Rush

Chapter 2

No surprise that Dalton’s old flame bailed and flew the coop. No celeb would tie the knot with a guy who couldn’t even lift a finger.

Alicia felt this weird sting in her heart. She said to him, “Dalton, you bummed about how things turned out?” He used to be Hofcaster’s top dog, and now he couldn’t fend for himself. She caught herself going soft, adding, “Chill. Now that I’m a Slater, I’ve got your back for real.”

aditional

With that, Alicia checked Dalton’s pulse. She knew her way around the old-sch medical stuff, not the modern jargon. The medical books her mom left behind were like gold to her, and after digging into them for over ten years, she’d gotten pretty savvy. But it was a cruel twist that, with all her know-how, she couldn’t save her own brother.

When she felt Dalton’s pulse, though, she sensed that Dalton might have a fighting chance. To help him, or not? That was a question for Alicia now.

Right then, Matthew’s call popped up. “Alicia, you’re finally picking up. Look, I’m outside the Slater. residence. I’ve missed you like crazy. You know I love you, right? And with Dalton… I mean, the guy’s practically a statue. He can’t be what you need. Alicia, open the door. Tonight, I’ll show you the ropes, take you to the heaven of love!”

He was still hung up on how drop-dead gorgeous Alicia looked at the wedding; it was driving him. nuts. Fiona was all over him, but Alicia’s face was the one stuck in his head. So there he was.

sneer,

Alicia couldn’t believe how low someone could go. She felt queasy and shot back with a s “Matthew, cut it out. Bugging a married woman at night, seriously? That’s the Gibson style?”

“Alicia, cool it and just listen. You know Ellen’s been itching for Dalton to have a kid. When Dalton’s gone, that kid could take over the whole Slater family’s fortune. Alicia, I can make that happen!” For Matthew, if Alicia had his kid, then the Slater legacy would be in his hands.

For the first time, Alicia saw how brainless Matthew really was. She snapped, “You’re stuck in the dark ages or what? You really think the Slaters won’t do a DNA test? They own biotech firms, genius.”

Matthew gulped, lost for words. He knew straight up that a DNA test was square one for any Slater heir, and there was no way he’d get past that.

“Besides,” Alicia whispered with a sly grin, “who said Dalton’s out of the game? Trust me, he’s got way more going on than you ever will!”

Matthew’s voice on the phone was all freaked out. “No way! That can’t be true! He couldn’t-

Alicia wasn’t in the mood for his drama and hung up quickly. She dialed up the Slater residence security. Moments later, she heard Matthew’s yells from outside. Alicia looked over at Dalton again. Since everybody seemed to be holding their breath for him to kick the bucket, she decided to shake things up, just for Matthew’s sake! Think of it as payback or just doing right by the Slater family, Alicia had her mind set-she was about to bring him around.

1127 Thu Aug 22 —

Chapter 2

An hour later, Alicia pulled out the last of the silver needles from Dalton’s body. Wiped out from it all, she washed up and crashed into bed.

She thought she’d toss and turn all night with someone else on the bed, but she slept like a log and ended up using Dalton as her personal pillow in her sleep. Alicia bolted up quickly, feeling embarrassed and glad that no one caught that. She looked at Dalton, who was still as a statue, and started chatting, “Morning, Dalton. I have to swing by the Slater Manor today to show my respects; I’ll try to make it back before dark.”

Paying a visit to the Slater Manor after the wedding was part of the whole Slater family ritual. With Dalton being unconscious, Alicia had to roll solo.

That night at the grand old Slater Manor, lit up like a Christmas tree with lanterns and fancy lights. When Alicia walked into the old-school hall, all eyes were on her.

“Is that Dalton’s wife? Never seen her before…” someone gossiped.

“Shh, pipe down! Didn’t you hear she’s just some last-minute bride Ellen picked out for Dalton… Yup, the other gal flew the coop. With Dalton how he is, he’s lucky anyone said ‘I do’ at all.. another person chimed in.

“She’s pretty a

all right, but it’s such a shame, stuck being a widow before she’s even started…” the first man said while shaking his head.

Ellen coughed a bit, and the place went dead silent. She gave Alicia the nod. “Alicia, come on over here, park

it next to me.”