Queen of Harte's Read online

  ‘We sent some blood to the lab, of course,’ the doctor said.

  Of course. There were those bloody words again. Julian’s jaw twitched and he settled his head back against the pillow. Clearly, he was getting the long version of this story.

  ‘And…?’ Sweet Jesus. He might die before he found out what in the hell was killing him.

  ‘We discovered there was a blood thinning agent in your system. We’ve checked your records, and you’re not on any medication. Unless you count the whiskey?’ The doctor smiled gently, treading carefully with her joke.

  Julian tossed an eyebrow and flicked her a smile. He liked her.

  ‘So we can only suspect that you ingested something unknowingly.’

  ‘I had a drink in the club earlier, I think…I can’t really remember now. It’s a bit blurry.’ Julian gritted his teeth, pissed off with himself that he couldn’t conjure up more than a hazy memory.

  ‘Understandable, Mr. Harte. You’ve been through hell.’

  ‘What are we talking here? Poison?’ Well played Da Luca, well played, Julian thought venomously.

  ‘We’re not entirely certain yet. It’s certainly nothing that’s legal here in Ireland. I have a colleague in upstate New York who is looking into it on her end. Seeing what she can find over there.’

  ‘So am I to gather that by, explore our options, what you really meant was figure out what in the hell is going on?’

  ‘Not exactly. We know something thinned your blood, and yes, finding out what that was would help, but it’s not our only problem.’

  ‘I’m all ears.’

  ‘We also found high levels of mercury in your system. As we suspected when we swabbed the stab wound, it was concentrated in that area.’

  ‘Mercury,’ Julian almost gagged on the word. Fucking bastard. Da Luca really knew what he was doing. ‘The knife must have been tainted in the stuff.’

  ‘Yes, I’d imagine so. We flushed saline through and you’ve had numerous blood transfusions, but I’m afraid by that stage a lot of the damage was done. Mercury is a heavy metal, Mr. Harte, and in high concentrations, it’s detrimental to the kidneys. That, combined with the lack of good blood supply at the time, has cause irreversible damage.’

  Julian pressed his fingertips against his eyes and exhaled. Maybe he liked the doctor better when she was tiptoeing around the facts, after all. Da Luca didn’t get to win. Not this time. Julian’s chest tightened and drawing breath stung his chest. Darkness clouded his vision and his body grew strangely heavy.

  ‘Mr. Harte…Mr. Harte…Mr. Harte…’

  Julian’s eyes shot open again, and he woke to the doctor leaning over him slapping his face. She smelt of chocolate biscuits and lavender. Eva wore lavender scented perfume. He remembered the first time he’d gotten close enough to her to smell it. God, he missed her. He didn’t need all these drips and wires and medicine feeding into his veins. He just needed her. He needed her.

  ‘Mr. Harte, I know this is terrifying for you.’

  ‘How long?’ Julian cut across her, already formulating a plan to make damn sure he had the last laugh where the Da Luca family was concerned.

  ‘Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mr. Harte. There are a lot of options to consider.’

  ‘Dialysis?’ Julian snarled.

  ‘Yes. And a transplant when a match is found.’

  ‘You mean nab the kidney off some poor bastard with worse luck than me who happens to have kicked the bucket first.’

  ‘We’d explore living donors first. You can lead a perfectly healthy life with one kidney so the only risk to the donor would be the surgery itself and…’

  ‘I told the nurse earlier, I’m an orphan. You’re not going to have a bunch of family members queuing up at the door to offer body parts.’

  ‘We can test your son?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I understand your concern. But the test is non-invasive, and if he was a match, he’d be a perfect candidate in a few years.’

  ‘I said no.’

  ‘Well, I’ll just leave this leaflet here for you. It has some information on the recipient process. Just in case you change your mind.’

  ‘I don’t change my mind, Dr. Simmons. But you can leave the leaflet if it makes you feel better.’

  The doctor smiled, sighed, and slowly began backing out the door. ‘Will I ask your wife to come in now?’

  ‘No, thank you. But would you please check if Miss Andrews has arrived yet?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Chapter 7

  ‘Eva, it’s freezing. Can we either get in the car or go back inside,’ Shelly grumbled.

  It wasn’t the first time Shelly had aired her frustration as she paced with Eva from one side of the hospital car park to the other. Eva didn’t answer.

  ‘Can we at least get something to eat? I spotted a sign for McDonald’s when we turned off the motorway. It can’t be far.’

  ‘I’m not hungry,’ Eva dismissed.

  ‘Well, I’m starving. And it’s making me cranky and giving me a headache.’

  ‘Okay. You go, then.’

  ‘What? And leave you here? Eh, no,’ Shelly moaned.

  They paced more in silence until Eva couldn’t take it anymore.

  ‘A son, Shelly, a fucking son. I thought a wife was bad, but this is blowing my mind. I don’t really know Julian at all, do I?’

  ‘Eva, you don’t even know that the kid is his. Or that Mia is really his wife. Just ‘cause she says she is doesn’t make it true.’

  Shelly made a logical point, and Eva considered it for a moment, but deep down she knew. Even Mia wasn’t crazy enough to make up a story like that.

  ‘Do you think he’s Julian’s kid, Shelly. Honestly. Do you?’

  ‘I told you, Eva. I don’t know.’ Shelly’s lips chattered in the cold. ‘But I know someone who does know. But instead of being inside WHERE IT’S WARM, we’re out here like a pair of tits freezing and starving.’

  ‘What am I supposed to do? Walk in and say, hi so glad you’re awake. I know you have a wife, and by the way, do you have a son, too?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Eva doubled over and laughed. Well, it was either laugh or start crying again and she’d cried so much lately that she was possibly dehydrated. ‘If only it was that simple,’ Eva mumbled. ‘I want to see him so much it hurts, but I just can’t think straight right now. God, why is everything with Julian always so complicated.’

  ‘It’s not complicated, Eva. This is simple. You just have to ask Julian. You might not like the answer, but the question is simple.’ Shelly began walking back towards the main door of the hospital.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Eva called after her without moving.

  ‘Inside. I’m fucking freezing. There’s a vending machine in the lobby. I need something to eat.’

  The snow was falling at its heaviest now, and despite how distracted Eva’s mind was, the cold was really starting to become too much to bear. She scurried after Shelly, slipping and sliding all the way.

  Shelly paused in the lobby and shook herself from head to toe. Snow sprayed off her fashionable, grey leather jacket like a shaggy dog shaking himself off after a bath. Dry-ish, Shelly picked up her pace and marched up the stairs. Eva tossed her shoulders back, held her head high, and dashed after her.

  ‘What about your candy?’ Eva called, looking back at the vending machine she knew Shelly had no intention of visiting.

  ‘Hello again,’ Shelly said sternly, reaching the reception desk outside ICU. She folded her arms across the desk and tilted her head to one side.

  Shelly meant business. Eva knew they weren’t leaving again without speaking to Julian. Her stomach flipped.

  ‘Hello.’ The receptionist smiled, quite obviously not recognising Shelly.

  ‘Nancy, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes.’ Nancy’s smile turned to a look of confusion.

  ‘My friend, Eva and I…,’ Shelly turned and pointed to Eva, who was still catching
her breath after running up the stairs, ‘…took your advice to come back later, and well, here we are. Now, may my friend please see her boyfriend?’

  ‘Oh, yes. Miss Anderson,’ Nancy said, recognition brightening up her face.

  ‘Andrews. Evangeline Andrews,’ Eva growled, stepping forward. Nancy was really beginning to bug the shit out of Eva. Eva pulled herself up as tall as she could. Compared to the shit of the last few days, a little confrontation with an incompetent receptionist was a walk in the park.

  Eva licked her dried-out lips and was about to argue her case when she was distracted by a little boy sitting in a lonely armchair by the window. He was engrossed in whatever he was playing on his iPad and didn’t notice Eva watching him. She quickly pulled her stare away. She was afraid to watch him for too long. Afraid she might recognise a feature or mannerism.

  ‘I’ll release the doors for you now, Miss Andrews,’ Nancy said.

  ‘What?’ Eva’s attention immediately returned to the middle-aged lady behind the desk.

  ‘Mr. Harte has been asking for you. There was nothing on the system earlier, but I have strict instructions to let you straight through now. My apologies for the delay. These damn computers are the bane of my existence sometimes.’

  ‘Thanks. But I just need a minute.’

  ‘Eva. She’s opening the door. You can go straight through. What are you waiting for?’ Shelly asked.

  Eva tossed her head towards the little boy near the window.

  Shelly’s face fell and her whole body softened. ‘Oh.’

  Eva nodded.

  ‘I’ll…eh…I…I forgot I wanted to check out the vending machine. I’ll just pop back down now,’ Shelly stuttered.

  ‘Thanks, Shell. I won’t take long.’

  Shelly pulled her into an awkward shrug. ‘Take as long as you need, hun. You know where I am.’ Shelly’s heels clicked and she raced back down the stairs just as quickly as she had come up.

  Eva shuffled over to the window, not really sure what in the hell she was doing. What if it wasn’t him? What if she was just a lady in a hospital soliciting conversation with a young boy? Jesus. There was only one way to find out. Eva ignored the eyes of the receptionist and security guard burning into her back.

  ‘Hi, there. Mind if I sit down?’

  The spikey-haired, blond boy looked up from his iPad, for a moment, to check out who was talking to him.

  ‘You want to sit on the floor?’ he asked, turning his attention back to his screen before he finished his sentence.

  Eva looked around. He was sitting in the only chair. His smart mouth answer told her that he was definitely Mia’s son.

  ‘Yeah. You’re right. I’ll just stand.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘So…’ Eva shuffled from one foot to the other. She didn’t really know any kids so she wasn’t sure what boys that age would want to talk about. ‘What’s your name?’

  ‘I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.’ He looked up from his iPad once more. His big, brown eyes meeting Eva’s. Brown. He had beautiful brown eyes. Just like Julian.

  ‘I understand. Did your mom and dad tell you that?’

  ‘My mom told me.’

  Eva’s heart was racing with his deliberate exclusion of the word dad. ‘What are you playing?’ Eva said softly, trying a different approach.

  ‘I’m not playing. I’m writing.’

  ‘Oh, cool. You like to write stories?’

  The little boy snorted as if Eva has just asked him if he liked to dress up as a princess and wear a fluffy pink tutu.

  ‘Not stories. Coding. For computer stuff.’

  He spun the screen around to show Eva his symbols and squiggles. Wow. Eva remembered a conversation she had with Mrs. Cartwright after the ball in Julian’s mansion. Mrs. Cartwright had told her about how young Julian was when he created his first app. Maybe the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Once again, she looked at the little boy’s big, brown eyes.

  ‘That’s really cool,’ Eva said, impressed.

  ‘Thanks. It’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it,’ he said, softening.

  Eva liked him.

  ‘It looks very complicated to me,’ Eva admitted.

  ‘Nah. It’s just computer stuff. Easy peasy, really.’

  ‘I used to work for a big company that does computer stuff.’

  ‘Really? So did you not understand your job? Did they fire you?’

  Eva laughed. ‘I didn’t do the computer stuff. My job was to let people know about all the cool new stuff our company was making.’

  ‘Like advertising?’ the boy said, flashing his teeth with a bright smile.

  ‘Yeah, exactly.’

  ‘So did you work for Ignite Technologies?’

  Jesus. Not much got past this kid, Eva thought, unsurprised. ‘Yes, that’s where I used to work. Do you know it?’

  ‘My mom works there,’ he said, still smiling. ‘Do you know her?’

  Eva froze. She didn’t know what to say. But he was a sweet little boy, despite being spawned by the devil, and it didn’t feel right to lie to him. ‘Yeah. I know your mom.’

  ‘Eva.’ Eva jumped hearing Mia spit her name behind her.

  ‘Mia…hi,’ Eva replied and spun around, trying not to look like someone had just shoved a lightning rod up her ass.

  ‘Daniel. What have I told you about talking to strangers?’ Mia snapped, addressing her son with concern.

  ‘She’s not a stranger, Mom. She used to work with you. Until she got fired for not understanding her job.’

  ‘Did she tell you that?’ Mia snarled, and Eva knew the aggression was directed at her, not the child.

  ‘I told him that we worked together; I didn’t say anything about getting fired,’ Eva soured.

  ‘What are you doing here, Eva? I thought I made it clear you weren’t welcome.’

  ‘No. You made it clear that you didn’t want me here. That doesn’t make me not welcome. That makes me a pain in your fucking ass.’ Eva winced, instantly regretting cursing in front of the child and giving Mia some high ground.

  ‘Well, you’ve had a wasted journey. Julian doesn’t want to see anyone.’

  Eva couldn’t hide the big toothy grin that swept across her whole face.

  ‘What the fuc…’ Mia cut herself off midsentence, briefly throwing her gaze onto her son. ‘What are you looking so pleased about?’

  ‘Maybe it’s just his wife he doesn’t want to see,’ Eva smirked.

  ‘I don’t want to discuss this in front of my son.’

  ‘I don’t want to discuss this at all,’ Eva retaliated.

  ‘Daniel, sweetheart, will you pop down to the canteen again and get me a diet Coke? I’m so thirsty.’ Mia bent down so her head was level with her son.

  ‘Mommmmm,’ the little boy protested without saying anything more than that one word.

  ‘You can get yourself an ice cream, too.’

  He put his iPad down straight away and was on his feet. Mia passed him some money and he skipped away happily.

  Eva followed his lead and left, heading in the opposite direction catching the receptionist’s attention as she passed, letting her know to release the doors to ICU.

  ‘I am not finished speaking to you,’ Mia growled.

  ‘Okay, Mia. That’s fine. If you’d like to wait here, I’d be happy to discuss things further with you when I get back from visiting my boyfriend.’

  Eva quickened her pace, praying that her wet boots wouldn’t land her on her ass against the slick polished floor tiles. She put both her hands out in front of her pushing hard on the door and walked straight through. She stopped on the other side, leaned back against the wall, and inhaled as if she’d just come up from too long under water. She’d always dreamed of standing up to Mia like that and now that she had, no matter how damn good it felt, it didn’t stop her from shaking all over.

  Chapter 8

  ‘Miss Andrews,’ a voice almost whispered.

 
Eva peeled herself away from the wall and turned to face whoever was talking.

  ‘I’m Doctor Simmons.’ The doctor introduced herself and extended her hand.

  Eva shook it, recognising the doctor straight away. She was the same pretty, young surgeon who had turned Eva away from the hospital the night Julian was admitted.

  ‘Hello. I’m Eva Andrews. I’m Julian’s girlfriend. Is he okay?’

  The doctor didn’t answer the question. ‘Mr. Harte will be delighted you’re here. He’s been asking for you.’

  Eva’s shaking stopped and was replaced with giddy excitement. ‘Is he okay?’ she repeated.

  ‘He’s just been moved to his own room.’

  ‘Oh wow¸ really? He’s out of intensive care. That’s a great sign, then, isn’t it?’

  ‘He’s on the next floor down.’

  Eva looked back through the doors she had just charged through. She suspected Mia would still be out there. She really didn’t want to have to walk back out and let Mia think Julian had turned her away, too.

  ‘Can we get downstairs from here?’ Eva hoped that didn’t sound as desperate out loud as it did in her head.

  The doctor followed Eva’s stare. ‘I’m very sorry for asking you to leave the night Mr. Harte came in. I didn’t know.’

  ‘It’s okay. I understand. I’m just relieved to be here now.’

  ‘Is Mrs. Harte in the lobby?’ the doctor asked.

  ‘Yes.’ Eva winced.

  ‘Okay. We can take the staff stairs, if you’d like.’

  Eva guessed the doctor must think she was some home-wrecking whore, going around fucking another women’s husband, but Eva had spent most of her life being judged by people who didn’t know her and she was becoming immune. She had too much on her mind to entertain that kind of thing now.

  ‘This way.’ The doctor walked around the corner and Eva quickly followed.

  ‘Mr. Harte is quite the enigma,’ the doctor said after a few moments of awkward silence.

  Eva sighed.

  ‘My goodness, I’m sorry. That came out all wrong. I just meant…’

  ‘He can be quite intimidating, I know,’ Eva said reassuringly. Eva knew exactly what the doctor meant. She was professional and well spoken, but she was also human and her attraction to Julian was glaringly obvious.