Chapter 9
Robert was still talking to Alex when the door opened and Edmond walked in, "Alex what are you still doing here? You don't want to get caught in here."
She checked the time, "I didn't realize how long I've been here. I've been enjoying getting to know Robert."
Edmond looked over and saw Robin laying on the bed beside her mom, Anna had her arms around her and they were talking happily. He looked at Robert, "So I take it you think you'll be trying to protect Anna from now on."
"From now on? I have never stopped protecting my wife."
"Then how did she end up near death in the woods?"
Robert grabbed Edmond and throw him up against the wall, "You little piece,"
"DAD!"
"ROBERT!"
Anna and Robin yelled at the same time, it was Alex that stepped between them, "Edmond you really need to learn to shut the hell up!"
"Anna is my wife, not someone you get to have the hots for because you figure she'd make a good replacement for Alex. Someone else you also can't have. Any danger that Anna is in I will protect her from. You're a magazine editor, isn't that right? What the hell do you know about protecting people? I can have a team of trusted people here with a couple of phone calls and they will all happily kick your ass if you suggest we can't take care of Anna."
"Oh dad, that reminds me, I want to start calling the usual suspects to help with this. Are you ready to see some old friends?"
"Yeah, I want to be with your mom so the more help we have the better." He looked back at Edmond, "Our daughter is more help than you are," he said still holding him by the collar.
"Robert, he's trying to help. Come over here," Anna said and Robin stood up making room for him beside Anna. Robert walked over and sat down beside her, "I've been talking to Robin since you two got here. I haven't even gotten a proper greeting from you yet," she said to him quietly.
Robert stroked her cheek, tucking some hair behind her ear, "Hi Luv, how did you sleep?"
"Very well, I just wish I got to wake up in your arms as well."
"Soon. Alex informed me we're all staying at Wildwind. There's a cottage there we can use." He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, "I have missed you so much. I love you."
"I love you too. Thank you for bringing Robin here. Seeing you both has brought so much back already, I feel like I know who I am now. I remember names of friends and I can see them. I was telling Alex about how we met and our first wedding earlier."
Robert smiled, "There has never been a more beautiful bride than my Anna," he said then kissed her again.
When Robin had gotten up she'd walked over to Edmond, "I get that you think you're looking out for my mom. Antagonizing my dad is not how to do that. I plan on calling three men and when they get here, he's right. They won't hesitate to kick your ass if you get in their way. We're her family and the men that are going to come here are as well. You want to help, stay the hell out of their way, understood."
Edmond hadn't expected this kind of reaction from any of them. "I'll do what needs to be done."
"That's staying out of the way and letting the professionals handle it." Robin could tell Edmond wasn't used to being talked to like this. "Oh in case you're wondering, my mom, isn't really that much like her sister. She knows who she is now, Anna Devane is a fighter and she can take care of herself and she defends the people she loves with everything she has. With me, you get to deal with equal parts of both my parents. You're luck mom called dad over there, he would have hit you otherwise. Just so you know." Then Robin turned and went and sat in the chair by her mom's bed.
"I think you and I should let them have some time together," Alex said taking Edmond's arm and leading him towards the door. "Robin you two should come by the house later," she said over her shoulder as they were leaving the room.
"Alright," she agreed. Robin turned to her parents, "I'm going to call Uncle Mac, Uncle Sean and Frisco. Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, just tell them to come here. You can surprise them with your exciting news once they're here," Robert told her.
...
After Edmond and Alex had left the hospital he looked over at her, "What are you doing? Are you just going to let them take her away and not make sure she's getting the right treatment now?"
They were walking into Edmonds office at Tempo Magazine, "What has gotten into you?" she stopped and looked at him. Alex took off her hat and dark glasses that she wears so hopefully, people wouldn't recognize her easily. "That is her family! Those are the people that love her! You're acting like they're the ones that want to hurt her. If you must know Robert already told me that yes, Anna wants to be with him when she is released from the hospital but that he doesn't want to take her anywhere because I'm the one in charge of her treatment. Robert has the kind of connections needed to protect Anna and find out who's been threatening her. Is he right, are you jealous?" Edmond didn't say anything. "Robert picked up on it right away. He could tell you were interested in me and that you figured you were hoping to maybe start something with my twin since you couldn't have me."
"That's ridiculous."
"Oh, is it?"
Edmond knew Alex was right, "Fine, I'll stay out his way."
"You still think he's going to hurt her, don't you? That's his wife, that's his family. Robert only wants to protect them."
"Oh, now you know him so well."
"I spent three hours talking to Robin last night and spent the better part of an hour talking to Robert this morning. I know them both a lot better than you do. I told Robert that once Anna is released that they can stay in the cottage. Is that going to be a problem? Because if it is, it's going to be you that makes them leave here before Anna is fully recovered, no one else."
"Fine, I just want to make sure nothing happens to your sister."
"Good, then we all want the same thing. End of discussion."
