Page 85 of Hateful Union

“Baby,” Mal says, walking into the sitting room dressed in his suit. “I’ve got to go, I shouldn’t be too long.”

My nostrils flare as tears sting the back of my eyes. God, this sucks. “Sure,” I reply, turning back to the TV.

He crouches down in front of me, his hands framing my face. He’s too close. It’s too much. “Mo stór, what’s going on, talk to me?”

“Just go, Mal,” I tell him, not in the mood to have an argument right now.

His hands tighten around my face. “Not going to happen, I’m not leaving until you talk.”

I scoff. “Why? You’re never here, why stay?”

The anger I have is rising thick and fast.

He rocks back on his heels. “What?”

I get to my feet. I can’t be sitting for this. “I mean, when are you ever here? Hell, since before Livie was born you became distant.”

His eyes flash with anger. “No, I fucking haven’t.”

My hands go to my hips. “Yeah? So tell me, why did you almost miss her birth?”

He sucks in a sharp breath. “Rayl-”

I hold a hand up, stopping him before he can make excuses. “I don’t want to hear it, Mal. You’re all about your family, as long as it’s not me and the kids.”

He takes a step forward, but I shake my head. I don’t want him near me right now.

“Baby, that’s not true. You know that you and our kids mean the fucking world to me.”

“We sure as fuck don’t feel like it when you’re swanning off to New York every few weeks.” I close my eyes as pain rips through my stomach. It comes swiftly and takes my breath away. God, I can’t deal with this right now. “Just go,” I whisper as the tears come thick and fast. “Figure out what you want, Mal, because right now, to me, it’s not us.”

He steps closer to me and presses a kiss against my forehead. I lean into him, loving the touch from him. “I promise, I won’t be long.”

I don’t answer him. Instead, I wrap my hands around my stomach and hold tight. The front door closes and I sink to the floor as my tears fall thick and fast. Pain once again tears through me and I whimper.

I’m not sure how I manage it, but I get to the bathroom and my world comes crashing down when I see blood in my underwear.

I need to get to a hospital soon. But Mal’s just gone and I can’t leave the kids.

It takes me ten minutes to compose myself enough to call my brother and ask if he can watch my babies for me.

MALCOLM

I replayRaylee’s words over and over in my mind. I’m an arse, I didn’t realize that my wife was suffering. I’m a fucking bastard. She has no idea just how much I love her and our kids. My life is nothing without her.

“Boss?” Chris says with a frown. “Everything okay?”

I shake my head. “No, turn around,” I instruct him. I can’t fucking leave her home while she’s upset. I shouldn’t have walked out the door. “Have Isaiah deal with the club.”

He nods, reaching for his phone and doing a u-turn.

It doesn’t take us long to get back to the house and when we do, I’m shocked to find Raylee climbing into her car.

“Follow her,” I tell Christian.

Who the fuck is watching the children?

I glance back at the house and see Kiro’s car parked out front.

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