Page 29 of Heartbeat

After I got Alejandro stabilized, I showered in the opulent space reserved for the doctors and nurses that worked inthe ward.I soon found out that not just anyone could work inthe ward.All of the doctors and nurses who worked in thespecialdepartmenthad some connection to the Bishops family in some shape or form. Cousin, married to a Bishops, blood relation, always a familial relationship.

I guess my father and Alejandro forgot to tell me this little tidbit about the new business I’ve acquired through marriage. The one man that would have all the answers that I seek is lying in a medically induced coma in a private intensive care unit. So, I knew I had to contact the one person I had been avoiding since my wedding.

I pushed my wet hair out of my face as I sat down at my desk and dialed the number with dread sitting at the pit of my stomach. The phone rang twice before my father picked up.

“Conrad Nash,” my father answered, his deep tone radiating authority.

“Dad, I need you to come for a visit,” I stated calmly. If I lost my shit now, there’s no telling what I’d say. And from the incredible waythe wardwas set up, I knew it wasn’t legal. If there was one thing I learned from my father, if it wasn’t one-hundred percent legal, you don’t discuss it over the phone.Ever.

“Son, it’s nice to hear from you.” I could hear the smirk in my father’s voice. He knew this shit was coming. He actually figured out a way to pull me into the world I swore I would never be a part of. This was Sawyer’s world, not mine, I was a doctor for fuck’s sake!

“When can you be here?” I growled into the phone. If I could reach through the phone and strangle his ass, I would.

“I’ll be there this weekend for the dedication of the new wing. We can talk then,” he stated smugly, but that wouldn’t be happening.

“You need to be here tonight; Alejandro is in the ICU.” I really needed him to understand that this wasn’t some fucked up game of tug of war. This was real life, and I needed to know everything that was going on so that I could be prepared.

“What!” My father yelled into the phone. Yeah, his ass was shocked. Welcome to the party…

“I haven’t notified my in-laws yet, I just got out of surgery. I need you to get here now, and bring Sawyer.” I disconnected the phone because my father would be here. I had to find my wife and break the news that her father was shot today.

I picked up my keys and dialed Raven’s number. It rang a few times before it went to voicemail. I left a message for her to call me and then sent her a text. I rushed into the elevator that led to the parking garage.

When I reached my brand new Mercedes-AMG, the thrill of seeing it wasn’t there like it usually is when I click the fob. That’s when I knew that I was truly concerned. I wasn’t really afraid for Alejandro because I knew that he would pull through. The bullet didn’t hit anything vital, but there could still be residual nerve damage. We would have to wait until he woke up to see where his range of motion is and how much therapy he would need. I only placed him in a medically induced coma because of the extensive trauma in combination with his age.

The wardhad a protocol on how they dealt with family notifications, but since I was his son-in-law, the responsibility fell upon me. It was fucking insane that I was never told about any of this before or after the wedding.

I hopped in my car and headed to Raven’s office. It wasn’t far from the hospital, so it wouldn’t take me long to get there. Neither her or her assistant, Lynn, were picking up their phones, and it was beginning to worry me. Raven always returned my calls. Her father had a gunshot wound, the worst-case scenarios ran through my mind on a loop.

I pushed the gas pedal down to reach my Princess that much sooner. When I reached her office, Lynn was walking up with large bags in her hands. I gleaned from the bags that she was on a sample run, and that’s why she hadn’t returned my calls.

“Lynn, where’s Raven?” I rushed out, helping her with the bags and leading her inside the office.

“She had a meeting with Mr. McGregor. You know he likes Raven at his beck and call. We even had to skip lunch, but she just left,” Lynn responded as she rolled her dark brown eyes dramatically.

“Thanks, Lynn. I appreciate it.” I smiled at Raven’s reliable friend and assistant. She blushed prettily, her pale skin going red. I chuckled as I hurried to my car to get to my wife.

With my need to find, Raven I forgot all about telling Robin. I don’t know if she was on the schedule or not, but she should know that her father is in the ICU. Even if it’s in a private wing that nobody knows about.

“Surely, Robin knows aboutthe ward,” I said out loud. She’s worked at BHM for years, and she was clearly her father’s favorite. Robin had to know what was going on. Then a thought hit me…Does Raven know about the ward?

CHAPTER 15

RAVEN

“Ains, I’m so excited for you guys!” I hug my cousin tightly, and she hugs me right back. The pregnancy glow is radiating off her. When she called me in an official capacity, I was confused.

Ainslee and Jagger had been married and living in their beautifully decorated home for months. I couldn’t imagine why she would need me. However, when she told me the news of her pregnancy, I was ecstatic.

“Thanks, Rae! We can’t wait! So you will need to keep this on the hush because we aren’t making the announcement until the baby shower.” Ainslee gives me a mischievous smile with a wink, and I’m confused again.

“Ohkay. What do I need to keep ‘on the hush’?” I repeat.

“We’re having twins!” Ainslee’s gray eyes are bright, and we are hugging again.

“Ohmygod! Ains! I can’t believe you want me to keep this a secret.” I groan after the excitement. She chuckles at my groan because she knows I wouldn’t tell a soul. We start going over the details of the nursery and what exactly she wants, and my excitement grows. I’ve done all types of homes designs, but nurseries are definitely my favorite. It’s something about a baby that just represents new beginnings. I was super excited to decorate the nursery for them. I was so glad that Ainslee and Jagger had gotten over their differences and made their marriage work. It gave me hope that even if your relationship starts off rocky, it could still end up in a happily ever after.

After our first night together, Lennox and I have been pretty steady. We make sure to communicate with one another, and we do our best not to hold back how we’re feeling. I just need to let this one secret go that I’ve been holding in, and then I can stop feeling so guilty.