Page 17 of Flawed Revenge

Leo should have been there.

If he was this happy to find out she’d kept the baby, why had he told her to abort it in the first place?

“Just a cut that won't stop bleeding, we have it under control,” she said, probably a little too dismissively if the flash of hurt on Leo’s face was anything to go by. Despite everything, she didn't take any pleasure from causing him pain, she just wasn't that kind of person. She was angry, yes, furious in fact, but she’d rather avoid her feelings than confront them.

“Can Daddy stay, Mom?” Ariella asked as Kate crossed to the bed and perched on the edge of it, already rifling through the kit for bandages.

It was on the tip of her tongue to remind Leo that she’d been doing this on her own a long time now, that it had always just been her and Ariella, that she didn't need his help, and that if he’d wanted to help, he should have stuck around.

But she didn't.

Instead, she just kept her expression neutral and nodded. “Of course, sweetie-pie, whatever you want.”

Sacrificing for her daughter was completely normal for her. She’d been doing it for a decade. If her sick and dying child wanted her dad around as much as possible, then she would suck it up and deal with it.

If the worst happened and Ariella didn't survive, she would never have to see Leo again. And if he was able to save her daughter for her, she wouldn't stop them spending time together, she’d just continue to suck it up, because nothing was more important than Ariella’s happiness.

“I can do that,” Leo said, sitting beside her and reaching for the clotting cream she’d pulled out of the first aid kit. Their fingers brushed as he took the ointment from her, and she hated the way her body could still respond to his.

It might not get that this man had hurt her, but her brain couldn’t forget.

Whore.

Baby-trap.

Useless.

Pathetic.

Child.

Terrible mother.

Every insult Leo had flung at her that fateful day was permanently etched inside her head. Forgetting them just wasn't possible. Leo hadn't just dumped her, he’d been purposefully cruel about it. Telling her she’d tricked him into sleeping with her because she was a whore, then baby-trapping him. He’d screamed that she was useless and pathetic, nothing more than a child herself, and would be a terrible mother, so she should just terminate the pregnancy because he wanted nothing to do with either of them.

Those words hadn't just stuck with her, they’d permeated her every waking moment those first months. Her confidence had been almost at zero when Ariella was born, and then when the diagnosis came in, she’d blamed herself. Maybe Leo was right, maybe she had been a terrible person and a terrible mother, and her child was being punished because of it.

As though he sensed her spiraling thoughts, Leo pressed his front against her back for a second, seemingly trying to offer silent comfort even though he was the source of her pain. Then he was moving again, talking softly to Ariella as he applied the clotting ointment to the small cut, then wrapped it with a bandage, tight enough to hopefully stop the wound from bleeding for too much longer.

By the time he was done, Ariella’s eyes were already drooping closed. Not only was she always tired and needed to nap during the day, but she’d been riding a high these last two days, getting to meet the dad she’d dreamed about for so long, so it was no wonder all the excitement had wiped her out.

“You don’t have to move her, she can sleep in here the rest of the night. I don’t mind. She often sleeps with me when she’s not feeling well,” Kate said, already tucking the covers up around her daughter before leaning in to brush a kiss to her forehead.

Leo also pressed a kiss to a sleeping Ariella’s forehead, before heading to the door, where he paused. When he turned around to face her, the mess of emotions on his face seemed to hit her like a physical blow.

“Can we talk, Kate, please?” he asked.

No. Not asked.

Begged.

Big, strong, tough, confident Leo was begging her.

She had no idea how to feel about that.

“Voodoo will sit with Ariella. Indigo, too,” Leo pushed as though sensing that would be her response.

There was no way in hell she was comfortable with one of those men sitting beside her sleeping daughter. She didn't trust them as far as she could throw them, which was exactly zero inches.