Her Protector

Chapter Eight

That was a strange phone call from Nicholas. He sounded panicked. Ariel was talking with Timothy and Ted about stories of our past but only the good and funny times. I placed my lips against her temple as she sat next to me on the couch, “He didn’t?” Timothy laughed, “He did.” He had to shave his legs, too.” She laughed so hard, “Please tell me there are pictures of Slate in drag.” I groaned, “No, Thank the lord. I pray that I never have to do that again. "Timothy wiggled his eyebrows, “I kept the dress.” I rolled my eyes as she rolled onto her side in a hard laugh. 

It was almost three o'clock in the morning as we were still wide awake and I couldn't stop thinking about the phone call with Nicholas. He wants me to keep Ariel away from his office. Why? I thought he wanted us to bring him to him. Ted got up, “Who wants a beer?” Ariel smiled, “I will take one.” I looked up at her then her stomach. If she is pregnant, I don’t want her drinking, “Water for you, Kitten.” She gave me a pout, “Why?” I chuckled, “I have my reasons. Just trust me.” She tilted her head as she sighed, “Fine, I will take a water.” 

I smiled as my phone binged. I looked at it to see there was a text from Nicholas, “Carl may know where you guys are. I don’t have all the details but I was told he was close to closing in. Get Ariel safe. I didn’t hire him.” My eyes widened as I looked at Timothy and got up from the couch, “Kitten, Stay close to Derek and Ted and if you hear anything don’t come looking for me.” She looked up at me as her eyes showed fear, “What is going on, Slate?” I clenched my jaw, “Hopefully it is just a fault alarm.” 

Timothy followed me outside to take a walk around the property, “ What the f**k is going on Slate?” I shook my head, “Keep an eye out for anything that is out of the original.” He stepped in front of me to make me stop, “What is going on?” I sighed, “Nicholas didn’t hire Carl. He just got information that Carl is closing in.” He shook his head, “What the f**k is game?” I shrugged my shoulders as we looked around, “No f*****g idea. He called and wants to meet with me when he gets back. He sounded panicked.” 

He checked around the fence, “You think someone else is pulling string?” I nodded, “I think his father smacked some sense into his head and now he is regretting having Ariel involved in all this.” He snarled, “For his sake I hope so.” I nodded as I noticed a cut in the fence in the far corner, “f**k. Carl is on the property.” He looked around as he ran to the house, “I will check the house. Finish out here.” 

I sat on the couch as Derek sat next to me when Timothy ran in. He looked at us and took a sigh of relief, “What the f**k is going on, Tim?” He shook his head, “Stay here.” He took out a gun as my eyes widened as he slowly checked the entire house. After about ten minutes Slate came inside with another man. He was tall and built just like the rest of them. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. Derek looked up, “Is everything okay?” Slate shook his head, “Jax caught someone looking into the house then took off once he spotted him.” 

Slate walked over to me, “I am calling Steven and getting you out of here.” I looked up at him, “Are we going back?” He shook his head, “No, Kitten. We have another safe nearby.” He pulled me up from the couch as he wrapped his arms around me, “They will not get you.” I nodded as I started to feel sick to my stomach. I pushed Slate out of the way and ran to the bathroom. 

Timothy shook his head at me, “We need to find out if she is.” Jax, Ted and Derek snapped their heads towards me when Jax started to laugh, “You got to be f*****g kidding me. I am gone for a month and you may have knocked her up.” I shook my head, “We don’t know and she has said nothing.” He tilted his head, “But you think she is.” I nodded as he walked over to me with a half of a hug, “I better be Uncle Jax.” I smirked as I patted his back, “You will.” 

I picked up my phone while Ariel is in the bathroom, “Steven.” He sighed, “I know, the alarms went off to my phone.” I nodded my head as I sighed, “I am taking her somewhere safe.” He said in a low growl, “Get her out of there and keep her safe.” I looked up as Ariel looked pale, “I will.” I pulled the phone away from my ear, “Ariel? You okay?” 

I dropped the phone when I saw her eyes went to the back of her head. I ran to her as I caught her before she hit the ground when I screamed, “Timothy, Call Finn, Now!” The crew ran into the hall as they saw me holding Ariel as she passed out. Timothy picked up his phone as he barked demands, “Get her s**t and let’s get her safe.” I could hear Steven in the distance, “Slate, Slate. What happened? Is Ariel okay?” Derek picked up my phone as he told Steven what was going on. He gave him the address that we was taking her to. 

Dr. Finn had been looking at her for over twenty minutes when Timothy came walking down the hallway, “Any word?” I shook my head, “Not yet.” He placed his hand on my shoulder, “She will be okay.” I shook my head, “How did we allow Carl to get so close?” He sighed, “No f*****g clue.” 

The doctor exited the room as I looked in at Ariel as she was sleeping, “How is she, Doc?” He sighed, “Comfortable. I took some blood to do a full work up.” I nodded at him as I stood at the door looking back at her, “When will we know the results.” He shrugged his shoulders, “I am placing a rush on them. Couple hours or so.” I nodded as I stepped forward into the room as the doctor cleared his throat, “I want her to rest for the next couple days. She had way too, much that had happened that overloaded her body.” 

I walked into the room and laid next to her as she moaned. I placed my arm around her neck and pulled her into me, “I got you, Kitten.” Her arms went around my waist as her eyes remained closed. I placed my lips on her head as I whispered, “I am going to get you out of this. For you and if you are pregnant, for our baby.” I squeezed my eyes, “I need to protect you for us.” 

Ariel woke up a day after her fainting spell. The next day, we sat at the table when Derek walked in the room, “Any word on what may have caused her to faint.” I shook my head as she slowly ate, still not feeling well, “Nope. Hoping that we hear something soon.” He nodded his head, “Steven is going to stop later.” I nodded as I got up from the table, “I got to meet with Nicholas.” She looked up from her plate, “I thought he wasn’t going to be back to the end of the week.” I leaned over to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead, “He heard about your fainting spell and flew back last night.” She tilted her head, “What is he up, too?” I bent down to her, “Kitten, I don’t know but I have to go hear him out. See if I can place a stop of his warpath against you.”

He got up as he walked out of the kitchen, “Make sure to get rest. I am hoping to hear from Doctor Finn by the time I get back.” I nodded, “I will.” He disappeared as Ted sat down with me, “You feeling okay, Princess.” I nodded my head as my stomach did flips, “I will be fine.” He smiled as he tapped my plate, “Eat up, The boss will not be happy if he hears that you haven’t eaten all your food.” I stuck my tongue at him as he laughed. 

I was on my way to Nicholas’s office with Ted when I got a call from the doctor, “Doctor Finn.” He sighed, “Slate, her test results are back.” I nodded my head as Ted looked at me then back to the road, “Hit me.” I placed him on speaker as we drove, “Well, everything was normal but her iron levels are low and…” He sighed as I looked at my phone, “And what?” Ted pulled over as the doctor said, “Her hormone levels shows that she is pregnant.”

Ted smirked as I tried to keep my emotions intact. I am both excited but scared as hell. I am speechless when the Doctor brings me down to the world, “Slate. No stress. For her or the baby.” I nodded as I cleared my throat, “I know. We will try to keep the s**t from hitting her.” He sighed, “Please, do. Call me if she needs anything and I have prescriptions being sent over to her.” 

Ted pulled into the garage, “What the f**k are you going to do now?’ I looked at him, “No f*****g clue.” He sighed, “You are going to be a dad.” I smirked at him, “Who would have f*****g thought I could be a father?” He laughed, “You are going to be a great dad. You will protect both of them.” I nodded my head as I took a deep breath, “I am their protector. Let’s get this s**t over with.” 

I walked into Nicholas' office as he sat at the desk looking like he hadn't slept in days. He looked up at me, “Slate.” I sat down in a chair, “What are we doing here Nicholas?” He placed his head into his hands, “I f****d up bad.” I tilted my head as he got up, “She my f*****g sister.” I nodded, “I know.” He point his finger at me, “This is all Walter’s fault.” The blood drew out of my of my face, “What the f**k are you talking about?” He shook his finger, “He placed her in my path. Said that she screwed him out of a lot of money. He said that she wasn’t my sister. That she was Mark’s.” I stood up as I grabbed his arm, “What the f**k are you talking about, Nicholas.” He looked at me and tilted his head, “You know something about Walter.” 

I nodded my head, “He r***d Ariel when she was sixteen. She was supposed to marry him when she was of age at her father’s orders.” He pulled out of my hands as he turned around and placed his hand on his head, “What the f**k did I do, Slate?” I shook my head, “Kara is your sister, too.” His face turned pale as his green eyes pierced at me, “I know. She is also Mark’s daughter which makes her dead to me.” I shook my head, “She didn’t ask to be brought into this world.” 

His hands went to the desk, “But she treated Ariel awful.” I nodded, “Which Mark conditioned her too.” His fingers turned into a fist, “How do I stop this?” I shook my head, “Call off Carl.” He shook his head as he sat down, “I can’t.” I snarled, “What do you mean you can’t?” He sighed, “I am not the one that called him, Walter did.” I threw my hands up, “So what the f**k are you going to do to help your sister, Nicholas! She is f*****g pregnant.” He chuckled as he looked up at me, “The big bad wolf got my sister pregnant.” I sat down as I placed my hand into my hands, “I did. It was never the plan.” I turned my head as I chuckled, “None of this was part of the plan. She was supposed to be an easy mark. Now I have protect her from the f*****g world that is after her.” 

He lifted from his seat as he looked out the window, “We need to stop, Walter.” I nodded, “You need to work with us to get him.” He chuckled, “I know my father wants me to go legit but I can start after I take Walter and Mark out.” I tilted my head, “Oh.” He smirked, “They abused my little sister.” I nodded my head, “And Kara?” He sorted, “I am not sure, yet. Depends on how she treats my sister Ariel.” I nodded as he looked back at me, “I want you to take them out.” 

I turned as I held out my hand to him as he took it and shook, “With pleasure.” He snorted, “I want to be there when you do it.” I nodded, “You can even help.” He laughed, “Thanks man.” He tilted his head, “You're going to marry her?” I nodded my head, “If she wants to.” He patted my back, “Welcome to the Carter family.” I smirked at him as I looked out the window, “Why do I have a feeling that you are going to be more trouble than your sister.” 

My phone started to ring when I looked down and saw it was Derek, “What’s going on?” He was breathing heavily, “He got the jump on us.” My face went pale, “What are you saying?” He coughed, “They took her.” My fingers turned into a fist and my jaw clenched, “Ariel. Princess. Your Kitten, They took her.” I looked at Nicholas as his eyes went wide, “Call the crew. We need to find her now.” 

I hung up the phone as I stormed out of the office with Nicholas as my feet, “Slate, What do you want me to do?” I punched the button to the elevator, “Call Walter. Say that I lost eyes on her. Try to see if he has her. If he doesn’t then Mark has her.”  He nodded as he picked up the phone as I walked into the elevator, “I will call when I have information.