Page 46 of Shattered Love

My doctor’s eyes widen in surprise and it takes him a moment to recover. “We’ll try our best for both of them, Mr. Stone.” The doctor disappears back through the doors.

Molly stands in front of me. “What the hell are you saying? Avery will hate you for choosing her life over Juliet’s.”

Juliet’s name makes me flinch. My baby girl.

“I would rather have her alive and hating me than live in a world where she doesn’t exist.”

Molly flinches back at my tone. Her eyes wide as if she seeing me for the first time.

I won’t apologize. Molly has the perfect family. She wouldn’t understand what a world without Avery looked like, how dark it was, how cold and lonely. It might make me a selfish bastard, but I will take that fucking title if it means keeping Avery alive.

A nurse turns up, putting us in a side room.

I pace like a trapped wild animal. I can feel Carter and Molly watching, but they don't say anything. I don't even think I could fucking talk if I wanted. My heart is racing. I can hear everything, the clock ticking, the squeak of the chairs, the loud banging of the doors, everything. My throat feels like it’s in a chokehold and the fingers around it continue to tighten. There are a million thoughts racing around but none of them make sense.

The door slams open. I turn to see who is coming in.

Avery’s parents walk in. Her mother, Sharon, moves toward me, but stops when she looks me in the eyes. She sees something that has her taking a step back. Eyes widen in fear, her lip trembling.She takes in the rest of my appearance and her hand flies to her mouth. “Is that— oh my God—is that her blood?”

I look down at my dark crimson top and my blood-stained hands. I rip it off and bend at the knees. I can’t fucking breathe. I fucking need my girl.

I race out of the room, stopping when everyone looks at me. I push open the first door realizing it’s the bathroom, leaning my head against the wall as I try to even my breathing. The door pushes open a nurse looks at me with complete sadness in her eyes she doesn’t speak as she hands me scrubs.

Looking at myself in the cracked mirror. The smeared blood in my reflection. It's all so fitting, because just like that mirror, I feel broken. The jagged pieces stick into my skin and I’m fucking bleeding out, but no one can see. They don't understand—no fucker understands, not even Avery.

They don't know what it’s like to live in the darkness,how hard I have to fight to not let it consume me, to not let the evil that lives in my own breath win. I keep my demons in their cage far away from Avery, but I see them now, swirling in my eyes, taunting me, smirking at me.

I shake my head, punching the mirror and more blood smears.

I won't let them get ahold of me. My girls need me and I’m not letting them down.

When Avery wakes, because she will. I'm going to be there looking down at her, then I’m going to spank that ass of hers so she can't sit down for a fucking fortnight.

The door pushed open. “Stone, the doctor’s back.” Carter’s voice is hoarse.

I barge past him as I rush to the room.

The doctor sees my hand but doesn't say anything. A sad smile pulls at his lips.

“Your daughter was born at 6:05 p.m. She was quiet, taking the world in. She is healthy. Even with being early, she is doing amazing.”

I nod my head. My chest clenches and my heart tightens.

I'm a daddy. My baby girl is alive here in this world.

Relief consumes me. “When can I see Avery?” I’m smiling so wide.

The doctor looks at me. “I'm sorry, Mr. Stone. Avery lost a lot of blood. We had to do a blood transfusion. The next twenty-four hours will give us a better picture.”

I grab the doctor by his coat, pushing him against the wall.

“What are you not saying? I see it in your fucking eyes, tell me.”

The doctor swallows hard before hanging his head. When his eyes meet mine, the truth has me taking a quick step back.

“You need to call anyone that should be here. Go sit with her. I'm sorry, Mr. Stone. Your wife is a fighter and she fought hard until that little girl was born, but she’s…we’ll know more tomorrow.”

I hear screams and sounds behind me. I feel a hand on my shoulder but I shrug it off. They all might have given up on my girl, but they don't know. She won't leave me.

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