Page 18 of Captive Bride

I looked at him, my heart filled with so many different emotions that I didn’t know what to say. He reached out to gently brush a stray hair from my face.

“Go and get yourself some waffles,” he said softly. “I’ll be fine.”

The knot in my throat tightened. I understood his need for independence, the desire to face this mountain without an audience. But it was hard, so damn hard, to step back when all I wanted to do was help him scale it.

“I just...I don’t want you to see me like that,” he said. “Not all the time. If I’m worrying about you worrying about me during physical therapy…”

"I get it," I said, cutting him off gently. "I understand. You need this." His face relaxed a bit and he nodded, those piercing blue eyes holding mine.

"Thank you, love," he murmured, reaching up to cup my cheek in his hand. "And trust me on the Belgian waffles."

"I will," I promised, leaning down to press a kiss against his forehead. "I'll be waiting, okay? No matter how long it takes."

"I know," he assured me, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small smile. And with that, he turned his wheelchair around and began to roll towards the physical therapy wing of the hospital.

Watching him disappear down the sterile hallway, I held back the surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm me. He was right—we were both under a mountain of stress. Perhaps some time apart, even just an hour or two in the hospital cafeteria, might help me refocus my energies for the trials ahead.

There was almost no one in the cafeteria. I ordered myself a waffle and a soy-milk latte with an extra shot of espresso, and found a quiet corner where I could think. In the solitude, with the soft background hum of the cafeteria around me, I allowed myself a moment to feel everything that had been brewing inside me.

Fear. Anxiety. Hope. Excitement. All mingled together, each emotion as raw and powerful as the next. The twins were coming, a reality that seemed both daunting and exhilarating at the same time. Tristan was recovering, slowly but surely—and despite his impressive resilience, I couldn't help but worry about him.

I picked at my waffle, the syrup's sweetness a stark contrast to the bitter coffee beside it. These moments alone were rare for me, and they offered a chance for reflection that I seldom had amidst the hustle and bustle of our world—the Callahan legacy, our impending parenthood, our perennial battle against the shadows of our past.

Maybe we’d get used to Delaware.

I chuckled softly to myself, the sound absorbed by the surrounding chatter and clatter of dishes. Delaware. Never had I imagined that my life, once consumed by the chaos and danger of the Orsini Domain, would be centered around a peacefulresidential neighborhood. Not when my own father was still running one of the most influential crime syndicates in the city.

The aroma of my latte brought me back to reality. I took a sip, letting the warmth spread through me, a much needed respite from my spiraling thoughts.

“Adriana?”

The voice was unfamiliar and the mention of my real name sent a shiver down my spine. I turned around slowly, trying my best not to panic.

“Amber!”

My neighbor. The one we’d only met a few days ago. She was there, wearing scrubs and carrying a tray of food. She looked equally surprised to see me.

"I didn't know you worked here," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yeah, I'm a nurse on the pediatric ward," she explained. "I'm just on my lunch break. Do you want company?”

I looked her up and down for a second, then nodded. “Yes, that would be wonderful.”

As Amber settled into the chair across from me, I found myself taking in her appearance. Scrubs suited her, giving her athletic frame a sense of casual professionalism that I couldn't help but admire.

“You found work quickly,” I said.

“I found work before we moved.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” I replied, suddenly feeling like an idiot.

She smiled. “What about you? I mean, I assume you’re on maternity leave now, but…”

“Oh, I’m an actuary, so I work from home most of the time.”

She furrowed her brow. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that before.”

"Well, it's not exactly an adrenaline rush," I admitted with a small chuckle. "I basically analyze financial risk for, uh, certain companies.”

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