"I just hate to see you sick this way. I feel so … helpless."
I reach for his fingers that are curled tightly in the sheet at my side, like he has to take out his frustration on something.
"I know and I'm sorry. Just bear with me for a little longer. If I'm not feeling better, we'll go."
"If she's done something to you, I'll kill her," he says, his voice fierce even though he's speaking softly to me.
"I'll let you," I say, teasing.
Cash raises his head and I open my eyes to look down at him. His expression is tortured. "I'm serious. There would be nothing left for me, so why not take her out and just spend the rest of my life in prison? At least I'd have the satisfaction of knowing-"
"You couldn't do that. Not to Isabella. She'd have no one then. You have to consider her now. You're a father."
"We don't know that."
I give him a dry look. "We do. Whether she's biologically yours or not, she's already yours."
I can see that my comment brought him up short. He can no longer think of just me. He has another little life to consider. And that changes everything.
He shakes his head, frowning. "Well, none of that will even matter because you're going to be fine. If this hasn't stopped by nine, I'm going to pick you up and forcibly carry you to the car. And then … the E.R."
"Okay, okay," I say, closing my eyes again. Between the early morning and the vomiting, I'm suddenly exhausted. "But maybe I could nap until then. You think?"
Cash's face softens into that loving look that melts my heart. "Of course, baby. Want me to leave you alone?"
My nose does, but the rest of me doesn't. So I ignore my nose. My husband is much more important than my comfort. "Nope," I tell him, taking his hand and tugging.
Cash climbs over me and stretches out along my back, pulling me into the curve of his body. With his warmth wrapped around me like a muscular cocoon, I take a deep breath, let it out and relax into a deep sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cash
I lie beside Olivia, my insides clenched in fear, fear that Sophie did have the nerve and the utter stupidity to try and hurt my wife. All the what-ifs are chasing each other through my head, each one only making me feel worse than the last. I listen to Olivia's deep, even breathing, comforted by the fact that she isn't up puking her guts out. Maybe she's right. Maybe it's just that her body didn't particularly care for that herb. I pray to God that's all it was.
Still, I don't relax until she rolls over almost two hours later and smiles sleepily up into my face. "Good morning. Again."
I kiss the tip of her nose, relief washing through me. She's okay. I can see it in the flush of her previously ghostly pale cheeks and in the flash of her jewel-like eyes. "Good morning. You look better."
She pauses, like she's taking stock of herself. "I feel better."
"Thank God. I was worried." I don't tell her how worried. She doesn't need to know that. It will only make her feel bad.
"I told you there was no reason to be. Sophie might be a lot of things, but she's not that stupid."
"I hope not, but I wasn't willing to just assume and risk it. Risk you. If you hadn't opened those gorgeous eyes and looked better … " I shake my head, unwilling to consider that possibility now. She's okay. That's all that matters. I'll deal with Sophie later.
"You'd beat up the world for me, wouldn't you?"
"Hell yeah! Each and every dumb ass crazy enough to cross me. When it comes to you, there's nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe. To make you happy."
"Lucky for you, all you have to do to keep me happy is stick around."
"I got that covered. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."
"Good. That saves me from having to hunt you down and drag you back."
"Drag me back? I'd like to see that."
"You think I couldn't?" she asks, turning fully toward me and pushing up onto her elbow. Her dark hair tumbles down, cascading over my chest like a cool, black waterfall. Her eyes twinkle as she reaches between us, running her fingers down my ever-present hard-on. Ever-present, at least, when she's around. "I have the perfect handle. You don't think I could convince you to come back with me if I wrapped my fingers around this?"
I inhale sharply, my dick twitching against her warm palm. "You said 'drag.' You didn't say anything about this kind of coercion."
"Well, that's what I meant. Obviously. I could never overpower you."
I slide my hand up her arm to cup her satiny cheek. "You overpower me every day. You just don't know it."