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“Dad, I need you to do something for me.”
“What. Anything.”
“Be nice to Sebastian.”
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t think I can.”
“You don’t have to love him or be his friend, although I think it’s a tragedy that you’d allow yourself to lose that friendship. But I love him. I want you to respect that and at the very least figure out a way to tolerate him.”
My father pulled my hand that wasn’t tied to an IV to his lips and kissed it. “I’ll try, honey.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“He tried to keep me from you.”
“He was scared for me too and you told him to get away. I would think it would be a good sign that he defied you on that. It shows he loves me.”
“Harrumph.”
Chapter 32
Sebastian
If the hospital staff thought they were going to keep me away from Leah, they had another thing coming.
“Only family,” the bored looking nurse at the emergency desk said.
“I’m the father of her baby, that makes me family.”
She quirked a brow, clearly unimpressed with my outburst. “I’ll let the doctor know.”
“You do that.” Fuck. Where was she? What was wrong with her? Was I really going to lose another woman? The moment the New York police showed up on my doorstep at the behest of the Las Vegas police to tell me Valerie died came back to me in vivid detail. At first, I couldn’t process what they were saying. Valerie was bigger than life, and too feisty to let the grim reaper get his hands on her.
Then I felt like all my bones had liquified as I fell to my knees. Valerie and I had an unconventional marriage that may or may not have lasted, but I felt the loss of her deeply. She was the other part of the life I’d built, and I grieved that such a vibrant woman was gone from my life.
If I lost Leah, it would be worse. I cared for Valerie, but I loved Leah. If I lost her, I’d lose a piece of my soul.
“Mr. Cox?” A doctor said.
“Leah Hammond. Is she alright? I need to see her.”
The doctor nodded. “She’s fine but until she’s admitted, only family is allowed.”
“The baby. Is the baby okay?”
“Mr. Cox, I’m not at liberty—”
“I’m the father!” I wanted to grab his collar and shake him.
“I see. Let me check—”
“Fuck that.” I started back toward the doors that were locked and I probably wouldn’t get into, but if I had to tear them down, I’d get to Leah.
“Mr. Cox. You need to calm down. Seeing you like this will only upset her.”
“Then let me see her so I can calm down.”
He turned to the nurse, “Can you call Al, just in case.”
“Al? Is he security? Look doctor, I’m not here to make trouble. I’m here because the woman I love who’s carrying my child is here and I’m going fucking mad not being able to see that they’re okay.”
“I understand.” The doctor opened the door, and I followed him back.
Leah was in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV, still looking tired and pale. Her father was on one side of the bed and Karen was on the other. She’s not family, why is she here?
I’d wanted peace with Henry. It was bad enough he tried to get me booted from my own company, but if he’d done something to keep me away from Leah, we were going to have a real problem.
“Sebastian.” She smiled when she saw me. For the first time since I saw her drop to the stage floor, the world started to tilt back to normal.
Karen stepped back which was a good thing because I was prepared to muscle my way to Leah. I took her hand and then leaned over to kiss her head.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“The baby?”
“We’re both fine.” She drew my hand up over her heart and held it there.
“What the hell happened?”
“She probably had a drop in blood pressure, which isn’t unusual in pregnant women. She’s a little dehydrated too, so we’re giving her fluids and want to keep her overnight just to make sure everything is alright.”
“We’ll wait outside,” Karen said with a pointed look to Henry.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Now that I knew Leah was okay, I turned on Henry. “I know you don’t like me right now, but don’t you ever keep me from Leah or my child again.”
“Sebastian?” Leah looked at me with a quizzical expression.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Henry said dismissively.
“They wouldn’t let me back here.”
Henry shrugged. “I guess they just allow family.”
I clenched my teeth. “They let Karen back here. Did you get married when I wasn’t looking?”
“She came with me.”
“No.” I bellowed it, knowing I was causing a scene. “You were in the ambulance with Leah. Karen wasn’t. They let her back here but not me. You told them to keep me out, didn’t you? It was bad enough that you tried to take my company, but I won’t let you take my life.”
