Heartprints in the Void
⊰ 12.5 ⊱ Heartbeats in the Dark

**Cade** [

The hospital corridor is a blur of white walls and fluorescent lights as I race towards the emergency room. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat, each beat a reminder of how quickly life can change. *Elysian and Naomi. My wife and daughter. In a car accident.*

The words keep repeating in my head, a nightmarish mantra I can't shake. When I got the call, it felt like the ground had disappeared from under my feet. Now, as I burst through the ER doors, that feeling returns tenfold. "I'm looking for Elysian Sinclair and Naomi Sinclair," I bark at the nurse behind the desk, my voice rough with fear and barely contained panic. "They were brought in after a car accident. Where are they?"

The nurse, to her credit, doesn't flinch at my tone. She types quickly into her computer, then looks up at me with sympathy in her eyes. "Mrs. Sinclair is in room 305. Your daughter is currently in surgery." *Surgery..?*

The word tightens the knot in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

*My little girl, my baby, under the knife.*

I feel my knees go weak, and I have to grip the edge of the desk to keep from falling.

"Sir? Are you alright?" The nurse's voice sounds far away.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. "What about my wife? How is she?"

"She has minor injuries-a concussion, some cuts and bruises. She's awake and asking for you."

I nod, relief warring with concern.

*Elysian's okay, but Naomi...*

"Thank you," I manage to say, before turning towards the elevators. Each second feels like an eternity as I wait for the doors to open, as I ride up to the third floor.

When I reach room 305, I pause for a moment outside the door, taking a deep breath to compose myself. I need to be strong for Elysian.

I push the door open, and the sight that greets me nearly breaks my heart. Elysian is sitting up in the hospital bed, her face pale and bruised, a bandage wrapped around her head. But it's the look in her eyes that *really* gets me pain, fear, and guilt.

"Cade,” she whispers, her voice cracking. And then she's crying, deep, wracking sobs that shake her whole body.

I'm at her side in an instant, gathering her carefully into my arms. "Sh... it's okay," I murmur, even though we both know it's not. "I'm here. I've got you."

"Naomi," she chokes out between sobs. "Our baby... Cade, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have taken her out. I should have been paying more attention. I—"

"Stop," I say firmly, pulling her back to look in her eye. "This is *not* your fault, Ely. It was an accident."

She shakes her head, tears streaming down her face. "You don't understand. I was distracted. I was thinking about... about Ava. We met up, and I-"

"Elysian, listen to me," I cup her face in my hands, gentle but insistent. "You are not responsible for some asshole running a red light. This is not on you. Do you hear me?"

She nods weakly, but I can see the guilt still eating at her. I pull her close again, wishing I could take away her pain, her fear.

"Naomi's strong," I say, as much to convince myself as her. "She's a fighter, just like her mom. She's going to be okay."

We sit like this for a while, holding each other, both of us silently praying for our daughter. The deep of machines and the hushed voices of nurses passing the hallway making this all feel surreal. *God, please... I can't lose my daughter.*

...

*We can't lose our daughter.*

A knock at the door startles us both. I turn, expecting a doctor or nurse, but the person standing in the doorway makes my blood run cold.

David Sinclair-my father.

He looks as impeccable as ever, his suit crisp and his posture commanding. There's concern in his eyes, but it doesn't quite reach the rest of his face.

"I came as soon as I heard," he says, his voice controlled and even. "How are they?"

For a moment, I don't question it. He's Naomi's grandfather, after all. Of course he'd be concerned. But then a thought nags me:

*How did he hear about this so quickly?*

I stand slowly, positioning myself between him and Elysian. "Elysian has some minor injuries," I say, my voice carefully neutral. "Naomi's in surgery."

He nods, his face a mask of appropriate concern. "I see. Is there anything I can do?"

There's something about his tone, the careful way he's holding himself, sets off alarm bells in my head. I've seen this before-when he's trying to gauge a situation, to see how much someone knows. "Actually," I say slowly, "I'm curious how you found out about the accident so quickly. We haven't told anyone yet."

A flicker of something-surprise? worry?- crosses his face before it's smoothed away. "I have sources, Cade. You know that."

I glance back at Elysian, seeing the unease in her face, the way she tries to hide herself behind me.

And that's when it really starts to click.

The accident. The threat to Elysian that I'd warned him about. The careful way he's watching me now.

*No. He couldn't have. Not Naomi. Not his own granddaughter.*

But even as I think it, doubt creeps in. This is David Sinclair, after all. The man who's always ten steps ahead, who sees people as pawns in a grand game.

"Cade?" Elysian's voice is small, confused. She can sense the change in the atmosphere.

I turn to her once more, trying to keep my voice calm, steady. "It's okay, Ely. I need to talk to my father for a minute. Will you be alright?"

She nods, her eyes darting between me and David. I lean down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be back," I promise.

Then I turn to my father. "Outside. Now."

He follows me into the hallway, his face an unreadable mask. As soon as the door closes behind us, I round on him.

"What did you do?" I ask, my voice low and controlled.

He raises an eyebrow, the picture of innocence. "I'm not sure what you mean, Cade. I came here to support my family in their time of need."

*Your family?*

"Cut the bullshit," I growl, stepping closer. "You show up here, knowing details you shouldn't, right after I warned you to stay away from *my* family. What did you do?"

For a moment, his mask slips, and I see a flash of the calculating man beneath. Then it's back in place, but it's too late. I've seen enough.

"You had something to do with this *accident*, didn't you?" I say, the realization making my stomach churn.

He doesn't answer immediately, his eyes searching my face. But my patience is quickly wearing thin.

"Tell me you didn't do this," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "Tell me you didn't put a hit out on my wife."

He flinches, and in that moment, I know. The confirmation is written all over his face. He shakes his head, a grim look on his face, but knows denial is pointless. "I never meant for Naomi to get hurt," he says, his voice breaking. "It was supposed to be a warning, just to scare Elysian. I didn't know she'd have Naomi with her. I swear, Cade, I never wanted to hurt the child."

My blood boils. I can feel my skin turning hot, my heart pounding in my chest with an adrenaline of rage. "You son of a bitch," I snarl, grabbing him by the lapels of his expensive suit. "My daughter is in surgery because of you. Your granddaughter!"

His mouth opens, his lip quavering, but he doesn't speak. He can't. There's nothing he can say to defend himself.

*This is it. This is the final straw.*

It takes everything inside me to release him, my hands trembling with barely contained rage. And for the first time in my life, I see fear in his eyes. Real, palpable fear.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I... I don't know what I was thinking. When you told me about the marriage, about...Maisie... I panicked. I thought if I could teach Elysian a lesson, to scare her..."

"Scare her?" I cut him off, my voice cold as ice. I take a step closer, my voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "If *anything* happens to my daughter, I swear to God, the Feds will be the very least of your concerns. Do you understand me? I will burn everything you've ever built to the ground and you along with it."

"C-"

"Shut your fucking mouth," I spit out, stepping closer, getting right in his face. "You're going to disappear. I don't care where you go, but if I ever see your face again, all bets are off. Are we clear?"

He stares at me for a long time, the look in his eyes hardening to a cold and calculating one. There's a flicker of something-anger, maybe even a hint of respect-before his face settles into an impassive mask. Without a word, he gives a curt nod, turns on his heel, and walks away.

I watch him go, his posture rigid, his steps measured and purposeful. There's no slump to his shoulders, no sign of defeat. Just the coiled tension of a predator forced to retreat... for now.

I clench my fists at my sides, a muscle in my jaw ticking. I know my father, the man who taught me to never accept defeat, to always have a contingency plan.

*This isn't over. Not by a long shot.*

As David disappears around the corner, I lean against the wall, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline is wearing off, leaving me with the cold reality of the situation. My daughter is in surgery, my wife is traumatized, and my father... my father just tried to have them killed.

I run a hand over my face, my mind racing. I'll need to take steps to protect my family. Security measures, legal precautions-hell, maybe even consider relocating. David Sinclair doesn't accept defeat, and I can't afford to underestimate him. *I'll do what I have to to protect my family.*

...

*Even if it means putting a bullet through him myself.*