Page 12 of Rushing Her: Seattle, Westerners (Gridiron Warriors #2)

Alexandra

W arner is friendly but, for the most part, silent. She barely speaks to me but is always on alert. Another guy drives the SUV we are in, which I’m sure is bulletproof with how darkly tinted the windows are and how heavy the door felt when I tried to shut it myself.

Throughout the entire drive to Portland, I’ve been silently stressing about what the doctor could want to talk about. What if they decided I’m allergic to the shots and must reverse everything we’ve already done? What if I lose the baby that I suspect I’m carrying? What if I’m not pregnant?

I’m a basket case when we pull up at the curb.

Warner opens my door and follows me inside. She remains in the lobby as I’m immediately called back. Instead of being shown to an exam room, I’m led to Dr. Jarvis’ office. A gentleman sits there with her, and I glance between both of them.

“Uhm, I think I’m interrupting.” Turning to walk out, I bang into the nurse.

“No, Alexandra, this is my attorney.”

I slowly turn back around, utterly confused now. The befuddlement contorts my face as my lips pinch, and my eyebrow raises. “I don’t understand.”

“Before we can talk medical privacy, I must confess that a mistake was made last week, and he’s here to advise me. In case you want to sue or something.”

“A mistake?” Walking farther into the room, the door gets closed. I feel trapped and completely unsure of what to do except repeat the one thing my father always taught me. “I think I need my own attorney. I’ll call him now.”

Stepping out of the office, I dial the only local attorney I know.

“Alexandra, what’s up?” His voice travels across the line and calms me slightly.

“Daddy, I need you to meet me at Dr. Jarvis’ office. There is an attorney here for her, and I don’t understand why.” I relay the address for the downtown Portland medical center, where she’s located.

“I’m on my way.”

Returning to the lobby, I’d rather wait there than in that office without backup. Explaining to my dad what’s going on will be rough, but I need him. He’s a family lawyer, so this might not be in his wheelhouse, but he can support me and, if needed, point me to someone with the knowledge.

As soon as the door opens, I rush to my father. So many things have happened in the week since I last saw him, and my emotions are at such a level that I start to cry. His hair is red just like mine, and his strong arms wrap around me, holding me tight.

“What’s going on, Alex?” His voice catches.

“This is not how I wanted you to find out, but when I walked into that room and the doctor introduced her attorney, I realized I needed my own.”

“I told you to always cover yourself.”

“Yes. I was here last week for some tests and a shot.”

“Okay. Are you good?”

“I’m okay.” I smile, and he nods as I dry my face.

“That woman is staring at us. Maybe we should move to somewhere we can talk honestly.” I look over to where he’s pointing.

“Oh, that’s just Warner. She’s my security.”

“Security?” My father glances around and, with his six-foot-one height, stands taller. He might be over fifty, but he’s still a force of nature if someone hurts any of his girls.

I pat his arm. “Daddy, it’s okay. I’ll explain as soon as we’re done here.”

Warner walks over and offers a hand. “Mr. King, I’ll protect your daughter with my last breath if necessary. Mr. Murray made sure he got the best to watch out for Ms. King, and I’m that.” Oh well, she spilled the beans about Brayden.

“Wait…Murray. As in Brayden Murray. That man wrecked my daughter; she still hasn’t recovered. You tell him to blow his security out his lying ass.”

“Dad, stop.” I press into him and halt his forward motion. “Brayden and I are working things out.”

My dad stops and stares down at me. “But he hurt you.”

“No, Daddy, I broke up with him. I was the one to end us. I broke us.”

“Why?” He pauses, then holds up a hand as I take a deep breath. “Nope. No. You will be coming to the house after this meeting, and your mother and I will be getting the whole truth.”

“Okay.”

Together, we walk to the back and into Dr. Jarvis’ office.

“This is my attorney, Mark King. He’ll be representing me during this situation, advising me as necessary.”

My father shakes the other attorney’s hand before facing the doctor and bidding her hello.

“Mr. King, your daughter has no need for an attorney. I’m here on her behalf, as well. Yes, I’m a malpractice attorney, but we all want what’s best for Ms. King. That’s why the police are also involved.”

“Police? What is going on?” Sitting in the chair, I became lightheaded all of a sudden.

“When you were here last Thursday, there was a mistake down…,” Doctor Jarvis starts, but pauses.

“Somehow, she… We have pulled the footage, and the police are reviewing it. There were only a few patients in the office at that time, but someone,” she pauses and looks over to her attorney, who gives his approval.

“Someone tampered with your medications. Instead of administering the follicle-stimulating hormone, you were given human chorionic gonadotropin…the trigger.”

“Okay, what does that mean for my client?” my father asks.

“Well, a couple things. First, it means that the few follicles we saw from you taking the Clomid were triggered and released. You’ve probably been experiencing what feels like a heavy ovulation. Cramps, breast tenderness, mood changes, maybe headaches, and fatigue.”

“Yes, most of those.”

“But you also told us you’ve had sex since then.”

“Oh my god.” I drop my head as waves of nausea hit me.

“You could have gotten pregnant naturally if you didn’t use protection. But you also have a higher risk of a multiple pregnancy.”

“Dear god,” I mumble. As my head continues to shake, my father’s hand rubs my back.

“But I’m assuming that this wasn’t an accident. That’s why an attorney is here, and the police have been notified.” My father states the obvious.

“You’re correct,” the attorney replies. “Footage shows a woman tampering with the medications. She moved a shot from another patient’s chart to yours.”

I lift my head in astonishment. “Why would someone do that?”

“We don’t know, but we think she didn’t exactly know what she was doing. But she could have been trying to hurt you.”

“Just a moment.” Dad stands up and leaves the room. When he returns, Warner is with him.

Can I not escape this humiliation without more people witnessing it?

“I’m her head of security. There has been a threat to Ms. King already.”

Great! Everyone starts discussing me as if I’m not here.

Someone shoves a phone at me, and I don’t think, just speak. “Hello.” My voice is whisper soft, but I’m freaking out in my head.

“Lexi, baby.” Brayden’s voice provides some relief. “Are you okay?”

“No. This woman stalking you could have really hurt me. Oh shit.” A thought hits me, and I stare at Dr. Jarvis. “The other patient, was she hurt by being given the wrong medication?”

She doesn’t answer for a moment, then nods. “She was hospitalized for some side effects, but she is doing okay right now. She needed the trigger shot to begin the next phase of her treatment. She received it, and we are monitoring her now.”

“Lexi.” Brayden gets my attention. “Go to your parents, and I’ll be there as soon as I can. You’ll be safe with them.”

“No. I won’t lead this psycho to my parents. I won’t allow her to ruin my life with fear. But if I have a multiple pregnancy, you better be prepared,” I threaten, and he chuckles across the line.

“Baby, I’m ready for whatever you give me. Are you?”

“We haven’t tested yet.”

“Okay, call me later. Bye, baby.” He hangs up, and I return the phone to Warner.

“Thank you.”

“You were panicking, and he needed to know.”

“I’m taking my daughter home. We will decide if there will be any legal actions for this, but as of right now, her safety and health are the most important thing.”

“I’d like to check her over,” the doctor says. “I’m also going to give you that referral to the doctor up in Seattle.”

“Okay.”

After I’m directed to an exam room, Dr. Jarvis informs me that it’s still a bit early for a pregnancy test. She recommends I see the new doctor next week, then conducts some basic physical testing, but nothing major.

“You’re not going to be my doctor anymore?” My voice sounds so meek.

“No,” she shakes her head. “It’s the best for you. I’ll be making changes to our procedures so this can never happen again.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you. It’s been my privilege.” She shakes my hand, and I step out into the lobby where my father is waiting with Warner.

“Your mother is meeting us at my office. If you won’t stay at our house, and I doubt you’ll go to Brea and T.K.’s, we need to figure something out.

“Yes, sir.”

He squeezes my shoulder and heads out after kissing me on the top of my head and whispering that he loves me.

“He’s not mad at you,” Warner says. “He’s worried.”

“I know. I just hate what’s happening. I don’t understand. This occurred before Bray and I made up.”

“She has made references to the ‘redheaded bitch’ in her letters to him. She knows who you are, even if you don’t know her, or if you and Brayden weren’t together.”

“Well, let’s get this over with.”

Stepping off the elevator at my father’s office, I can see my mom in the conference room, rolling her hands in her lap. Warner waits outside as I step through the doors.

“Baby.” Mom rushes to me and wraps me up in her arms. “Is it true? You and Brayden?”

“Sit down. It’s time I explain some things.”

I only share the basics: that I was told to break up with Brayden, and now we are getting back together.

I leave out that it was Coach Winters and anything regarding the blackmail.

I explain what I know about Brayden’s stalker, then tell them the truth about going to my doctor for IVF.

How I wanted to ensure having children someday, so artificial insemination became a real consideration.

Of course, that was before Brayden and I decided to give it a go again, but we’re keeping it under wraps.

“Alexandra, you aren’t that old. You shouldn’t worry about having children that much.”

“Mom, I would have panic attacks thinking I would never have them.”

“Are you upset that Brea is pregnant?”

“Not at all. I love that she is. Besides, I don’t even know if I’m pregnant now or not. Brayden and I are working through things, but there is a lot of trust that needs to be built between us. We just started seeing each other on Saturday. It’s not even a complete week yet.”

“So, you and Brayden are trying?” My father asks, and I turn toward him.

“Yes, we’re trying.”

“Good. You both deserve a chance after this terrible person stopped you before.”

After a bit, and with many promises to keep in better contact, we leave for home.

Brayden

M y phone rings while I’m lying down in the hotel room, so I roll over to grab it off the charger. “Hello, baby.” I smile at Alex through the video chat screen.

“Hey.”

“How are you doing?”

“I’m exhausted. My parents know almost everything, and they are worried, but my father said we deserve a chance to be together.”

“I’m glad. What are you doing right now?”

“We are driving back to Seattle.”

“Go to my house and stay.”

“No, I’m not running scared from this woman. I’m safe in my apartment, plus I hear Warner has an apartment near me.”

“Yeah, I’m renting a place for security next door.”

“Brayden, you don’t need to do that. It’s expensive.”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s just money, and with the investment consultants that I have, I’m good.”

“Okay.”

“When do you have your next appointment?”

“Thursday. I fly to New York on Monday but will be home Thursday morning.”

“I hate that we won’t see each other for another week.”

“It’s our jobs and lives. We can do this. I just want to keep us on the down low for now. I don’t need my agency thinking anything of it. I’ll tell the executives next week while I’m in New York.”

“I don’t like hiding us, but I understand. The less exposure you have, maybe this crazy bitch will back off.”

“Well, I know you have an early practice, so call me soon. Night.”

“Love you, babe.” The words just slip out.

Bye.”

That’s all she says, but she’s still worried, so I read nothing into it. It’s time for me to get some sleep; we’re up against the Chicago Engines tomorrow.