The doctor’s eyes widened and he instantly took three steps back. Behind him, I could hear the sighs coming from my father, Carter, and Joshua. We were in one of the guest bedrooms at Townsend Manor. We’d brought Patience here instead of home to have her checked out and examined by our on-call medical team, but I couldn’t find it in me to give the doctors enough space to let her be touched by anyone but me. She hadn’t released me since she began crying in the car. Save for a few hiccups, she was completely silent.
I knew I was being unreasonable. She needed medical attention. For the bruising on her face and rope burns on her wrists. For the baby. I knew it, but I couldn’t let her go. Seeing another man’s hands on her—even if that was a doctor we hired to care for her. I myself just couldn’t bear it. I pulled her into me even more.
“Aaron,” my father began.
I shook my head, silently telling him not to bother. I wasn’t budging. I’d hold her for as long as she needed me to. Then the doctor could do his damn job.
My father wouldn’t relent. He knelt beside the bed we rested on. “Aaron, she’s safe. No one in this room is going to do anything to harm your wife.”
I ground my back teeth. Rationally, I knew this already.
“But she needs medical attention. Your job is to protect her, even if that means letting her go…just for a little while.”
My hand moved to her belly where I hoped our unborn child still grew.
“H-he’s right,” Patience whispered in my ear, seemingly coming out of the almost catatonic state she’d been in.
I tightened my grip.
“Aaron, the baby,” she whispered.
I hesitated but eventually pushed out a full breath and reluctantly loosened my grip from around her. Slowly, she sat up, pushing her hair behind her ear.
Another surge of anger moved through me at the sight of her swollen face. She moved off my lap to the side of the bed.
The doctor moved closer, albeit hesitantly. My father stepped back, giving him more room.
“Is there anything, health wise, I should know?” the doctor asked, attempting to be sensitive.
Patience stalled, her gaze bouncing around the room, embarrassed. That look tore at my soul. I was going to rip that son of a bitch’s limbs off and beat him with them.
“I-I wasn’t raped,” she uttered. “He hit me in my stomach…I’m pregnant,” she confessed.
Out of the side of my gaze I could see my father and Carter’s heads raise. Joshua already knew since I’d revealed it earlier.
“Do you know how far along?” the doctor questioned.
She shook her head. “I just found out today.” Her voice cracked but she cleared her throat.
I sealed my eyes shut and inhaled, summoning every bit of strength I could. Opening them, I listened as Patience answered the doctor’s’ questions. I had to restrain myself when his hands went to touch her. I repeated over and over that he was helping her as I watched him clean out her wounds and carefully bandage her wrists. He carried a portable ultrasound as part of his service so he brought it out to use.
“The baby’s heart doesn’t begin to beat until around six weeks. So, it’s unlikely we’ll hear that today because you’re so early on.” He paused, tossing a weary glance my way. “Uh, typically prior to eight weeks it’s best to do a transvaginal ultrasound.” He continued to stare, uneasily at me.
“What’s that?” My voice was hard.
“An internal ultrasound,” Patience answered in a small voice.
“Internal?” I stopped, immediately shaking my head. No fucking way he was about to spread my wife’s legs.
“I-I can attempt a transabdominal ultrasound,” he rushed on. “That may give us get a good image of how the baby’s doing.” He looked to me then back to Patience. “I’ll need you to lift your shirt.”
I growled low in my throat.
“As part of the exam,” he rushed out, staring at me.
“I-it’s okay,” Patience insisted, grabbing my hand.
I pushed out a harsh breath and looked to my brothers and father, waving my head to the door. They instantly understood and left the room, giving us our privacy. I nodded at the doctor, telling him he could proceed with the exam. Patience squeezed my hand as he lathered her stomach in that ointment they use. A minute later we were both staring at a grainy black and white screen, a visible black circle with what looked like nothing more than a lump at the center. And then another lump appeared. I had no idea what the hell I was looking at, but the gasp that came from Patience’s mouth had me on high alert.
