Phoenix Tonic Read Free Page B

the balloons. Like a robot she forced herself to participate in their conversation about the latest movies, babies and friends. But the news finally sunk in, and she couldn’t pretend anymore. She was going to be gone soon. A part of her was still denying that this was her reality. She drew her knees to her chest, wrapped her slim arms around her legs, and cried.

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    George Simmons rubbed his face as he watched the sun rise from the cushion lined window of his daughter’s bedroom. His all-night vigil seemed worthless. No matter how he prayed for his daughter’s health, she continued to deteriorate.
    Why did his little girl have to be so stubborn? She could have been cured weeks ago, if only she’d considered Markham’s proposal. She was suffering so much. The morphine didn’t seem to help anymore. She’d wake up delirious, writhing in pain and then she’d collapse again. It was almost too much for him to handle.
    A soft knock came from the rich maple door. Simmons cleared his throat, but was too exhausted to stand. “Yes?”
    The maid entered with a lowered head. “Forgive me, but Mr. Markham is here and has requested to visit your daughter.”
    Simmons’s brow drew together. Maybe there’s a chance the fool changed his mind? He motioned the maid to let the guest have entry.
    Simmons watched the young man’s face as he knelt at his daughter’s side. It melted from worry, to distress, to guilt.
    “Mr. Markham,” Simmons said low, “I am a proud man. But I beg you, please, let my daughter live.” He knew there was no medicine in the world that could help her at this point. But he couldn’t give up, it was his job as a father.
    Kallian reached out to touch the skeleton of a hand that belonged to Hailey, but he pulled back at the last moment. George knew the feeling, as if his touch might break her.
    The young man turned toward him, still on his knees. “Please accept my apology for the proposal last month. I didn’t mean for it to sound as chauvinistic as it must have to her. But the tonic has side effects. Those side effects would have plagued her for the rest of her life. I needed her to choose that life. It would have been dangerous for her to be away from me as she learned to deal with the difficulties.”
    George leaned forward. “So she doesn’t need to marry you for the medicine? She only needs to be monitored?”
    Markham shook his head. “There’s more to it than that. The side effects will make her hormones go out of control. She will not be able to be around any males for at least a year, maybe longer.”
    George stood up, his eyes wide. “So it’ll be like a convent? She can do that.”
    Markham’s brow furrowed. “It’s much worse than that. If she overreacts she may, uh, spike a fever that can be dangerous to everyone around her.”
    George shrugged. “So she’ll learn patience. She needs that anyway.” Could it be true? Is Markham folding?
    Mr. Markham stood and looked at George long and hard. “I’m sorry, this cannot work. If word of the tonic got out it could put my entire family in danger. If she had come willingly—”
    “We will not let your secret out, I promise!” George lunged at Markham and grabbed him by the shoulders. “I’ll give you any kind of collateral. Anything at all. I’ll even give you my company, just save her.”
    Hailey let out a soft moan in her unconscious state.
    Markham stiffened under George’s grasp. His eyes narrowed as he slowly removed George’s hands from his shoulders. A mutinous glare lit up Markham’s features. “I don’t want your company. But if it will keep you in line you can put me on as a leading partner holding the most shares. That way, if you double cross me, we’ll bury the company and you with it.”
    George’s fingers dug into the window sill for balance as the young man glared down at him. Markham was certainly formidable, but if he could save his daughter he’d agree to anything. “My