Page 12 of Vengeful Pawn

“Please be nice,” I say.

He grunts out a response, and that’s as good as I’ll get when he’s this worried about me.

“Maternity,” he barks at a nurse who raises a brow at us. Another pain hits, and I cry out. She hops to her feet and tells him to follow her.

“What’s the problem?” the nurse asks as I curl into myself in his arms.

“She’s four months pregnant, has hyperemesis gravidarum, and started having cramps twenty minutes ago.”

I’m impressed that he remembered the technical term for my morning sickness.

“Medications?” the woman asks as we enter the maternity ward. Another nurse spots us and quickly points towards an empty bed where Hendrix gently lays me down.

“Metoclopramide,” I grit through my teeth. I’m generally not a wimp when it comes to pain, but it feels like my insides are being pinched with lobster claws.

As more nurses enter and then a doctor, Hendrix steps back when all I want is for him to be closer so I can touch his skin. He must see it on my face because he slides in by my head, staying out of the way, as I’m hooked up to IVs and monitors.

It’s a flurry of activity, and after an ultrasound, while the pain was at its peak, they discovered gallstones.

“You’re certain Mia and the baby are safe?” Hendrix asks for the fourth time.

“Positive. They’re small and will pass relatively easily. She’s getting fluids and pain management. We’ll keep her overnight and reassess in the morning.” The woman leaves us alone with the promise of a private room in a few minutes.

A sob breaks out of my chest, and poor Hendrix is on his feet again. “You can’t cry, I don’t do tears, and I can’t handle anything else tonight. Are you okay?Isthere something else wrong?”

“No, nothing else,” I reply. “Will you hold me?” I blurt out the question without thinking.

Careful of all the wires and cords, Hendrix slides into bed with me, allowing me to lie my head on his chest. Wrapping one arm around my back, he holds my free hand with his other one.

“Everything will be fine.” His tone is steady in a storm of emotion, making me wonder if I can do any of this alone anymore.

“I want you with us, Hendrix,” I say, tilting my head up to see his face. “I don’t just want you around on weekend visits or sending money if we need it. I want you to be part of our lives. Every single day.”

He inhales deeply, and it’s apparent that he’s fighting a war in his head. Finding excuses and reasons he can’t be with us.

“I have a spare room in my house.” Hendrix frowns, but I forge on. “I know you don’t trust yourself yet, and I won’t rush you.” Pausing as a wave of nausea hits, I breathe deeply before speaking again. “Our night together meant something to me. It wasn’t supposed to, but even before I learned about the baby, I recognized a connection between us.”

Brushing his fingers through my hair, he tilts my head up farther. “So did I. I’ve spent the last four months regretting not getting your name and number. In my head, you’ve just been my princess. I had planned on asking Castle who you were when I got to the clubhouse today, but there you were. Gorgeous as ever and carrying my baby.”

“I think my heart stopped for a minute.” I honestly hadn’t expected to see him again until I went looking for him.

“Why didn’t you ask your brother who I was when you found out?” Searching his eyes, I’m relieved he doesn’t appear angry about that.

“I feel like I’ve been in a processing mode from the moment the doctor said I was pregnant. There was denial, then fear, and then, 'Oh, shit, how am I going to do this alone?' Then, when I got around to thinking about you, your note gave me pause.” The comment isn’t meant to hurt him, but we need as much honesty as possible between us. “I wasn’t sure if it would be the kind of news you wanted, so I decided to wait until Castle cooled down, because a month ago, he was ready to kill you. And I wanted more time to myself without having to worry about your feelings. That sounds selfish, but it was my reality.”

“It’s not. At all. I’m glad to be part of your lives now.” His lips lower to kiss my forehead as he whispers, “I’ll get better for both of you.” And somewhere deep inside my heart, I know he’s going to, and this time next year, we could be a genuine family.

Hopefully.

CHAPTER 9

Hendrix

Nearly a month has passed since the gallstones scare that left me more shaken than I ever thought possible. Even when Hadley was kidnapped, I’d never been so scared. I think it’s because with Mia and the pregnancy, I have no control over what happens.

She’s bounced back like nothing occurred. Meanwhile, I’m still concerned about all the things that could go wrong. I spent more time reading about pregnancy than I should have, and now that I know all the complications women can face, I worry Mia may have those same troubles.

“Hey, you good?” Bishop slaps my shoulder as we approach the dock where Seven and Severo are gliding in with a family from Panama City. They drove from Panama to Fort Walton before hopping on the boat because the man these people are running from is in the police force, and it was the best way to keep him guessing where they would wind up.

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