“Well, let’s see about easing your mind and get a good look at those babies. Gentlemen, I’ll need you to step behind the curtain while we do this, if you don’t mind. We’re going to have to do a vaginal ultrasound.”
“Yeah, I don’t need to witness that shit,” Mammon grumbles.
He gets up to do as the doctor asks, whereas I don’t. “I’m staying right here,” I inform them all.
Dr. McAlister glances at Delaney and asks, “Are you okay with him staying?”
“He can stay,” she says, nodding, not looking at me.
I reach for her hand without thinking and give it a gentle squeeze. I know I hurt her, and she could easily have kicked my ass out of here, not allowed me to be here for this, but I sense she needs someone in here at her side right now. Since I refuse to go, it’ll be me, and she’ll have to get over it.
I won’t think otherwise. I might not know Delaney, but I’m good at sensing the worst in people, and I don’t think this woman has a bad bone in her body. If there’s one thing I can believe about her, it’s that she’s not vindictive. She wouldn’t have been after anything from me. She came to me of her own accord.
But what if she’s claiming they're mine and they’re not?
No.
One look at her, and I know I can trust that she wouldn’t try to play games.
“Alrighty,” Dr. McAlister says, moving the machine around so we can all see the screen while she lifts the sheets on the side and slides the probe inside Delaney’s . . . I cringe at the sight of it going under the gown.
The doctor presses some buttons on the machine, and instantly, a whooshing noise fills the room. “That right there is a good sign, Delaney. Heartbeats are strong and steady.”
My heart clenches in my chest at the sound. Calming something inside me, like the sound alone could ease all my worries.
Staring at the screen, the doctor scans both fetuses and goes over things that I never knew they spoke of. When my ex was pregnant with Dash, she refused to let me go to most of the appointments with her. Not that I had a lot of time to be able to take off, but I would have gone. The only one I went to was when we found out she was having a boy.
“Now, I want you to keep your appointment with my office. However, if anything changes, you need to call immediately.” The doctor finishes the exam and removes the probe wand.
“Thank you, Doctor McAlister,” Delaney breathes, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“You need to take it easy for the next couple of weeks. I know you have students that need you at school,but I’m going to have to ask you to rest and heal before youreturn to the classroom.”
“She’ll be sure to rest up,” Mammon grunts, rejoining us as the doctor replaces the blanket over Delaney’s legs.
“I don’t want to upset the kids by looking like this,” Delaney mutters, letting go of my hand and motioning to her face. “It’ll give them nightmares.
“I doubt it’ll give them nightmares,” I tell her.
When the doctor excuses herself, saying she’ll try to check on Delaney before she gets discharged, we’re left alone once again with her brother glowering at me.
I didn’t care. All that matters isthat Delaney and the twin will be okay. I just need to figure out what the hell we’re going to do about all of this. It’s clear she shouldn’t be alone right now, not while she’s healing.
Only one thing comes to mind, and that’s me moving her into my room at the house for the time being. It’s not ideal, but I’m not about to let history repeat itself.
“After you’re free and clear of this place, Laney, you want to stay at the clubhouse for a few days?” Mammon asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I can stay at home, Dustin. I don’t need to stay at the clubhouse.”
“You’re not going back there, Laney.”
So, she was at home when she was attacked.
“Where else am I going to stay?”
“You’ll stay with me,” I blurt out, a bit harsher than I should.
“Ugh, no,” she declines. “I’ll be fine at home. I don’t need to stay with you or my brother.”