card for me, he was no where to be found. He certainly wasn’t waiting to take me home, so someone else would need to do it.
Except... I didn't have a home, let alone a bed to rest in for weeks. I wasn't going back to Blake, not for all the tea in China. If he was even still alive, that was. What had that guy said when he’d grabbed me? They'd tortured Blake for information?
If I was lucky, they'd killed him and fed his body to sharks.
"Do you have any questions for me right now, Brooklyn?" Doctor Mooney was so calm and kind, seriously acing the bedside manner part of her job. “You should be discharged in time for Christmas Eve, you don’t need to worry about that.”
I needed to swallow twice and wet my lips before I could reply.
"The guy that brought me in last night..." I trailed off, at a loss for what to ask. Where was he? Why wasn't he here when I woke up? Doesn't he understand that this is his baby?
"He wasn't permitted access until you woke up and could give consent, as he isn't immediate family," she told me gently. "He informed us that you have no family to contact, but we can't risk these things."
I nodded my understanding. "Of course," I whispered, "because what if he was the one who’d hurt me, right?"
The doctor nodded. "He was in the waiting room during your examination, but I haven't seen him in a few hours. Are you happy to grant him access if he comes back?"
"Y-yes. Yeah. He's, uh, he is..." I couldn't even say the fucking words out loud. I wasn't ready to be a mother, no way in hell. On reflex, though, my hand went to my still-flat belly, and Dr. Mooney nodded.
"Got it," she said with a smile. "I'll make a note on your file. In the meantime, are you hungry? I'll get a tray of food sent up."
My stomach chose that moment to gurgle loudly, and I gave a watery smile. "Apparently."
My doctor laughed. "Alright, just try to rest. A nurse will be back to check on you soon." She gave my forearm another reassuring squeeze, then left my room with her folder of notes tucked under her arm.
Sinking into my bed, I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that I hadn't lost my baby yet. A baby I'd never even truly known existed until today. Placing my hands flat on my stomach, I just breathed in and out, feeling this moment.
Movement in the doorway caught my attention, and my head jerked up as I searched for the tall, gorgeous, dark skin of Dylan. Only the person there was not his height, and the only dark part of her was the hair and clothing she wore.
Riley Deboise. The absolute last person on the planet I wanted to see. I would have even preferred Blake because at least I could attempt to murder him if he were here. But Riley... what was she doing here? Was it to accuse me of more underhanded shit? Was she here to end things between Dylan and me? Was this about gloating or something? Warning me off the company fortune?
Today, I really wasn’t in the fucking mood as I was still bleeding from the last shit I’d encountered due to Riley and her company.
A hesitant smile crossed her face that I didn't bother to return. "Would it be okay if I came inside?" she asked, sounding less like the ballbuster she had at the camp.
I wanted to say no. I really wanted to say no, but the chance I might learn where Dylan was and what had happened to the men who’d attacked us had me nodding. "Sure, I guess so."
She crossed and pulled the chair from the wall, placing it right at my side. Great, looked like she was in for the long haul.
22
The silence between us felt awkward on my side, but Riley didn't look uncomfortable. I mean, her shoulders might have been a little stiff, but I wasn't going to make it easier on her. She’d come to my hospital room, so whatever she had to say, it was up to her to handle it.
"I think I owe you a bit of an apology."
I almost fell out of bed and nearly killed my child for the second time today.
"What?"
She twisted her hands in front of her. "In truth, my tendency to charge in headfirst was part of my personality before I