Drake eternal the unrest.., p.1
Drake Eternal (The Unrestrained Series Book 10), page 1
DRAKE ETERNAL
THE UNRESTRAINED SERIES BOOK TEN
S. E. LUND
DRAKE ETERNAL
The Unrestrained Series Book Ten
Copyright 2024 S. E. Lund
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, at "Attention: Permissions Coordinator," at the address below.
selund2012@gmail.com
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by S. E. Lund
CHAPTER 1
Drake slid in beside me, the pressure from his body on the bed waking me.
The bedside lamp was off, but a thin sliver of moonlight filtered in under the curtains, illuminating the bedroom. The clock on the table read ten forty. I had intended to wait up for him to come home and join me in bed, but I’d fallen asleep, tired as I was from my long day of working on my article and looking after Liam and Sophia after they both came home from school.
“You asleep?” Drake whispered softly as he moved closer to me, one arm slipping around my waist. “Have a hard day? I can shut up if so. It’s just that I haven’t had a chance to talk to you at all today except through texts…”
I rolled over and turned to face him, smiling. “I’m never too tired to… talk.”
The corner of his mouth turned up at that. “Oh, you want to talk, do you?”
We kissed briefly, both of us smiling. I knew that Drake was probably too tired to do anything but sleep after his twelve-hour day at the hospital doing complex brain surgery. He was taking the summer off and had only two days left before his vacation began.
“How did your second-last day of work go? Nothing too complicated, I hope.”
“Got the most difficult ones out of the way earlier in the week. Now, it’s routine. Simple stuff. Less likely to have complications. I want to be done tomorrow so we can take off and go to the beach house for the weekend. Once you’re done your article, we can go for the summer if you want.”
“Music to my ears.”
It would just be me, Drake and Sophie, since Liam was going to live with his mother and stepfather for the summer as per his custody arrangement. We would miss his bright face around the house, but he needed to spend time with his mother and with Chris.
“How’s your shoulder?” Drake asked, his lips moving to my left shoulder, which I’d hurt in a fall while riding my bike earlier in the week. Nothing seriously damaged but a few tendons still sore enough that I was being careful with it.
“Not too bad,” I said and moved it around a bit for his benefit. “Still sore but getting better.”
He kissed it again. “Do you want a massage? I can give you a quick one. It might help relax you so you can sleep better.”
I hesitated, smiling to myself. Did he mean a massage-massage, or a massage? I figured I’d find out either way.
“Sure,” I said and rolled onto my stomach, my cheek resting on my good arm, my bad arm flat at my side. I felt the bed move and Drake sat up beside me, his warm hands slipping up my back to my shoulder, pressing gently on my ribs. Then, he started slowly and carefully massaging my shoulder.
It felt so good…
“Oh, that’s nice,” I murmured, sighing.
“Still sore?”
“Just a bit. Tylenol helps.”
He kept massaging my shoulder, upper back and arm, the rhythmic pressure of his hands on my skin making me sleepier. I yawned.
“Putting you to sleep, am I?” he said, his voice soft with a touch of humor.
I didn’t say anything, smiling as I realized he was hoping for the opposite. It wasn’t that I didn’t want sex with him. It’s that I was seriously exhausted after a long day of work and looking after two kids and the apartment.
“That’s okay, because I’m sleepy, too.” He lay down beside me and slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me against his body. I snuggled against him, smiling as he kissed my cheek. “Goodnight my love.”
“Goodnight,” I said back. “I’ll be glad when we’re both off work for the summer and can spend more quality time together.”
He kissed my shoulder. “Until then, go to sleep.”
I closed my eyes, and very soon, was drifting off. We had a very busy day the next day, getting Liam all packed up for his trip. It would be an emotional day for Drake and for Sophie and me.
I wanted to be bright and ready for it.
The next morning when I woke, Drake was already up and had showered. He, Sophie and Liam were in the kitchen making breakfast. After I had my own shower, I joined the three of them and ate a quick breakfast. We had to finish packing up Liam’s clothes for his holiday with Maureen and Chris in Indonesia.
Just thinking about it made me sad.
He’d spent the school year with us, and I knew that Sophie would miss him dearly. We all would. He was such a good boy, so calm and friendly. He was conscientious and a hard worker, getting top grades at school. His dark hair and blue eyes mirrored his father, and he was growing taller. He’d been a bit on the short side because of the years of illness, but he seemed to be completely normal now. Physically, he grew stronger with each passing month, and now, if you didn’t see the scar on his chest where he’d had a permanent port placed for chemotherapy, you’d never know he had been a cancer patient for years of his early life.
Children were resilient like that. We were so lucky that medical science had progressed so much that now, most children with cancer went on to live a normal life. Some still succumbed, and so we counted our blessings every day.
It would be hard to see him go, even if only for a few months.
Drake made Maureen and Chris promise to stay close to the more densely populated areas during their trip, just in case Liam needed medical care. Drake had taken Liam to a pediatric oncologist just to have a complete physical and check before agreeing to the trip.
Now, it was time to let him go.
“We’re going to miss you,” I said and gave Liam a hug, kissing the top of his head.
He shrugged and smiled. “I’ll be back. Besides, we can Skype any time we want.” He held up his latest Smartphone — an iPhone. “We can even do a video conference using our phones.”
I nodded and together, we finished packing his suitcase, which had a scooter attached. “I think that’s all of it,” I said and zipped up the outer pocket. “Your toothbrush and toothpaste and your meds are in your carryon.”
“Watch this,” he said. He moved the suitcase off the bed and then pulled the scooter down and rode it out of his bedroom to the staircase. He put the scooter back and carried it down to the main floor.
Then, he rode the suitcase-scooter until he reached the front door. He turned back after folding the scooter back up and smiled at me.
How I would miss that smile…
Drake appeared out of his office, his cell to his ear. He was nodding and speaking to the person on the other end of the line and came over to where Liam stood, putting his arm around Liam’s shoulder.
“I gotta go. We’ll meet you there. No, really. We’ll meet you there. We want to see him off.”
Drake ended the call. “That was your mother and Chris. They were going to pick you up, but I said no. We want to take you to the airport and see you off. Which is just as well since Maureen says they’re running late.”
“Okay.” Liam shrugged and checked his Apple watch. He looked back at Drake. “We should leave soon. Is Sophie ready?”
At that, Sophie popped her head out of her bedroom. She came out to stand at the top of the stairs. “I’m ready.”
“Good,” Drake said and checked his own watch. “I’m ready, too.” He looked at me and I could see he was trying hard to sound excited about Liam’s trip, but I knew he really didn’t want to see his son go away from us and to Indonesia. Not only would it be exposing Liam to various virus and bacteria that are unique to the area, but it would also be strange without his voice and laugh as a daily part of our lives.
We would all miss him.
Sophie and I went down the stairs to the main floor and together, the four of us slipped on our shoes and collected our things for the limo ride to JFK, where Liam would meet up with Maureen, Chris and their other child, a baby boy named Matthew. They had a flight to Jakarta on Emirates, first class, courtesy of Drake, with a three-hour layover in Dubai before their connecting flight to Jakarta.
Chris argued that they could take a cheaper flight on another airline, but Drake insisted. He paid for the four first class tickets and called it a birthday present for Liam.
“Why have money if not to spend it to make life b
We loaded into the limo that was waiting outside the apartment and then drove off towards JFK, which was to the east of where we lived in Brooklyn. The trip was fast, and we arrived even earlier than planned, giving us some time to sit with Liam before turning him over to Maureen and Chris. Before we entered the terminal, Drake made Liam put on a KN95 mask. As a cancer patient on immune suppressing drugs, he would always be at risk of catching a more severe form of Covid, so we were stringent about masking in public. He would be at risk in the airplane and so before Drake agreed to let him fly, he made Maureen and Chris promise to keep Liam masked.
“Here,” Drake said and handed Liam a new mask. “Make sure to wear this. There’s nothing you can do about having to eat, but at least the air on the plane is cleaned continuously.”
Liam complied and slipped on the children’s mask.
We went to the Emirates first class lounge and waited for the rest of the family to arrive. Luckily, since Drake paid for the tickets and was a member, the three of us could wait in the first-class lounge for them to arrive.
Sophie and Liam sat by the window in chairs facing the tarmac. Drake and I sat at a table beside them, holding hands. I knew Drake was emotional as I was at having to say goodbye.
“I wish I was going with them,” he said, his voice soft and a little morose. “Wouldn’t it be nice for the four of us to take a trip?”
“We will,” I said and squeezed his hand. “When my article’s done. We could go anywhere you choose. We could even meet up with Maureen and Chris somewhere, if you really want.”
Drake nodded and exhaled heavily. “I’m glad I was able to take some time off this summer. We’re nearly through our scheduled surgeries for this quarter.”
“Good.”
In about fifteen minutes, Maureen, Chris and Matthew showed up at the entrance, and Maureen was clearly flustered, her hair in disarray, and her face flushed. She saw us sitting by the window and pointed to us, speaking with Chris, who had the small boy in his arms. Matthew was now a toddler and was wiggling like crazy to get out of Chris’s embrace.
They came over and Drake stood, shaking Chris’s hand and saying hello to Maureen.
“Sorry we’re late but getting everything together with a toddler,” she said and rolled her eyes. “It’s been fun.”
I smiled and glanced at Matthew, who looked like a mini version of Chris. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters. The kids have been enjoying the view.”
Maureen went to where Liam and Sophie were sitting and gave Liam a kiss. “Hello, Sophia. You’re going to miss your big brother, I expect.”
Sophie turned and smiled. “We’re going to Skype all the time, so I won’t miss him as much.”
“That’s good. Hopefully the little oasis we’re going to has good Internet so you can chat when you want.”
“We’re going to an oasis?” Liam asked, standing up and giving Chris a hug and then tickling a squirming Matthew.
“Yes, there’s a lovely beach-front property we’re staying at. Don’t worry,” she said and turned to Drake. “It’s not far from the main children’s hospital. We will be only fifteen minutes away. But there’s sand and surf and palm trees. It will be really nice. Chris can attend the convention during the day and the three of us can spend time on the beach. Then, when the convention’s over, we’ll go home, and you and Sophie will be able to see each other on weekends.”
Chris checked his watch. “Looks like it’s time for us to go through customs. Thanks for bringing Liam here. We’ll keep in touch during the trip, so you know how things are going.”
“Sounds good,” Drake said and gave Liam a warm hug and kiss. “Make sure to keep your mask on. I’ll miss you. We’ll all miss you, Sophie especially.”
“We’ll Skype and maybe we can play video games online together,” Liam said and turned to Sophie. “I’ve been teaching her how to play.”
They hugged and then we walked out of the Emirates lounge with them and to the security check in. Liam rode his scooter-suitcase all the way. Because they were first class tickets, they could walk right to the check in without waiting in line with the rest of the passengers.
“Have fun,” Drake said and kissed Liam on the top of the head one more time.
“I will,” Liam replied and waved. Then, he rode his suitcase-scooter and followed Maureen, Matthew and Chris to the check-in gates.
Beside me, Drake sighed, and I glanced at him. His eyes were wet. Beside me, Sophie’s eyes were as well and so of course, that made my eyes well up with emotion.
Liam turned around once they arrived at the check-in and waved once more.
“Bye,” Drake whispered and waved back.
I squeezed his hand. He loved that boy so much. We all did.
“Let’s go before I start bawling,” I said and took Sophie’s hand in mine.
“I wish he wasn’t going,” Sophie said, her voice shaky with emotion.
“He’ll be back soon.” Drake picked her up and carried her out of the terminal to the waiting limo.
We were largely silent on the way back to our home in Brooklyn, each of us struggling with emotions. Sophie played with her Gameboy while Drake and I watched the passing scenery. We should have all been happy to see Liam off on an adventure, but both Drake and I knew that Liam would always be at risk of catching Covid or some bug when on a trip.
“He’ll be fine,” I said and squeezed Drake’s hand. “Maureen is a nurse. She knows the risks Liam faces. She’ll make sure he’s protected.”
He nodded but kept his gaze out the window. I knew he was fighting with his desire to protect Liam and at the same time, the need to let him be with his mother and stepfather — and new half-brother. We couldn’t keep Liam from the world, as much as we wanted to protect him. He had to live his life and grow.
We arrived home finally and took the elevator to the apartment. Sophie ran inside and went right up to her room.
“Where are you going?” I called up after her. She came to the top of the stairs.
“Liam is going to do a FaceTime with me before the plane leaves. Their plane has been delayed. He’s going to show me video of the plane.”
“Oh, that’s nice.”
I turned to Drake. “Their plane has been delayed. I wonder why?”
Drake frowned. “Probably just a slowdown. I’ll check my app.”
He took out his cell and checked on his app that monitored airports and plane arrivals and departures.
“There’s an emergency on one of the runways. The planes are backed up. His plane should be leaving in fifteen or so. Nothing to worry about.”
I nodded and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on. We all needed lunch, and I especially wanted a hot cup of tea.
Then, with Drake busy watching the news and Sophie in her room playing by herself, I would have some time to look over my article for the journal I was working for. It was due in a week, and I wanted to make sure all the edits were complete, and I was happy with it before I sent it to my proofreader and then on to the editor.
When it was finally in, Drake and I promised each other that we’d go to the Island and steal a weekend alone together. Sophie would stay with Ethan and Elaine.
It would be a much-needed escape for us both.
CHAPTER 2
That night, after I put Sophie in bed and assured her that Liam would be back before we knew it, sleeping in his bed in the bedroom beside her on weekends, I went back down to the living room where Kate was waiting.
She held an ornate shot glass of Anisovaya in each hand. “I think we both deserve this after the day we’ve had.”
I took the shot glass from her and gave her a warm kiss. “I think we do.”
We both drank back the special vodka and smacked our lips appreciatively. It was one of our favorite drinks and held special memories of our early life together. I introduced Kate to the flavored vodka of Russia and so many other things that were now a part of our lives together, if only pleasant memories.
“Brings back old times,” I said and smiled.
“That it does.” She took my hand and together, we walked out to the patio and stood at the balcony wall, watching the lights of Manhattan across the East River.
