Feathers and Thorne Series Books 1 - 3: The Complete Collection

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Isabella

“Carter, what’s happening?” I’m flipped onto my side, and I feel a breeze on my behind. Then I hear the sound of fabric being ripped, and goosebumps break out across my flesh. I’m pushed onto my back, but I can’t make out much, save for the vague outline of doctors and nurses in scrubs coming in and out of my field of vision.

I try to sit up straight, but someone pushes me back.

So I stare at the ceiling and try to push back against the nausea threatening to overtake me. I press my lips together, take a deep, shuddering breath, and squeeze my eyes shut. Reluctantly, I pry my eyes open when I hear something being wheeled in and feel a pair of gloves pinching my skin together. When the needle touches my skin, my eyes fly open, and I scramble up.

The cold syringe pierces my skin, and I hiss. “I don’t want that.”

“It’s going to be okay, dove,” Carter says from the doorway, where he’s standing with his arms folded over his chest with two large nurses in front of him, blocking him from moving any farther into the room. “I’m right here.”

I swallow, and a thin sheen of sweat breaks out over my forehead. “Are you okay?”

Carter nods and doesn’t say anything else.

This time, when I’m pushed back down onto the hospital bed, I don’t fight them. Instead, I study the pale blue walls on either side of me and attempt not to gag at the metallic smell of blood. It isn’t until I glance down at myself that I realize I still have specks of my own blood smeared over my bare skin. As soon as I glance back up and meet Carter’s gaze, I swallow back the protest.

One by one, the doctors trickle out of the room, leaving me alone with a single blonde-haired nurse who adjusts the IV drip in my arm and checks something on the monitor. She writes something down on a clipboard and glances over at Carter, who is standing opposite me, a look of cold fury etched onto his face. After adjusting the IV drip again, she tucks the blanket around me and scurries away. The door clicks shut behind her, and Carter sits on the edge of the bed and gathers me to him.

He shudders, and I feel it through his entire body. “I’m sorry. I should’ve given them what they wanted.”

I throw my arms around his shoulders and wince. “They wouldn’t have stopped, Carter. You and I both know that. At least this way, the Blackthorne family hasn’t lost everything they’ve worked to build.”

Carter draws back to look at me, and his bright eyes are full of rage and anguish. “You’re what matters to me, Isabella. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.”

I touch his face. “You’ve worked hard to build your empire. I’m not going to let you throw it away.”

Not when he’s already risked a lot to be with me.

The scars on my body are proof of every hoop and hurdle, but seeing them doesn’t make it any easier. Nor does seeing the pain and unease in the depth of Carter’s eyes. Wave after wave of worry rolls off of him, and I can see him bite back his spiral in the tight way he holds himself and the way he keeps glancing over at the door.

I can’t escape the feeling that he’d rather be prowling the streets and stalking the people who did this.

With a sigh, I push the thought away and settle back against the bed. Carter lies next to me, and I tuck myself into his side, not wanting to be separated again. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot something underneath the bed, and I realize it’s the tattered remains of my beautiful dress.

“I’ll get you another one,” Carter tells me, pausing to squeeze my shoulders. “Tristan and the others are making sure those people who took us are taken care of.”

“How many more dead bodies before this stops, Carter?”

Carter places his thumb and index finger underneath my chin and lifts it up, so I’m looking directly into his eyes. “I’ve never made what I do a secret, dove. Nor will I. You asked me to be honest with you, so I am, and this is part of the territory.”

I search his face. “He’s not going to stop coming after us. Hughes isn’t going to stop, Carter.”

No matter the price to be paid.

And I’m afraid that Carter isn’t going to stop either.

How did we manage to get away from one shark and run smack dab into another one?

With bigger teeth.

At least with the Laceys, Carter could play dirty. When it comes to the mayor, Carter has to be very, very careful of how he retaliates and when. Otherwise, those same cops who once looked out for him are going to end up slapping him in handcuffs.

Again.

I shiver at the thought, leading Carter to peel off his jacket and drape it over me. “I’m going to get you something to eat and drink. You need your energy.”

Without waiting for a response, he presses the button for the nurse, and she returns, a harried expression on her face. “She’s in a lot of pain. Can you up the dosage?”

The nurse tucks a pencil behind her ear and nods.

Carter lingers near the foot of the bed, his arms folded over his chest. A few minutes pass, and nothing happens. Then, I feel like I’m drifting on a cloud, and my head is light headed. I can’t feel any part of my body when Carter leans in and presses a kiss to my forehead. He whispers something to the nurse, hands her a crumpled-up bill, and exits the room. She swims in and out of my field of vision before swinging the door open. I stretch out over the mattress and squeeze my eyes shut.

The door opens again, and I try to sit up, but my body feels heavier now.

Rich’s familiar face appears, and he’s saying something, but it’s garbled, and I can’t make out the words. He angles his body, glances over his shoulders, and leans in closer. Rich smells like sandalwood and lavender, and I barely have time to register how close he is before he presses his lips to mine. My entire body is slack, and I can’t push him off.

What the hell is he doing?

And why is he doing this?

Carter is going to kill us both if he walks in.

Rich keeps his mouth pressed to mine, soft and sweet and unfamiliar, until I make low noises of distress. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he draws back and tucks my hair behind my ear. He looks directly into my eyes, a half-smile on his face. Then he presses his mouth directly to my ear, and I don’t like how his hot breath feels against my skin.

This is wrong.

“I’m going to get you out of here, Isabella,” Rich whispers, his voice rising toward the end. “It’s not going to be much longer, you’ll see.”

I struggle to focus, but I can’t make out much because of the thick fog in my brain. When I blink, Rich is gone, and Carter stands in front of me, saying something in a soft voice. He drops a kiss on top of my head, pushes my hair out of my eyes, and gives me a grim smile. When he hands me a Styrofoam cup, I curl my fingers around it and inhale.

Carter’s phone rings, slicing through the air. “I’ll be right outside, dove.”

I sip my scalding hot coffee and try to determine if I dreamt up the whole thing with Rich when another doctor comes in. He is tall and lean, with wisps of hair falling onto his forehead. Wordlessly, he snaps on a pair of latex gloves and rummages around for a syringe. Once he has it in his hand, I gulp and set the coffee down.

“Is that necessary?”

“I’m afraid it is. Your arm is swollen, and we’re afraid that if we keep the contraceptive implant there, it’s only going to become more infected.” He advances and picks up my arm. “You’ll just have to remember to get another one put in once the infection clears up.”

I blink slowly. “Okay, doctor.”

As soon as he’s done, I sink lower into the mattress and give him a loopy smile. Then I flip onto my side and adjust the pillow underneath my neck, missing the feel of Carter’s body against mine. I smell him before he comes into the room, and my body is all too aware of the thin hospital gown I have on. He runs a hand over my arm, gives me a quick kiss, and says something under his breath.

I try to smile, but my eyelids are growing too heavy.

***

Carter

“Paul better not move an inch, or he’ll have me to answer to,” I grumble between sips of my coffee. “You’re supposed to be helping.”

Tristan leans against the wall opposite the vending machine. “I’ll go there in a minute. I just wanted to check on you.”

I let out a low, humorless laugh. “I had to watch them beat her up, Tristan. How do you think I fucking feel?”

Like I want to burn the whole world down and watch it turn to ash and rubble.

It’s only the thought of leaving Bella alone that keeps me glued to the hospital, never too far from her room.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the rules are changing, and the world is closing in on all sides. First, with my own family, then with fucking Lilian, and now with the Natoris and Philipses joining forces. A part of me is still in disbelief and reeling from everything happening, but the other part of me is calm and collected, knowing exactly what I need to do in order to send out a message.

There is going to be hell to pay.

I’m going to make sure of it.

“She’s a lot stronger than I gave her credit for,” Tristan admits, pausing to push himself off the wall. He’s got specks of dirt and blood on his neck and knuckles, but he makes no move to wipe them away. “You still sure you want to keep her in the middle of all this?”

I give Tristan an annoyed look. “Watch it. Tonight is not the night to test me.”

Tristan studies my face. “You’ve thought about it, haven’t you? Carter, you and I have known each other for a long time. I know what you’re like when you’re pushed past the breaking point.”

I toss my cup into the nearest trash can and straighten my back. “Yes, I’ve considered walking away from all of it and building a life with Bella, turning over a new leaf, and all that bullshit.”

Except I know it’s not going to be that simple.

For the first time since meeting Isabella, I am considering it, though, for her sake.

“That’s not what I meant.” Tristan shakes his head, exasperation written all over his face. “You can marry her if you want, settle down, and all that bullshit as you call it, but I don’t think walking away from the family business is going to help. They’ll still come after you, and without the family, you won’t be able to fend them off.”

Goddamn it.

I hate it when Tristan is right.

“The only reason we’re still around, the only reason the Blackthornes are worth anything, is because of you,” Tristan adds in a quieter voice. “You and I both know that. You don’t turn your back on family.”

No matter what.

Without me, the Blackthornes won’t survive for long, and Tristan isn’t the only one who knows it.

I have to stay, but for a few brief minutes, as we stand across from each other, listening to the garbled voice over the speaker, I contemplate what it would be like to leave.

For the first time in my life, I wonder if I can build a life for myself that has nothing to do with the Blackthornes or the family business.

And I imagine it all with Isabella by my side.

I can picture it as clear as day.

But when Tristan clears his throat, bringing me back to the present with a jolt, I push all those thoughts away and give him a nod. He and I both know I’m not going to walk away from the empire I helped build, not if I can help it.

I’ll just have to do a better job of keeping Bella safe.

For her sake and mine.