”Of course.”
He did not talk to her on their way to the apartment and did not know what to say to him. She was reminded of the time he told her that he was going to leave the company. She felt the coldness invading her body as they made their way to the apartment. It was almost midnight. What was Michael doing out so late without his wife, she wondered.
Leah was waiting for them outside the apartment already dressed. “Thanks.” She glanced at briefly. She had been crying and had tried to cover it with makeup. “They are still sleeping. I did not-”
“It’s okay,” Jason said gently. “Let’s go.”
*****
“A broken collarbone and arm and bruised ribs. He is going to be okay after a while but his female companion was not so lucky. She is still unconscious.”
“What?” Leah stared at the man in confusion.
“Go on in, Leah. I will deal with this,” Jason told her. The press had been outside waiting like vultures and he had a feeling that they smelled blood.
Leah looked at him for a moment and then nodded and went into the direction of where her husband was.
“What woman?” Jason asked the doctor coldly.
The elderly doctor moved uncomfortably. He was well aware of who he was dealing with. The Collins brothers were well known and owned properties all over the world. Now they were facing a potential scandal and he was the one to deliver the news. “She is a young lady about eighteen years old and she got the brunt of the damage. She got knocked around pretty hard because she was not wearing a seat belt.”
“Who is she?” he asked tightly. His brother could not be so stupid as to step out on his beautiful wife with a child!
“No ID on her.”
“Will she wake up?”
“The next twenty four hours will tell.”
“Thank you.” Jason started to turn away and then turned back. “Is it possible to keep this under wraps?”
“I will do what I can.”
*****
Jason stood in the doorway and looked in at the scene. His brother was still out and he could see his sister-in-law sitting by his bedside with her head resting on the bed and her eyes closed. He was pissed! What the hell was Michael thinking? Just as he was about to move away, she looked up and saw him. She moved from the bed slowly so as not to disturb him and came over to him.
“Who is she?” she whispered.
“She did not have an ID on her.” He steered her away from the doorway. Her face was blotchy and she looked as if her world had fall down around her!
“He was sleeping with her, wasn’t he?” she whispered the tears coming. “He called earlier and said he would be late and that he had something to deal with. I was waiting up for him but I fell asleep. I never had a reason not to trust him before. I thought we were solid.”
“We don’t know who she is, Leah,” he told her gently. “Let’s hear from him first before we start assuming.”
“What else could it be, Jason?” she demanded, gripping his jacket.
“Anything.” He pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried.
*****
“How is he?” asked him two hours later when he called.
“He is still out. Did I wake you?” His voice sounded weary and flat.
“I was not sleeping. The kids are still out. Are you okay?”
“Not really.” He gave a short laugh. “Michael had a female in the car with him. She is pretty seriously hurt.”
“Is she-”
“Someone he was screwing? We are waiting to hear from him,” he said grimly. “She is only eighteen so I would like to think my brother would not be seeing someone so young, but what the hell do I know?”
“There can be another explanation, Jason,” she ventured.
“I told Leah that as well and she did not believe me just like I do not believe you now.” He sighed. “Get some sleep. I will keep you in the loop.”
went to check on the children and stood there in the little girl’s room looking at her with her curls spread onto the pillows and her small hands curled. She had looked at the family and thought that they were perfect which was wrong of her because rich or poor everyone had their own issues. What was Michael thinking and how was Leah dealing with it? She had grown up and seen relationships falter and fail. She had read about the many marriages the rich went through. Jason had not asked her to sign a prenup and she supposed he would soon do so in case their marriage went south. She bit off a sigh and stepped back. Jason had told her to get some sleep but she was not sure she could at this point.
*****
He woke up early the next morning. Leah had gone home to see to her children and Jason had stayed. He wanted answers and he was going to beat it out of his brother if needs be! He had told to stay with them and she said she would call off going in today. Jason heard the groan and got to his feet as his brother opened his eyes. “Hey.”