AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My dad lifts his hand to my face, thumbing away my errant tears. Then he leans forward, pressing his forehead to mine. “We’re asking too much of you, Ry. We’ll find another way,” he promises, sitting back. But even as he says the words, I know there isn’t another way. Not after the meeting I had the other day. It’s me, or Edgewood will be wiped out.
Inhaling, I center myself, calming my racing heart and slowing my scattered thoughts before I speak. “I can do this. I just. . . I just needed a moment.”
“You’ll need more than a moment,” Dr. Jaffri scolds, reminding us she’s in the room. “You’re on bed rest for the next three days, and if your blood pressure isn’t back within normal range by my next visit, it will be extended to two weeks.”
My eyes bulge at the thought of being bedridden for two weeks. “But?—”
“Don’t you ‘but’ me. Rest. Whatever war you’re waging will have to wait until Thursday,” she commands.
The rebuff is on the tip of my tongue before I swallow it down. She’s right. A few days’ rest to ensure the babies’ health and, most importantly, my own is warranted.
Arching a brow, Dr. Jaffri waits for my acknowledgment of her orders.
I nod. “I understand. I won’t do anything but rest until our appointment on Thursday.”
Satisfied with my answer, she replies, “Good. Now, continue to stay hydrated, take your multivitamins, get lots of rest, and eat. You’ll be back to taking over the world soon enough.”
My dad grabs my hand. “I love you, Ry.”
I smile. “I love you too, Dad.”
He gently squeezes my hand as he leans in to kiss my forehead. “I’m going to walk Dr. Jaffri out, and then I’ll bring you some dinner.”
Humming my agreement, I watch as they both leave the room. Before the door fully closes, my eyelids get heavy, and the idea of resting becomes increasingly appealing.
I’ll take over the world next week.
31
WES
“Yes, I’m sure. I want three dozen—a dozen white lilies, a dozen red magnolias, and a dozen lewisia flowers. And instead of baby’s breath, use the wild carrot flowers, the white ones.”
I pace the length of my room as I finish instructing my personal shopper. “Yes, the carrot onesie. The one that says, ‘I don’t carrot at all.’ Two of them.”
Once I heard Ariah was put on bed rest due to stress, I punched a hole in the wall outside the lecture hall. It was made even worse by Samantha’s gloating. It took Lev and Sebastian to pull me off her. I would’ve choked the life out of the skank otherwise. I didn’t care who saw me, but luckily, there wasn’t anyone in the hallway at the time.
After that, I stormed out of the building and ran all the way back to the house. Once I calmed down, I got on the phone with Julie, our personal shopper.
If we can’t be there in person, we’ll be there in spirit—with the help of a few gifts.
“What was that?” I ask, sitting on my bed before I wear a hole in the floor. My knee bounces as she reads everything off the list, confirming she hasn’t missed anything. “That’s right. A charm bracelet with each of the fruits I’ve mentioned,” I confirm.
My room door opens. Lev steps inside and closes the door behind him. “Is that Julie?” He mouths, and I nod. “Tell her to add carrot cake cheesecake, no nuts or raisins, and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.”
I relay his request to Julie. “No, don’t put who it's from. Just do it like we’ve done the last few times. We don’t need the credit. We just want to make sure she’s cared for.”
Lev walks across the room and then sits at my desk as I finalize the last of our purchases before ending the call.
“Any updates?” I inquire. I stormed out of the building before I heard the full report. There wasn’t a chance I could remain there with my fuse as short as it was.
“Owen almost sliced Sam’s throat open when she refused to leave. Then Wyatt basically dragged her outside when she threatened to set off Owen’s chip because we aren’t treating her like fiancés should.”
My lips thin. “She’s pushing us. I almost think she’s trying to goad us into activating the damn thing.”
Lev shrugs. “It’s that, or she really gets off on us manhandling her.”
“It’s the manhandling,” we both say simultaneously.
