Page 85 of Forbidden Bond

“Did you hear I saved your baby?” she questions, her voice weak and quiet.

I nod. “Yeah, Katherine said we might have to make you the baby’s godmother.”

It’s one of the things she whispered to me. In those few minutes it took before we got to the hospital.

Stacey laughs softly. “Sounds like work. I didn’t do it for that.”

“So why did you do it?” I question, sounding a little out of breath.

“I wasn’t about to let a little D’Angelo die,” she whispers.

Christian’s jaw clenches. “You shouldn’t have had to go through that. I’m sorry, Stace.”

“I’m alright. At least I’m still alive. I’m looking at each one of your handsome faces.” She smirks.

I chuckle. At least she still has her sense of humor intact.

“Where’s my aunt?” she asks.

Carlo answers, “She’s on her way. She’ll be here in a bit.”

“Okay. That bastard’s really dead, right?” she asks, her eyes darting to me. “He’s gone?”

I nod. “He’s gone, Stace. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

She relaxes, letting the tension melt from her body. “Alright. Alright. I think I need to rest, guys.”

We walk out, weighed down heavily by all that’s happened in the past few days. It feels like my life was thrown upside down and I have no idea how to get it back on track. My brothers look at me, and I already know what’s coming before they speak.

“I’m fine,” I mutter at the expressions on their faces.

“The first’s one’s always the hardest,” Carlo says, his jaw tight.

“You don’t have to be fine, little brother,” Christian agrees.

“Are you kidding? I’ve got a woman to take care of and a baby on the way. I have to be fine, Chris.”

His cool brown eyes roam across my face, searching, studying.

“I guess you’re right,” he finally says. “If you need anything, though.”

“I know. I’m just going to head over to Katherine’s room.”

They let me go while they wait for Stacey’s aunt and our mom to arrive. Mom was probably going through it these past few days, worried sick.

When I get back to Katherine’s room, her father’s exiting. There’s a smile on his face, but he takes one look at me and it vanishes.

“She’s looking for you,” he informs me. I move to walk in, but he stops me. “Thank you. For saving her.”

I stare at him, then offer a single nod of acknowledgment. “I did what I had to.”

He looks away. I open the door and walk into her hospital room after a quick breath of hesitation. Katherine’s seated with a sad expression she quickly puts away once I step in.

“Hey,” she breathes, gesturing for me to take her hand. I move closer and do so, and the trembling stops. My demons go quiet at the sight of her. “How’s Stacey?”

“She’s out of danger. I just spoke to her and she seems okay,” I inform her.

Katherine nods, looking relieved. We don’t say anything for several minutes. My gaze roams over her hungrily, trying to memorize every inch of her. I can’t count the amount of times I imagined finding her dead, or even worse.

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