“That’d be great, thanks, if you don’t mind,” Baron answers, and I crack open my eyes to look around blearily. “So, two bruised ribs, one cracked rib, and one prune-sized baby. Anything I’m missing?”
“Two weeks of bed rest and a pint of ice cream when you get home.” Morris calls from the open entryway, and I look over at her before she shuts the door. Glancing at Baron, I purse my lips thinly as he smiles tenderly.
“You heard the doctor,” He agrees, and I close my eyes to rest my head against him. “Your place or mine?”
CHAPTER17
BARON
Delaney fights her sleep as I hold her to my chest and lift her out of the car. She’s exhausted but refuses to get any good rest.
“You know I can walk, Baron. Honestly, the door is right there.” She tries to wiggle out of my grasp but I hold onto her tighter.
“No.” I say it with not one trace of humor in my voice. Seeing her lying up in that hospital almost destroyed who I am to my core. It physically felt like my entire being was on fire while we sat there waiting for the ambulance to show up. All of this bullshit because of my fucking mother.
While Delaney was in the hospital I didn’t really want to think about anything that had to do with that woman but now that we’re home and the doctor has explicitly said that we need to manage Delaney’s stress level the last thing I want is my mother to be roaming around. Ready to pop up and wreck havoc at any given moment.
I grab hold of Delaney’s keys and open the door to her flat. It’s still just as clean as I remember though in the living room is a few bags I’m sure her sister brought with her. Once Bran let the rest of the siblings know that Delaney was in the hospital Keeva and Theo were one of the first ones to show up. Their relationship is a bit strained but I can see the love there. It’s buried under a thick layer of shit, though, but it’s there.
Walking slowly into her room, I place Delaney down on the bed and help her take off her jacket and her shoes. “Do you want anything to drink? Something to sleep in?” I know she’s physically capable of doing all these things on her own but I just feel so helpless. She’s the love of my life and the woman carrying my child and if I don’t make sure she’s properly cared for I could lose the both of them. I’m not going to chance it. If I have to do everything from here on out to make sure that she’s okay I will.
“No, honestly, I’m fine Baron. Please stop worrying.” She tilts her head to the side and even though she’s smiling at me I can see the dark circles under her eyes and paleness of her skin. She’s not okay. Not yet at least.
“Impossible.” I answer. After I pull all the medications she might need out of the bags I close her bedroom door, kick off my shoes and sit in the bed with her. Most of the bottles are vitamins, but Tylenol is apparently safe for babies. I stare at the gel capsules hiding in the container before snapping out of my daze.
“We could watch some TV or order some food. What do you want to do?” Delaney turns in my direction and smooths a hand over my shoulder as if she’s trying to comfort me. Maybe this is a way for me to help her. I hate that I’m stooping to a level right above manipulation but I’m willing to do it if it means I can help her get better.
“I’m so exhausted, can you just lay with me?” I ask her and I watch her face crumble with concern.
“Aye, you’ve been running around for days. You must be dead on your feet. Come.” She pulls back the covers and fixes herself underneath them. I follow her lead and let her ‘take care’ of me. Once both of us are settled in the bed I kiss the top of Delaney’s head and let her rest on my chest. I curl my arm around her body, my fingertips grazing the flat surface of her belly where my child is nestled safely.
Delaney lets out a content sigh and moments later she’s fast asleep on my chest. I’m pleased she’s resting but sleep won’t be coming so easy for me. My mind replays my mother yelling in Delaney’s face over and over. Then the fall and Delaney screaming in pain. My own personal nightmare stuck on repeat. What would have happened if I wasn’t there? Would Delaney have made it to the hospital in time or would we have lost the baby?
“Baron…” Delaney grumbles my name and presses herself deeper into my grasp. I’m making her uncomfortable with my tension. Meditation is the only trick I have right now to pull me out of this vicious thought cycle. I even out my breathing and work hard to get my body to relax one muscle at a time.
Twenty minutes later Delaney is in a deep sleep and I know exactly what I have to do in order to keep my sanity. My mother has to go.
Softly, I reposition Delaney so I can get out of the bed without waking her up. Waiting just at the edge of the bed when she turns over and nestles into the pillow I know she’s going to be sleeping for at least a little while.
I walk softy out of the bedroom and bring my phone out so I can make a call. I don’t know what time it is and I don’t actually care. If my mother doesn’t answer, I’ll just keep calling until she does.
“Baron, do you have any idea what time it is? You have more class than to call anyone at this hour.” She hisses out immediately as she picks up the phone.
“Mother, close your mouth.” I whisper harshly. I have to remember that Delaney is sleeping. I don’t want to wake her up with this nonsense. “You’re going to stay on this phone. You’re going to listen to what I’m going to tell you and when I’m finish you will say Yes Baron. That’s all.”
I wait for a second just to make sure my mother is taking me seriously. When she doesn’t say another word I know that she is. “All my life, you’ve ignored and neglected me. I’m way past the age were I’m going to cry about that but now that you’re out on your ass you think you can slide your slimey self back into my life. You believe that you can manipulate me like you do so many others. Before I would have let you try and ultimately just gone on with my life when I figured out what you were really after. But now…” Hot air puffs out my nose and I grip the phone I’m holding against my cheek tightly. Tight enough I hear the plastic creaking and just a little pressure away from breaking completely. “Now I have my own family to think about. I don’t want you anywhere near Delaney. You need to go back to Germany.”
“Baron, how dare you presume–”
“Stop fucking talking!” I bark at her. My voice louder than I want. My breath seizes in my chest as I turn and listen to see if Delaney is still sleep. When I don’t hear her shuffling around I continue. “You’re going to go to Germany and you’re going to stay there. If I even hear about you coming over here I’m going to call Liam Mckenzie and let him know exactly where and how to find you. I’m not going to warn you first. I’m not going to protect you in anyway. You’ll be ripped from this world before you can set one dirty foot within three hundred feet of Delaney.” I settle my breathing only to hear my mother basically panting with anger on the other end of the phone.
“You’re time is over. You have nothing left to run. Take what little you have and be content. Make Germany your home, and stay the fuck away from mine.” The time ticks by slowly as neither one of us says anything else. “Do we have an understanding?”
My mother doesn’t say a word, “I’ve already given you the script, what’s your line mother? Do we have an understanding?” I ask her again, my voice raising slightly.
“Yes, Baron.” She replies roughly.
“Good. Be gone within two days.” I hang up the phone and release the tension from my shoulders. I toss my phone on the small table and make my way back to my woman. Now that the threat is on it’s way out I feel the exhaustion finally starting to take over. I crawl back into the bed with Delaney and pull her back onto my chest. Sleep comes much easier this time.
