Royal Pain in the Ass (41 page)

I hated hospitals.
 
As much as I hated them, I knew someone who would be hating this hospital even more.
   
Fiore was speaking quietly with my Aunt Cassie and Uncle Henry and I saw Christine sleeping awkwardly in a chair, her head on Greg
’
s shoulder, his arm around her rubbing her back.
 
I jumped when a hand was on my shoulder and I relaxed when I saw it was Chad.

“Hey,”

“
Hello, how are you feeling?
”

“I
’
m alright, how
’
s Lana?
”

“
Stable, which is the best we can hope for at the moment.
”

“And Ian?”

Chad gave me a sad half-smile.
  “
You are a clever one.
”

“
Where is he?
”

“
He hasn
’
t left her side.
”
Chad replied, indicating a door with two armed security guards.

I nodded.
 
I walked right past security and into Lana
’
s room.
 
Lana was a mess.
 
I felt my heart in my throat as I saw the IV in her arm, the heart monitor, the wires and monitors and I was trying not to remember the last person I
’
d seen like this.
 
Ian was holding Lana
’
s hand in his and his head was resting on the other.
 
He must have fallen asleep.
 
I walked back out and back up to Chad.

“
Does Ian like coffee?
”

“
He likes it well enough.
”

“
Do you know how he takes it?
”

Chad nodded.
  “Yeah,”

“
Come with me.
” 

A few minutes later I had two fresh cups of coffee.
 
I went back in the room and rubbed Ian
’
s back.
 
He jumped but relaxed after he saw me.
 
He looked a mess.
 
His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, his complexion pallid.
 

I handed him a cup.
  “Drink.”

“
I don’
t want it, thanks though.
”

“
I didn
’
t ask. 
Drink it.
”

“
I said I don
’
t want it.
”

“
Have you eaten since everything happened?
”

“No, I
’
ve been a little preoccupied.
”

“
Exactly.
 
Now drink the damn coffee and get your blood sugar back up.
”

“Oh,”

“I
’
m not going to ask you to leave or anything, it wouldn
’
t happen anyway. 
But I wanted to make sure you
’
re taking care of yourself too.
 
I know it
’
s hard to watch someone you love laying there like that.
”

“
Juliet, I understand you
’
ve had issues, but I don
’
t think you have any idea how I
’
m feeling right now.
”

“Ian, I don
’
t know what it
’
s like to see the love of my life, my fianc
é
, like that, but I do know what it
’
s like to watch my own mother wither and die and there be nothing I can do to help her.
 
I understand to some extent.
  I
’
m not going to belittle your feelings and tell you I understand how you
’
re feeling, because I don
’
t. 
But you have to take care of yourself still.
 
You have to keep going.
 
Someone has leaked something to the press -
”

“WHAT?” Ian roared.

“
Fiore is on it, calm down.
 
All the same, you
’
re going to have to set the record straight.
  I
’
m not saying tonight, but you do need to let the world know.
”

Ian nodded.
  “
I suppose I
’
ll have to arrange a press conference.
”

I nodded.
  “
That
’
s a start. 
Ian, Lana is your rock, isn
’
t she?
”

Ian looked over at Lana just lying there and he turned away from me.
 
I wrapped my arms around him.
 

“I
’
ll take that as a yes.
 
That
’
s okay. 
But she
’
s going to need you now more than ever.
 
You have to be her rock for now.
  Okay?” 
I felt Ian lightly shaking.
 
I turned him to face me and let him cry.
 
I held him until the sobs stopped.
  “
Do you feel any better?
”

Ian pulled away and had his composure back.
  “
Yes, thank you.
”

“You
’
re going to have to find an outlet.
 
It doesn
’
t have to be a person, but you
’
re going to have a lot of shit on your plate.
 
You need some way to deal, if not you
’
ll either crack or explode.
 
Find something or someone.
”

Ian let out a small chuckle.
  “
How eloquently put.
”

I gave him a small smile.
  “
Ian, I like you.
  You
’
re one of the few people I can honestly say I like since I
’
ve been here.
 
Lana is on that list too.
 
I hate to see either of you like this.
 
I don’
t know if I can do anything, but if there is, you just say the word.
 
Lana needs you at the top of your game.
 
Make sure someone is bringing you in something to eat each day.
 
Doesn
’
t have to be much, just eat.
 
Try to get some rest.
” 
I walked back out and noticed Christine was awake now and sitting alone.
  “Hey,”
I offered sitting next to here.

“Hey,”
she sighed.

“She
’
s going to be okay.
”

Christine nodded.

“
Where
’
d Greg go?”

“
He went down to get something to eat for us.
  He
’
s the least likely to get harassed.
”

“I
’
d think that would be Fiore.
”

“
No, Fiore is the most feared, but she
’
s easy to recognize.
”

I nodded.
  “
How are you holding up?
”

“
Better than Ian.
 
No one can pry him from her bedside.
”

“It
’
s sweet that he loves her that much.
”

Christine nodded.
  “
Yes, but I
’
m worried about him.
”

“
Be there for him.
 
That
’
s all you can do.
” 
I pulled her into a hug and sat with her until Greg came back, then I drifted over to where Fiore was almost finished with my aunt and uncle.

“
Juliet,
”
Aunt Cassie smiled.

“
I know you guys have a lot on your plate, but if I can do anything, be of any assistance, please, just let me know.
”  
Uncle Henry gave me a look that I wanted to squirm under, but I forced myself to remain still.
 
I looked him dead in the eye.
  “
Even if all you need is for me to stay out of the way.
 
I wanted to make sure you knew I wanted to help.
”

Uncle Henry gave a small nod and I looked to Fiore.
  “I
’
ve done all that I can from here.
 
Are you ready, Juliet?
”

I nodded.
  “
I hope to see you guys soon.
” 
I followed Fiore back to the car and she got on the phone.
 
Now that I was as alone as I would be for a while I let my mind wander.
 

I was remembering the last time I was in the hospital.
  I
’
d spent every day for eight months in a hospital.
 
The only time I left was when I was I had to work or was in class.
 
I hate hospitals.
 
I shook my head.
  No. 
That was not the way I would remember my mother.
 
I would remember her at her best.
 
Beautiful, intelligent, completely independent.
 
The woman I wanted to always make proud.
 
I needed to focus on what needed to be done now.
 
I took a deep breath and tried to focus.
 
I had to figure out what I was going to do.

Chase had a video of . . . us and I had to figure out a way to deal with this.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I really only had one option.
 
Chase could be pacified, but if he didn
’
t get his way, things would get ugly and fast.
 
I knew what I was going to do.

It wasn
’
t long before we were back at Fiore
’
s country estate.
 
Hewitt and Xavier were sitting at the table eating lunch.

“
Ah, you
’
re back.
”
Hewitt smiled.
 
He walked up and gave Fiore a kiss on the cheek and I saw her tense up.
  “I
’
m so glad you
’
re back.
”

“
Um, Hewitt, we
’
re going to have to have a talk.
”
Fiore warned.
 

Hewitt
’
s eyes were suddenly guarded.
  “Okay.”

“
How is Lana?
”
Xavier asked after a moment of awkward silence.

“She
’
s stable.
 
She just needs time to heal.
 
She has the best doctors we can offer.
  It
’
s no longer critical.
”
Fiore replied, seeming more at ease all of a sudden.
 

“
Good.
”
I saw Xavier visibly relax.

Fiore looked between Xavier and myself and sighed.
  “Now
’
s as good a time as any, I suppose.
 
Hewitt let
’
s go take a nice long ride.
 
I haven
’
t gotten to ride Gorgon yet.
  You
’
re all welcome to anything you like, just ask the servants.
”
Fiore cooed.
  “
Come along, Hewitt.
”