Page 131 of Ruthless Beasts

"Name?" Something was typed into the computer as I answered her question. The nurse nodded at the screen. "Brought in separately."

"Just woke from surgery. He won't be long," my nurse confirmed.

There was a long pause as the nurses stared at each other, silently communicating, before Belle's nurse rose and walked toward the door. "She can only have one visitor at a time. If Mr. Ferrari approves, I can add someone else to the approved visitor list."

"They are her partners," I explained, and when the look of confusion grew too much, I clarified, "I'm her husband, but our relationship is nontraditional. She is our wife."

The nurse scanned her badge, and the door popped open. "I see." She could judge us all she wanted. It wouldn't change the fact that we were in this together. "Your wife, Mr. Ferrari,suffered significant blood loss and sustained a head injury. She's lucky to be alive. She almost didn't make it."

The wheelchair pushed through the door, and my chest tightened at the sight of her lying there, tubes hooked to her body as she slept peacefully. I was so utterly afraid of disturbing her, but all I wanted to do was touch her. I needed to touch her.

The wheelchair stopped right next to her bedside, and the nurses disappeared out of the room, leaving me alone with her. I reached out, my fingers lacing with her limp hand. "I didn't do enough," I admitted to her. "We were supposed to be stronger because you belonged to us together. Despite that, you lie here. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't do better."

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the skin.

"I was terrified," I exhaled as I confessed. I doubt she could hear me, but I needed to say it, anyway. "Terrified that I'd lose you too. I can't. You understand that, right? If we lost you, it would break every one of us. Look at us. We're all just men at your mercy. And parents? We have a daughter now to think about, Belle. None of us were equipped to be dads to a girl. No, we need you to boss us around. We need you there. We need you because we love you. I- I love you."

I rested my head against her arm and closed my eyes, savoring the nearness. Right before I drifted off to sleep, my wife's presence my only comfort, I could have sworn she squeezed my hand. Three quick squeezes, and I knew then we'd be alright. It was the only option.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

ACE

I stood outside the door, working up all the guts I could muster to walk inside. I'd done nothing like this before, never wanted to until Belle.

A crackle came over the speaker. "Sir. Are you going to press the button and request to come in or stand there all day?"

Caught. Had I been standing here so long that even the staff noticed?

"I'd like in, please."

Without a response, the door buzzed, and I pulled it open. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat as I approached the nurses' station. But before I could speak, the nurse pointed at the corner of the room where both Adam and Mercer sat.

I approached, feeling the nerves ball up like a fist in my abdomen. Adam looked up when he saw me, a smile like I'd never seen plastered on his face, and in his arms, a tiny bundle of pink blankets.

"She's doing just fine," he announced. I had no doubt about that. He'd been in here every second he was allowed, eventhough Belle couldn't leave her room yet. But me? I was afraid. Not of the love I knew the little girl would bring, but afraid of the pain that would tear me to pieces if she weren’t doing just fine. If something happened beyond our control. "She should go home within the week."

"So early?" I hadn't visited, and maybe I should have, but what if I visited and things took a turn? I couldn’t live with that.

"She's tiny for sure, but she's healthy. She's been doing great." He smiled down at the baby before looking up at me again. "Do you want to hold her?"

"I'll hold her," Mercer offered.

"You've already held her most of the day," Adam rejected him. "Give Ace a try."

"I'm okay. Really." I nodded, probably more vigorously than I should.

"You're holding her. Sit," he ordered, and I dropped into a chair. Leaning over, he placed the bundle of blankets in my arms and instantly, my heart swelled. Why was I so afraid when the instant love felt so right? How could I willingly stay away when this living, breathing child depended on me?

I would not cry.

I refused.

My eyes and my mind disconnected, and they watered just a little as I looked down at her.

"She have a name yet?" I asked, knowing that Belle was still deciding last time I asked, and I had stayed away from the nursery intentionally, so I never found out.

"She does." Adam's finger came up, brushing against her cheek. "Rosalie Elizabeth."

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