Last Man Standing

Published by Amarinda Jones at Smashwords

Smashwords edition

Copyright© 2012 Amarinda Jones

Cover Artist: Amarinda Jones

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Last Man Standing

Prologue

In the year 2008, two months after of the birth of the son of the scarred warrior, when evil has been thwarted and much blood is shed, the lands of Carronas and Melotia will unite as one. They will become one nation under one name, with one aim—peace.

After great personal upheaval, the brother warriors will lead the way to prosperity and harmony between all. Their children will carry on their legacy. The scarred warrior will never again doubt his way or question his destiny for there is no way it can be stopped. Pain and hatred will be the catalyst for greatness.

His woman will know no peace and there will be nowhere to hide.

The Prophecy of Llewellyn, Seer and Councilor, the Melotian Chronicles 1912

Chapter One

Present Day in the Dimension of Melotia

I am not the father.

The words were cold and harsh to hear and even harder to speak. But it was all Alex Navarro could say when he stopped dead in his tracks and he saw her. Amy Hart. The shock of seeing her so suddenly gripped him like a vise and squeezed at his heart. This was the woman who had haunted his dreams for the last six months. The woman no other could ever compare with in his heart and mind. The same woman who now stood before him, momentarily flinching as if his words had stung her. But it was only for a moment. For as his eyes locked with hers he knew once again Amy Hart had raised her invisible shields against him, allowing nothing to touch her emotionally.

Alex looked down again at swelling of her stomach. He was not sure which emotion gripped him the most—shock, delight or just plain anger at not knowing of her condition. Amy Hart was pregnant. She was standing before him looking so damn vulnerable and so incredibly beautiful that it made him feel so many things he had denied ever wanting to feel again. Love, longing and forever. The one word that came catapulting into his mind was mine. It had never been any different. Such was her effect on him. Alex Navarro wanted Amy Hart. Yet he could never have her. He knew he would be her downfall. He could not risk either the woman he loved or his child. Alex had to deny his heart.

I never said you were the father, Alex. There was no hello or how are you or any other nicety. Just straight down to the business of telling her she was not wanted. That was fine with her. He had already told her that before. The words were still gouged into her heart from the last telling. She would never forget them. Anyway Amy had not come to see him. She had had every intention of avoiding him. Initially she had been shocked when he had walked into the room. She had clutched a nearby table to keep herself from staggering. After six long months, Alex was everything she remembered and everything she wanted to forget. The same distinctive scar on his face, the same intelligent, piercing black eyes and the same soft, wheat-blond hair. This was the man she thought she had fallen in love with. The man who had told he did not want her. What a fool she had been over him. Look where thinking you loved someone got you. She vowed never to be so stupid again.

What are you doing here, Red? Alex knew the other two people in the room were stunned at the encounter unfolding before them in their own home. It was unfortunate it had to be this way. But caution had to be maintained. Alex knew instinctively Mackinley Swift would understand. He knew what Alex feared. As for Mac’s wife Stephanie he knew that particular woman would be demanding an explanation at the harsh treatment of her sister. But for the moment, that would have to wait. He had to collect his wits and face his demons.

Just the way he called her Red made Amy want to alternatively yell at him then cry. Alex knew how much Amy hated that nickname and yet he always called her Red. And every time he did, in that soft, chocolaty voice of his she wanted to give him whatever he asked at whatever the cost. But she had learned her painful lesson. Giving Alex what he wanted and what she craved just didn’t mix well and she had no intention of going there again.

I came to see Stephanie, certainly not you. Hell yes, she was wounded at his definite declaration against paternity but there was no way she was going to look or sound the slightest bit perturbed, even if it killed her inside. This man deserved nothing but anger and contempt from her.

Are you feeling well? It wasn’t at all what Alex wanted to say but in the circumstances it was all he could say.

Amy smiled a tight little smile.

Do you give a damn, Alex?

Alex Navarro cared more than she would ever know at this moment.

Is the baby well?

What’s it to you? You have already announced to everyone that you are not the father so there is no need to pretend you care.

You are a friend, Red.

A friend… Amy choked the word out. At that moment she wanted to drop her carefully built Alex-Navarro-proof wall and cry her eyes out. Was that what they had been? Just friends? Obviously it was stupid of her to think she had been anything else. She swallowed hard on the lump in her throat and prayed the tears threatening her eyes would not spill over. She had her pride and she wasn’t going to be howling over some man that did not want her. Yes, Amy had come to see her sister Stephanie and her newborn baby and yes, maybe, secretly in her heart she had come for Alex Navarro. But now, at least now she knew where she stood. Alone. Her traitorous heart was wrong once again.

I don’t need your ‘friendly’ concern, Alex.

Alex would have to have been insensible not to see the deep hurt in Amy’s green eyes.

The father of that child obviously cares deeply about you. He never realized how much he cared until he saw her standing before him again. He had tried to forget her but that was like trying to forget how to breathe. It was just instinctive.

Amy laughed harshly. She knew exactly how much the father cared.

No, actually, he doesn’t. He’s an uncaring creep who left me. In fact, he told me he did not want me.

Maybe he had his reasons, reasons that he could not explain.

 Or maybe he was just a selfish sod who took what he wanted and left when he had had enough. Her eyes challenged his angrily. Those cutting words he had flung at her so long ago still twisted like a knife in her heart.

I don’t believe that. If only Amy knew.

Amy snorted at his words.

Well, of course, Alex, you wouldn’t.

* * * * *

Stephanie Swift had never been so gobsmacked in her life. First, her sister Amy coolly turned up on her doorstep very pregnant and not in the mood to discuss it. Then Mac and Alex had walked in on the sisters’ surprise reunion and suddenly it was like the Titanic meeting the iceberg and you just held your breath and wondered what would happen.

Let’s go and see the baby, Stephanie murmured grabbing Amy’s hand and pulling her gently from the room before any further damage could be done. What Stephanie had been expecting when these two met up again she hadn’t been sure. She had always suspected there had been something going on between the two of them just by the way they had acted the last time she had seen them together. That little scene just proved it. Although Amy and Alex didn’t fall into each other’s arms in some storybook lovers’ reunion, the cold, scary politeness between them was enough for Stephanie to know there had once been something definite, deep and meaningful that they had both messed up. And it was something that needed to be addressed in a sisterly way. That of course meant pumping the always reluctant Amy for information about what the heck she had just witnessed.

You two could have frozen yogurt in there! What is going on?

Nothing was going on. Other than my heart falling at his feet and Alex stepping on it, thought Amy. But then, obviously she had been the one who had made more out of her relationship than Alex had. That was okay. The lesson had been learned and it was time to toughen up and to move on. She had enough of being pathetic over Alex Navarro.

Stephanie snorted out loud in disbelief. Who was her sister kidding?

Nothing, my eye! Alex is the father!

Alex just declared he wasn’t. And as far as Amy was concerned he never would be. She needed no one.

Of course Alex is! Stephanie stopped and looked at her sister. She was a woman who was barely keeping herself and her emotions together. So unlike the normally cool Amy who showed nothing but a poker face to the world. Alex had obviously gotten to her in a big way.

No, Steph, this is my child and no one else’s. Alex Navarro would never have anything to do with this baby. She would make sure of it.

 Well, you know, this explains a hell of a lot, A. She knew her sister was secretive but this took the cake.

What? Amy Hart asked, pleased that she could so calm and cool despite the torrent of raging hormones and emotions churning up inside after seeing that man again. Why him? Any other man she could ignore but not Alex.

That. Stephanie pointed her finger down at her sister’s swollen, obviously pregnant stomach. When she had last seen her sister three months ago, there had been a lot less of her. It also explained why she hadn’t seen her since she had begun to show.

Oh yeah, I meant to tell you about that. Amy knew Stephanie wasn’t the sort of woman to back off at unanswered questions. She was like the Gestapo when she wanted to know something. But there were so many questions that Amy did not even want to contemplate answering let alone analyze with her sister.

When were you going to tell me? Surely Amy did not think she was just going to let this one go? There was mega-explaining to be done. And yes, maybe some of it wasn’t Stephanie’s business but she was not one to worry about trivial facts like that. She worried about Amy and that gave her the right to be nosy. Amy, what the hell is going on? Why are you here suddenly like this?

You’ve just had a baby, Steph, naturally I’d come for a visit. Stephanie and her husband Mackinley Swift had just had a baby girl they named Annie. Amy knew there was no way she could put off her visit any longer. She wanted to see her sister and her niece and it had just been a matter of biting the bullet and turning up. Of course she would have been insensible not to know how her current state would amaze her sister. Sometimes it amazed Amy herself she was pregnant. But then she remembered Alex Navarro and the heat of his touch and the reason she got pregnant was more than obvious. Lust and hormones got you every time. That and the sheer stupidity of not using protection.

And… Stephanie knew Amy Hart could be the most secretive woman on the planet. However she doubted if the woman in question felt as cool and calm inside as she made out she was. She had to crack soon.

And what? Sure, Amy knew where this conversation inevitably had to go. Stephanie intended to pump her for information until she heard every little detail of what happened between her and Alex Navarro. Amy did not want to go there. And the problem for Stephanie was that no matter how much she pushed Amy, she wasn’t in the mood to give explanations, as she knew those she had were inconclusive, pathetic and didn’t make her feel particularly comfortable or smart.

Stephanie shook her head in disbelief at her sister’s carefully innocent tone. Above all, Amy Hart hated explaining herself and her actions.

Ah gee, Amy, maybe the fact that you are a gazillion months’ pregnant?

Oh, that. Amy rubbed a gentle hand over her stomach and felt a small movement in response.  Yes, it’s a tad obvious, you know, like the proverbial elephant in the room it begs questioning.

Amy blew out a deep breath. It was better to get it over with.

I am six and a half months’ pregnant. There she had said it. First part of her plan had been carried out. Tell Stephanie. The next was to see her niece, greet her brother-in-law Mac and then get the hell out of Dodge before she ran into Alex Navarro. So much for plans. You could never factor in the wild cards.

Pregnant? Really, Amy? Stephanie snapped out loud in a mixture hurt and anger. Of course I can see you are bloody pregnant! How and why didn’t you tell me? That was probably what upset her most, the not knowing. She and Amy had always been so close. To not know something as major as this cut deeply into Stephanie. She had told Amy every dumb thing she had ever done.

Amy knew she should have told Stephanie long ago, but she hadn’t been sure of herself and the situation she had found herself in.

Well, you’ve just had a baby, Steph, so you know the ‘how’. As for the ‘why’, well, that’s complicated. Way, way too complicated.

And this is why we haven’t seen you in months. You’ve been hiding.

I wouldn’t call it hiding exactly, maybe more like a strategic retreat. Hiding suggested fear and uncertainty. Amy would admit to a huge bout of panic and sudden onset of confusion mixed with a moment of hysteria but not the other two.

Stephanie looked at her sister thoughtfully.