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The sound of a soft cough from the driver’s seat drew our attention to Felix, who was staring back at us. “Doc made it to the pub shortly after we left. He’s on his way here, but I can let him know to meet us at the house instead.”
I was nodding my head wildly, willing to go along with any plan that meant we could leave without anyone else seeing me. I was bruised and beaten, in pain, dirty and disheveled. I wanted nothing more than to go home and try to pretend this had never happened. If it made me a coward, so be it. But, Nic wasn’t having it. His hand moved to my belly and he glanced down meaningfully, before looking me in the eyes again. “I need you to do this, Gianna. For me and for the baby you’re carrying.”
Tears streamed from my eyes once again, as I admitted my biggest fear aloud. “But what if they have horrible news? I tried to keep our baby safe, Nic. I really did, but what if I failed?”
“None of this is your fault, mia dolce.” He slid his hands upwards, gently cupping my face in his palms. “I won’t have you thinking you’re to blame for any of it.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but he slid his thumb over my lips to stop the flow of words. I winced in pain, and his eyes lit with a mixture of sympathy and fury.
“If there’s something wrong with the pregnancy because of what you endured due to my failure at protecting you, then we’ll face it together.”
“It wouldn’t be your fault,” I protested.
“Then how can you possibly think it would be yours?”
As much as I wanted to do so, it was impossible to argue with his logic. I sighed and slumped against him in acceptance. Nic gently moved me off his lap, then he and Felix climbed out of the car. Felix opened my door and lingered while Nic lifted me out.
“Doc’s waiting inside. He said he’ll smooth the way, try to limit how many questions are asked. Make sure she gets VIP treatment,” Felix told Nic.
It turned out Doc was a miracle worker. We were ushered up to a private room the minute Nic carried me inside. A nurse followed behind us, turning down the bed, and placing a fluffy robe on top of the mattress.
“Can I take a shower?” I asked her.
“Not yet.” I frowned at her reply, and she rushed to explain further. “It won’t be long, though. The doctor will be in shortly to examine you. As soon as he says it’s okay, I’ll make sure you get a shower.”
Nic helped me out of my clothes, his eyes darkening when he noticed the scrapes and bruises underneath them.
“Merda!” he bit out.
“It’s just a couple scrapes,” I reassured him.
“They will pay for marking your beautiful skin,” he swore.
He had a murderous gleam in his eyes, but I wasn’t able to discuss it further because the doctor walked into the room. He was followed by a shorter, older man who moved quickly to Nic’s side and whispered in his ear. Nic nodded his head in agreement. “Stay, Doc.”
The portly man turned kind eyes to me. “As long as it’s okay with your lovely fiancée as well?”
I wasn’t about to argue after whatever he’d done to ensure I was so well taken care of by the hospital. “Yes, please do.”
The doctor performed his examination of me, taking my vitals and bringing someone in to take blood for lab tests. He also had me wheeled out of the room and taken for a wrist X-ray. Doc stayed with me to ensure a leaded apron and collar were placed over me during the test, to avoid possible radiation exposure in case I was pregnant. Once all the tests were run and my sprained wrist in a brace, they finally let me take a shower. Nic refused to allow one of the nurses to help me, insisting he do it himself.
Stripped down to his boxers, he washed every inch of me. Soft strokes of his hands across my skin wiped away the blood, dirt, and sweat. But, it was the reverence with which he touched me that made me feel clean again.
As soon as my shower was done, Nic bundled me into a pair of emerald green silk pajamas, which had magically appeared in my room. Then he carried me out of the bathroom and gently placed me on the bed. My stomach growled, echoing loudly in the room and making me laugh. Nic didn’t join in, his face darkening once again.
“They didn’t feed you, did they?”
“No,” I admitted softly.
He strode towards the window, looking out while he jabbed at his phone to call someone and barked out orders for them to bring me food. An impossibly long list of my favorite dishes. When he was done, he disconnected the call but didn’t move.
