U
tates closed behind me h
t my mind remained trapped inside that living r
rid o
ed endlessly t
itation in his voice.
raphina's baby as if it were the
he more I tried to push the though
ed into me. I stumbled forward,
dy myself, but the ground beneath me tilted harder.
ollapsed, a familia
Que
lled me that
t me before my kn
" the deep voice mu
swam badly, but I still recogn
ainst him un
riso
use after all these years, I still recognized him
remember me,"
llowed me before
iliar smell. Hospital. The same place doctors
mic beeping ne
ng in the past days hit me again. I was b
my abdomen beneath the blanket.
are a
asper stood near the window with one hand in his pocket,
it me. Then reality settl
doing here?" I
toward me fully
't answer m
inst him were s
e said finally. "Your emergenc
d. Even now, traces of him still
e," I sa
ad a f
d I am
like he intended to
ld rest,"
hould
and slowly through his hair, a habit he on
ked quietly. "You are
out emotion. "You di
tly. "The cooling-off p
d without rai
I said softly. "Don't act con
before he could respond, the door opene
after seeing me awake.
in
true," Jas
tely. My hand tighte
he baby?"
ced down at the
ringly. "But your stress levels are d
ief. The baby was stable, and
nt comple
.Ba
wardly between us befo
ve weeks along. Avoid st
re leaving. The moment the door shut behind
ke he no longer recogn
e preg
n, just disbelief.
es
ed slightly. "Why d
laugh. Slowly, I tur
you have don
d instantly. Of course,
I added, remindin
e, Jasper looked
things," he
inst my stomach. "No," I cor
ped immediate
softly. "You lost the right to call it
this time. Then his g
rom earlie
ly. I could see it in his eyes, tho
iled. "What
as he
etly for a moment
matter?
tightene
ere inside the room shifted suddenl
son Drax stepped inside lik
confirming I was truly awake. He look
ax," Jasper
with unhurried confidence. "Mr. Finn,"
rkened immediately. "W
lity completely. His atten
de," he said calmly.
nk y
ted before I co
leave now," h
back at him fully. "An
The room hummed wi
aid calmly, "you have a habit of throwing
ned instantly. "She's no
" Morrison a
d away. The tension between them felt li
is time, when he spoke, his voice carried so
aid quietly, "you won'
e. And for the first time since
ooked afraid
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