Page 56 of Rent Free

That hurt my fucking heart.

“Needless to say, we’re working really hard,” Everest muttered.

I could see that.

What I couldn’t see was how a crazy-pants like Sage had come from a family like this.

And how the fuck I’d missed it.

Then again, I thought, as I stood up and watched over the bed where my son was sedated, my hand coming down to run a few blond curls between two fingers, maybe I just didn’t know how to pick any woman.

Look what I’d done to my son by choosing his mother.

Whoever decided that four muffins in the packages of Little Bites is enough is a moron.

—Pepper’s secret thoughts

PEPPER

The intercom sounded again, telling us that visiting time was over.

Yet he still stood there, his baby’s hand in his, as he stared at Forest with a look of horror on his face.

I knew he was blaming himself.

I knew there was nothing I could do to make this better.

And I knew, like I knew Atlas was meant to be mine, that Forest was meant to be mine, too.

“Sir, ma’am.”

I looked up to find a reluctant looking nurse standing in our doorway.

“Yes?” I asked.

“It’s time to go. Now.” She sounded stern, but she looked anything but.

The poor girl.

Taking pity on her, I turned to Atlas, and walked up to him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s get you home for the night,” I suggested.

“I…”

“It’s the rules of the ICU, Atlas,” I told him softly. “Like literally, they’re not trying to be mean. There are rules for a reason, remember?”

He shot me a look of incredulity. “You’re one to talk.”

I chuckled at that. “I mean, yeah. I guess you’re right. But you were the one who signed an oath of conduct, not me.”

He grumbled something under his breath and stood up.

The nurse at the door who’d given us the news that it was time to leave looked relieved that she didn’t have to do any heavy lifting to get him to go.

“If he has any changes in the night, I’ll call you immediately,” she promised.

I squeezed her arm on my way past, thankful for her words.

---