Chapter three

Jake paced outside Selena’s ward, hands running through his hair as his steps traced the same short stretch of the hallway over and over again.

He told himself he was worried about Selena..But that was not the truth.

It was Natalie.

The image of her storming into the club replayed in his mind, over and over. Her face. Her voice. The way she had looked at him like she had already detached herself from everything he was.

Why was she like that all of a sudden?

Why had she suddenly asked for a divorce?

“What’s gotten into her?” he muttered under his breath.

Yes, he had not gone home for days, but that was not unusual. There were times he stayed out for days at a stretch, spending time with Selena and Joey. That had always been how things were. Natalie had never reacted the way she did tonight. She never caused scenes. She never embarrassed him.

She worried instead..She asked if he was okay…if he had eaten..If he was coming home soon.

That was the Natalie he knew. The Natalie who waited.

A doctor approached him, and Jake snapped out of his thoughts.

“Your wife is fine,” the doctor said calmly. “It was a minor issue. She can be discharged tonight.”

Relief washed over Jake before he even realized he had been holding his breath.

“Thank you,” he said, nodding.

The doctor did not linger and walked away.

Wife.

The word echoed strangely in Jake’s head.

The doctor had called Selena his wife, and it had sounded wrong. Jarring, uncomfortable.

Unlike when anyone referred to Natalie as his wife.

Wife was a title that felt like it belonged to Natalie, whether he liked it or not.

He shook his head, irritated with himself, and turned back toward Selena’s ward. His fingers had just brushed the door handle when movement at the far end of the hallway caught his attention.

Parker.

Jake frowned as he watched his brother hurry down the corridor, his steps fast and purposeful, his face tight with barely restrained anger.

Jake turned fully and rushed toward him.

Why was Parker here?

“What are you doing here?” Jake demanded. “Where’s my wife?”

Parker stopped abruptly.

“Oh, now you care?” Parker sneered.

Jake stiffened. He had always known his brother disapproved of him, but hearing that tone directed at him so openly felt different.

“You’re unbelievably stupid, Jake,” Parker said.

Jake scoffed. “Watch how you speak to me.”

Parker laughed humorlessly. He wanted to tell him. He wanted to scream it in his face. He wanted to tell him that Skylar was gone, that his niece was gone, that Natalie had lost everything tonight.

But Natalie had made him promise.

And Parker knew his brother would not believe him anyway.

“You keep defending my wife,” Jake snapped. “My own wife. Let it not be that I find out you’re having an affair with her.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Parker’s fist connected with his jaw.

Jake staggered back, shock exploding across his face.

Parker stood over him, chest heaving. He was the younger brother, but in that moment he looked like the only adult between them.

“Natalie isn’t that kind of person, you bastard,” Parker yelled.

Jake stared at him, stunned.

He was not used to this. He was not used to Parker defending Natalie. Not like this. Not with violence.

“If anything happens to Natalie,” Parker said coldly, “I’ll never forgive you.”

He brushed past Jake, his shoulder slamming into him as he walked away.

Jake straightened slowly, rubbing his jaw, confusion and anger swirling together.

Before he could react, another doctor hurried toward him, visibly panicked.

“Mr. Campbell,” the doctor said quickly. “Your wife has lost a lot of blood and requires a transfusion. We need someone with O positive blood.”

Jake’s eyes widened.

Had the other doctor not just said Selena was fine? That she could be discharged tonight?

And why did they keep calling her his wife?

Natalie was his wife. Not Selena.

Then again, he had brought Selena in. The assumption made sense.

“Is there such blood available in your blood bank?” Jake asked.

“Not currently, Mr. Campbell.”

Jake exhaled sharply.

The way the doctor looked, the urgency in his voice, made his chest tighten.

Then it occurred to him.

Natalie.

Natalie was O positive.

Relief crept in, followed quickly by calculation.

He could talk to her. He could sweet-talk her a little. She always caved eventually. He could even pay her if he had to. He would start going home more often, buy her gifts, make promises he did not intend to keep.

That would pacify her.

Before he could voice the thought, the doctor spoke again.

“We do have another patient with O positive blood who may be able to help.”

Jake looked up immediately. “Take me to the patient.”

The doctor nodded and led the way.

They walked quickly through the corridors until they stopped outside a ward. The doctor opened the door.

Jake stepped inside and his breath almost stopped.

Natalie lay on the bed.

She looked pale…Fragile with bandages wrapped around her head. An IV drip ran into her arm. Her eyes shifted toward him, and whatever emotion flickered there hardened instantly.

“What are you doing here?” Jake asked.

She looked away. “That’s none of your business.”

Jake frowned. “Why are you here?”

She said nothing.

He wasted no time. “Selena needs blood. You’re O positive.”

Natalie finally looked at him then. “I’m not donating my blood to your mistress.”

Jake’s jaw clenched. “This is not the time for your bitterness.”

In her mind, fear wrapped tightly around her chest.

She was pregnant.

She had already lost one child. She could not lose another.

Her thoughts drifted to Skylar. To the empty hospital room. To the silence that followed the doctor’s words. She wondered briefly how Jake would react if he ever found out their daughter was dead.

Maybe he would not care anyway.

“I said no,” Natalie repeated.

Jake’s expression hardened. “You are heartless.”

She laughed weakly. “You’d like that.”

“You would be happy if she died,” he accused.

Natalie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You have no idea what you are saying.”

Jake turned to the doctor. “Get some nurses.”

The doctor hesitated. “Mr. Campbell…”

“Even if it’s by force,” Jake said. “Get the blood.”

Natalie sat up suddenly. “You can’t do this.”

The nurses entered quickly, surrounding the bed.

They held her down as she struggled, panic overtaking her.

“Please,” she cried. “Jake, please.”

He stood back, arms crossed, unmoved.

“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out desperately.

Jake laughed. “You think I’m stupid? You’re lying.”

The needle pierced her skin. She screamed, tears streaming down her face.

As the blood drained from her, she turned her head toward Jake.

“Do you know Skylar hates hospitals?” she asked quietly.

Jake scoffed. But something twisted uncomfortably in his stomach.

“She’s never going to forgive you for missing her birthdays again, Jake,” Natalie continued.

The room felt colder as her strength drained rapidly.

They attempted to draw a third pint and Natalie’s vision blurred.

Her breathing became shallow. Then she passed out.

The doctor moved quickly, checking her pulse. His expression changed.

“It’s weak,” he said urgently.

The door burst open again.

Another doctor rushed in, followed closely by Parker.

Parker’s eyes took in the scene in seconds.

He lunged at Jake, slamming him into the wall.

“Did you know this was dangerous for her?” Parker shouted.

Jake stared at Natalie, motionless on the bed.

The doctor with Parker spoke quickly. “She was pregnant. She’s lost the baby.”

Jake stumbled back almost feeling dizzy

Natalie had been telling the truth.

Parker looked him straight in the eye.

“That’s two children you’ve lost