Page 50 of Royal Beast
Darcy is already sitting beside Rose so I circle around to her other side and lean against the bed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Hey, kiddo,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. “How’re you doing?”
Rose gives me a small, pained smile. “I’m okay, Kellan. It hurts, but I’ll be fine.”
“You’ll be just fine,” I say, my voice soft. “And when you get home, you can have all the ice cream you want. And you can lie in the living room and watch Disney movies until you’re better.”
Her smile widens a bit, and Darcy looks at me with a grateful expression, her eyes softening. I feel the knot in my chest loosen, but a slow realization burns inside. The minute I heard aboutRose, I dropped everything and ran to be by her side. What does this mean? Am I already starting to think of her as my child?
I glance at Darcy, and for a moment, it’s as if everything falls into place. The weight of the day lifts, and I realize that no matter the mess between us, there’s one thing that’s never going to change—this little girl and the family I never knew I wanted.
Maybe it’s time to make things more permanent. I study Rose as she vividly recounts the story to us, her little arms waving in the air, the solemn expression as she describes the “monster” that was chasing her, and I realize that no matter what is going on between me and Darcy, I need to step up and be here for this little girl. She needs someone in her life who can protect her from the real big, bad monsters out there.
Chancing another glance at Darcy, I take in the wistful expression on her face as she holds Rose’s other hand. A thought flashes through my mind, one I’d never fully considered before. What if I formally adopted Rose? That way, if something ever happened to me, I could ensure she’d always be protected.
The idea lingers in my mind, but I don’t say anything. As I watch Darcy comfort Rose, I can’t shake the feeling that it might be exactly what I want.
25
DARCY
“Okay, Petal, your comfy little nest is all ready for you!” I say, holding Rose’s hand gently as we guide her through the door into the living room. Kellan follows behind us, a pensive look on his face, his hands shoved in his pockets as he watches the two of us. The stress of the day hasn’t quite left him.
I had Doreen and the maid set everything up while we were getting Rose checked out of the hospital. The space looks cozy with blankets and pillows strewn across the couch in a little nest of comfort and all Rose’s favorite stuffed animals arranged around like loyal knights to protect their princess. Twinkling fairy lights are strung across the room casting a soft, warm glow. It’s the perfect place for a little girl to rest and recuperate after an accident.
Rose’s eyes widen, lighting up in excitement as she spots her nest. Without warning, she darts out of my grip and hurls herself into the sea of pillows, her giggles filling the room.
“Careful!” I call out, quick on my feet as I rush after her, not wanting her to hurt herself any further.
Kellan watches quietly, still standing by the door as I carefully tuck Rose into the blankets and pillows. I settle on the other side of her, smoothing a strand of hair from her face as I make sure she’s comfortable.
He then disappears into the kitchen to prepare a cup of juice so she can take her painkillers. The quiet hum of the apartment feels reassuring right now, though there’s still lingering tension between me and Kellan.
For now, though, I focus on Rose, making sure she’s tucked in and that she has everything she needs. It’s hard to shake the feeling that even though the worst is behind us, things between us are still hanging by a thread.
When Kellan returns, he’s poured her juice into a plastic tumbler shaped like an ice cream cone, with a crazy straw for her to drink out of. Rose lights up when he hands it to her and settles in on her other side.
He smiles. “Here you go, Princess. It’s grape juice, your favorite.”
“Thank you, Kellan!” she says, sucking from the straw immediately. He produces the bottle of medicine the hospital gave us and holds the cup of liquid out to her, but she stares up at him, brow wrinkling.
“I don’t wanna take it,” she says, a pout on her lips. He glances over at me, and I reach out, plucking the cup from his hand.
“It’s going to help you feel better,” I promise, waving it around.
“It’s yucky,” she complains, turning her head away.
“Come on, Petal,” I say, nudging her a little. “Be a good girl and take the medicine so you can get better faster.”
“Nuh-uh,” she says, shaking her head.
Kellan reaches out and brushes his hands over her head. “How about this, Princess? If you take the pill, I’ll get you a surprise.”
I open my mouth, ready to tell him exactly why bribing kids is a bad idea, but then shut it again, realizing that it’s more important to make sure she takes it. I nod.
“Kellan and I just want you to feel better, sweetheart. If you take your medicine now, you can have your surprise.”
“What’s my surprise?” she demands, bouncing on the couch.
