Learning to Live, Again

Chapter Thirty-five

Corbin

I sat in the room where Addaline lay. Her stomach was patched up, and she had a bump on the side of her head where she had hit the ground. I looked at he machines. Her heart was beating steadily, and her vitals seemed good.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. This woman.. she had caused so much pain in my life. She was responsible for Niamh's kidnapping and torture. I hated her.. oh god, did I hate her as she lay there peacefully. 

I wanted to kill her..

The thought came out of nowhere, and it scared the life out of me. I wanted to grab her pillow and suffocate her, make her pay for what she had done to Niamh and for the things she had made me do to her. I never wanted to take Heath in the first place. He was Niamh's son, not mine, but she had whispered like a snake in my ear. I was powerless against her.

Leaning forward, I lay my head in my hands, trying to calm down. I was overrun with guilt, anger, sadness, and I wanted to cry, scream, and punch things all at the same time. I couldn't focus and deal with one emotion before a new one barged in, and I blamed Addaline.

It was her fault everything had happened. It was her fault Niamh and my relationship is the way it is. It was her fault Niamh was taken. It was her fault I had tried to steal Heath from her, and it was her fault we had lost the two children that had been growing in her stomach...

She had miscarried due to the bullet, and somehow I had convinced the doctors to do a paternity test on the dead infants.. They had been mine.. They had actually been my children, and they were dead now because of her. Because of her, I would never see them grow up with Rowan and Maddeline. Because of her, I was never get to see my four children go off to college. Because of her, I had lost a part of my future.

I leaned back in my chair, restless. I knew it didn't do well to dwell on such things, and I knew I didn't sound believable. I had wanted those children.. even if they weren't mine, I had wanted them. Now that I didn't have Niamh, I needed something, some reason to keep on living, and those two fetuses were going to be my something.

I looked to her, wanting to laugh at her predicament. Jeremy, her lover, had been the one to shoot her. He had ran into the police station and shot everyone. She was in here because of her own stupidity, and everyone in that police station, save two people, were murdered.

I stood up, pacing the room as I waited for her to wake up. I needed her to wake up.. I needed her to tell Kobe where they had taken Niamh.. what they had done to her.. I needed her to fix this. If they caught Niamh's torturers, then maybe- just maybe- Niamh could forgive me, and we could marry like we were supposed to do before I messed everything up.

The sound of Addaline groaning brought my attention to her. She slowly moved in bed, gasping at the pain. "Owie," she grumbled, slowly sitting up and cringing.

"You're awake," I murmur.

Her eyes shoot to me in panic before relaxing. "Oh; it's just you. You've come to make sure I'm alright," she asks, giving me one of her condescending smiles. 

I had to clench my jaw to keep from saying something absolutely rude. "Addaline," I say slowly, "I need your help.. please.. tell me where I can find this guy.. Tell me what his next move is.. tell me how to protect the woman that I love."

Addaline's eyes flashed what looked to be hurt, but it disappeared so fast I decided to believe it hadn't been there. "Right.. you want information on Niamh. I'm sorry Corbin, but you're not a cop. I can't just tell you these things, it'll get you killed."

"He's not a cop, but I am." I look over to see Caleb limping into the room on crutches. "I may not be able to go after the creeps myself, but I can at least listen and find someone who can."

Addaline slowly nods. "Fine.. but I don't want him in here." 

When she points to me, I open my mouth to argue, but Caleb's look makes me stop. "Fine," I growl. "I'll be back.."

I turn and nearly stomp from the room. I needed to know how to protect Niamh.. I needed to know what to expect. I-

I could listen in on their conversation. 

I slowly turn around and tip toe back to the room. There's no one in the halls, so I don't have to worry about being caught. Leaning against the wall, I strain my ears to hear what's being said.

"You know Dad won't like you having fallen in love with her.." That was Addaline's voice.

Caleb's voice came in. "Well, I'm not too happy about him hurting her. I was taking care of it. Bit by bit, her work was disappearing. I could have saved her if you hadn't of opened your fat mouth."

I couldn't see anything, but I could easily imagine Addaline's snotty smile. "Well," she snarled, "he isn't too happy about you being a cop. You're a disgrace to the family name, Caleb. I can't believe you! Choosing her over us. Do you know how badly father has wanted to hunt you down and kill you, but he's stopped because of mother? Well.. mother's dead now, so I'd watch your back, Caleb."

I couldn't believe it.. Caleb and Addaline were siblings? 

"I saw your son the other day," Addaline said out of nowhere. "Little Timmy.. looking so much like his daddy. He misses you, you know?"

I could hear Caleb's sigh. "He doesn't know I exist, and I intend to keep it that way."

"Oh, he does. Auntie Addie tells him all the time who his papa is. Poor little Betty.. she gets beat everyday, you know? Her husband can't stand to look at the product of her adultery."

"Why are you telling me this," Caleb practically shouts.

"Because, fool, if you come back, Dad will forgive you! You've always been his favorite child.. he will forgive you! You can have the love of your life and son back.. You can have it all!"

Caleb is silent for so long, I don't think he'll answer before he says very lowly. "I had it all.. I had Niamh.. I had those boys. I had it all, and you and Dad took it from me. Tell me what his plan is, or so help me, I will kill you here and now." That's when I hear the click of the gun. My heart begins to race as fear courses through me. If he'd shoot his own sister, what might he do to an eavesdropper?

When Addaline speaks again, her voice is sad. "Fine, Caleb.. fine. She was told to stay away from you, or you and her children would be killed. She's pregnant, and she was told to get rid of it, but she hasn't. Dad would-"

"Go to her house and hold her hostage until I show up, and then kill us all," Caleb murmurs as realization dawns on him.

Addaline sighs. "He's probably there now..."

I can hear Caleb make his way to the door, but I'm already to the elevator. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had to do everything I could to save Niamh. After all, she saved me.