Ispent the morning holding Rosalie and helping her to the bathroom whenever she had to throw up. I was exhausted off my ass, having been up all night at the hospital, but I was here for the long haul, even if my eyelids were dragging at my feet.
“You’re OK, baby,” I murmured, smoothing her hair as I lay her back in bed.
“You’re tired,” she mumbled.
“It’s fine.” I kissed her forehead.
“I have to talk to you?—”
“Shh. Rest. We’ll talk later.” She’d been throwing up so much that I was beginning to get concerned about dehydration and contemplated hauling her sexy ass to my hospital to get her fueled up on an IV. Even the electrolyte drinks weren’t staying down. Fear of what happened with Blossom kept coming back into my head, and it was a battle to shut it out.
“Cole—”
“Rosebud. I’m not taking no for an answer. Close those pretty eyes of yours and rest. Our baby needs his mommy to be strongand healthy. When you wake, we can talk. I’ll listen to whatever you want to talk about.”
“Sleep with me,” she said, holding her hand out.
I took her hand and climbed into bed next to her. She immediately curled into me. She’d thrown up so damn much in the last three hours. She’d taken the meds, but they weren’t much help since she was throwing up moments later.
I raked my fingers gently through her hair. I sent out a silent prayer that she’d be able to rest. Fear welled inside me because ugly memories of losing Blossom bubbled up.
Her breathing turned deep, and I kissed the top of her head fiercely.
It didn’t take me long to fall asleep, but I did try to fight it for a moment. It was a losing battle, so I submitted.
I wokeup hours later to the smell of something awesome cooking. The sun was setting, and Rosalie wasn’t in bed with me.
Immediately, I got up and went out to the main part of the apartment, hoping to kiss my girl, but I stopped dead in my tracks as I spotted Ryder with his hands on her waist, leaning in to her as they slow danced.
I swallowed hard as she laughed softly. She still looked so exhausted and unwell.
He reached out, cradled her face, and murmured something to her that made her shake her head no.
Something was going on with them. I suspected he wanted her, and it pissed me off then.
Now?
I breathed in deeply, trying to compose myself, but it was a losing battle because just when I thought I had my shit together, he kissed her.
She didn’t push him away.
“What the fuck?” I shouted, surging forward.
I made it to them in the blink of an eye and shoved Ryder so hard that he stumbled back against the pantry.
“Cole!” Rosalie reached for me, but I was in attack mode.
I lunged at Ryder. My fist connected with his face. If I thought that was going to slow him down, I was wrong because he came right back at me, his fist meeting my face so hard my ears rang.
Guess we weren’t going to pull punches.
That was fine. I’d been really wanting to clock his ass for weeks now.
Scratch that.
Years.
“Cole! Ryder! Stop!” Rosalie screamed, trying to separate us, but we were both tearing into one another.
