Chapter 33:

Carlos Balitrane sat at his desk with his cell phone at his ear. "You were correct. She is still obsessed with Grey." He listened as the person on the other end talked. "She wanted me to help her hurt him through Anastasia. I couldn't do that, you know how I feel about your girl. She's a little princess and should be treated like one and Grey does that." Carlos picked up a copy of the Seattle Times that Katherine had been reading before she had her little temper tantrum. "I thought you were a Marine, not an Army Officer."

"I am a Marine. One never stops being a Marine, Balitrane." The deep voice of Ray Steele proclaimed. "Of course, reporters hardly ever get the story straight and I just let it go. It keeps me under the radar."

"So, what do we do with Katherine?"

"Do you still want her?"

Carlos had to think that one over. He did adore her and he enjoyed her body, but could he ever trust her. She was always up to something in that blonde head of hers. "I don't know, Ray, maybe she isn't worth the headaches." He moved his chair around so he could see the veranda from his study's ceiling to floor mirrors. He saw her standing there just staring, then she dropped her robe and began to walk down the steps. "Ray, I have to go. I'll call you later!" Carlos dropped his phone on his desk and slammed out of his study and onto the veranda. He was yelling for his staff, demanding help, and yelling after Katherine as he flew down the stairs to land in the sand and follow her. She turned and looked at him with a smile, a wave and then she blew a kiss! Then, the wave. A bigger than usual wave took her under.

"Katherine!" His voice roared. "Nooooo!"

His men reached the water before him and was diving into the rolling waves looking for his woman. He threw himself against a wave and went under searching for her until his lungs burned with the need for air. He swam far out enough that he could no longer stand and was treading water. He kept going under over and over again. He came up one last time to hear his men yelling for him. He looked toward the beach to see Katherine on her back in the sand and his bodyguard administering CPR while another one was calling for paramedics. He swam back as if "Jaws" himself was chasing him. He fell to his knees beside her. "Is she?"

"Her heart is still beating but her lungs are full of water." The one on the phone said. Katherine was turned to her side and encouraged by strong hands on her diaphragm to expel the sea water. She regurgitated enough so CPR could reassume and do some good. "Where is that ambulance?"

The sound of the siren broke over the sand dunes and a crowd had gathered to see a beautiful naked woman being saved or so they hoped. The paramedics took over with their ventilators and other gadgets while Carlos was pulled away to let them work. He didn't appreciate being manhandled even by his own men.

"Let them do their jobs." The bodyguard said wiping seawater from his face.

It was two hours after Katherine was taken to the hospital before Carlos was allowed to see her. He had to demand that he be given access to her because she was his fiancé and a threat of a law team to sue the hospital. Now he sat beside her, listening to the beat of her heart on the heart monitor. She was on a respirator and in a coma. She had been under water for over five minutes. The doctors told him that it would be a wait and see situation. She could wake up and be just fine, or she could have brain damage or she could still die. They were watching her for symptoms of pneumonia.

"When you wake up, I'm going to whip your ass until you are as red as a tomato." He leaned over her and whispered into her ear then kissed her cheek softly. "You stupid little girl. You could have had it all. I would have done anything for you, for your happiness." He kissed her other cheek. "I can't believe I fell in love with you. Ray warned me, but I didn't listen. You are a witch, Katherine Kavanagh."

Ana was singing to her little man and dancing about the nursery with him. Teddy, as he was called was now more alert, knew his Mama, and he smiled. And, oh boy, what a smile! He lit up her world! He then scowled, pulled up his legs and let loose a very juicy fart. The smell was beyond horrible. Ana held him at arm's length and took him to the changing table. "Wow, little man, you are toxic!" She held her nose making him laugh. Teddy was a five month old happy baby. He met all his milestones and was more interactive with people. He adored his Daddy, his Uncle Elliot and of course all his Grandparents. Mia was the only one he was leery about. She was so loud and animated that she frightened him. If she picked him up for a cuddle, he would begin to scream. Christian teased his sister that she was pinching him and that's why Teddy didn't like her. "Baby boy, I think you have gone rotten." Ana pulled back the diaper and knew that those little diaper wipes would be useless. This boy would need a bath and his room needed to be aired out.

While she cleaned him the best she could and disrobed him, Gail stepped into the room with Teddy's laundry. "Oh my stars! Did he eat a skunk?"

"Oh, I know. I must have ate something that doesn't agree with him."

"Maybe it was the duck confit I made last evening." Gail made a mental note to keep the wild game off the menus for a while. She placed the laundry basket beside the dresser and went to the windows to let in some fresh air.

"Oh, Teddy." Ana cried. "You are one stinky boy." She laughed as he kicked and waved his hands. "Gail, can you start his bathwater while I try to chisel some of this … whatever it is…off his little bum?"

"I can hear Elliot calling it "Shitcrete". Gail laughed.

"Yeah, Teddy rode down the shit creek on his boat made of "shitcrete"." Ana added. She wrapped him in a receiving blanket and placed his soiled clothes in a plastic bag then into the hamper. "You my boy are something else." Ana carried him into the nursery en suite and held him close as Gail placed the bath items out for their use. "It's alright little guy. It's just a little bath. You can't go to Daddy smelling like 'shitcrete'." She kneeled down beside the tub and unwrapped her precious baby boy. He was placed on his bathing mat that kept him off the floor of the tub. "Now, let's get you all cleaned up and smelling like baby."

Ana was humming to her baby as she gently bathed him and didn't notice that Gail had joined her in the humming. Whatever Ana needed Gail was prepared. Gail loved the little guy also and she was so proud of Ana and her natural abilities to be a mother. Before Teddy was born, Ana had confided in Gail that she was scared that she would be a rotten mother like her own mother had been. Gail had held her, rocking her as she cried, and gave words of encouragement. Ana was reminded that she had a great role model as a parent in Ray Steele and not to worry but to enjoy and savor this time for it was fleeting. Babies, Gail had told her, grow so fast. One day they are barely walking and the next day they are walking across a stage to get a diploma.

"I just love his copper curls." Ana declared as she let a curl wind around her finger. "He's going to be a looker, just like his Daddy." Ana bent over the tub side to blow a raspberry on his round wet belly making him laugh even more. "I will have to beat the girls off the driveway!"

Gail had to agree. Teddy would have the ladies chasing after him. "Ana, have you heard any more about Miss Kavanagh?"

"Her Dad told me a few days ago that she was still in a coma. I can't believe she tried to commit suicide. It doesn't make sense." Ana cupped her hands full of water and let water sprinkle over Teddy's belly. "Her Mom and Dad have gone over to France to be with her, but they said there's been no changes."

"I feel for them. It must be hard to see your child in such distress and not able to help or understand." Gail shook her head. "I hope and pray that Miss Kavanagh will make a full recovery."

"I do too, Gail." Ana wanted to remember her friend as she was when they were roommates in college. Kate had been so carefree and full of life. She was ambitious and good as the editor of the school paper. Something had changed in their senior year. Kate was either bringing home every guy she met to fuck or she was crying all alone in bed. She would never talk about what was bothering her. Then, all of a sudden, she was back to herself with her blonde hair. She threw herself into the school newspaper as if trying to prove to someone that she was of importance. Little did Ana know that the person that Kate was wanting to impress had been the man that Ana had married? She knew that Kate had intentions of interviewing him, but when that did not work out, Kate was still reading everything about the man. Ana, at the time, could care less. She had work and her studies to deal with. Teddy began splashing in the water and the water brought Ana from her thoughts. "Hey, little guy, you ready to get out and get dressed?" She carefully picked up her sweet baby boy and cuddled him close not caring if her shirt got wet.

"I think he liked his bath." Gail declared with a grandmother proud smile.

"Yeah, he's going to be a water baby. We will have to watch him around the pool and the shore." She stood up and took her boy back into his room to be diapered and dressed. "I think he is going to be a handful."

Gail looked over Ana's shoulder to watch Teddy grab his feet and pull them up to his mouth. His eyes, still grey like his father's sparkled. "He is his father's son!"

Raymond Steele looked down at his cell phone that was interrupting him from working on his grandson's rocking horse. "Hey, Carlos. What's up?" Ray dreaded when his friend called. He felt guilty for involving his friend with Katherine Kavanagh. But, at the time, it was one way to keep track of her which kept his beloved daughter safe.

"Kate." Carlos said flatly.

"She didn't make it, did she?" Raymond rubbed his brow. "Oh, man, I'm so sorry, Carlos."

"She is still in the coma, but her family… they want to take her back to Seattle." Carlos sighed heavily. "I understand why, but … I don't want her to go."

"Carlos, just go with her."

"Man, you know that I can't return to the United States. I have that fucking warrant for my arrest." His heart was racing. "I should have killed that bitch when I had the chance."

"She's not a threat to you now. She will be sentenced to life in prison. Anyway, isn't there a statute of limitations?" Ray let his strong fingers glide upon the smoothness of the carved wooden horse. "You talk to the lawyers and see what you can do."

"Raymond, are we to blame for this? Did I push her to hard?"

"Kate has problems. One of them is that she is spoiled and feels she is entitled. I know my daughter cares a great deal for her. Why? I have no idea, but Ana still worries about her. And, I worry about my daughter. I knew Ana could handle the spoiled brat college girl, but the prize is much higher now. Kate wanted Christian Grey and I know she would hurt Ana to get to him. It's just the way she is."

"How can such a ball-buster like Kate be such a good submissive? It's to have Grey isn't it?"

"Fuck, if I know. It's your world, Carlos. I don't ride that wave." Ray walked to the door of his wood shop and opened the door to step out onto the porch. His shop was a miniature of the cabin he built and lived in. "I'll do some checking around about that warrant and I'll get back to you ASAP."

"Thanks, Ray."

"Talk later." Raymond clicked off his phone. So far everything was going well. Elena Lincoln was in jail, she finally plead guilty and was awaiting sentencing. Kate was occupied in Europe with her Spanish Dom until she had her little breakdown. And, his daughter, his Ana was happy as a wife, mother, and businesswoman. All her dreams had come true and he was damn proud that he was instrumental in those dreams coming true. Now, he had to make sure that no one, not even his son-in-law learned that he had been arranging and maneuvering the chess pieces of life around the board. Ray did not want his daughter to know how he got his information and look at him differently. He wasn't above using his Marine contacts to infiltrate other people's lives and their secrets, but he didn't want her to know that he had underground resources, some that worked the other side of the law.

"Now, the cleanup begins." Ray opened the screen door and stepped back into his shop to put the finishing touches on the rocking horse. He wanted to get it sanded, painted, and varnished before he took off to Seattle for the weekend and to go to court and see the old bat get her comeuppance.