I draw a shuddering breath, look at the top of his dark head as he bows it into the crook of my neck, his breathing labored, cock still throbbing inside me. I bite my lip so hard when the words come that I taste the copper of blood to swallow them back and shove them down. And when he looks back up at me, something’s inside his eyes I can’t name, and I wonder what he’s swallowed down. If it’s lodged in his throat like the words are lodged in mine. And I think how sad we are. Even now.
Santiago rolls to lie beside me, our heads on one pillow, face-to-face. He brushes my hair back, wiping away stray tears, and here come those words again, that choking emotion. They want out, but I swallow hard.
Because I can’t say them.
Because I can’t love him.
“Did you come for the baby?” I ask instead. It’s important we’re clear. We’re each where we belong and know where we stand, even if it hurts.
He looks confused, and it takes a moment for him to reply as if he’s considering. “I came for you.”
7 Ivy
Santiago doesn’t leave my side. After bathing me and helping me dress, he stands at the wall, arms folded across his chest, watching as the doctor asks me questions and explains what they’d injected me with. A muscle relaxer rather than an anesthetic, albeit a strong one.
Santiago snorts when this doctor uses the term doctor about that other man. “He was no more a doctor than I am. More like a piece of shit.”
“It wasn’t harmful to you or the baby. That’s the most important thing,” the doctor continues after clearing his throat. He turns my head to study the bruise at my temple. “You were lucky.”
“Lucky?” Santiago interrupts again. “I’m not sure I’d call her lucky.”
“I meant any damage will heal.” He smiles, giving me a wink. He takes a card out of his pocket and sets it on the nightstand. “If you need anything or have questions, I’m available day and night to the members of The Society.”
He’s a Society doctor.
“We want our members to feel safe and well cared for, and you certainly are, Ivy. Especially during such an important time.” I guess he means the pregnancy.
I glance at Santiago. His hair is still wet from the shower, but he’s dressed in a fresh white button-down and dark slacks and looks more like himself. It makes me smile a little. He’ll be a cantankerous old man, I think.
He shifts his gaze to me and momentarily appears puzzled by my expression, but then there’s a knock on the door, which is open just a little, and to my surprise, Eva peers inside.
“Eva!”
She pushes the door wide open and gives me a big smile that shows all her teeth as she hurries to hug me even tighter than she had at the hospital. I hear her sniffle and rub her back.
“I’m so glad you’re safe and home,” she says, voice quiet so only I can hear her.
“Me too.”
I look at Santiago over her shoulder and gesture to the door. I know he understands I’m asking him to give me a minute with my sister, but he just carries on talking to the doctor like he doesn’t, so I clear my throat as Eva pulls away.
“Can you give us a minute?” I ask outright.
The doctor smiles. “Of course. I need to be going. If you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you,” I say and shift my gaze to Santiago, who just keeps on standing there. “Why don’t you walk the doctor out? I promise I’ll be right here when you get back.”
He shifts his gaze to Evangeline, who I can see is smiling, then back to me. “Fine,” he says, but he sounds far from fine. “I’ll be right back.” They head out a moment later, Santiago making a point to leave the door open.
“He’s sweet, I guess. In his own weird way,” Eva says.
I’m confused. “Santiago?”
She nods.
“Sweet?”
“You should have seen him when you were missing. He was really worried about you.”
That makes me smile. I want to believe it’s true.
“I came for you.”
A thought niggles at the back of my mind. Did he just say that because I’m pregnant? Because he doesn’t want to upset me for fear of something happening to the baby? I can’t forget the days leading up to the hospital. I can’t pretend they didn’t happen.
“Hey, are you okay?” Evangeline asks, dragging my attention back to the present.
I try to smile and nod. “What are you doing here?”
“Your husband took me as collateral,” she says hesitantly.
“He did what?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. I mean, what’s the alternative? Being at home with Mom? At least here, there are people to talk to like him or Antonia. She’s nice. She was super worried too, Ivy.”
“You talk to him?”
“Mm-hmm. He’s crazy in love with you, you know.”
My mouth falls open, and I’m about to ask what she’s talking about when Santiago is back standing in the doorway. “Antonia has dinner for you in the kitchen, Evangeline. French fries and some other crap you should enjoy tonight because you won’t be having it anymore. Not under my roof.”
Eva looks at me, rolls her eyes, and gets to her feet. “Want me to bring you some?”
“Ivy will not be eating that. Thank you,” Santiago answers for me.
“I got you covered,” she mouths with a wink, then gets up and leaves the room.
Santiago watches her go, then closes the door. “She’s something else.”
“She is. Would you mind explaining how she came to be here?”
“Would you prefer she wasn’t? I can send her home, but considering your brother is still out there, I didn’t think you’d want that.”
“Did you kidnap her?”
“Kidnap is a big word. I…” He considers. “Borrowed
