Page 105 of Bleeding Hearts Duet

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Your brother is fine,” the doctor explained. “He’s resting right now. He has a few cuts and bruises and a broken arm, but nothing too serious.”

“Are you sure?” I asked him again. “I want to see him.”

“You will,” he assured me. “But we had to give him a sedative when he came in. He won’t be awake for another few hours. In the meantime, I need to talk to you about your condition.”

The last thing I cared about was my condition, and I tuned him out while I plotted how I could get to Brayden’s room. But then something he said caught my attention, and all the blood drained from my face.

“Eight weeks pregnant, give or take…”

“I’m sorry,” I stopped him. “Could you repeat that?”

“I said are you aware that you’re eight weeks pregnant?” the doctor arched a brow.

“That’s not possible,” I stuttered. “I’m on the shot.”

The doctor frowned and flipped through his chart. “When was your last shot?”

I tried to tally up the months in my head when a sick feeling washed over me. I vaguely remembered getting a message from the doctor that Ryland had organized for me before Brayden had stormed into his office. That was two and a half months ago. Nearly six months total since I’d had the shot.

“It’s been six months,” I sobbed. “Oh my God… I’m such an idiot.”

“I’m afraid the shot only lasts for three,” the doctor replied. “But you do have options, Miss Valentine. I could send someone to discuss them with you if you’d like…”

“Is it… is my baby okay?” I blurted. “The accident…”

“The baby is okay.” He gave me a hopeful smile. “We managed to detect a heartbeat, and all looks well. You do have a rather large cut on your leg though, and a mild concussion, so we will need to keep you for observation.”

He continued to talk, but I didn’t hear a word. I was going to be a mother. To Ryland’s baby. Another sob escaped my chest, and the doctor clutched his chart before checking my IV.

“I think perhaps you should get some rest,” he said gently. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal tonight. Everything will feel better in the morning.”

There was hope in his voice, and I didn’t want to dash his optimistic attitude. Because it wasn’t going to be alright. But either way, I would be a mother, and my whole world was going to have to change.

***

Brayden came to see me in the middle of the night, followed by an angry nurse in his wake.

“Sir, I told you, you can’t be in here right now.”

“It’s okay,” I told her. “Please, let him stay. He just wants to make sure I’m alright.”

She gave him another stern expression before handing him some paperwork.

“Fine, but you still need to sign the discharge papers.”

She walked out and closed the door behind her, and Brayden reached down to clutch me in his arms.

“I’m so sorry,” he rasped. “I’m so sorry, Brighton. Are you okay? God, you were bleeding all over the place. I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m okay,” I assured him. “What about you?”

“I’m fine.” He collapsed into the seat beside me where Ryland had been earlier.

He looked exhausted, and his clothes still had blood on them.

“Why did you discharge yourself?” I asked. “You should be resting.”

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