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I passed my sister on the way, patting her shoulder as I went.
She gave me a fleeting smile and went back to the stitches she was sewing into Ian’s arm.
Ian nodded at me, and I did the same back to him as I continued past.
I finally arrived at the curtained off area and opened it partially to pass through.
And my breath left my chest in a soft whoosh.
Not because she was hurt…or because there was anything gruesome showing…but because she looked so serene. So beautiful.
Blythe’s hair was spread out on the sheet below her like a hair commercial. All soft, flowing, and bouncy.
There was no sight of blood or anything on her, which meant someone had cleaned her up…most likely my sister.
She was dressed as well, wearing one of my t-shirts, a Vassago Motors one in navy blue.
My sister was probably responsible for that as well, because that was only possible if someone had gone to my quarters to get it.
She had a white hospital blanket covering her lower half, and the soft swell of her abdomen was evident, even now, making my heart turn.
Monitors beeped silently behind her, one for her heart, one for the baby’s heartbeat and another for the IV line that was going into a vein at her wrist.
And there was a light on just above her head, giving her an ethereal look that almost made me think of jewelry display cases. The kind that shone just right to display the diamonds in the case to entice the customers to stop and study them.
I definitely stopped.
And she took my breath away.
“She’s okay, as far as I can tell. I’m guessing she’s in a very deep sleep, nothing more. The baby is fine, as well. We’ve done a complete blood work up on them both. Healthy and happy,” my sister replied softly. “You need to just give her time. Not even a bump or scratch on her. The one Farrow said she sustained, the one that had all the blood caked around it, was healed as we got her here. I gave her a sponge bath and cleaned her up as best as I could. Now it’s all up to her.”
I nodded, walking to the bed and picking up Blythe’s hand.
It was warm and so soft.
I kissed each finger individually before placing it gently back on the bed.
Leaning over, I brushed my lips over hers. “Rest, my beauty.”***
“This is exactly what I’m talking about,” Derek growled. “You shouldn’t have been there. The King of our people should be protected. The moment you realized that it was going to be bad, you should’ve turned around and gotten to safety.”
I leaned back in my office chair, the one that used to belong to my father, and narrowed my eyes.
I hadn’t even been in here for more than a minute when he started in on what a King should and shouldn’t do.
And everything I’d done today was on the ‘shouldn’t do’ list apparently.
Nikolai sat back in his own chair across the room, as did the rest of the men from my inner circle. My blood brothers.
Ian, though, was the one I was interested in.
His eyes were downcast, and he was looking at his hands as he tried his best to disappear.
Ian was weird on the best of days, but usually he didn’t want to disappear.
Usually he was looking for a fight.
This wasn’t like him.
“Ian,” I called.
Ian, I could tell, was practically screaming ‘FUCK’ in his head.
Hell, I could practically read his mind.
“What’s up, Ian,” I repeated.
He sighed and looked up.
I could see the indecision in his eyes.
“You want my brutally honest opinion?” He asked bluntly.
I nodded. “I wouldn’t have asked your opinion if I expected anything but brutal honesty.”
Because Ian told it like it was. He didn’t pull any punches.
The man was a relief at times, even when it hurt to hear what he had to say.
Ian took a deep breath.
“On one hand, I want you to stay protected. That’s the way of a King…but not you, in particular. Sure, you’re ‘King,’” he made air quotes, “But you’re not that kind of one. You’re a badass motherfucker on the easy days. We want you, not some fuckin’ imposter that is you, but the real you.”
I raised my eyebrows at him.
Strangely, I understood that.
He wanted me.
He didn’t want the me that had to act differently to appease the masses.
“I also think that if you do that, you’d be making different decisions, because you won’t be as informed. Sure, none of us would tell you anything but the Gods honest truth. But it’s kind of like those generals who fight from the sidelines. You’re not a sideline fighter. You’re a right there in the thick of it kind of fighter. The one that shields us with your might. The one that gives us the courage to keep fighting even when we can’t fucking feel our legs. Like today. We were all blind and confused, but you were right there even after your woman got hurt. And that,” he said, giving me the full force of his gaze for the first time, “is what we need.”
