Page 24 of Ruined

I pulled back enough to stop kissing her, but my lips still brushed against hers as I spoke. “You aremine, Adelaide, and to claim anything different will only get you fucked into submission, understand me?”

Her breath hitched in her throat at my words as she nodded her head. I released her, stepping back as she drew in a deep, shaky breath. Jesup barked out a laugh. I glared at him, but Jesup had known me for so long that he didn’t even heed my silent warning to shut the fuck up. “I swear, even though she’s obviously notthe same girl that she was when she was eighteen, the effect you have on her is still the same.”

Addy scowled at him and bared her teeth, not amused by him in the slightest. “Watch yourself.”

He held his hands up in a surrendering gesture, but the smirk didn’t drop from his lips. She sneered at him before she turned her beautiful eyes back to me. “Want to go to the doctor?” I asked Addy.

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and fear flashed through her eyes as the fight inside of her quickly disappeared, leaving behind a frightened, vulnerable woman. I stepped closer to her, resting my hands over her upper arms as I ran my hands up and down them, trying to soothe her. “You need to,” I told her quietly. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath. “I’ll be by your side the entire time. I swear,” I promised her.

She blew out a harsh breath, then nodded her head. I grabbed her hand in my own and laced my fingers through hers as I pulled my bike keys from my pocket. “Jesup, can you hold everything down here?” I asked him, though I knew he could without me having to ask.

He nodded, his eyes flickering to Addy for a split second before he returned them to me. “Got it, Grim.”

Chapter Twelve

Tristan

Addy nervously bounced her leg up and down as we waited for Dr. Howard to come into the little room that we had been placed in. I knew that nothing that I could say would calm down her nerves right then, so I just sat behind her on the little cot with her between my legs as I kept my arms wrapped tight around her, pressing light kisses to her neck and shoulder in a silent reminder that I was still with her, that she wasn’t alone.

A light knock sounded on the door, and Dr. Howard stepped in with a warm smile on his face. Judging by the way Adelaide tensed in my arms though, it did nothing to soothe her. “Good to see you again, Tristan. How’s your collarbone?” he asked me.

About a year ago, I’d had a motorcycle accident that had broken my collarbone. But after months of physical therapy, I was perfectly fine. I didn’t even have a scar from the accident.

I shrugged. “Never been better,” I told him. “Able to function perfectly again.”

Addy shot me a questioning look, but I just shook my head at her. She sighed and turned her attention back to Dr. Howard. He smiled at her and held out his hand for her to shake. She slowly took his hand in hers. I pressed another light kiss to her shoulder, wishing I could help calm her in some kind of way, but I knew nothing was going to work right then.

“I’m Dr. Howard, Tristan’s only trusted doctor within a two-hundred-mile radius.” I rolled my eyes, though it was true. I didn’t trust anyone else. “You’re Adelaide Berkeley, correct?”

She nodded in answer, only bouncing her leg faster as she did so. I pressed a gentle kiss to her neck as I momentarily tightened my arms around her. Dr. Howard sat on his stool and looked up at her. “Well, youarepregnant, Adelaide,” he confirmed, not beating around the bush.

Her body went rigid in my arms. I pressed another kiss to the side of her neck as I tightened my arms around her again. “Breathe, Addy,” I coaxed. “I’m right here. It’s okay, baby.”

She drew in a shaky breath, her hands coming up to grip my forearms in a death grip, her nails digging into my skin. I didn’t even flinch. If it would make her feel better, I’d flay the skin from my bones for her. “Is Tristan the father?” Dr. Howard asked her.

Adelaide shook her head in answer. I could practically feel her struggling to hold in her tears as her nails dug further into my arm, almost drawing blood. I ignored the pain. “Do you know the family history of the father?” Dr. Howard asked her.

Adelaide nodded silently. I drew in a deep breath. She was on the verge of breaking. I could feel it.

“We need to write down any history of diseases on the father’s side. Can you do that for me?” he asked her gently, sensing her sadness.

“If you’re not ready, just say so,” I told her before she could answer him. “You need time to heal. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

She audibly swallowed before she whispered, “I can do this.”

My brave girl.

I pressed another kiss to her shoulder as Dr. Howard began asking her questions about Joey’s family history. Fuck, she was so goddamn brave. I didn’t know anyone who could do this so soon after losing someone so close to them. “Is he going to be in the picture?” Dr. Howard asked her after a few minutes of asking her questions about Joey’s family history.

That was all it took. She fell apart. Dr. Howard swung his alarmed gaze to me. I just shook my head at him wordlessly, and he nodded, stepping out of the room to give us some privacy. I wrapped my arms around Addy tightly, dragging her tight against me. “Hey, calm down,” I told her gently. “Stressing yourself out isn’t good for the baby.” I hated seeing her so fucking upset, though I knew it was inevitable.

“S-sorry.” She hiccupped. “It’s—it’s just…”

I pressed my lips to her forehead. “I know, baby girl.” She whimpered, her fingers clenching my cut in her fists. “It’s okay to cry, but I don’t want you to work yourself up too much. You have a little one to take care of,” I reminded her, grabbing her hand and placing it over her still flat belly, pressing my hand on top of hers as she looked up at me.

She sobbed, and the sound was so fucking broken that it tore at my soul.

She leaned up and kissed me softly. I knew she was using it as a distraction, but I took full advantage of the kiss. I groaned, instantly moving to deepen it. It was the first time she’d kissed me on her own, and it fucking drove me insane that she was finally moving forward me with that tiny bit, even if every part of me was telling me that she was just looking for something in that moment to make her feel better.

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