Page 129 of Love Without Control

How the hell is she calm right now when she doesn’t have enough red blood cells? Because that seems like a really big fucking deal.

“You’ll start on prenatal vitamins with plenty of iron, but you’ll also want to include plenty of leafy greens in your diet. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, and broccoli have lots of folate, which is also vital.” The doctor held up a bottle of pills and some paperwork before placing it into a white plastic bag. “There’s a month’s worth of vitamins and some literature for you to read. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.”

She stood, and I leaped from the plastic chair I was sitting on, alarm bells ringing in my head. “Wait! I mean… what? Shouldn’t she be in the hospital or something? For god’s sake! She doesn’t have enough blood cells.” I shook my head manically. “Isn’t there somewhere she could go to fix this? I’m pretty sure I read about a place in Switzerland that specializes in… blood. Or something.”

I was fully aware I sounded like a lunatic, but my wife—my freaking wife—was not well. And the best medical advice we could get was to eat more goddamn broccoli? The woman smiled indulgently, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Mr. Osbourne, I can assure you, this is not an uncommon thing for pregnant women. And I give you my word, I will stay on top of this.”

My mind whirled through all the things I knew about pregnancy, which admittedly, wasn’t a lot. “Should she be on bed rest?”

“That’s not necessary and can cause more harm than good, like blood clots. Though I would say that restricted activity would be wise since dizziness, fatigue, and weakness can be symptoms of anemia. That means no extreme sports like rollerblading or skiing. Since Eden has mostly a desk job, it’s fine for her to continue working. I would like for you to avoid traveling long distances though,” she said, patting Eden’s knee.

“Should I get her a wheelchair or something?” I asked, and I swear to god, the woman was biting her lip to keep from laughing at me.

“Not at all, Mr. Osbourne. Walking is actually a very healthy form of exercise.” Her lips crooked up at the corners. “And before you ask, normal sexual activities are also fine. In fact, I encourage it. A happy mommy is a healthy mommy.”

I lowered my voice. “Definenormalsexual activities because—”

“Dane,” my wife broke in, her voice a razor-sharp warning.

“It’s okay. Trust me, it’s nothing I haven’t heard before,” Dr. Katten said with a chuckle. “Many fathers are concerned about this very thing. If you want specific things to avoid, I would say definitely no breath play. Also, many women have hemorrhoids during pregnancy, so be cautious with anal sex. Other than that, my advice is to listen to your partner. She’ll be able to tell you if anything is uncomfortable.”

The knots forming at the base of my skull seemed to loosen just a bit. Specifics. Yes, that’s what I needed, and I appreciated her candor.

I wanted to ask more questions, but my wife dragged me from the office. Once we were in the car, I cupped her chin and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “I’ll take care of you and our baby,” I told her. “I may not have had a very good paternal role model, but I can do this. I can be a good father.”

I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself, but her returning smile was so sweet, so full of confidence, I felt it in my bones.

“And I didn’t have a warm, loving mother in my life, but you did,” Eden said. “And I had a wonderful father. So we can help each other. Fill in the blanks we each have in our own experiences. We’ll be a team.”

My hand slid around to the back of her head and held her still for my kiss, one filled with all the promises I intended to keep.

“A family team,” I murmured against her lips before pouring all my love into another soul-bending kiss.

“I liked Dr. Katten,” she told me once we were on our way home.

“Hmph. She’s really young,” I said, unimpressed.

“She’s in her fifties. I looked up her bio before the appointment.”

“Yeah, but is she really? She could be lying. Just like your paperwork says you’re thirty-eight, but in actuality, you’re thirty-five. Maybe she’s—”

“Dane, it’s fine. She’s fully licensed and is known as the best OB/GYN on the Keys. Don’t make a big deal of it.”

I closed my mouth and nodded. I didn’t want to upset my wife, but I fully planned to have Robert do a deep dive on this Makenna Katten person—if that was even her real name.

They say when it rains, it pours. And a few nights after Eden’s mother passed away, I realized that was the truth.

I was roused from sleep by the ringing of my phone. A call, not a text. Glancing at my still sleeping wife in my arms, I carefully extricated myself and rolled to snag my cell from the nightstand. My brother’s name flashed on the screen, along with the time, 3:04 a.m.

Answering it as I rose from the bed, I whispered, “Give me a second.” Once I was downstairs and safely out of earshot, I spoke again. “What’s going on? You better not be drunk dialing me.”

“Luca’s dead,” Fiero blurted, and my heart almost fell out of my chest.

“Holy fuck. What happened?”

My brother’s voice was a little breathless. “The entire organization was at a party at Luca’s estate tonight. You know he hardly ever does that, has everyone under one roof, but he’s been planning this for weeks.”

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