***
Sia’s warmth in my arms was the most beautiful luxury of my life. I savored every second, nuzzling her hair as I kicked her door in the moment I worked the key, and then shut again. Everytime she offered me help, I refused it, making sure her hands stayed exactly where I wanted them—knotted in my shirt, over my heart.
“Don’t you move, Sia.” I kissed her temple again.
“No chance,” she murmured, drowsy as fuck with the remnants of the hospital’s drugs still in her system. She had weeks of the stuff left to keep her comfortable while she healed, but heal, she would. None of the damage Lewis did on the outside was permanent.
“Where do you want to be today?” I paused in the middle of the living area. “I can put you in your bed with a book, on the sofa for steaming, or…” I shrugged, turning her in a semi circle for choices.
She looked up at me and winced when moving her neck tugged at the glue and internal stitches holding her inside bits together. Yeah, there was plenty of other damage done, and the mental stuff wouldn't disappear any time soon.
“You’re not staying?” Sia’s lips turned down, her eyes filling with tears. “I just hoped—”
“I have to go to work,” I said softly. “I promised you wouldn’t be alone, though. Hallie?”
Hallie walked through the kitchen doors.
Sia glared at me. “I love you, Hallie, but you are not the same,” she said without looking at my assistant and her friend.
“What?” Hallie said, chowing down on toast. “I can puff up the pecs. Also, you’re out of avocados. But we have a present for you.”
She received a glare from me, too.
“Nope.” Hallie shook her head, defiant. “The present is from both of us. Because I trained him.”
“You, what?” Sia’s head whipped around and she moaned.
“Easy.” I cradled her to my heart. Fuck, this was gonna hurt.
“Who? What did you do, Ward?” Her nails dug into my arm.
“I got you Hansen.” Fluff brushed my ankles.
At Hallie’s nod, I placed Sia carefully on the sofa, and crouched before her, reaching out. The bundle of fluff walked into my palm. The perfect size. I picked Hansen up and deposited him on Sia’s lap.
“You got me a kitten?” Tears cascaded over her cheeks as she gently tugged him into her chest, over her heart.
Mine broke.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” I murmured, stroking the back of her hand.
“I’m happy. Confused happy,” she whispered. “How will I…?”
“There’s kitty feed in the kitchen. One of us will be around to help out whenever you need. Here’s his log book. You can learn all about him.” Hallie sent me a look over her toast. “He’s six weeks old, loves biscuits, even though he shouldn’t have too many, and likes climbing. Everything. So don’t leave your coffee mug on things. I know you can walk, but take it easy, okay? He goes to the toilet with you. Not with, with you? But he comes along for the trip. His kitty litter is…”
I leaned down and pressed a kiss to Sia’s cheek. “Love you,” I murmured, soft enough to be lost beneath the tiny cat’s purrs.
Her breath hitched. She heard me. I rested my forehead against her temple, seeing one last moment of warmth with my wife.
Then I left.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SIA
Three months after Ward left Hansen in my townhouse with me and didn’t return, our divorce papers arrived.
The one thing I thought we were past. What I feared for so long finally happened.
