My eyes narrowed on him. Was he taking the piss? There was obviously nothing but an empty womb yet he carried on prodding and poking like he couldn’t get enough of Kloe’s cunt.
He finally turned to look at me. Ignorant of the storm building around him, he smiled at me. “Your lady is one strong fortress, Anderson.”
I blinked at him, his words not making it through the humming in my head. “What?”
He tipped his chin to the screen.
Slowly moving my eyes, my breath shunted when the outline of a small, but perfect, jelly bean wriggled against the reservoir of black emptiness on the screen. A blinking dot flashed rapidly and Mike pointed to it. “He has a strong heartbeat.”
“What?”
He smiled again then his expression saddened. “There are remnants, fibres, in the amniotic fluid. I assume this little guy here had company.”
“What?” I couldn’t seem to form any other word.
“Twins, Anderson. I’m so very sorry but one didn’t make it.”
“But…”
When I couldn’t finish, Mike grabbed my forearm gently and nodded. “You’re going to be a father in roughly thirty-two weeks.”
Of course I wouldn’t be here that long, but the overwhelming happiness for Kloe that engulfed me was astounding. “She’s still pregnant?”
“She’s still pregnant,” Mike verified with a larger smile. “Congratulations.”
My legs shook and I dropped heavily onto the edge of Kloe’s bed.
Mike quickly packed up his stuff. “I’ll be back in a couple of days. Caroline will remain here for the near future, just until Kloe is back to her usual self.”
Lifting my eyes to him, I sighed. “And you think that’s a possibility? That she’ll get over this?”
He looked anxious for a second. “There’s always a possibility of anything, Anderson. Kloe is strong health wise, but her psychological strength I can’t determine quite yet. Time is on our side here, and all we can do is wait.”
Giving him a short nod, he returned one of his own and left, quietly shutting the bedroom door shut behind him.
Sliding my hand into Kloe’s, I couldn’t hold back the grin, even if my gut didn’t dare to hope. “Did you hear that, my little wolf? You kept our baby safe. You’re already such a good mother.”
She didn’t respond. She continued to sleep in the realms of peace where she belonged, for a short while longer, anyway.
And I would be right here, beside her, chasing away the demons in her nightmares until her mind would accept that everything was going to be okay. For her, anyway.
I WAS COLD. SO VERY cold. A shiver raced over me and I gritted my teeth at the ice that seemed to weld my jaw together.
Everything was dark.
I felt his hand in mine but the soft way he was breathing told me he was asleep. I didn’t want to wake him, but I needed to.
“Anderson.” My voice was choked, raspy and quiet, and I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me. “Anderson.” It took effort to squeeze his hand, but putting all my strength into it, I felt him jerk.
He gasped. “Kloe?”
“I can’t see, Anderson.” Sensing his hesitation instead of seeing it, my chest heaved with panic. “Anderson! I can’t see!”
“Hey, hey,” he soothed. His voice was soft, the softest I’d heard it since we had been trapped in his room at Seven Oaks, his request to kiss me taking his courage and making his voice low and cautious. “It will be okay. It’s just your mind needing a reprieve.”
I knew he didn’t believe that as much as I didn’t and I screwed up my face in frustration. When his hand settled on my cheek, I pressed against his touch. “What if it isn’t?”
“There’s no point worrying about something we’re not certain of yet. Give it time. How are you feeling otherwise?”
It was one of the most stupid questions I’d ever been asked, and I huffed. “Hunky-dory!”
Clicking his tongue, I felt him tense beside me. But then, as if catching himself, he relaxed again. “Our baby is still alive.”
Every part of me froze in shock. I daren’t hope. I daren’t. Anderson could be cruel, and although I felt every bit of his kindness radiating around me, I also knew his words could have been a sadistic joke.
“Kloe?” he pressed when I didn’t answer him.
I wanted to see the truth in his eyes, determine the lie in the vivid green of his eyes. But I couldn’t. Frustration grew and I shifted angrily. “Please don’t lie to me, Anderson. Not about this. Please.”
“What?”
“You’ve lied to me over so many things. I can’t see you. I can’t see the facts in your eyes. I can’t establish what’s real and what isn’t with you if I can’t fucking see you!”
His hand tightened in mine and I tensed when I felt him close in on me. His breath tickled my cheek and then drifted over my ear. “It’s the truth. Our baby is still alive. You were carrying twins, and unfortunately, one was lost. But the other, he’s fit and strong, Kloe. His heart beats as hard as yours and mine.”