Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
She sighed. “Mad at him.”
I laughed softly. “Be mad at him or any of us all you want, baby girl, but he’s looking out for you. Answer it.”
With another sigh, she nodded at me. I answered the call and rested the phone on her chest, putting it on speaker for her.
“What?” she muttered.
“Unless you want me to spank your pretty ass red when you’re feeling better, I suggest you drop the attitude,” Blaze warned her. I rolled my eyes. He was such a hard ass with her, but I had to admit, he had a way of getting through to her that I didn’t. “Wanted to check in with you, see how you are. Sorry I didn’t get to see you before you were completely discharged.”
The discharge process had taken four fucking hours for no goddamn real reason. Blaze had been called to work for an emergency meeting and had to leave unexpectedly.
“It’s okay,” she muttered, her eyes closed. God, she looked so tired.
I went to check on the bath water and then came back into the room. It still had a little bit more to go.
“You need anything?” he asked her. “I’ll go get it, sweetheart. Hate knowing you’re in this much pain.”
It was the most emotion I’d ever seen him show, and a small smile tugged at her lips. My heart skipped a beat in my chest. God, she smiled so prettily.
“One of those pregnancy pillows,” she whispered. “Shaped like a U. Ice cream. Juice.”
Blaze quietly laughed. “Anything else, sweetheart?”
“Bubble bath stuff.”
I cracked a grin. God, she was adorable when she wanted to be.
“Got it, sweetheart. I’ll see you in a bit, yeah?”
“Kay,” she whispered.
He hung up, and I went to turn the water off before helping her out of her dress. Her entire body was discolored, and it made my own body hurt just looking at her.
I’d seen dead guys who looked better than her.
“Come on, baby girl,” I soothed, lifting her into my arms. “Let’s go get this bath.”
She rested her head on my shoulder as I carried her into the bathroom. Once she was settled in the tub, I sat on the side of it and ran the warm water over her body. She sighed softly, her eyes fluttering shut. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead.
“Sleep, baby girl. I’ve got you,” I promised.
23
Blaze
Jonah answered the door wearing a pair of sweats and nothing else, his hair dripping onto his shoulders. Just as I promised, I’d gone out to get the things Montana had requested. It was a small price to pay to ensure her comfort.
I might be a hard ass with her, but I did fucking care. It was one of the reasons I was such a hard ass with her. She had enough soft people in her life. She needed a firm hand to guide her and keep her straight.
“You actually came through,” he muttered, stepping back to let me in.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Thought I wouldn’t? In case you forgot, I’ve been at that hospital with her just as much as you have.”
He sighed. “Right. Sorry. Fucking tired,” he muttered.
I followed him down the hall to what I assumed was his bedroom. Montana was asleep, propped up against some pillows, a travel neck pillow around her shoulders to support her head. He shrugged at me when I looked at him. “Best I could do under the circumstances,” he told me.
She slowly opened her eyes, and those gorgeous dark eyes of hers locked instantly on me. “Hi,” she whispered, eyeing the bags and the large pillow I was holding.
I set the bags on the floor and moved over to her. With Jonah’s help, we moved the pillows that were propping her up and situated her inside of the U-shaped pregnancy pillow. She sighed in contentment as it cradled her body.
“Thank you.”
I brushed my lips to her forehead. “Don’t mention it.” I grabbed the other bags. “Your ice cream and juice.”
She smiled—actually fucking smiled—and God, that shit fired up my soul.
Jonah took it from me. “I’ll go put these up,” he quietly told me, giving me some time alone with her.
I eased onto the bed, being careful not to end up moving her. I brushed her hair back from her face. “How are you feeling?”
She frowned. “It hurts.”
I gritted my teeth, my jaw clenched so tightly it fucking hurt. I hated that everything came back to this baby. How was she meant to nurture another human being inside of her when she could barely move, much less fucking eat?
“We’ll do everything we can to make shit easier for you,” I promised her.
She nodded, her eyes fluttering shut. I stayed with her a few moments longer until her breathing evened out, the pain and exhaustion pulling her to sleep. After brushing my lips to the side of her head, I stood from the bed and walked out into the living room. Jonah looked up from the bar where he was eating a bowl of ramen noodles.