A. Gorman

Double Cross, the next novel in the Their Sins Series! Release date TBD.

I am sooooo excited to share this with I can’t wait to finish the novel and get it out!

Of course this excerpt hasn’t been edit and is subjected to change. Copyrighted by A. Gorman.

And now… The Excerpt!

Chapter 1

Jesse

My head rests on the edge of the bed, while my left had holds his strong hand, and the warmth from his hand gives me hope that he will wake soon. With every breath he inhales and exhales, I will him to open his eyes. The soft hum of the machines monitoring Aedan’s vitals doesn’t bring me comfort as they did after they wheeled him into this room after surgery yesterday. He needs to wake up and tell me everything is going to be fine. I need to see his eyes—I need to hear his words. For not only my sanity but also so I can tell him that everything that has happened since he’s been out.

My head rests on the edge of the bed, while my left had holds his strong hand, and the warmth from his hand gives me hope that he will wake soon. With every breath he inhales and exhales, I will him to open his eyes. The soft hum of the machines monitoring Aedan’s vitals doesn’t bring me comfort as they did after they wheeled him into this room after surgery yesterday. He needs to wake up and tell me everything is going to be fine. I need to see his eyes—I need to hear his words. For not only my sanity but also so I can tell him that everything that has happened since he’s been out.

“Aedan, please wake up. I’m sorry for all this…I love you.” I close my eyes, hoping to catch a few moments of rest because I’m wearing down fast. There are so many answers left unanswered, so many things don’t make sense right now, and the lack of sleep isn’t helping. I need to be somewhat coherent, so I let sleep take over.

A gentle shake wakes me up. I look up and see Mrs. Hughes standing by the bed.

“Sorry, dear. I didn’t want to wake you, but your father wanted to speak with you. I think they’re preparing to release him soon.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hughes, err Nila. There hasn’t been any change since you were last in here. He’s stable, so I guess that’s good news.”

“Indeed it is, dear. Tomas is visiting with your father now. So you have a few if you want to freshen up before you head in there.”

“Thank you.” I stand and give the smaller woman a tight hug. She’s been an amazing rock throughout this mess. How she’s not freaking out is beyond me.

I exit through the door and take the long way to my dad’s room. Making the excuse in my head that I really do need to freshen up, I make my way to the restroom. Opening the door to the room, I head straight to the sink to wash my face and hands. I look into the mirror and I don’t recognize the face in the reflection.

Gone are the bright eyes and clear complexion, now blotchy skin and bloodshot eyes, with black circles from lack of sleep look back at me. The only thing that I recognize in the mirror is the Trinity necklace Aedan gave me as a graduation gift.

I splash my face with cold water, hoping to tame some of the blotchiness of my skin, and I know there is nothing I can do for my bloodshot eyes. Drying my face and hands, I take a deep breath and try to release some of the tension that is in my body, and leave the restroom

Almost falling down before I get to my dad’s room, I see James outside guard outside of the suite. I take a deep breath, trying to regain my composure—thinking I left everything back in the rest room.

“Good evening, Ms. McCoy,” she slightly drawls in her sweet voice. I wonder where she’s from, as I don’t know much about Lyndsey James.

“Ms. James, good evening to you. Any news?”

“Well, ma’am, Wade is missing.”

“Paul Wade is missing? When was the last time anyone checked in with him?”

“Ma’am, he was at the party yesterday and then he wasn’t. Mrs. McCoy’s quiet upset and is refusing to leave the penthouse because she wants Wade to be her guard. But wasn’t she at your graduation?”

Interesting. You would think she would be up my father’s ass. “No, Chantelle and I aren’t on the best of terms, she tries to avoid me when she can. Anything else?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Thank you, please keep me updates.

“Will do, ma’am.”

I walk into my father’s room and hear Tomas and my dad laughing about something.

“…you should have seen her. She was hanging from the goal, yelling for someone to help her down—”

“Hey, guys. Laughing at me, huh?” I hated interrupting because it’s good hearing my dad’s rich laugh. Walking farther into the room, I make it to my father’s bed and give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Jesse-bug, I was telling Tomas how big of a daredevil you were when you were younger. I think you enjoyed scaring your mother and the security staff.” He laughs again.

“Tomas—don’t let him fool you. I was the perfect angel,” I say before I start laughing.

“When you were sleeping?” he asks.

“Ouch, now I see where Aedan gets his sarcasm from.” I wink at him and smile.

“I plead the fifth. Speaking of Aedan, any changes?

“Nothing, the doctor said he could wake up at any time.”

“I think I’ll head over there now since you are here. Pearse, I’ll see you later.” He pulls his tall, trim body out of the chair and walks over to me. “Jesse, dear, I know he will wake up soon. You need to get some rest soon,” he says as he hugs me. I take in his features and notice he looks as he has aged over the past few days. His normally clean-shaven face now has a few days of growth and his hair is messy. He looks as he has gotten some rest but not much.

“I know—as soon as I know Aedan is okay. I will be back over in a little bit.”

“Okay, see you shortly.” He releases me from his hug and quietly leaves the room.

I take the seat that Tomas was occupying and move it closer to my father’s bed.

“How are you feeling, Daddy?”

“Sore but I’m ready to get out of this damn hospital.”

“I know, but they are making sure everything is okay before they release you. Which I hear might be soon.”

“Good. Mind talking serious for a few moments?”

“Not at all, Dad.”

“I knew the day you married Chet that he loved you, but I didn’t think he was the one for you. Maybe because of the foolish idea I had that you and Aedan would be a good couple. I guess I wasn’t too far off back then, huh?” He chuckles and goes back to being serious. “Chet’s life had several life changing surprises that you had no control over. I believe they changed him for the worse instead of the better. You couldn’t control what happened and I think with losing the baby and you, he couldn’t control his emotional state anymore… I hope you’re not blaming yourself for this situation?”

“No, not at all…well, maybe at first I was, but not now. I’m still in shock that it was Chet. I mean there has to be a reason.”

“Sweetheart, how well did you really know Chet? I know you were married to him, but everyone has demons. Did you know his?”

“I’m sure I did. I mean I found out that he was cheating on me. What else could he had been hiding?”

He sighs. “Jesse, there are parts of Chet’s life that he kept hidden from you, parts that would explain some of this situation. Once everything settles down, we will sit and talk about Chet.” He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. “And I’m going to offer you some advice about running McCoy Investments. It’s your company now.

“You’re in charge of keeping the business going and growing it. Not only are you responsible for yourself but for all the employees, including Aedan. And Aedan is a whole other conversation.” He smiles. “But don’t ever let the employees or the public see you as anything but a strong, responsible business woman. Keep that face on at all times. And in private, you can be anything but that. Don’t hesitate to follow your gut—it’s normally right. The time has for you to toughen up and step up into the big leagues has come, Jesse.”

“I understand and thank you. I’ll make sure I do everything to make you proud, Dad. I love you.” I hug my dad like there is no tomorrow—thankful that we worked out whatever it was between us.

“I love you too, Jesse-bug.”

A nurse walking in the door interrupts our moment.

“Mr. McCoy, it’s time for your shower,” the young, attractive nurse says and smiles at him.

“Yes, Katie. Can you give me a few moments with my daughter?”

“Of course. I’ll be right back with warm towels,” she says and turns back out the door.

“The charming as ever Pearse McCoy…” I roll my eyes at him.

“I can look, I’m not dead yet.”

“Yeah, yeah. Oh, by the way, where’s Chantelle?”

“At the penthouse—best place for her,” he says bluntly. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him take that tone when talking about her.

“Okay. I’ll let hot nurse Katie fondle you, and I’ll be back later. Reese and Tierney will be here shortly. And Grandma and Grandpa Dyer left for England this morning.”

“Yes, I talked to Jess before they left. And Reese called before you came in.”

“Good. Love you, Daddy.

“Love you too.”

I leave his room and roam around the halls for a bit. Wanting to give the Hughes time with Aedan, I make the decision to visit hospital’s chapel. I want to get some coffee too and the cafeteria is close by the chapel.

Making my way to the holy sanctuary, I sit down on the padded pew. I bend over, placing my head in my hands. Pain radiates through my body. Not from being physically hurt, but emotionally. Pain that I thought I had let go over years ago came rushing back to the surface—losing the baby, Chet…and now losing Chet forever. Never will I get the chance to say the things I wanted to say to him, all the things I’ve wanted to say over the years.

The biggest being is I forgave him for hurting me. I had to forgive him to forgive myself. I wanted to move on and that was the first step of getting my life where it is today. It’s sad it took me forever to realize that. Maybe if Chet could have forgave me…or even himself, he would still be here?

I wonder how his parents are taking the news. Should I call them? I loved his mother dearly, but when the divorce was final, I made the choice to cut them out of my life completely. Maybe once Aedan and my dad are out of the hospital, I will reach out to her. Trying to clear the questions from my mind, I pray to God to bring Aedan back to us and thank him for keeping them safe.

Saying Amen, I wipe the tears from my face, and leave the chapel to get a drink and head back up stairs to Aedan. As I walk back into Aedan’s room and take my place back buy his bed, I hope God heard my prayers.