One Last Sin (The Sin Trilogy #3)(7)

I didn't allow myself to wonder about it because to do so meant it was a possibility.

"Moving on to the pregnancy. The babies look stable. But as you know, your wife has had a very significant bleeding episode. The trauma to her abdomen caused a marginal tear in the edge of the placenta. That means it has a slight separation from the womb. But the bleeding has stopped. We'll keep her hydrated and on bed rest and see what happens."

I wonder if "see what happens" is an official medical prognosis. "Do you think our babies will be all right?"

"All we can do is watch and wait."



* * *



Bleu moans off and on but it's more than two hours after the obstetrician's visit before she finally stirs for the first time. "Bonny."

I squeeze her hand and her eyelids flutter. She struggles to open her eyes because they're so swollen. When she does, they're slits. "Ahh. There's my sweet Bonny's baby blues."

She blinks lazily. "Hi," I say.

Her eyes flicker several more times, I think trying to focus on my face.

"Hi," she whispers. Her simple one-word greeting is music to my ears.

"How do you feel?"

She closes her eyes. "Nauseated. I think I'm going to be sick."

My mum moves faster than lightning with the little bucket they left for such a thing. "It's all right if ye get sick."

Mum points to the drawer where the linens are kept. "Wet a washcloth with cold water for her face."

I scramble to the small sink in the tight washroom, wet the cloth, and hand it back to my mother, my own hands shaking. Mum places the wet cloth against Bleu's forehead. "There, love. This'll help ye feel better." 

A few seconds later, Bleu rises in the bed and moans loudly while dry heaving into the basin my mum is holding. Once. Twice. Three times.

Very few areas of her body are free of bruising. She must be in terrible pain.

"Oh!" Bleu's eyes grow large when she wretches the last time. "I just felt something come out down there."

Mum pulls the covers back for a look. "It's just a little blood. That's all."

"Why am I bleeding?" Bleu's hand goes to her stomach. "Oh God. I lost the babies."

Worry can't be good for her or them. I need to reassure her everything is all right. "You had some bleeding but both babies are okay. They did an ultrasound and saw two heartbeats."

"I'm going to fetch the nurse. She needs to know Bleu is awake so she can assess her and call the doctor."

I bring Bleu's hand to my mouth for a kiss. "This is all my fault, Bonny. I'm so sorry I didn't protect you and our children."

She's sobbing, tears rolling from the corners of her eyes on to the pillow beneath her head. "I'm bleeding. Does that mean I'm going to lose them?"

"The doctor says they look stable."

She strains to sit up and winces. "Oh my God. It hurts."

"What hurts? Where?"

"Everywhere."

I feel helpless. I can't make this better for her.

"Mum went to get a nurse. We'll ask her to get you something for pain."

The nurse comes quickly but is taking forever to assess Bleu. "She's in agony. Can you give her something and then do this?"

"I'm sorry. I can't do that, Mr. Breckenridge, but I promise I'm hurrying."

I'm not at all pleased by how long it takes Bleu to get medication but I can tell when it begins to work. She's much more relaxed. "Feeling better?"

"A little, but this is going to hurt like hell for a while."

"I'm so sorry."

"At least the narcotics help."

"No. I mean I'm sorry this happened. It's all my fault."

"You didn't do this to us. Torrence Grieve is to blame."

"I left my pregnant wife at home without protection while I knew that my enemy was lying in wait. I was foolish and careless with the people I love most in this world. There's no excuse." I clasp her hand tightly. "Can you forgive me?"

"I thought I was fine and could protect myself. But I guess I'm not invincible. I think we both learned valuable lessons." That can't be the extent of how she feels. Maybe her mood is altered by what they gave her for pain.

She has sleepy eyes. "It's all right if you want to take a nap."

"I'm so tired." Her voice is slowed.

"Go to sleep. I'll be by your side. I'm not going anywhere."

"Maybe just a little snooze."

Bleu shuts her swollen eyes for less than a minute before they pop open. "Lainie! I promised we'd take her away from that place!"

"We brought her with us."

"Where is she?"

"She was in bad shape and needed to be examined."

"Is she all right?"

"I don't know."

"No one is with her?" Bleu is alarmed.

"I guess not."

"Someone from The Fellowship needs to be with her in case Torrence or one of his minions comes for her."



       
         
       
        

"I can assure you that Grieve won't be coming for her."

"You killed him. I'm glad."

I've never been more pleased by a person's death. "Aye. And the other two who beat you. Killing Torrence was the best move I could've made for us and our people."

"But the others could come for Lainie."

"Bonny. She's Order. Our enemy. It's not our job to protect Lainie from her own people. I wouldn't have taken her out of there if I'd known who she was."

"But they're horrible people."

"True, but members of The Order are part of that circle by choice."

"Not Lainie. Her parents traded her to Torrence for money and power. She tried to escape and he locked her in that cabin. She's been there for two months. He's been raping her so she'd become pregnant with his child."

At the very least I owe Lainie my help and support since Jason's death set off a firestorm that has severely impacted her life. And I mustn't forget she tried to help my wife and took a beating for it. "Mitch is in the waiting room. I'll send him to sit with her for now. We'll figure out the rest later."

"Thank you."

The door to Bleu's hospital room should be swapped out for one that will revolve. A parade of no fewer than a half-dozen doctors pass through it over the next couple of hours. Like clockwork, one leaves and another enters within fifteen minutes. It's much the same with our friends and family. The Fellowship wants to show their support for their leader and his wife.

But Bleu is exhausted. I see it in her heavy lids. It's time for all visitors to go. Even Lorna and Westlyn, although I know it won't be easy.

"Bleu's too nice to say it so I'm going to do it for her. You've done an excellent job of seeing to her every need. But she's really tired and needs her rest."

"Maybe we can step out for a while," Westlyn says.

Lorna nods in agreement. "We'll sit in the waiting room."

Stepping out to the waiting room means they'll be back in a little while. "I'm here to take care of her, so go home. You can come back tomorrow after she's rested."

I don't give them a choice. I can tell they don't like it much but they do as I tell them.

It's finally the two of us. "Thank you for doing that."

"All part of a husband's dirty job."

She lifts the covers. "I want to be close to you. Come lie next to me while I sleep."

I kick off my shoes and slide in beside my wife. I'm forced to leave my prosthesis on, something I never do when I get into bed. 

We lie on our sides spooning. "It's all right for you to be angry with me about what happened. I promised to keep you safe and I didn't. I deserve every bit of your fury."

She sighs. "I never once thought I needed you to safeguard me. I fancied myself doing you a favor by agreeing to let you play the part of my protector. But I had it all wrong. I'm tough but I put myself in danger by not seeing my own weaknesses." She curls into me like a frightened child. "I can't believe I was so wrong."

She's trembling so I tighten my hold. "I'm so sorry. I swear that will never happen again. Things are going to be different when we go home. When I'm away, you and the babies will have a minimum of two bodyguards at all times."

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think I need that to feel safe again."

My wife doesn't feel safe. That breaks my heart because it's a testament to the husband I've been. But I'm going to do everything in my power to gain her trust again.

"Debra called me right before The Order took me. She got the evidence we needed to prove Abram is innocent. At least of my mother's murder. I'm sure he's guilty of plenty of other offenses."

I know Abram is capable of a lot but I never believed he was guilty of Amanda Lawrence's murder. "How do you feel about that?"

"I should be happy your uncle didn't kill my mother. But I'm not. I hate him."

She should. He's done terrible things to her. "Abram is finished badgering you. I'll see to that personally."

There's a knock at the door. When it doesn't open right away, I know it's not a doctor or nurse. They don't wait for an invitation to enter.

I told my people no interruptions. I was very clear about it. And now someone is disrupting one of the most important conversations I've ever had with my wife.

"Hold on," I snap. "Fuck!" I toss back the covers and swing my legs around to replace my shoes.