Page 123 of The Wrong Side Of Us

“Sir, it’s better to talk in private—”

“Just say it,” I demanded.

The doctor sighed, glancing between all of us, knowing we wouldn’t budge.

“She suffered a pretty severe concussion, and her blood pressure was incredibly high when she was brought in,” the doctor began, his expression solemn. “There was very little that we could do—”

“Shit,” I cursed, shaking my head. I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said, not after that.

“I love you, Nate,” she’d whispered, turning on her back, her eyes meeting mine, those pretty eyes that made me weak. “I can’t believe I’m going to be your wife.”

“I can’t believe it, either,” I murmured, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You are my everything, you and our baby.”

She smiled, pressing her lips to mine, tenderly. “You make me the happiest woman on earth.”

“Till death do us apart,” I replied, holding her close to my chest.

“Do you wish to see her?” the doctor asked. My head snapped up, and I nodded, too fucking scared to speak. I didn’t turn around to see anyone and simply followed behind the doctor, my feet trying to carry the heaviness of my soul in that moment.

She laughed, shoving me softly with her elbow while she painted whatever the hell it was. It wasn’t anything really, just a mixture of colors, bright like her spirit. I surrounded her with my arms, pressing a kiss on her neck while her ponytail fell to the side.

I felt her gasp softly, and I smiled; she was always so responsive.

“How about we put a pause on this project of yours, go to our bedroom?”

I nipped at her neck, hearing her shaky exhale. “Why?”

“I’m going to make love to you,” I murmured, and she turned around. My lips fell on hers instantly, lifting her up, her legs surrounding my waist.

I’d make her feel loved once again, just like I had from the day I’d arrived in New York.

I walked into the dimly lit room and blinked, preparing myself for what I was going to see. My Evelyn lied down on a bed, her eyes closed with bandages covering her head, something else covering her small belly.

She was pale.

Then I heard a heartbeat. Two, actually. A steady, slow one and then a quick one.

Our baby.

“We’re monitoring them both closely, but your daughter, she has a very, very strong heartbeat.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “My…daughter?”

The doctor smiled, nodding. “You are expecting a strong little girl. Amazingly strong, just like her mom.”

I ran a hand over my face, reaching my breaking point, unable to contain the tears any longer. “They’re going to be okay?”

“It’s hard to tell,” he said, placing a hand over my shoulder. “The baby is very cushioned in there, so she’s relatively safe, but Evelyn…she faced a lot of trauma today. She has a pretty severe concussion…had a seizure on her way over to the hospital. I can’t assure anything, not when it comes to the brain.”

I nodded, needing a moment with her by myself. The doctor stepped out without further word, and I pulled up a chair next to the bed, taking a seat next to her. I took her cold hand in mine and kissed it, placing another hand on her belly.

This was what true fear felt like.

This was true pain.

She was strong, I never doubted that for a moment, and she was a fighter…but Evie…she was tired. I knew it. My heart told me so.

If she wasn’t tired, she would have woken up. Evie would have been awake already.