Zenith Rising (Zenith Trilogy, #2) Read online

  Zenith Rising

  By

  Leanne Davis

  The Zenith Trilogy, Book 2

  Copyright

  Zenith Rising

  By Leanne Davis

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2014 Leanne Davis

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: mailto:[email protected]

  Publishing History First Edition, 2014 Digital

  Digital ISBN 9781311120359

  The Zenith Trilogy, Book 2

  Edited by Teri at The Editing Fairy

  Cover Design by Steven Novak

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Other Titles by Leanne Davis

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Dear Reader

  My Other Titles

  ZenithFulfilled

  About the Author

  Dedication

  To Julie Crosby

  For all the fun times we had together growing up. For all the years you let me follow you around and copy-cat you. I miss you and wish you were closer in distance… but always can count on when we do get to see each other it feels like our conversations start right back up where they left off.

  Acknowledgment

  To Teri (theeditingfairy.com) for all your amazing work on my novels. You are so talented and I value your eagle-eye and input so much. Thank you!!

  Other Titles by Leanne Davis

  The Seaclusion Series published through The Wild Rose Press

  Poison

  Notorious

  Due out in 2014

  Secrets

  Seclusion

  Sister Series:

  The Other Sister

  The Good Sister

  Due out in 2014

  The Best Friend

  The Zenith Trilogy

  Zenith Falling (Book #1)

  Zenith Rising (Book #2)

  Zenith Fulfilled (Book #3)

  Chapter One

  Dr. Erica Heathersby walked down the hallway, her black shoes squeaking on the vinyl floor. She stopped before the hospital room door, and knocked before she stepped inside. There were half a dozen people crowded in there, smiling, laughing, chatting, all before her patient’s bed.

  “Thank God, you’re here.”

  Erica smiled at Joelle Lassiter’s strained voice. Her relief to have reinforcements against her husband’s four sisters, and numerous nieces was evident. Erica stepped towards her bed.

  “Let’s see how you’re doing.”

  Erica checked Joelle and updated Joelle’s chart. Everything was right on track. She came to the side of Joelle’s bed, picked up her hand and squeezed it, as her friend then, not just her doctor.

  “The nurse paged me. She said things were getting close. I agree.”

  Joelle looked into Erica’s eyes, the strain, the pain, and the panic were clear. Erica gently squeezed her hand again. “Things look good. I’ll be here from now on out. You can trust me.”

  “Are things really okay?”

  Erica turned. Behind her stood Nick Lassiter, Joelle’s husband, and Erica’s former boyfriend. Not so long ago, they were dating, before Nick met Joelle. After seeing Nick with Joelle, however, Erica dumped Nick because there was no denying what she witnessed: Nick was in love with Joelle. They managed to remain friends because Erica and Joelle took to each other like long lost sisters.

  Nick was a well known, wealthy and powerful CEO of his own corporation, while Joelle was married to a struggling rock star when they met. Eventually, she left her alcoholic, struggling musician husband and found her way to Nick. Now they’d been married for almost two years, and Joelle was in labor with their first child. A child Erica intended to deliver.

  “I’m sure. Things look great. Let’s check how much progress you’ve made.”

  Erica easily switched into doctor mode. Straightening up, she waited patiently as the chatting sisters hugged and kissed Nick before they left. Nick barely noticed them. He was white and scared as he kept staring helplessly at Joelle. She was as small a new mother as Erica had ever dealt with. At less than five feet tall, even at nine months pregnant, she barely took up half the width or length of the bed.

  Erica slipped on gloves with a snap at her wrists.

  “Now you’re going to feel some pressure as I check your dilation,” Erica said, before she examined Joelle. Nick gripped Joelle’s hand. Joelle hardly moved, never so much as whimpered, even as a contraction tightened her stomach. Erica felt the tightening, and nodded. Things were progressing swiftly, but not there yet.

  “You’re at three. Are you ready for an epidural?”

  Joelle nodded, her eyes brightening at the suggestion. Erica smiled. She got that response a lot. She stood up, taking her gloves off.

  There was a knock at the door. Nick went to open it, and was shaking a man’s hand as he entered. Erica turned toward Joelle’s chart to add an update, while ignoring the visitor entering the room. Nick knew a lot of people, and also had a huge family.

  Erica finally noticed the visitor with a start. He was bending over, kissing Joelle on the cheek. After straightening to his considerable height, several inches over Erica’s own five-foot nine, she saw he had broad shoulders that tapered down to a slim waist, with straight, black hair, that fell over his low brow, and accentuated the deep, darkness of his chocolate brown eyes. His skin was a warm brown; he was at least part Latino. He had a strong nose, wide mouth, and prominent, deeply cut cheekbones. Erica’s mouth dropped open. She had to consciously shut it. The guy was seriously hot. Erica looked down quickly before he noticed her staring at him. He was young, smoldering, and very hot. All of which were not her type. Still, who could blame her for looking?

  Mild curiosity sparked in Erica. Who was he? She knew most of Nick’s family and associates from having dated him for over a year. Joelle hardly ever had anyone come visit her. Her family was out of the picture, and she was so shy and quiet, making friends for Joelle came slowly. So who was this man who seemed so friendly with both of them?

  Erica snapped her pen closed, and put it in the pocket of her white lab coat. She adjusted the rim of her glasses, and waited for the stranger and Joelle to quit talking.

  “I’ll leave you to visit. I’ll check back with you in while. I’m going to page the anesthesiologist.”

  Joelle’s eyes grew weary again. She didn’t like being in the hospital, and was even more scared about becoming a new mother. �
�Are you working tonight?”

  “I am now.”

  “Because of me?”

  “Of course, because of you.”

  “What if it’s all night?”

  “It’s not the first new baby that’s kept me up at night. Relax, everything looks great. I promise you, I’ll be the one to deliver your baby, no matter what.”

  Erica smiled at the relief in Joelle’s face. Joelle had no one else, and trusted very few.

  The hot visitor watched their exchange, while he grinned at her. She frowned. Kind of forward, wasn’t he?

  “I’m pretty sure she doesn’t recognize me,” her hot visitor said, as he looked right into her eyes.

  She scoffed. “Recognize you? I’ve never seen you before in my entire life.” Erica looked up at his dark eyes. She was struck by how beautiful they were: big, dark, long-lashed. Bedroom eyes. She felt a stab of surprising attraction in her gut. Stabbing lust, and she quickly looked away. It annoyed the hell out of her that the strange visitor seemed so amused by her.

  “Erica, it’s Spencer. Spencer Mattox,” Joelle said.

  The name vaguely rang a bell. But Erica was firm she’d never have forgotten a face like his.

  “It’s Spike, Erica. My friend from Zenith. Rob’s best friend.”

  Erica looked up blankly. Dumbfounded. No. This could not be Spike. It simply wasn’t. She knew Spike. She could never forget Spike. She sometimes had nightmares about Spike. Spike was a cartoonish figure, vampirish, scary, gothic. Not this. Not like this man before her.

  “I don’t think she believes you,” Spencer said, smiling easily at Joelle.

  Spike the tall, gaunt freak who wore his hair in a sharp, lethal Mohawk points along his scalp. Spike had even worn makeup at times, which only added to the fearsomeness of all the dark clothes and big combat boots. A set of fangs was all Spike needed to complete his look as a vampire.

  “I’m going by Spencer these days, Doc.”

  “You know who I am?”

  “Of course, I know who you are. Joelle lived with you. I’ve been to your condo.”

  She didn’t like hearing that at all. “You’re really Spike? I’ve met you before?”

  “Yes. Only I go by Spencer now.”

  She opened her mouth, then shut it. Then shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. I couldn’t have recognized you. When did you... quit being Spike?”

  “Awhile ago.”

  “How? Why?”

  Spencer shrugged. “Decided I needed a job for awhile. Time to quit messing around. Spike was that. Messing around. Part of Zenith. Rob and I were having fun, now we’re growing up.”

  Zenith was the band that Joelle’s ex-husband, Rob, was lead singer of, while Spencer, then Spike, played the keyboard. A drummer and guitarist rounded out the group, that nearly destroyed Rob with addiction, and Joelle right along with him. Rob and Spencer had split Zenith up about the time Rob went to rehab and Joelle divorced him and married Nick.

  “Spencer paid the bill for Rob’s rehab. He also paid off debts Rob had with some shady loan sharks,” Joelle added as if to explain why Spike suddenly looked so normal.

  Spencer shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I helped him out a bit. That however, required that I get a job. So I had to quit being Spike. Besides, I was getting kinda sick of it.”

  Erica looked at the tall man standing before her. Confused. How could she reconcile the Spike she knew with this man here? It didn’t seem remotely possible. Spike stayed in touch with Joelle after the divorce, and Joelle was living with Erica before she and Nick got together. Spike had even visited her condo. Still, this man could not be him. It was nearly impossible. But the familiarity Joelle and Spencer shared spoke to their long-term friendship. This man before her had to be Spike.

  Erica left the room, so they could catch up. She passed Nick’s family, milling in the waiting room. She paused for a moment to reassure them, before checking in on another patient who came in with early labor. Hours drifted by. Finally, Erica was called by Joelle’s nurse. It was time. Erica walked through the hospital to the elevator, where, stepping in, she paused when she found Spencer already in there, holding a cup of steaming coffee. He looked at her, running his dark eyes over her. She wore blue scrubs, functional black shoes, and her hair was drawn back. His cold eyes almost made her want to step back away from him.

  She stepped in the elevator and pressed Floor 3 for the maternity ward.

  “Guess I was heading back at the right time.”

  Erica turned and looked up at Spencer. He had a low, gravelly voice. “Yes. Looks like I’m about on. Are you staying?”

  “Joelle was feeling a little Lassiter-overwhelmed. She asked me to stay.”

  “Yes. It would help if she had less Lassiters and more people here just for her. And I don’t help much, being her doctor and all. It’s nice of you to come. I didn’t realize you were still in contact.”

  “We’ve been friends a long time. Seen each other through a lot.”

  Erica glanced up at his face. He was so shockingly not Spike, it startled her. He was too handsome now, like this, that she felt nearly tongue-tied next to him, and oddly uncomfortable. The elevator dinged then, the doors opened, and Erica nearly jumped through them, so ill at ease as she was with Spencer. He was someone she didn’t know, but the weird part was she did know him, except he was someone else: Spike. Still that didn’t explain why he made her so nervous or act so flustered. She dealt with hundreds of people in her practice: patients, relatives, friends, spouses. She was never shy or unsure of herself. She was, in fact, confident, and in control, usually the leader in most situations. Except with this man. He soon managed to have her looking away, blushing, and almost stammering.

  “Hey, Doc.”

  Erica turned at the sound of Spencer’s lazy tone, drawling out his “Doc.”

  He nodded towards Joelle’s room. “Take care of Joelle. No matter what. Take care of her.”

  “I’ll take care of both of them. That I can promise you.”

  Spencer nodded, drifting off towards the waiting room and Erica turned back and rushed to Joelle’s room.

  ****

  Inside the birthing room, Erica came to life in her element. As the contractions increased, and time pressed faster, yet seemed to move slower, Erica moved through the process with her usual confidence and caring. She was an exceptional professional at this, especially at this point, when she brought the new life out of its mother. Whether naturally or by Caesarian, she excelled at both. She didn’t make mistakes, and had steady, gentle, caring hands. She led the entire process with a calm that contrasted with the rushed nature of the event. She never panicked, even when there were times to panic. She knew what to do and how to do it. So, it was with confidence and competence that she delivered Nick and Joelle’s baby into the world.

  “What is it?” Joelle gasped, as she pushed her baby out. They chose not to know the sex beforehand. Thirteen girls had already been born to the Lassiter clan, and everyone hoped that Joelle would have a boy. Except Nick. Nick didn’t care what they had as long as Joelle and the baby were safe.

  Nick looked between Joelle’s legs, and looked up at Erica as he smiled. His unbridled joy shone in his eyes.

  “Our healthy, perfect baby, Joelle,” Nick said, looking at her, as he took her hand and smiled. “Our perfect daughter.”

  Joelle exhaled a weary laugh.

  Erica handed the baby off to the nurses, who took her to the prep station, where they washed, bathed, and weighed her before getting her Apgar scores.

  “Nick come and hold your baby for me,” Erica said, smiling into Nick’s blue eyes. He reverently took the baby from her. Erica still had more work to do. Joelle had to push the placenta out, and get some stitches where she tore.

  Erica kept on working, and all the while she piqued with delight, glad in her heart at the new family she helped create. Joelle fearfully took the baby, and Nick kept his hands on her and on Joelle as he kissed Joelle
gently. Tears pricked Erica’s eyes. She blinked to clear them. She had things to do, and no time for crying. But no matter how many times she witnessed this, it was always a pleasure, one which she’d never grown tired of watching.

  “Is she okay, Erica?”

  Erica was finally done, and took her gloves and gown off, throwing them in the garbage can, before washing her hands, and finally approaching Joelle. “She’s really okay. She’s perfect. You did it.”

  Joelle’s eyes gleamed with unshed tears and her lips trembled. Erica touched her shoulder. Tears trickled onto her sheet. This moment was so huge to Joelle, perhaps even more so than most new mothers. Joelle had no mother, and never pictured herself becoming one. Nick touched her hand.

  Erica slipped out, letting Nick and Joelle have their moment. Even though the nurses were there, it was easier for them to be sentimental in front of nurses than their best friend and doctor. Erica tugged off the headband that was holding her hair back. She massaged her temples and leaned against the wall out in the corridor, smiling to herself. She’d done it. Another healthy life seeing the world for the first time. Another success. Another wonderful miracle.

  There was no other high like it. It never ceased to rush the adrenaline through her, or make the worst days great.

  “What’s got you looking so smug?”

  Erica glanced up as Roy Bennett approached her. He was a surgeon, in his forties with salt and pepper hair, a killer smile, and smoky-blue eyes. He was no taller than she, and kept himself fit and trim. They had been dating for a few months.

  Erica forced a smile. She craved having a moment to herself, but Roy couldn’t have known that.

  “I delivered Joelle’s baby, a healthy six-pound, four-ounce, little girl.”

  Roy’s eyes clouded and his mouth tightened. He didn’t like hearing that Erica was still close to Nick and Joelle. Nick intimidated Roy, and made him feel less than manly, as far as Erica could determine. Otherwise, why would Roy care so much that she was friends, as a couple, with her ex and her ex’s new wife? It wasn’t like Erica and Nick hung out together all alone. She saw Nick, but only as husband to Joelle. It was a stupid insecurity on Roy’s part.