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“Later. You’re exhausted. Just trust me.”
She did. And he was right. She was exhausted.
After the doctor had released her, West had taken her to see Beau. He hadn’t looked like Beau. He was so quiet, so still. He’d opened his eyes at one stage and saw her sitting beside his bed. He’d sent her a small smile, but it was just a ghost of his usual grin.
In the end, West had had to pick her up. She hadn’t wanted to go, so he’d carried her through the hospital and out to his truck.
Now they were back at the ranch. She looked up at the house as they pulled up. Maddox and Raid had come in as they were leaving Beau’s hospital room to sit with him. Neither of them had given her looks of condemnation or anger. In fact, Maddox had stopped to squeeze her good hand. Peering down at her in concern.
Now that she was back, what would Mia say? What would Alec?
She sat in the truck as West got out and walked around. He opened her door and undid her seatbelt, lifting her into his arms. She should probably protest. Tell him she was capable of walking on her own. But she wanted to create every memory she could. Take every opportunity to touch him before she had to leave.
So she let him pick her up and carry her to the house. She glanced over towards the stables.
“Don’t look over there,” he told in a low voice.
“I’m all right,” she whispered.
He snorted. “Glad one of us is then, baby girl. Because I’m damn sure not.”
She hated that she’d done this to him. He’d been happily living his life, free from a dangerous psychopath, before she’d set her mind to wanting him. What a naïve little idiot she’d been.
She expected him to carry her up the stairs, so she was surprised when he walked into the kitchen. Mia and Alec were there, sitting at the table. Mia was sitting on Alec’s lap. He had one arm around her back, the other hand was splayed across her tummy. A protective gesture that made her heart melt. What would West to be like with a child?
She remembered the way he taken care of her, testing the temperature of her soup before feeding it to her. Lying on the floor of her bedroom to be close to help her with her nightmares. How protective he was over everyone he cared about. He’d make an amazing dad. She just hoped, one day, he’d find somebody who could give him that.
“Flick!” Mia tried to rise, but Alec held her in place.
He blamed her. He didn’t want Mia near her.
“Alec,” Mia protested.
“You just had a dizzy spell,” Alec told her. “You’re gonna stay still until Doc can get here and check you out.”
“You shouldn’t have made him come all the way out here just because I felt a tiny bit light-headed.”
“Mia, if I hadn’t been in here to catch you, your head would have slammed against the table. You could have been knocked out. Sit still and drink your juice. Flick isn’t going anywhere.”
“Mia, you nearly fainted? Can I get you something?” She pushed at West’s hold on her. “West, set me down.”
“Nope.”
She sighed. “West, I’m fine. I can walk. Put me down.”
“Nope.”
“Was that his first word as a baby?” she finally asked Alec, completely exasperated. There was no budging West’s hold on her. It didn’t help that she only had one good arm.
“What?” Alec asked.
“Nope. Was that his first word? ’Cause he’s awfully fond of saying it.”
To her surprise, Mia giggled. Even Alec smiled. She looked up at West who just sighed.
“Actually, I think it might have been fuck,” Alec mused.
Her eyes widened. “It wasn’t.”
