Page 43 of Ruining Hattie

BASTION

T he paramedics gave Hattie and me oxygen and looked us over, declaring us both fit enough to leave, though they’d prefer that we go to the hospital.

Neither Hattie nor I was interested, though I wouldn’t mind Hattie being looked over.

But all I wanted to do was hold her, have her in my arms so that I know she’s real and she’s here with me, so I immediately took her back to the condo.

We took a shower to get the smoke scent off our bodies. It took two rounds of shampoo and two deep scrubs to achieve. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be smelling smoke for weeks.

Once we’re dried off and Hattie has dried her hair, I lead her to bed, where I wrap my arms around her and tuck her into my chest. “Are you okay?”

She’s been quiet since we arrived. I keep waiting for her to break down, but it’s as though she’s trying to hold back for some reason.

Hattie nods into my chest, and I squeeze my arms around her, kissing the top of her head before pulling away to see her face.

“Talk to me. What are you thinking?”

Her gaze lifts to meet mine, and I see tears in her eyes. My chest squeezes painfully.

“I was so scared.” Her voice is still rough from breathing in the smoke.

“I was too.” I drop my forehead to hers. “When I knew you were in there, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was so afraid of losing you.”

“I kept praying to God to save me, but when you called and said you were coming to get me, I didn’t want you to because I was scared you’d be hurt… or worse.”

I kiss her forehead. “I’m here. We’re both here.”

There’s so much more I want to tell her, but now is not the time. She’s had a traumatizing experience, and the best thing for her right now is rest.

“Are you hungry?”

She shakes her head. “No, I don’t think I can eat right now.”

“All right. What do you say we put on a funny movie or something, cuddle up here?”

A little glimmer of the usual sparkle that’s in her eyes rises. “Okay,” she says in a soft voice, then clears her throat.

The paramedic said we can expect to have irritated throats and that a cough might develop too.

I get everything set up on the TV and pull her back into me. We both drift off at some point and stay in that position for the rest of the night.

The next morning, I’m making Hattie breakfast—one of the few meals I can make—when Jeffery calls up.

“Sir, I have your sister here to see you.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. What is Ariana doing here? I said I’d call her last night with an update about Dad, but she couldn’t wait for me to touch base with her? She had to fly out here? What the hell?

“That’s fine, send her up.”

Now I’m going to have to explain Hattie’s presence here, which isn’t a huge deal given that I plan on Hattie being by my side forever, though I haven’t told her that. Nor have I told her about my past and how I grew up. Let’s hope Ariana still understands my nonverbal signs for don’t fuck this up.

I walk to the couch where Hattie’s cuddled up, reading a book. She seems more herself this morning. Some of the haunted look has disappeared from her eyes, but I’d be an idiot to think it doesn’t still linger there.

“My sister is here.”

Hattie’s gaze snaps up from her book, eyes wide. “What?”

I shrug. “I’m not sure why, but Jeffery just called. She’s on her way up.”

“Oh my god, Bast, look at me. I can’t meet your sister.” She looks down at her oversized T-shirt and pajama shorts.

I lean forward, bracing my hands on the back of the couch and caging her in. “You always look exceptional, plus you were trapped in a fire last night. I think Ari will forgive you for not having a cocktail dress and full-face makeup on.” I kiss her lips.

Before I can really get into the kiss I want to have with her, there’s a knock at the door. With a sigh, I straighten and walk across the expansive living area to the foyer and open the door.

I don’t even have a chance to greet her before Ari’s arms are wrapped around my waist and she’s squeezing me tightly. “Thank God, you’re all right.”

I return the hug and run a hand down her back over her long red hair. I’m not sure how, but she obviously knows about the fire. This must be the reason for her visit.

“I’m fine.”

She pulls away and smacks my upper arm, glaring at me. “I called you a million times last night, and when you didn’t answer, I thought the worst.”

I cringe. “Sorry, I ditched the phone when I got home, and I haven’t looked at it since.” My full attention has been on the woman behind me.

My sister pushes past me, stomping in through the foyer.

“Do you have any idea of the things that were running through my head? I made Obsidian call the pilot in the middle of the night and drag him out of bed to fly me out here.” She comes to an abrupt stop, obviously just having clocked Hattie sitting on the couch.

“Oh.” She glances over her shoulder at me. “I didn’t realize you had company.”

Walking past her, I gesture toward Hattie. “Ari, this is Hattie. Hattie, this is my overbearing sister, Ariana.”

Ariana glares and sticks her tongue out at me before walking over to the couch.

Hattie stands with her hand extended. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You as well.” Ari takes her hand and gives Hattie the once-over.

I know it for what it is—just sibling curiosity because I’ve never had any other woman here when my sister’s around—but Hattie must take it differently.

She tugs on the hem of her T-shirt. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were coming or I would have dressed differently.”

“No one did, hence the overbearing part.” I walk over to Hattie and place a kiss on her temple.

“You look beautiful as always.” When I turn my gaze to my sister, her perfectly shaped eyebrows are bunched up and she’s staring at us quizzically, but her face quickly morphs to delight.

“I’m just getting breakfast started. Do you want some? ”

She waves me off, not taking her eyes off Hattie. “No, I ate on the plane.”

“Of course you did. You got a private chef on that private plane of yours?” I chuckle and dart out of the way when she goes to smack me again. “My sister married a billionaire, babe.”

Ari scowls at me for mocking her. “All right, that’s enough.” She shakes her head at me and turns back to Hattie. “It’s true, but that’s not why I married him.”

Ariana takes Hattie’s hand and gestures for her to sit again, obviously using the opportunity to grill Hattie while I’m cooking. She better not make Hattie uncomfortable.

When I glance over a couple of minutes later, I know that Hattie told Ari about her experience in the fire yesterday because she’s hugging Hattie. I hear Ari say, “You poor thing. That must have been so frightening.”

I crack another egg into the bowl and return the shell to the carton. “You never mentioned how you knew about the fire,” I call out to her.

Ari’s head snaps in my direction. At least she looks guilty. “You own the club, of course I heard.”

“Hmm.” I leave it there, but we both know that I now realize she’s keeping tabs on me—courtesy of her billionaire husband and his connections, I’m sure.

Though I can’t complain too much about his connections. I have a feeling I’m going to need to use one myself. I’m waiting for the official word that the fire was caused by arson before I act. Because if it was set intentionally, I don’t need to be a psychic to know that Sean is involved.

I finish making breakfast while the women chat, and Ari joins us at the breakfast bar while Hattie and I eat.

She pretty much carries the conversation, telling Hattie about her twins and Sid and his brothers and the mansion they live in.

How I need to bring Hattie there to visit because she’d love it.

When we’re done, Hattie sets her napkin down beside the plate and shuffles out of her chair. “I’m going to go shower. It was really great meeting you, Ariana.”

I’m not surprised Hattie uses an excuse to give Ari and me time to chat by ourselves.

My sister smiles at her. “You too. I hope I can convince you to join Bast out at Midnight Manor sometime soon.”

Hattie glances at me as though she’s not sure how she should answer. How I want her to answer.

“That sounds wonderful. I want her to meet the twins,” I say.

The corners of Hattie’s lips lift before she turns and leaves the room.

Ari watches her go before her head whips around and she narrows her eyes at me. “You’ve been holding out on me, brother.”

She has no idea.

I take Hattie’s and my plates over to the sink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Yeah right. She’s a little young for you, though, isn’t she?”

“Are you, of all people, serious?” She and Obsidian have a ten-year age gap. Ours is thirteen, barely any different. Ari grins, and I can see now that she was baiting me. “Fuck off.”

“She’s really lovely, Bast. I like her.”

“Wonderful, now that she has your seal of approval, my life is officially full.”

She joins me at the sink and places her hand on my back. “I’m serious, I’m happy for you. I’ve always wanted you to have someone special to share your life with.”

I sigh and turn off the faucet, then open the dishwasher. “It’s complicated.”

“What’s complicated?” Her tone suggests she might know that I probably, most likely, have fucked up this whole thing. “You clearly care about each other. The way Hattie tells it, you risked your life and ran into a burning building to save her.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know.” I glance toward the hallway to make sure Hattie’s not around.

“Then fill me in.”

Blowing out a breath, I load the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and close the door, then lean against the counter. “Let’s head into the living area.”

Ari follows me, and once we’re comfortable, I tell her all of it, including the part about how our dad kept the fact that Carla came looking for me a secret. By the time I’m done, her eyes are sad, her smile is gone, and she looks as if she’s six and woke up to see her tooth still under her pillow.

“You must be angry with him.”

“Fuck yeah, but… he raised me. It’s hard to stay angry when he’s the one who gave me shelter, food, and…” I can’t say it, but in his own way, Trent showed me love. Sure, he taught me his lifestyle, his career, and it wasn’t on the up and up, but he could have left me to fend for myself.

She takes my hand. “I’m sure he only did it because he thought he was protecting you.”

I nod, knowing she’s right. “Yeah, but it’s hard not to play the what-if game, you know?”

She does know. Her mom took off when she was young, and I’m sure at some point over the years, she’s imagined what it would be like if her mom had come back.

“So, what are you going to do? You have to tell her, Bast. You can’t keep this kind of thing a secret. It’s going to come out eventually.”

She’s speaking from past experience with her husband, I know. There were a lot of secrets between them when they first got together, but they came out together in the end. Hattie and I can too.

“I’m not going to tell her, but I am going to keep her. She can’t ever know who I am to Carla.”

“Aren’t you worried that Carla will recognize you if you and Hattie go the distance?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t used my birth name in more than two decades, and it’s been that long since she saw me.” I shrug. “She’s never going to recognize me.”

Ari frowns. “Bast, this isn’t the way to start something with someone. I don’t agree with you keeping this secret.”

“You don’t have to. It’s my life. Just trust that I know best how to handle it.”

She presses her lips together to stop herself from saying whatever she’s thinking.

“I do need to fill you in on what Dad told me while I was there.”

Her eyes flare with alarm. “I almost forgot, what with all the fire stuff. Is everything okay with him?”

As hard as it is to be the bearer of bad news, I tell her everything Dad told me about his illness. When I’m done, the unshed tears in her eyes have fully released.

“I knew something was going on. I can’t believe he lied to me.” She gets up off the couch, pacing.

“He just doesn’t want us to fawn all over him. You have to promise that you won’t be all over him about it and checking in all day every day. It sounded like he and Eleanor had things handled, and the prognosis is excellent.”

She chews her bottom lip for a minute. “God, that’s gonna be so hard, Bast. I want to know what’s happening on a daily basis.”

“I mean it, Ari. He won’t tell us anything if you don’t get it in check.”

She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll act like I don’t give two shits. Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” I deadpan, knowing this will be a hard road for all of us. “Would it improve your mood to know that I need your help with something? Two things, actually.”

My sister loves to help anyone. It’s like her own little treat to herself.

“Duh.” She comes to sit back down on the couch.

“Can you drop Hattie and me off in Michigan when you leave here?”

Her forehead wrinkles. “Not exactly on my way, but why?”

“I don’t want anyone to be able to track where I’m headed. That’s impossible unless you’re flying private.”

She gives me a wary look. “Why? Who are you hiding out from?”

“I don’t think the fire at the club was an accident. I’m waiting on the official word, but I don’t want Hattie around here just in case she’s in danger.”

“Bast.” Her eyes widen. “You’re scaring me.”

I huff out a breath. “I just want us out of town until all of this settles.”

“All of what, Bast?”

I ignore her question. “I also need you to tell Obsidian that I need one of his contacts in the Vitale family.”

She stills and looks around, as if saying their name will somehow summon the northwest’s most notorious crime family. “What have you gotten yourself into?”

“Nothing. I just need their help with something.”

She knows enough not to ask any questions. So she nods. “I’ll pass the message along.”

“Thanks, sis.” I stand from the couch. “Now, I’m going to go get packed and tell Hattie that we’re going on a little getaway. Make yourself at home. We’ll be out and ready to go in a bit.”

I’m almost out of the room when my sister says my name. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I give her a small smile to calm her nerves, but I’m not sure I do when it comes to Hattie. “Uncharted territory for me, but I’m keeping my head above water.” I wink and turn back around.

If Sean started that fire, as I highly suspect he did, he’ll get what’s coming to him, as well as anyone who helped him.

I don’t give a shit about the building—that’s what insurance is for. But he almost took the life of the woman I love, and that can’t go unpunished.