Page 85 of Twisted Prince

Worry marks Gabby’s sweet face, but as she hesitates, Gleb scoops her up off the floor and sets her carefully inside the railing of my bed. Gabby’s arms wrap around my neck in a tight hug that makes my head throb and my pulse pound in my temples. But it feels so good to have her close, that I wrap my arms around her tiny body and squeeze her close.

“Hi, sweet girl. Are you hurt?” I murmur.

“I’m okay.” Gabby pulls back to study my face gravely. “Mama hurt?”

“I’m fine now, keiki,” I assure her, running a finger down her soft cheek and around the curve of her chin. Then my eyes shift to Gleb as Gabby snuggles beneath my throat. “How long have I been here?”

“Three days. You hit your head pretty hard. Doc said you went into a coma.”

“That explains why it’s throbbing,” I quip, placing my palm on the tender spot and finding a square bandage taped in place. A hiss rushes through my teeth as the pressure sends a stabbing pain through my temple.

“I’ll go get the doctor,” Gleb says, turning toward the door.

“No, wait,” I insist, my heart rate increasing. The monitor gives me away, and Gleb glances toward it as the beeps grow more persistent.

“Okay. I’m here,” he assures me, stepping closer to grip the railing on my bed.

“You took care of Gabby all that time?” I ask, my voice starting to tremble as I think of everything he’s done for me.

“Of course,” he assures me. “The hospital brought in a cot for her so we could be here when you woke. I… didn’t want to leave you alone in case Vinny’s men came looking for you.”

It brings tears to my eyes to know that Gleb not only saved me once again but took such good care of our child when I couldn’t. Despite how horribly I left things between us the last time I saw him, he dropped everything to come down and help me.

He risked his life to keep us safe.

I’m overwhelmed by his selflessness.

Reaching over, I place my hand on top of his, and his eyes shift down to the touch.

Heat radiates in my cheeks as I wonder whether the gesture is too intimate, but I’m so grateful for him right now that I just can’t help myself. “Thank you,” I murmur.

Gleb’s free hand covers mine, his eyes soft. “You don’t have to thank me,” he says.

“No, I do. You didn’t have to come, but you did. You helped both of us out of a horrible situation, and I don’t think I could have done it without you.”

The hint of a smile curls one corner of his lips. “I’m confident you would have.” His eyes shift to Gabby, indicating that he knows without saying that I would do anything for my little girl.

I squeeze her a little tighter at his meaningful look, and when she squeezes back, it sends a lancing pain through my temples. I close my eyes, swallowing hard to fight through the pain, and when I open my eyes again, Gleb is watching me with wordless understanding.

“I really should go get the doctor. They can help ease the pain.”

Licking my lips, I nod and take deep breaths to keep my anxiety at bay.

“I won’t be gone long,” he adds, as if sensing my tension.

“Thanks.”

Gleb gives me fingers a gentle squeeze, then strides lithely from the room.

I watch him go, my heart thrumming as I take the moment alone with Gabby to consider the situation we’re in. It was one thing to keep the truth about our daughter a secret from Gleb when I didn’t think he was going to be in our lives.

But now, he’s gone out of his way to help us, to bring us back to New York with him.

And I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t put my trust in him, to tell him that he’s Gabby’s father. He deserves to know. And after seeing them together, I can’t deny that he would be good to her.

She deserves to have that.

And so does he.

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