“We met to discuss implementing robotic surgery here at Meridian.” Daron handed her a packet then slipped on his coat. “I was surprised you weren’t in attendance.”

  Dr. Risden grunted his disapproval. “Especially since you were pushing for this.”

  She took a calming breath and flickered through her messages. Without question, Dr. Risden had intentionally left her off the meeting invite. “Was Daron able to answer all your questions?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, then I can steal him away.” She gently guided Daron toward the exit, leaving a stunned Dr. Risden behind. “I apologize. My phone died. That’s why I didn’t respond to your message until I was in the car on the way here. Obviously too late.”

  “I attended this meeting hoping to have an opportunity to speak to you about some important matters.” Daron scanned the area as they stopped a few feet from the entrance. “I’d like to talk more about your family, but not here.”

  That was the last thing Lani wanted to do. She glanced at her watch. “I’m not here for work. I have a doctor’s appointment.” Lani had arrived a few minutes early, hoping to speak to Dr. Gervais privately before Jordan arrived. She could postpone it, any excuse not to discuss her past, she would use it. Lani’s gaze went to Jordan, who was approaching.

  “You may not want to talk about it ...” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “But I looked into Dr. Howard’s original statement that cleared her the first time and it’s solid. Someone manipulated the dates on the video footage. So despite there being no more incidents—”

  “I need to keep my eyes open,” Lani supplied, hating that this person was still on the loose.

  Daron’s gaze darted around the area. “I believe a family member may be behind your troubles.”

  Why would her parents seek revenge now? Wouldn’t change anything. “I can’t imagine why that would be.” Lani noticed Sandra leaning on the wall a few feet away with a cell phone to her ear, but her eyes were laser focused on Lani and Daron. “I do have my suspicions on who could be behind it. I just haven’t figured out why.”

  As they walked toward the doors, Daron said, “Don’t rule out your family, especially with them working so close to you.”

  Before she could ask Daron what he meant, Jordan stepped on the sidewalk. He leaned down, planting a kiss on her forehead. Zach had informed Jordan that her father had moved back to Chicago from Maui. Maybe that’s what Daron was talking about. Would he still be this angry?

  “Daron, you remember Jordan.” Lani swept a hand toward Jordan.

  Daron nodded. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.” His gaze focused a few feet away as he extended a hand.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see Alaina talking to Dr. Risden between the two sets of glass doors at the entrance. Whatever Dr. Risden was discussing, by the taunt lips and balled-up fists, he was not happy.

  “Great seeing you again.” Jordan shook Daron’s hand, then drew Lani closer to his side. “Thanks for all your help watching over my love.”

  Daron returned his focus to them and smiled. “That’s part of what we do at The Castle. We not only look out for each other, but also our community.”

  Lani’s phone pinged with a reminder of her appointment in five minutes. “We need to go.”

  “Don’t forget to call me,” Daron reminded her as he maneuvered past a stalking Dr. Risden on the way to his car.

  Jordan guided her to the entrance. Alaina and Dr. Risden were gone.

  “Why was Daron here?” Jordan asked as they made their way to the doctor’s office.

  “It seems Dr. Risden arranged an emergency meeting about implementing robotic surgery. Without me.” Lani was pissed but would deal with that issue later. She slid the packet Daron had given her into her tote. Her pace slowed as she reached Dr. Gervais’ office.

  Jordan stopped and pulled her into an embrace. “Are you ready for this?”

  “Yes.” She smiled at him, then turned the knob to enter. “Hello Alaina, I have an appointment.”

  “You can go into exam room two.” Alaina frowned, her eyes spitting fire as she swept an arm in the direction of the room. Lani wondered what Dr. Risden had said to get Alaina so riled up. Most of their encounters were professional, a little standoffish at times, but never with the open hostility displayed in this moment.

  Lani inhaled and exhaled then smiled at Alaina, who forced her lips into an uneasy smile. “Thanks.”

  “Whatever the doctor says, we’ll be fine,” Jordan assured as they entered the empty examination room. They took off their coats and laid them over their chair before taking a seat.

  “Good news, Lani.” Dr. Gervais entered the room and closed the door.

  Lani took Jordan’s hand and sat up.

  “All of your tests are back.” Dr. Gervais brought up an image from an ultrasound of Lani’s womb. “Your ovaries are still producing viable eggs for fertilization—a lot of them, in fact.”

  “Seriously?” She focused on the display. “I thought I was technically sterile. They told me they removed a part of my uterus.”

  “No, they didn’t. You were a minor. No OB-GYN would ever perform a hysterectomy on a still-developing girl. It’s morally unethical. What the surgeon did was a patch job. Removed only the damaged portion of the uterus and hoped that your age would do the rest to restore your reproductive capabilities. It did, but only to a limited degree. Still may pose some issues.”

  She drew a breath, trying to absorb Dr. Gervais’ words.

  “You’re saying Lani and I might be able to have our own biological children someday?” Jordan asked, squeezing her hand.

  “You have two options. You can do it the natural way and see if Lani can carry the child to term.” Dr. Gervais picked up a brochure off the desktop and handed it to Lani. “Or we can set up a schedule to start harvesting Lani’s eggs for in vitro fertilization. In the case your womb can’t sustain a pregnancy, you’ll need a surrogate for the procedure.”

  “Babies, Jordan,” Lani cried, processing the surprising information. “Someday we could possibly have babies.”

  “Miracles are real,” he said and kissed her so long Dr. Gervais cleared her throat and said, “You might want to get a room.”

  In her line of work, Lani had witnessed the heartbreak that multiple miscarriages could bring, she already knew she wanted option two. “Now all we need is a surrogate.” Lani couldn’t bear the emotional heartache that could come with not being able to carry a child to term.

  “Funny you should mention that.” Dr. Gervais typed into the computer then scrolled through for a minute before looking up. “Jordan, by any chance do you have an aunt by the name of Bethany?”

  Jordan flinched.

  “Yes…” He hedged.

  Dr. Gervais nodded. “She came to me privately and said she would be happy to start the process necessary to carry your child.”

  Lani shot an accusatory glare his way. “How would she know?”

  “I didn’t tell her anything, but it does prove something I’ve thought all along.”

  “She would do this for us?” Lani’s eyes smarted and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Jordan pulled a tissue from the box on the desk. “That’s what family does sometimes.”

  Lani threw her arms around him. “I love your family.”

  He returned her embrace. “Our family.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Lani’s life had become one unbelievable moment after another. A short time ago, she was ready to accept a lonely existence for the rest of her life. Now things were so different. Watching Jordan mend his relationship with his mother gave her so much joy. Spending Thanksgivings, Christmas and New Years with the Spears Family and celebrating Jordan’s birthday as an official couple was an amazing and different experience for Lani.

  Now six months after the proposal, here she stood in The Castle about to marry the best man she’d ever known. She was grateful to Jordan’s family for working with The Castle administration to pull this event together. Jordan’s mother and aunts helped her select a sleeveless mermaid style dress with a plunging neckline and back that defined the elegant silhouette with a fresh twist. The wedding preparation allowed her to grow closer to the important women in Jordan’s life.

  The ceremony was intimate. Nothing so elaborate as her first wedding. This one was filled with her family—several coworkers and a few friends.

  Peeking out of the library which was across from the stairs leading to where the ceremony would take place, Dr. Gervais was arriving with a colleague, Dr. Smith. She was surprised to see Sandra wearing a blue halter dress and openly hanging on Dr. Barton’s arm. Lani could only assume they were no longer hiding their relationship. Evidently, Sandra had been visiting him the day Lani was pushed down the stairs. While that explained why she was on that floor the day Lani fell, Lani didn’t feel at ease with Sandra in attendance. She believed that Sandra was using Dr. Barton to get more information to set her up or supply it to the person who was causing all the damage.

  She shot off a text and Zach replied, promising to keep a close eye on her.

  Lani spotted Daron sitting near the back with Khalil and some of the other Kings. With Jordan’s decision to get married sooner rather than later, she never had an opportunity to finish the conversation with Daron on the day he met with Dr. Risden. Now she wished she had taken the time to talk to Daron about why he thought a family member was behind her troubles. Maybe if she had, she could completely enjoy her wedding day instead of expecting her parents to show up to cause problems. Zach was somehow convinced they wouldn’t be an issue.

  “What are you doing?” Aunt Bethany appeared out of nowhere, blocking her view.

  Lani felt like a kid caught sneaking out of the kitchen with a handful of cookies. “Making sure none of Jordan’s former clients needed to be dragged out by their hair,” she joked, stepping back and allowing Bethany and Shelah to enter.

  “We can’t leave you alone for a few minutes and you’re looking to start trouble.” She handed Lani a gorgeous bouquet of assorted white flowers with diamondlike rhinestone scattered elegantly throughout and bound by a purple sash to match Jordan’s bowtie.

  “I guess it’s almost the time.” Lani felt the excitement and nervousness building in her chest as she walked over to set the flowers on a clean area of the makeup table.

  “You look beautiful,” Bethany said as Lani perched on a grey settee near the makeup station and slipped on her sparkling white rhinestone heels. “Shelah has your flats. When your feet get tired of those stilts, let us know.”

  “Quit teasing me about my shoes,” Lani said with a chuckle.

  Shelah lifted the white satin bag Lani assumed contained the comfy shoes. “All I’m saying is you need to be comfortable, and no one can see under the dress.”

  “You could be barefoot, and no one would know.”

  “Both of you’ve got jokes.” Lani stood, grabbing the bouquet. “I am wearing my heels. I don’t want Jordan to have to bend down just to get a kiss.”

  “Well, there is that.” Bethany joined Shelah’s laughter. “I’m heading out to make sure everyone is in place. Let us handle our part. Please try to stay away from the door until Zach comes to get you,” Bethany said, seconds before sliding out the door.

  Lani waited a full sixty seconds before cracking the door enough to peek out again. Jordan and his brother were nearby but out of earshot. From the stern look on Jordan’s face, he was laying down the law. Zach moved toward the library looking nervous in his black tailored suit. The wedding coordinator was wrangling the last of the guests into the parlor and closing the French doors.

  Lani opened the door wider just as Zach was about to knock. The kind of happiness she felt at this moment was something she would never take for granted.

  “Evidently you’re ready for me to give you away?” Zach extended his arm to her.

  She rushed forward, looped her arm through his. “Hell yes. They’re taking too long.”

  Once she walked into the room, all she saw was Jordan. The adoration on his face said it all. He truly loved her.

  The ceremony turned comical when Jordan’s anxiety got the best of him. As Lani and Zach inched down the aisle slightly behind the pace of the music, Jordan left the altar and rushed to his brother, bumped Zach out of the way, took Lani by the hand, and ran back to the minister. He explained to the audience, “He was taking too long.”

  “I agree,” Lani said glancing at Zach over his shoulder. “Must have turtle in his blood.”

  After the laughter died down, they exchanged their vows before God and family and prepared to ease into their new life.

  It helps greatly when you marry your best friend. Still, she wanted to be to Jordan everything he was to her. He was her proof that miracles existed, and prayers were answered.

  The night was magnificent, and Lani felt as though she floated up the stairs. She would freshen up, change, and grab her bag to begin their weekend getaway in a luxury hotel downtown. They would have their official honeymoon in Maui in six months. She was excited to explore her birthplace with someone she loved. And to see the properties her grandparents had left to her, along with a tour of their sugar cane business.

  Lani dropped her purse on the chair, smiling from ear to ear. The party was still going strong as she bopped to the line dance music floating up from below. She’d walked over to retrieve the sundress and towel laid out on the bed when she heard a rustling noise behind her.

  “I hate you with everything in me.”

  Lani snapped toward the voice and the items in her hands slipped to the floor. “Alaina? What are you doing here?” Then her angry words penetrated her mind. “What have I ever done to you?”

  “You ruined my life.” Alaina closed the closet door and took a few steps into the room. “I had to be my father’s dirty secret. When that was about to change, you destroyed his dreams and mine.”

  “I don’t know your father.” She glanced at the chair behind Alaina to the purse that held her cellphone and weapons.

  “You may have disowned him, but he’s still our father.”

  Our father. Had she heard that right?

  Alaina pulled out a large blade from the folds of her pink gown. “Do you know how many people I had to befriend and seduce to try to take you down? Risden.” She let out an evil snicker. “He was so easily manipulated because he was all set to receive kickbacks from the private sale of the hospital. But you were standing in the way because Dr. G. wouldn’t sign off since she hoped to see if your robotics revitalized Meridian.”

  Lani’s mind raced as she fought through different scenarios to decide how best to handle this dangerous situation. Her focus shifted to the open door leading to the bathroom.

  She took a few slow steps forward as Alaina continued. “Security was a little tougher. Had to hire a thug or two. Had that worked out, you’d be out of a job but still alive. I wanted to see you suffer. You didn’t heed my warning to quit when I called.”

  So Alaina was the mysterious caller? She assumed it was Ms. Hardy threatening to tell the hospital about Jordan to eliminate Lani as a threat.

  “Now everything has changed, and you must die.” Alaina pointed the tip of the blade at her. “The hospital staff should have been grieving you after the night of Dr. Langston’s ‘event’. I planned it all out and you didn’t show up. They were waiting for you inside that place.” Alaina shook her head as sweat rolled down her face. “It’s like you have nine lives or something.”

  Inch by inch, Lani moved toward the en suite bathroom. If she could make it inside, she would be safe until someone noticed she’d been gone too long and came looking. With her free hand, Alaina checked to make sure the door was locked, then blocked Lani’s path.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Alaina was too old to be her sister if her father had children after her parents parted ways. Then reality hit her like a brick. Alaina always looked familiar to Lani because she resembled the housekeeper from Maui. That had to be Alaina’s mother.

  “Why didn’t you come to me?” Lani asked out of a mixture of curiosity and sympathy.

  “For what?” Alaina’s eyes were wide, crazy, and filled with anger. She jabbed the air between them, forcing Lani to step back. “So we could talk and bond?”

  “No, so I could tell you the real story instead of whatever lies our father fed you.” Lani glanced down at her bare wrist. She had taken off the watch Daron had given her. And she’d exchanged the earrings for a “something borrowed” pair. “Then you could tell me why you’re hell-bent on ruining my life.”

  “Ruin your life? I’m the one who only got to see my father in person once or twice a year. When I was twelve or thirteen, Dad planned to move to Maui to live with us permanently, but you stole all of the money. I could no longer attend private school with my friends.” She paced in front of the door, then stopped and pointed the blade of the knife at Lani. “My mother became sick, and because of you, my father couldn’t afford to pay for the medical procedure she needed.”

  “You blame me.” She scanned the room for something else that could serve as a weapon. “Your father hid your existence because he wanted to, not because he had to. That money was never his to begin with.”

  Alaina’s fingers tightened around the knife’s handle. “If it wasn’t for your selfishness, my mom would have … it doesn’t matter. You pretend to care so much for the children, but it’s all a lie.”

  Lani eased closer to the dresser that held the taser watch.

  “Otherwise, you would have quit when those babies almost died.” Alaina stepped in front of the dresser, halting Lani’s movement again.

  She remembered then that she had tucked the diamond earrings into a pocket when Sarah had given her a pair that belonged to her mother. Lani slipped a hand into her pocket and squeezed an earring. Her heart sped like a racing car competing for a million dollars.

  “Why would you hurt innocent children?” Lani asked, trying to distract Alaina.