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Brody’s smile turned tight, and he met Stefan’s eyes. They seemed to communicate something with the look they exchanged before Brody took the baby over to the chair in the corner so he could feed him.
I stared at Stefan expectantly. He had yet to answer my question.
Stefan read that I was waiting. “You need to be focusing on healing and Jamie needs to sleep before he falls over, or worse, gets himself killed.”
“I tried to get Jamie to go to his own room last night. The stubborn bastard refused to leave,” I grumbled. “I got up with the baby through the night so he would get some rest at least.”
“That’s not good enough,” Stefan said.
“I still don’t think it’s necessary to go through all the trouble of hiring someone if the baby might not be sticking around,” I said.
I caught Brody looking from me to Stefan, who was staring at me intently. “Have you decided what you plan on doing with him, then?” Stefan asked.
“I can’t keep him, Stefan,” I said.
Stefan’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you feel like you can’t keep him?”
Feeling the intensity of his stare, I wanted to look away. I knew I couldn’t. “That baby deserves better than this life.”
“Then shall we drop him off at a fire station and hope he gets placed in a good home?” Stefan was goading me. When I didn’t fall for it, he pushed some more. “You felt the same way about your baby, yet you were going to find a way to do it.”
He might as well have gut-punched me, bringing her into this. “This isn’t my baby.”
“You care for him like he is,” Stefan pointed out. “Our life may not be ideal, Maura, but don’t forget that this baby was born from a criminal far worse than us.”
Brody spoke first before I could argue. “You don’t have to make any decisions right now, Maura. If you want to research other options, then fine. We won’t deter you from doing that. In the meantime, as you come up with your decision, we will be getting a nanny to help out.” Brody locked eyes with Stefan and this time I could see that he was conveying to my father to stand down.
Surprisingly, Stefan did. “Brody’s right. Nothing needs to be decided right now.”
“What you should decide right now is a name for him,” Brody said, staring down at the baby with a smile. “Personally, I think he looks like a Hunter or an Emmet.”
I couldn’t stop my nose from scrunching, making Stefan huff a laugh. “She doesn’t like those.”
“Take some time to think on it, but not too much time. I’m going to need one to give to the nanny when we hire one,” Brody said and stood. “I can take him again today to let you rest.”
“Are you planning on leaving the manor with him?” I asked.
Brody looked like he was trying not to smile. “I figured we’d go for a walk and get some fresh air after I got him dressed.”
I reached toward my nightstand for the new phone I’d had Dean get me because Buck had destroyed mine. I shot a text to my goons.
“I have security that can go with them,” Stefan said, figuring out what I was doing.
“I only trust my goons,” I said.
Stefan rolled his eyes. “You don’t trust anyone else because you think I’ll use them to spy on you.”
I gave him a look that dared him to deny it.
“What are you going to do when you’re healed?” he deflected. “You need to have all of your security protecting you.”
I’d cross that road when I came to it.
“How about a compromise?” Stefan asked. “You send one of yours and I’ll send one of mine with Brody and the baby.”
Asher and Dean appeared in my doorway at that moment.
“Brody wants to take the baby on a walk for some fresh air,” I told them. “Can one of you go? You’ll be accompanied by one of Stefan’s goons.”
