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“Hey, little blondie,” I said softly, walking over to her. I gently grasped her bruised face in my hands and pressed my lips to hers. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” she confessed. Her lips trembled, tears burning in her eyes as fear filled their blue depths. “They called my father before I was awake since he’s my emergency contact.”
I stood up to my full height and cursed before shoving my hand through my hair. “I’ll deal with it, little blondie. Just let me take care of him, okay? I meant it when I said I wasn’t letting you go again.”
A tear ran down her cheek. “There’s something else,” she whispered, her voice cracking three times throughout her sentence. I arched an eyebrow at her, wondering what could be worse than her father being notified of where she was and having access to her. “Amadeus, I’m pregnant,” she cried.
Before I could even begin to try to comprehend what she’d said, the door was flung open. “You’re what?!” her father shouted.
Lillian shrieked in fear. I quickly stepped between them, glaring at him. Lillian sobbed behind me, her fear so palpable, I could taste it on my tongue when I spoke. “You need to fucking leave,” I snarled at him.
“Not without my daughter!” he shouted at me. “She ismyresponsibility, boy! You’ve obviously fucked up enough!”
“Lillian, press the button for the nurse,” I calmly ordered, not turning to face her. I heard her shakily reaching for the remote, my engagement ring on her finger clanging against the metal frame of her hospital bed.
“Those nurses will only be coming in here to escort you off the premises,” he snarled at me, taking a threatening step closer. I stood my ground. If both of us had to go to jail to keep him away from her, then, at this point, I’d gladly give up my fucking freedom. “Whatever you two have going on ends here—right now. I’ll take care of everything else. You won’t even have to worry about playing father, Amadeus, because I’ll make sure that fucking baby disappears.”
“Real Christian of you,” I taunted. His face colored in outrage. He wasn’t getting his hands on my woman. She wasmine. I’d failed her once, and I would bedamnedif I failed her a second time.
She and this baby were my responsibility. It may take me time to come around to the idea of becoming a father already, but I wouldn’t abandon her or our child. And I sure as fuck wouldn’t let him take our baby from her.
He’d lost his goddamn mind if he thought that.
“Is there a problem here?” the nurse that escorted me to Lillian’s room asked as she stepped into the small space, two security guards behind her.
“P-please have h-him escorted out,” Lillian shakily cried from behind me. I wanted to turn and comfort her, but I wouldn’t budge until he was out of this fucking room and couldn’t touch her. I didn’t even want him breathing the same air as her.
“Sir, you need to come with us,” one of the security officers said to her father.
“I will not—”
“You can come willingly, or we can put you in cuffs and have you carted off to jail. Your choice, sir,” the other one spoke up.
Her father glared at me. “This is not over.”
I just shrugged at him. He could come at me all he wanted, but he wasdonein Lillian’s life. He was never going to be allowed to hurt her again. I was fucking making sure of it this time. To hell with if we were financially ready for this or not.
“If you two need anything else, don’t hesitate to hit that button again,” the nurse told us with a kind smile before she left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her, giving us peace once again.
Lillian burst into tears, sobbing her heart out. I slid onto the bed beside her and pulled her into my arms. “You’re safe, little blondie,” I assured her, cradling her body against mine. “He can’t hurt you again. I promise.”
She just cried into my chest, soaking my shirt, too upset for words.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I wiggled it out in case it was from Ezra or Solomon.
Ezra:I’m taking Solomon home with me. Don’t want him at home by himself tonight. Not after what happened in the church this morning. If you need me, call me. I’m here for you and Lillian, bro.
I sighed, thankful for my best friend. I could always count on him to come through for me.
And right then, I needed him more than ever because I was about to become a fucking dad.
Godfuckingdammit.
ChapterTwenty
Amadeus
After a few days in the hospital, Lillian was finally released. I didn’t know where I was taking her, but she wasn’t going home, and I couldn’t take her to my house. The only safe place I knew was that old run-down shack out in the woods, but that was no place for her to be—not when she was pregnant, recovering, and still needed rest.
