Page 45 of Stalked at Rescue Ridge

Kade stood up, ready to argue if the man said he was taking Bree alone.

The orderly must’ve been a mind reader because he quickly added, “You’re welcome to come, too.”

Kade nodded. Was there ever another option?No.

He followed the worker as he wheeled Bree into a semi-private room with two beds. The second was empty. More requests by Travis? Either way, Kade was grateful for the privacy. It would be easier to watch over Bree without the distraction of visitors for another patient.

“Word on the street is that you’re being released soon,” the orderly said as he helped her onto the other bed.

“What?” Bree asked. Her stern gaze said,Not without my daughter.

A daughter.

Kade’s heart practically melted. And yet, he couldn’t allow himself to think too much about the baby while Bree’s life was still in danger. Last he checked, the Reaper was still on the loose. His pattern was to punish the ones who got away. Was he here, studying Bree? Studying the environment? Biding his time until he could sneak into her room and prove he could do what he wanted? That no one, not even the law, could stop him?

Arrogance. Would it be this bastard’s downfall?

Once Bree was settled into bed and the hospital worker was gone, Kade said, “I know you don’t want to leave her here, but it might be safer for now.” There was no use mincing words. The same thought would likely have crossed Bree’s mind anyway.

“How can I do that?” she asked with a determined set to her chin. “How can I abandon my newborn baby?”

“What if I promise to get you back to the hospital every day to check on her for as long as she’s admitted?”

“I don’t know.” She wrung her hands together. “What if he comes for her to get back at me?”

“All my family is in town to sort out the inheritance mess. I could get my siblings to take shifts at the hospital to keep watch,” he said. “He wouldn’t get past them.”

“Would they do that for me?” she asked.

It dawned on him what she was saying beneath the words. “I haven’t told anyone she’s mine since everyone believes she’s Zeke’s and I didn’t know how you felt about spreading the truth right now. They would do it for him.”

“Oh,” she said. “Right.”

“I’m not against the idea of spreading the news about who the real father is, except with everything that’s happened, I just…”

“Thought it might be better for Zeke’s memory if we didn’t make any announcements anytime soon,” she said, finishing his sentence for him.

“That’s right.”

Bree pinched the bridge of her nose. Stress wasn’t good for her. Kade wanted to be able to ease her tension. He wanted to be the one to put a smile on her face. He wanted to be the one to…

Never mind. This wasn’t the time to let his brain go down the path of how desirable she was or how much his broken heart believed those pieces might just find a perfect fit with hers. She belonged to Zeke. He would repeat those words like a mantra until they were burned in his memory.

Zeke couldn’t have known the baby was Kade’s. His buddy wouldn’t keep a deception like that one.

“Think you can get some rest?” he asked Bree, figuring she needed to keep up her strength if she was going to be released.

“How can I with my daughter in NICU?” she asked, working her fingers into a knot.

“Would it make you feel any better if I could assure you that…” He didn’t know his own daughter’s name. Score another point for being a failure as a father. “What did you decide to call her?”

“Assure me of what?” Bree skipped right over the last question.

“That my family will guard the little girl as one of their own,” he said.

Bree sat there for a long moment without saying a word. She untwisted her fingers and smoothed the comforter with the flat of her palms. “Okay.” The look she gave left no doubt Bree would be an amazing mother.

He stood up and moved to the window. His sister was at work, so he texted her before putting a message in the family group chat. Much to his surprise, Conrad had added a name to the group. Beau.

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