The Fool Ch. 08

The world slowed down before her eyes, and Carrie saw the motorcycle lose control and come careening out of the traffic. She opened her mouth to scream his name as Sinclair spun, whirling around to see the dark machine of death the moment before it slammed into him. Carrie didn't remember screaming or moving with lightning speed to the crumbled mass of the man she loved. She continued to scream, vaguely marvelling at the fact that she did indeed love this man. She sat unseeing and unhearing of anything or anyone but Sinclair, cradling his head in her hands as he lay unconscious.

Carrie was taken in the ambulance along with Sinclair, refusing to let go of him until they were pried apart to take him into the emergencies department. She was numb, and she looked on as if everything was happening to another person until she finally lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes again she was lying in bed at the house she had shared with Jordan, and he was sitting beside her, holding her hand.

"What are you doing here? I mean, what am I doing here?" she asked with a croaking voice, pulling her hand from his.

"There was an accident, Sinclair was hurt, and you were practically catatonic," Jordan said with genuine concern in his voice. "I'm your next of kin. Who else would they call?"

"Sinclair!" she gasped, her eyes widening in fear.

"He's alive," Jordan reassured her, taking back the hand she had withdrawn. "He's been transferred to a private hospital here in the city. He will be okay, given time to heal, and if you remember who you are and what the plan is for our future," He stressed the word 'our'. "Consider this a not so friendly wake-up call. Try to go it alone again, and Sinclair may not survive the outcome next time we need to remind you where your loyalties lie."

"What?" she protested. Her mind jolted as everything she had learned over the past few months came flooding back to her. "I'm following the plan. The only way to the Heart of the Heartless is through Sinclair and his family. I'll get it, or at least access to it at the engagement party. If he dies, no Heart!"

"He won't die. His injuries are surprisingly not that bad. I'm not a monster, Carrie," Jordan raised his eyebrow sceptically and stroked his thumb over the knuckle of the hand he had reclaimed.

"Edith knows what I'm doing, I spoke to her on my way home from the Caribbean!" she protested.

"Grandmother also told you that I was your destiny!" Jordan snapped. "That didn't include leaving me in a half empty house to shack up with Mr-too-good-to-be-true."

"I didn't leave you in this house to shack up with your boyfriend," Carrie laughed, trying to diffuse the situation and gain the upper hand again. She was always the stronger of the two of them.

"I don't think you understand, this isn't something you can smooth over with bad humour anymore!" Jordan said in a hard voice. The hand that had been caressing hers so gently suddenly tightened into a fist, making her wince as it crushed her fingers. "I'm done being the sidekick! I'm done being the weaker, the dumber, the lesser man in our relationship! I'm done pretending to be strictly gay when what I have always wanted was just out of reach!" He stood towering over her. "You will get the heart, and you will come back to me! If you don't, there will be consequences, not just for you, but him! And you're right, he mightn't survive next time! If you push me to become a monster!" he spat viciously, dropping her hand and standing abruptly. "Don't push me, Carrie! You won't like the outcome!"

Jordan stormed out of the room, leaving Carrie with so many emotions coursing through her it made her chest ache, and her brain hurt. She'd let Sinclair lead her to believe he could protect her and keep her safe, yet he couldn't even protect himself from her family. She was caught between all her fears for Sinclair's safety and a future trapped into a loveless marriage with a man she thought of as her brother. She felt sluggish, but she forced herself to sit up, realising she had probably been given a sedative to calm her after the accident. As far as she could tell, there was nothing physically wrong with her.

The accident played in her mind, and she knew she had to find Sinclair. Swinging her legs from the bed, she stood on unsteady legs. Whatever sedative they had used on her must have been strong, and she sagged back against the bed, knocking a vase of flowers over on the night stand. The door opened again, and Jordan stood there frowning at her.

"I want to see Sinclair," she said in a voice that sounded stronger than she felt.

"Do you?" Jordan asked. "That's to be expected from his fiancé, I suppose. His family flew him back to London last night as soon as they heard what had happened. Luckily, I was close by and said I would look after you until you were ready to travel home," a small smile of satisfaction tilted the corners of his mouth. "For such a strong girl, you crumpled badly seeing him hurt so badly. You had to be heavily sedated, and, as your next of kin, I had to insist on bringing you home and allowing you to rest here."

"Yesterday?" she shook her head. "How long have I been here?"

"Just overnight, so far. Whether you stay longer or not is up to you entirely and how easily you can convince Edith and me that you are following the plan. Let me help you back into bed," he stepped forward, reaching out to take her arm. Carrie cringed from his touch but forced herself to relax and accept his help rather than antagonise him. People, including herself, often underestimated Jordan, but he had been training alongside her since he was ten, except for the years he was away at University. She'd seen this side of him before when she'd been on a self-destructive bender with Diego or someone like him, and he'd had come to take her home and resume the plan. Was that what was happening here? Had he eliminated Sinclair from her life just so that he could put her back on the right path to finishing the plan?

"I'll take you to the hospital to see Sin," Jordan reassured her, the caring brotherly persona back in place masking the threatening words he had spoken earlier. He sat on the bed as she leant back on the pillows. "Once we have had a little talk about what a two-faced bitch you've become and how we can remedy that."

"What do you want from me, Jordan?" she sighed heavily knowing she was at his mercy for the moment.

"Isn't it obvious?" He gave a humourless laugh. "I want you. You can play with Sinclair, or whoever else you need to in order to complete this cycle of the plan because it is necessary, but make no mistake, Carrie; you belong to me. You always have and always will. Despite Robyn's attempts to thwart that future, it is our destiny to lead this family into a new era of power and influence."

"Robyn, what?" Carrie shook her fuzzy head. She didn't understand what he was saying. Her grandmother had said as much about expecting her to partner with Jordan once he joined the association, but she couldn't believe Robyn had tried to sabotage any family plans. They hadn't even had a plan involving the Fool until Carrie was a teenager and her mother had first become ill. There was something very wrong with what Jordan was saying, and once again she realised just how little she knew about the machinations of her family.

"I'm afraid that's a conversation we should have had weeks ago when you returned from Panama. Your tantrum was such, however, that you wouldn't talk to me at all, let alone be alone in the same room with me. I wanted to explain some of the finer points of the plan for a new family dynasty," he said in a calm voice, but the tone of it told of his disapproval. "It's your fault that Sinclair is hurt now, I hope you realise that.

"Life will go on, as usual, Carrie. You will maintain your current living and work arrangements. Your security team will be told to report to me as needed. The plan will go forward; the only changes in your life for the next three months will be that, if I call, you will answer. If I summon you, you will come. If I asked you to jump, you will ask me how high. If you don't start doing as I ask, when I ask, there will be consequences, and I am sure I don't have to spell those out for you," Jordan's voice was hard and his eyes bored into hers.

Carrie nodded dumbly. She had no words that wouldn't incur his anger, and she knew now was not the time to antagonise him if she wanted to see Sinclair. She needed to know how badly he was hurt. She needed to see him and reassure herself that he would be okay. She felt sick knowing that the accident had been orchestrated to prove a point to her. Even if she had taken the security team with them, the guys wouldn't have been able to stop what had happened, and more people could have been hurt. She felt tears prick the back of her eyes as she realised she was in a no-win situation.

"Good, you understand," Jordan ran his thumb gently over the knuckles of her hand again. "I'll have some brunch sent up, and, as soon as you have eaten something and showered, I will take you to the hospital to see Sin."

"What time is it?" she asked, looking around the familiar room and realising she couldn't find her phone.

"Just after ten, you have plenty of time. Sinclair's family knows you had to be heavily sedated last night, so they are not expecting you at the hospital until this afternoon," Jordan squeezed her hand. "No one blames you for not being at his bedside after such a traumatic accident. It was quite a scene you made in Bournemouth. If I didn't know better, even I would believe that you truly loved him." Jordan's mouth curled into a grotesque sneer. "You don't love him though, do you? You know your destiny and future happiness lies with me, not the man you're playing house with, don't you?"

"I understand," she said quietly, realising the question he posed required an answer.

"Good, we'll talk more tonight. I'm afraid I will have to insist you stay with me because of your delicate state, at least for a few days while your fiancé recovers," he stood from the bed and went to her bedroom door, opening it to allow Daley and Max into the room with a large tray of food.

The two big men looked at her anxiously, so she smiled to reassure them that she was quite well and not under any duress. Once they had seen her and were satisfied that she wasn't being kept against her will, they left to ready the car for a trip to the hospital. Eager to get to Sinclair, Carrie ate quickly, much to Jordan's amusement. Then he left her to shower and change, secure in the knowledge that she had no phone or means of communication while he left her alone.

Carrie felt better for eating, but her head remained fuzzy, and she stepped under the water, closing her eyes as the water washed over her head and shoulders. She'd let herself believe for years that Jordan looked at her as a sister. She'd believed that he had come out of the closet and felt none of the attraction for her that had coloured their early life before he left to attend school in a different state. Sinclair had seen it though, right from the very beginning, and she hadn't believed him.

"Come on, Carrie, you're smart, you're resourceful, you can find a way to make this work, just think!" she chastised herself. Placing her hands against the cool tiles, she tried to go through everything that Jordan had said and marry it to what she knew. She had to see Sinclair; she needed to talk to him, she trusted him, and, to both of their detriment, she loved him. It crashed in on her again that the only reason he was hurt at all was because she had chosen to trust him over Jordan, who lied to her. His whole life had been a lie it seemed.

She began washing her hair, contemplating her options. First, she needed to know more about the grand plan for a family dynasty, or empire, or whatever the hell it was. So she needed to play Jordan's game until he told her what he knew and possibly met the family contacts who had been pulling his strings all these years. Second, she needed to save Sinclair. She laughed out loud at that thought. Still, she needed to put some distance between them if she was going to keep him safe from her family. As far as anyone knew it was a freak accident, or that's the impression she got from the way Jordan had so casually spoken of his part in it.

Carrie's mind filled with a million more questions. What happened to the biker? What would be the official reason for losing control of his bike? What excuse would there be for such a thing to happen? Her mind ran around in circles, one question chasing the tail of the previous one.

*****

Sinclair grimaced as he shifted in the hospital bed. He'd woken up in the early hours of the morning to find his parents hovering close to his bed, despite the hour. Concern for Carrie filled him. Jordan had insisted on taking the heavily sedated young woman home; his mother had explained when he threatened to check himself out and go to find her. The fact that he was battered and bruised, had two broken ribs and a severe concussion, hadn't been lost on him as he struggled to make good on the threat until they assured him she would be there to see him the following day once the sedation had worn off completely.

His family filled the private room, and he anxiously watched the clock, wondering where Carrie was as each hour passed without any sign of her. He swung his legs off the bed and found his father beside him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Frazer frowned.

"Well, as much as I love having you all here crowding my room and my life, I'd still rather pee in private, if that's okay, thanks, Dad," Sinclair pushed up off the bed and was consumed with a wave of dizziness and nausea. Frazer's arm curled around his son's waist supporting him.

"I have a better idea," the older man said, easing Sinclair back down onto the bed. "Georgia, why don't you take the girls out to lunch while Sinclair freshens up a little bit before Carrie arrives, takes one look at him and thinks he's dying again."

"I could eat," Taylor said.

"Come on, Mum, let the boys do their boy stuff in private," Riley encouraged when she saw her mother about to argue.

"Why don't we go back to the house and make sure the children aren't wrecking it. I doubt Sinclair or Carrie would appreciate their nice new mansion destroyed by munchkins," Darcey winked at Sinclair knowing her mother could be swayed by spending time with her rambunctious grandchildren. "Plus, we still have an engagement party to plan, and the happy couple have been rendered useless now."

"I'm far from useless," Carrie said, lightly stepping into the room. Her eyes fell on Sinclair, and she gasped, moving toward him, ignoring everyone else in the room. "My God, Sinclair!" she reached out and touched his face softly.

"I'll be fine," he said, gently pulling her face to his and kissing her. "As soon as you get my family to leave me alone for a little while and help me shower," a small smirk appeared on his bruised face showing her that he was his usual self.

"I don't think you're up to showering," she took her cue from Frazer who had shaken his head slightly when Sinclair said it. "But I could be talked into giving you a sponge bath and a shave." She ran her fingers over his stubble and wrinkled her nose.

"I wouldn't mind that at all," he grinned, happy to finally see her and have her with him again. Placing his hands on either side of her neck and jawline, he brought her face to his in another long kiss, uncaring that his family and Jordan stood watching them.

"Okay, Ladies, looks like I am taking you all to lunch," Frazer said magnanimously.

"I think you should stay," Georgia said, not taking her eyes off her son and future daughter-in-law. "We'll go and check on the children and bring you and Sin something nice for dinner. Maybe Carrie's brother will keep you company in the café downstairs for lunch, but I'd feel better if someone was close by, just in case."

"Sounds like a plan," Dylan, the youngest of Sinclair's sisters said, and patted her brother's shoulder lightly. "Try not to let him do anything strenuous," he giggled and rolled her eyes at Carrie. "Gosh knows he won't listen to us. Come on, Darcey, Taylor, and drive Mum home."

"I'll come with you two," Riley said and picked up her bag. "See you tonight, Éclair," she poked her tongue at Sinclair and turned to leave with her sisters.

"That's how you know I'm going to be okay," Sinclair indicated his sisters. "Mum, Roly-poly is being mean to me, when I don't feel so good," he pouted at his mother.

"It's always fun to have all the kids back together," Frazer chuckled. "Let's go grab some lunch," he said to Jordan. "I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced."

Sinclair and Carrie watched as everyone left the room, leaving them alone. Jordan gave her a hard stare before walking through the door, and she knew he was threatening her.

"What was that look for?" Sinclair asked once the door shut.

"Let's get you cleaned up while we talk," Carrie said evasively, and moved away in search of a cloth and basin before he could protest.

"Carrie?" he said slowly. "Tell me what's going on? Why are you here with Jordan?" Carrie remained quiet, trying to think of what to say, and how to say it. She'd already put his life at risk by trusting him with her secrets. She reasoned that they didn't know she had told him that she was the Fool, because they expected her to continue with Robyn's plan, and she couldn't be sure that even this room wasn't being watched or bugged to ensure she didn't. She lifted a finger to her lips in a gesture to keep silent.

"Apparently, I freaked out a little bit after the accident and Jordan came to look after me and bring me home. I'm staying with him for a few days, which is just as well if our house has an unruly mob of munchkins tearing it down from the inside out," she laughed lightly, but her eyes looked into his with a serious stare.

"Do you remember seeing the accident? They haven't told me much except that I was hit," Sinclair asked, realising she was worried that they were being spied on.

"A car swerved into oncoming traffic. The biker over-corrected to avoid the collision," she shook her head slowly as she spoke; letting him know that wasn't the real reason. She decided, there in the hospital, seeing him looking like death warmed up and still joking lovingly with his family, to continue trusting him. If she was ever going to find a way to be free to live her life she would need his support, and, though she was reticent to admit it, his love. "You were in the bike's direct pathway; I saw you fly through the air. It was horrific," her voice choked in her throat.

"Come here," he said softly. "There's nothing you could have done, it was a freak accident." He said, realising that it was a lie as he said the words. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto the bed with him, kissing her. "I'm alive, and I have you in my arms, life couldn't get any better," he grimaced as his ribs protested the movements of his arms.

"You're hurt!" she sat up, quickly noting the grimace he was holding in.

"I'll heal," he pulled her back down beside him.

"Not if you don't rest properly, so let me go find a basin and razor. Then I might consider kissing you again," Carrie moved carefully from his arms and went in search of a nurse to help her find what she needed.

When she returned, Sinclair smiled widely and passed her his phone; she stared at the three words, "Type and erase."

"Bath time," she announced, erasing the words and typing in a few of her own as he spoke.

"Ooh... goody, be gentle with me, I'm a wounded man," he said eagerly, trying not to laugh and endure the pain of the act.

"Trust me," she said in a soft voice. "You do trust me, don't you?"