TROY
I stared at my phone for what seemed to be an hour. It was late at night and I just couldn't find the strength to call my sister.
Would she even forgive me or listen to me? Probably not.
Here I was sitting in a car with a unconscious nurse in a alley way. The bullet went clean through but she lost a good amount of blood and I had to multitask with grabbing supplies and getting us out of there. The bullet hit no artery and she was going to need some pain pills and sleep on her other side.
Those men were after me and it all was starting to make me wonder if they were with Cartron? If he was the one that drugged me with something to make me act the way I did.
My only was that she forgives me.
Soft mumbles were heard beside me before a strong gasp followed suit then panic. I grabbed Iliana's arms trying to calm her down. She winces and I briefly forgot she was injured.
"Calm down."
It took a moment but she eventually took some breaths. She looked at me with a frown, her beautiful face displaying confusion.
"Where are we?" Her voice raspy.
I grabbed the water bottle and handed it to her.
"I'm the alley way not to far from the hospital." I answer her question while she took a few sips of water.
"Thanks for bandaging me up."
I nod as if it was nothing. "How do you feel?"
"I feel fine. If you could, do you mind taking me home?"
I was unsure if I should. After everything I couldn't just leave her but if that was what she wants, I was going to do so.
"Alright." I started the engine and drove off.
I'll just make sure she is safe. Even if I have to stay and watch her.
TIANA
"I'm glad to see that you and the princess is okay. I'm sure boss is fine." Amelia smiled.
We was on our way when I received a sudden call from the hospital and I just told Rick to meet me up there with zero questions ask. I just hoped so.
"Carter and Camille Masó?" I asked the receptionist at the front. We had just arrived here in good timing to.
"Name?"
"Tiana King." I shifted my hip, adjusting Cariana.
My heart was beating fast and I was finding it hard to breath. I was still shock to know that I was Carter's emergency contact next to Camille. I was the first to contact if anything happened and something horrible did.
"One moment," she said softly, typing away on the computer.
Cariana was becoming fussy and squirmed in my arms. She couldnt be hungry because I fed her not too long ago. I tried rocking her to a calm and place the pacifier in her mouth when all she did was forced it out her mouth and gave a loud cry followed wails.
"Please, not now baby..." I trailed off feeling my eyes watering.
Amelia noticed and stepped forward. "May I, Queen?" Her arms outstretched.
I passed my crier to Amelia and Amelia started speaking words in a familiar language. Italian. I sighed, relieved that it was working. I placed the blanket over her shoulder and Cari was placed on her shoulder. Her small hand went to her mouth as her cries began to fade.
"Alright, ma'am," the receptionist says, making me turn. "Are you of any relative, family friend, or spouse?"
"Spouse." I answered without hesitation.
"To which patient?"
"Carter Mason."
She typed some more on the computer. I twisted the ring on my ring finger in hopes this process will go faster. The receptionist looked up from her computer once again and this time a quizzical look was on her face.
I frowned. "Something wrong?"
"You are not in the system as his wife."
I sighed. "Please," I begged. I needed to know that Carter was alright. "Let this slide. I need to see him."
"I'm afraid I can't let you. It's rules."
"Are you serious?" Amelia questioned angrily. "She's the mother of his child. She should be allowed to see him without rules." She kept her voice down due to Cari.
The lady shrugged. "I'm sorry but I can't—"
Rick walked in front of me and showed off a special object that will have her thinking otherwise and to do the the right thing.
"Let her through or I will deal with you." His tone dark with zero emotion.
The lady looked down at the gun Rick showed off and back up to his serious expression. The lady quickly typed and gave me the room number to Carter and Ace was given Camille's. Amelia stayed with Cariana in the lobby with other guards and a gun ready to shoot if necessary.
Going through the elevator and making my way to the floor and looking on the walls for the room numbers, I finally found his and saw familiar guards standing outside. Once they saw me, they bowed their heads in respect and I entered the room in a rush.
Fresh tears were crawling to the surface at the sight of him. He looked horrible. A long cast surrounded his right leg and a white bandage covered the right shoulder. His face was bruised with purple marks and a red gash under his chin. The door closed behind me gaining his attention and the doctors attention. His eyes found mine and my lips began to tremble.
I didn't like it. I didn't like seeing him like this. I noticed his attempt to sit up but I quickly made my way over there and gently pressed him back down on the bed. I turned back and looked at the doctor. He was older and a little short with gray strands but looks to have been here long enough to know what he's doing.
"You must be Tiana. Carter told me a little bit about you before you got here. I'm Dr. Ventura." His French accent strong with each word.
"Nice to meet you." I say before looking back at Carter.
"Are you alright?" My voice cracked without control.
"It's just a scratch. I'll live." He smirked.
My sadden lips turned down. "It's not just a scratch, Carter." I cried. "You could've been killed and you think this is amusing."
He sighed, his amusement gone. "Calm down, Babe."
I shook my head and looked at the doctor. "Did you run down important information before I got here?"
"Yes, but I can run them down again."
"I can tell her—"
"Go ahead doc." I interrupted Carter. I could feel Carter's eyes on me but I ignored him.
The doctor looked hesitant but he went ahead and explained. Carter's right leg was minor broken and he suffered two gunshots to his right shoulder. A few bruises but everything will heal with time. His leg six to eight weeks and that's taking care of it. He gave me a run down on home treatments and cleaning his gunshots.
"We're keeping him for another twenty four hours to make sure he is clear to go."
"And Camille?"
"She has another doctor but I could check in on her."
"Thank you."
He left leaving Carter and I alone. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair relieved. Carter was going to be okay and heal just fine with more scars.
"I'm alright, Tiana."
I shook my head and rubbed at my face, wiping away the tears. It was no point because they kept coming back. I then wrapped my arms around myself and looked at him with my tearful eyes.
"Stop crying, babe."
"I can't. You don't know how much you scared me, Carter. I thought...I thought you were taken from us. From Cari and from me."
He stared at me and Love was all there. I love this man so much. I really did. Wouldn't know what I'll do if he was gone. Cariana would have been fatherless and me, without my heart. But he was light and breathing strong.
I sniffed and leaned forward to his face and kissed him. His hand lifted and angled my head to the side, kissing me deeper. We were so caught up in our kiss that we didn't even notice someone entered the room and clearing their throat.
We broke apart and turned to find Amelia smiling at us with a cooing Cariana in her arms. I took the baby bag from her and placed it beside Carter's bed and the baby blanket and placed it on Carter's chest before grabbing our babygirl and placing her on her father's chest.
"This one has been giving me a hard time today." I murmured and He chuckled.
Cari made more baby noises that were adorable. She eventually fell asleep on her father's chest, curled up.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and my eyes went wide when I saw who it was.
"Who is it?"
"It's Troy."
I waited for Carter to say something like don't answer it but he nods his head giving me the okay to. So, I answered.
"Hello."
"Tiana," he began hesitantly. "Please don't hang up. I'm sorry for everything I've done. It wasn't me, I was out of my mind and I didn't..." he trailed off, voice full of regret.
I sighed. "It's alright but I believe there's more going on with you than what happened to you with the drugs."
"There is and I'm getting help for it."
I looked at my feet. "How are you doing? The people treating you well in the hospital?"
He was silent for a long moment causing me to frown. "Troy?"
"There was a shooting at the hospital."
"What?"
"I was their target."
I scratched in my hair and I could feel Carter watching me. "How do you know for sure?"
"They were only on the same floor as mine and one found my room number and shot at me but hit the nurse instead. She's alright though."
"And you?"
"Will be fine. I just want to warn you to be careful."
I closed my eyes at the mess that's happening. "I will. Thank you."
"Always," he paused for a moment before saying, "I love you, sis."
"I love you too." And I ended the call.
After everything that's happened with little time, this was the time to tell Carter about the call I received on my old phone from Cartron.
"I need to tell you something." I say, turning and gaining his full attention.
He rubbed up and down Cariana's back as she slept peacefully, oblivious to the crazy world around her and her parents.
"Talk to me."
I blew out a breath and grabbed a chair to pull next to his bed. "I received a call from Carton."
His facial expression was enough to tell me that he was angry.
"I got rid of the phone and got me another. It's not best to update but that's not the point. He's the one that told me he bombed you and Camille and Rick explained a lot of things and what you were doing before the shoot out."
His facial expression changed into a skeptical one. "What did he tell you?"
"He told me everything. Last locations on Cartron and his favorite spots in the past to the files you have on all your men. Even me."
I wasn't really worried about it because I was more worried about him but I did want an explanation at some point. It didn't have to be now but later.
"What are you looking for exactly?" I questioned.
"I don't know who to trust so I'm going through all the files and hacking all personal information to who everyone they've been in contact."
"So, why do you have my file? And before you answer me, I'm not mad. Just curious." I say.
"I wanted to go through yours for reassurance."
"Reassurance?"
"It's nothing but checking, Tiana. That's it."
"Do you have one on Mina?"
"Why?"
I frowned. "Yes or no, Carter?"
"Yeah."
"I want to see it."
"What for?"
"Why can't you just say yes? Why do you have to question me?" My tone trailed on irritation.
He sighed. "Alright."
For the rest of the hours here, Cariana and I had to leave because visiting hours were over and we went to a nice hotel near by. I made plans to visit Camille tomorrow and figure out a smarter and better plan to take Cartron down without anyone else getting hurt.
Time to act like a Queen.
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Thoughts/ Opinions?
A queen stepping up to protect her family