Page 54 of Cayden

“Darling…”

“Please mother, I just want to be alone right now.”

Marianne hesitated briefly, unwilling to leave him in the state he was in.

“I just need to clear my head. I will be fine.” With that, he turned on his heels and walked away.

“How is he?” Alberto had come up behind her and they watched their son disappeared down the hall.

“Shattered.” She gripped her husband’s hands. “I want to wrap my arms around him and tell him that everything will be all right. He is a grown man with his own children and I just want to kiss him and tell him not to worry.”

Alberto wrapped his arms around her. “We have to allow him the time to figure things out. We have the best team of doctors working on her and I have every confidence that Blair is going to come through this.”

She leaned into him for a minute, absorbing his strength, before easing away and saying briskly. “Let us go tell the others and make our way to the nursery. I want a second look at my adorable grandbabies.”

Taking her hand, he lifted it and kissed her knuckles. “I cannot wait.”

*****

By passing the small chapel and ignoring the curious looks thrown at him by the nurses and clinic personnels milling around, he made his way towards the revolving glass doors and sent the group of reporters a chilling enough glance to have them backing off.

He did not stop until he reached a kind of park with flowering buds and trees waving in the cooling breeze. Spring had officially arrived. Not that it meant much to him at this point. The season had always been his wife’s favorite.

She would make a big deal out of it, extolling on the scents, the flowers blooming and the feel of the wind on her skin. She would arrange all sorts of activities around it and would rope him into going for rides with the top down and going out on his speedboat.

Rubbing his palms over his jeans, he stared at the brook coursing over the flat, smooth stones. He had left instructions for them to tell him when she came out of surgery.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back on the iron rails that made up the back of the chair. He felt numb, helpless, and weary. The actual surgery had not been that long, but it had seemed like a lifetime.

He had witnessed a miracle. His babies, being taken out one after the other – four of them. Three of them healthy - one had to be put in the NICU. And his wife bleeding out. A tremendous sacrifice when you think about it.

After five miscarriages, one each year, they were now blessed with four - because of his wife’s determination.

He blew out a breath as he realized that she had given up her way of life, her career without so much as an ounce of hesitation.

He had never pondered on it, had completely taken it for granted that she would stop teaching and fall into the role of being his wife. He had pursued her relentlessly when she refused to have anything to do with him.

At first it was ego; he was damn sure of it. Because in his charmed life, what woman would not be charmed or privileged to be with him? So, he had pursued her, showed up at her cozy little villa and never stopped until she was in his bed.

Or in her bed. The first time between them had been at that charming little place she rented. Instead of him seducing her, she had blown him away.

Her innocence, her unbridled passion, the sweet taste of her lips and her tightness when he entered her had confused and amazed him at the same time. What he expected to be just a holiday fling, something casual had turned into something so significant that he knew he could not just turn and walk away.

A rueful laugh escaped him. He had stayed away from her after that, and it had lasted a damn day. Twenty-four hours and he was back at her door, beating it down and threatening to break it if she did not let him in.

She had succumbed, but his triumph had turned into chagrin when she told him in no uncertain terms that he was spoiled and entitled, and she did not have time to be with someone who displayed that sort of behavior.

Her dark eyes had flashed fire and fueled a desire so hot and brutal that it had him dragging her into his arms and kissing her senseless.

“I thought I’d find you here.”

The familiar sound of Clive’s voice had him hissing out a breath. “I wanted to be alone.” A sudden thought hit him, and he dragged out his phone, wondering if he had missed a call from the doctor.

“Still in surgery!” Clive lowered himself next him and leaned back, filling his lungs with the clean air. “A spectacular day.”

“What do you want?”

“Just thought I would swing by to keep my brother company.” He slanted a look at him and continued. “A spectacular day isn’t it? I am just coming from the nursery where the entire family including Blake, gathered around to take in the new arrivals.

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