you. Can you see that?” Trish remained quiet for a long moment.

“Why, Todd?” she asked finally. “We were so good together. You were everything to me.”

“Were?” He took her hand. “We’re still good. I can’t live without you. When I thought you were dying, I saw my whole life flash before my eyes. I never had peace, Trish, until I found you. I’ve changed because of you.”

“I love you so much,” she sat up in bed, tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I love you too,” he confessed. They held each other and Todd began to relax once he felt her coming back to him.

“It’ll take time to repair what’s happened to our bond. I know that.” He broke away, touching her face.

“But, first, we have to get you well. Can we do that together?” She nodded, and he sighed with relief. “Thank you,” he said, kissing her lips softly. “Let me get the nurse.” Trish smiled weakly.

He looked back at her and winked before stepping out the door. But his relief soon faded, and horror overcame him. Two men approached. William Hesser, and at Hesser’s side was his own father, Marshall Ellison.

Nolen entered his office, still reeling from Sydney’s words. He was right back where he’d started.

Heartache and regret were pushing him deeper into his darkness. He didn’t know how to fight it.

“Well, look who’s finally here,” Agent Michaels said, walking in with two cops at his side. He held a folded blue document.

Nolen stared at him. “What the hell do you want?”

“I’ve got you, asshole, and this time, you won’t escape.”

The officers walked over to him as Annemarie came in, looking horrified.

The agent snickered as he said, “Nolen Adams, you have the right to remain silent.” She looked at him and smiled. “I do love him.”

“Oh, honey, I know that. I’ve seen you bouncing around that studio, grinning ever since you two became an item, even though you thought you were hiding it from me.” Sydney grabbed a pink throw pillow and pulled it to her chest. “He’s just so damned stubborn, and he doesn’t listen, but when he takes me in his arms, he’s the most attentive, compassionate person I’ve ever known.

How could two different versions of a man exist within one person? Why is it so hard for him to hear me?”

“Honey, he’s a man. We don’t need to listen. We know every damn thing already, especially about our hearts. I think that beefcake of yours is just scared. You say he overwhelms you. Well, from the tantrums he’s been throwing, it’s apparent that you overwhelm him. He doesn’t know how to handle all his feelings for you, so he does what he knows how to do—control everything else around him. It’s his safety mechanism, and he’s probably been using it for years. I’m not saying it’s healthy, but even the most perfect love sometimes isn’t.” Sydney smiled, thinking of how Nolen softened when she touched him in the way he liked, the darkness fading around him. She’d never known a man so complicated. “He’s just a big baby,” she mumbled under her breath.

“I’ve got an idea. Let’s have us a girlfriend night and do our nails and makeup,” Juanita said, reaching for her hand. “Because your nails sure could use my pink french manicure.” Sydney laughed. “Sounds like fun.”

“We won’t talk about him, and you’ll get all the time you need to clear your head, because, guess what?”

“What?”

“Tomorrow you’re going to take your little spoiled ass back to your man and get my damn job back, that’s what!” he snapped.

Sydney laughed as he headed to his room to change out of his leather pants.

Her thoughts drifted to Nolen and his anger. She also thought of Marilynn’s warning. Maybe she was right, and Nolen’s destructive nature should be avoided, but if the worst between them was his fear of losing her, couldn’t they do something to get past it? Juanita was right. She had no intention of leaving him. She would just have to re-educate him to understand that his way wasn’t always the only way.

Reaching for the remote, she turned on the television. A news reporter stood outside a building in Manhattan. The scroll bar at the bottom announced late-breaking news. Sydney turned up the volume.

“Today the SEC and the FBI brought several indictments against the COO of Hollister Textiles, Scott Harris, for insider trading . . .”

Sydney watched as the screen flashed to a man being led away in handcuffs.

“Harris, his name sounds familiar.” Sydney asked aloud.

“What is it, honey?” Juanita called out from the other room.

“Arrests on Wall Street,” she called back.

Juanita came out of his room wearing cutoffs and a pink tube top. “What you want for dinner, honey?” Sydney shrugged, muting the television. “No appetite, really.”

“Well, I make a mean ziti. You get a whiff, honey, and you’ll wet your panties.” Sydney smiled. “Well, then, let’s have some ziti!”

Juanita looked at the screen, and his eyes grew wide. “Oh my goodness! Isn’t that King Ding-a-ling?” Sydney looked back at the screen to see the Forbes photo of Nolen staring at her. Grabbing the remote, she turned up the volume as the picture changed, and she watched him being led out of his office building in handcuffs by men in trench coats. A reporter’s voice was speaking in the background. “Nolen Adams, CEO and founder of Adams Global Solutions, was also indicted today on charges of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. We are told that this stems from quarterly and annual reports filed with SEC for Delstar Textile by Adams Global. . .”

“Is this for real?” Sydney gasped, dropping the remote. She watched as cameras snapped his picture and reporters shoved microphones in his face. He walked with his hands cuffed behind his back, expressionless, and she wanted to scream as a detective pushed him into a squad car.

“It’s your phone,” Juan said, holding it out to her. She hadn’t heard it ringing until he spoke.

Still staring at the television screen in disbelief, she answered it. “Hello,” she said shakily.

“Sydney, it’s Portia. Did you know that Nolen was arrested?”

“I’m watching the news report now,” Sydney said.

“What’s going on?”

“Portia, I can’t talk to you,” Sydney said. Her chest felt so tight that she thought her heart would stop beating.

“Wait. I want to know about Trish. Please, Sydney, I’m so worried over her. Talk to me.”

“No. I’ve got to go.” She closed the phone.

Juanita frowned at her. “What’s going on?”

“I’ve got to get dressed,” Sydney said, running to her bag and dragging it to the bathroom. “He needs me.”

Chapter 25

Slaying Dragons

Todd stood in the corridor, looking into the cool gray eyes of Marshall Ellison.

“Hello, son.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Marshall looked at Todd inquisitively. “I could ask you the same thing. William here says that you’re keeping him from his daughter.”

“Damn right, and I want you both out of here, now.” Todd said, clenching his fists.

“I’ll go see Trish and give you two time to catch up,” William said, attempting to walk around Todd, who stepped in his way, shoving him so hard that he stumbled back several feet. “I’ll break your fucking neck first!” From nowhere, Marshall grabbed Todd. He slapped him across the face. “Get yourself together now, boy! You don’t call the shots here.”

Todd broke free, horrified by the anger and cruelty that always sent him back to his childhood. Even now he feared a man that he could probably snap in two. But today he was not about to cower and let his dad take control. He had Trish, and he would fight to the death to save her.

“What the hell is going on here?” Dr. Percy asked, looking shocked by the violent exchange.

“These men want to harass my fiancée, Dr., but she doesn’t want to see them,” Todd answered, his jaw burning from the attack.

William pointed at Todd. “I was forced to sign a power of attorney authorizing her to be admitted to this facility. I’m William Hesser, Patricia’s father, and I need to see her.” Dr. Percy’s colleague, Dr. Aston, began to apologize. “Mr. Hesser, we know who you are. Welcome to Sail Brooke.”

Todd stared at him in disgust. “I want them removed!”

Dr. Percy nodded. “You gentlemen have to leave. Trish is in no—”

“Her name is Patricia!” William said angrily. “Patricia Hesser.”

“She was admitted as Trish Ellison,” Dr. Percy said.

Marshall laughed. “So now you want to play house with this man’s daughter?”

“Shut the hell up!” Todd shouted. He walked closer to Dr. Percy. “She didn’t want the media attention.

I’m sure you have patients using aliases all the time.”

Dr. Percy nodded. “Yes, of course.”

Dr. Aston spoke up. “I don’t see why he can’t be allowed to see his daughter.” Todd glared at him. “I do. He’s been raping her since she was a kid. That’s why she’s here.” William glared at Todd and then turned to Marshall. “You said you would get your boy in line!” he shouted at Marshall. “Do it!”

“Son, are you really competent to be anyone’s protector? Shall I tell these men of your shady past?” Dr. Percy frowned. “Shady past?”

“My son suffers from a form of mental illness himself. Patricia Hesser will be best served without his supervision.”

Todd glared at him. “You asshole!” he said, his eyes tearing up. He wished that he had a gun so he could kill both of the sick bastards where they stood.

Sydney entered an empty penthouse using Nolen’s private entrance. Juanita had called her and said that the news broadcasted Nolen's immediate release. How and why, she wasn't sure. She expected to see him as soon as she stepped through the door.

Alone, she carried in her bags. She’d only been gone a day, but it felt like an eternity. She went about putting up her things and pacing the floor. Eventually she decided on cooking a nice dinner for him so they could talk things out, and it would definitely be a good use of her nervous energy. Thankfully Claude wasn't there, and what he prepared was already in the fridge.

“Mental illness?” Dr. Percy asked, looking at Todd in confusion.

“I had a breakdown as a kid because this man used me as a punching bag every time he got drunk.” Marshall laughed. “I’ll say. You pulled a gun on me and then turned it on yourself. And, let’s not forget, before Adams came into the picture, you were charged with statutory rape and nearly convicted when you were in college. I was the one that saved your ass. Remember Casey Welsby?”

“The girl lied about her age,” Todd stammered. “You know that charge was bogus!” Marshall laughed. “You’re such a hypocrite, calling my good friend a rapist when you’re the only felon here!”

Dr. Percy shook his head. “I don’t care about his past,” he said dismissively. “The power of attorney is valid. You want it overturned, take it to the courts.”

Todd pointed a finger in his father’s face. “You want to destroy me, just like you always have. I’m a different man now, but you’re the same sick coward who picks on those you perceive as weak. Aren’t you, Dad?” Marshall tapped Todd’s chest roughly. “I’m your father, and you’ll respect that, whether you want to or not. That man has a right to his daughter, just like I’ve always got rights to you. Now call off your boy and make that happen, or I’ll step into this and make you pay for those mistakes that I covered for your spoiled ass.” William interrupted the confrontation. “All I want to do is see my daughter. If you let me talk to her, we can clear all this up. She’s sick and confused. I never raped her. Never.” Todd backed away from him. “You two are disgusting. I’ll kill you both before I let you near her.” The security officers came down the hall and Marshall smirked. “We’re not done, son. Think about what I said. I’ll be back.”

William frowned. “Marshall, what are you doing?”

“Sir, you need to leave,” the officer said, walking up to William.

“Do you know who I am?” he snapped.

“The question is, do I care?” the officer asked. “The answer is no. Now let’s go.” He grabbed Hesser’s arm and dragged him outside.

Todd watched them leave and finally found his breath. His dad could threaten all he wanted. He wouldn’t fail Trish. He would call Nolen and get him to take care of Marshall Ellison and William Hesser once and for all.