Rush jumped to his feet when he heard the door open at the top of the stairs. He wasn’t expecting anyone to visit him at this time. He’d already been served lunch. No one usually returned until they delivered dinner and cleared away his lunch plate.
On top of that, he didn’t recognize the particular footfalls, which made him fucking nervous. He lived in constant fear that one of the men he’d made a deal with would either fuck up or turn on him. There were no guarantees in this messed-up world.
He was shocked to find a woman he’d never seen step into his line of sight. He knew in an instant she was the matriarch of this estate. She was dripping with jewels, makeup, fine clothes, and arrogance.
He didn’t like her from the first second he saw her, and he said a silent prayer that she wasn’t about to make his life a living hell worse than the one he was already living through.
“I heard you’re a doctor,” she stated without introducing herself.
“I am.”
She narrowed her gaze at him, assessing him.
He noticed her hands were shaking, and she reached up to clutch the string of pearls at her neck. “My son’s wife is newly pregnant and not feeling well. Our regular doctor is not available to see her. I’d appreciate it if you’d take a look at her.”
Rush had never been more shocked in his life. For one thing, it was incredulous that this woman spoke of her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy as if it had nothing to do with Rush. It’s my fucking child.
Also interesting was that Rush doubted this woman would ordinarily extend a polite gesture to someone she was holding as prisoner in her basement. Hell, he hadn’t ever met her or her husband. The only people he’d had any contact with before uniting forces with her son and his friends had been staff.
He wasn’t exactly a welcome guest meant to be treated with kindness. He was bought for his fucking sperm. He’d often wondered what would happen next. Would they sell him to another family after they got what they needed? And would that be soon? Perhaps even before he managed to escape?
He’d given Storm the suggestion earlier today that Haley could pretend to have cramps to keep her out of this woman’s clutches. Apparently, they had been successful. However, the mother-in-law certainly didn’t want anything to happen to her future grandchild.
Rush pulled himself together and nodded. “I’d be happy to take a look at her.” He’d be ecstatic. He’d give his right arm to meet Haley. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.
The woman narrowed her gaze. “My daughter-in-law’s bodyguard will accompany you. If you try anything stupid, you’ll regret it. You’re lucky that we paid good money to have you moved here, and you’re well aware very little has been required of you. You’re not mistreated in any way. If you want to keep your current cushy lifestyle, you’ll see to my daughter-in-law and return to your quarters without incident. Have I made myself clear?”
Rush nodded, but his mind was running. It was difficult not to laugh out loud.
Little has been required of me? You fucking used my sperm to make a human. That was a pretty huge fucking requirement.
Cushy lifestyle? Lady, I’m a prisoner in a jail cell. Rush fisted his palms behind his back to keep from throttling the hoity, haughty bitch.
Keep it together, Rush. Your ticket out of here is coming due.
Rush flinched at the sound of the heavy, metal gate to his cell being unlocked. It hadn’t been opened since he’d arrived. The sound of it screeching from lack of use as it swung open grated on his nerves.
He was surprised Braylon’s mother was letting him out without an entourage of guards with her, but the moment he stepped to the bottom of the stairs, he saw Storm standing at the top.
In truth, Mrs. Hanson had nothing to worry about. If Rush were to so much as look at her wrong, he’d be hung before nightfall.
He took deep breaths as he headed up the stairs with the woman behind him. And he wasn’t surprised to find Storm staring at him sternly. It was his job.
“Come with me,” he demanded.
Rush said nothing as he followed Storm, glancing around at the meticulous kitchen that could have been used to serve the entire neighborhood. There was a woman at the counter cutting up vegetables, but she barely glanced at him.
Rush had hoped to see more of the estate, but he was led to a set of stairs just outside the kitchen at the back of the house. These were undoubtedly secondary stairs. Not the main set he was sure was elaborate at the front entrance.
Rush followed Storm to the second floor and down the wide hallway past several rooms before coming to a door that was ajar. When Storm pushed the door open to let Rush inside, Mrs. Hanson rounded them to enter first.
She gasped. “What are you doing here?”
Rush stood just inside the doorway. Braylon was sitting on the edge of the bed, blocking Rush’s view. He turned toward his mother. “I came home early to check on my wife, mother. And you should have called me when she told you she wasn’t feeling well.”
Rush was impressed with Braylon’s ability to sound like he was in charge here. That most likely wasn’t even close to being true.
Mrs. Hanson put her hands on her hips. “You don’t need to worry yourself over your wife’s petty problems, Braylon.”
Braylon stood and towered over his mother. “That’s my child she’s carrying, mother. I have a vested interest in her welfare. Do not interfere.”
Mrs. Hanson flinched almost imperceptibly. “I have everything under control. It wasn’t necessary for you to leave work.”
“Under control?” Braylon’s voice rose. “You were obviously so concerned that you couldn’t even wait for Dr. Brownville to come examine her. That’s not what I would call under control.”
Mrs. Hanson hmphed. “Stop shouting. It’s not good for the baby. Get out of here so this man can look at her.” She waved a hand toward the door.
Braylon narrowed his gaze. “Not a chance. You leave. I’ll stay.”
Mrs. Hanson gasped. “That’s inappropriate, and besides, it would be dangerous. I’m not leaving this man in here with you.”
“Mother, nothing is going to happen. Storm will be here. And me. Now, go wait downstairs in your sitting room. I’ll come find you after the exam.”
For several seconds, the room was completely silent while they all waited to find out how Mrs. Hanson would respond. Finally, she hmphed again, spun around, and stomped toward the door. At the last second, she turned back around and faced Storm. “Do not let him out of your sight. The moment he’s done, return him to his quarters.”
“Of course, ma’am,” Storm replied.
Rush tried not to react to her second reference to his jail cell as quarters. As if he had a lovely suite in another section of the house.
Mrs. Hanson turned toward her son. “You’re too soft with her. She needs a firm hand or she’ll start manipulating you.”
“I have it under control. Shut the door on your way out,” Braylon demanded.
The moment the door shut, Braylon nodded toward it and looked at Storm, who reached behind Rush and locked it.
“Jesus,” Braylon muttered.
Rush’s heart was racing as he took a few steps farther into the room, uncertain if these men were going to let him actually see Haley or not.
Braylon stepped to the side. “Haley, this is Rush.”
Haley turned her head toward him and gave a wan smile. “Nice to meet you. Or… I don’t even know what to say.”
Rush smiled in return, hoping to make her feel comfortable around him. Damn, she was fucking pretty. No wonder all three of her men doted on her and worried about her. She nearly brought Rush to his knees.
Her sweet smile could slay dragons. Her dark hair was panned out across her pillow, framing her pale complexion. She was dainty, which instantly made him nervous. Carrying a baby to full term could be challenging.
“I don’t know what to say either,” he responded before tipping his head to one side. “Are you feeling okay?” He was concerned. He’d expected her to sit up as soon as they were alone. After all, the cramps were a diversion. They weren’t real, were they?
“She’s spotting,” Braylon stated.
Rush flinched. “For real? I thought—”
“Yeah,” Braylon continued, “the cramps were a great invention, but then she started spotting for real. I’m not telling my mother that.”
“Good idea.” Rush continued forward. When he reached her side, he lifted a hand toward her forehead. “May I?”
“Of course,” Braylon responded as he moved out of the way.
Rush set his palm on her forehead. “You don’t seem feverish.” But every inch of him was shaking inside from this unexpected gift. Several gifts in a matter of minutes. He hadn’t expected to be summoned to examine her, and even then, he hadn’t expected to actually be needed when he arrived.
Rush lifted her wrist and checked her pulse. He couldn’t take his gaze off hers, nor did she look away from him. He was surprised though when a tear slid down her temple.
“Are you in pain anywhere, Haley?” he asked, suddenly nervous. Why on earth should he be concerned? Neither of them wanted her to actually have his baby. It was ludicrous. They’d been forced into this situation without meeting.
Except something tugged deep inside Rush’s chest. He felt an instant connection with this woman, and he didn’t want her to miscarry, as crazy as that might be.
She shook her head. “No. Just…scared.”
“About the baby?” he clarified.
She gave a slight nod and then lowered her gaze as more tears fell. “It’s stupid,” she whispered. “I should be glad if I lost it.”
Braylon climbed up onto the bed on her other side and grabbed her hand, lifting it to his cheek. “It’s not stupid, Hales. It’s perfectly understandable. I know it’s only been a few days since we found out you’re pregnant, and that baby isn’t even mine, but I’ve grown rather fond of the idea of watching you grow round with our child too.”
He glanced at Storm who leaned a hip on the bed next to Rush and stroked her shin through the blankets. “He’s right, princess. I feel nervous, as if the baby were mine too.”
Rush agreed with both of them, which was far more absurd. He hadn’t been a willing participant in this pregnancy, but now that he was standing next to the woman who was presumably carrying his child, he couldn’t stand the thought of her miscarrying.
Rush squeezed her fingers. “Would you like me to examine you?”
She swallowed. “I don’t know.”
“It won’t really change anything. Some women experience spotting and go on to have a perfectly normal pregnancy with no issues. It depends on how much blood we’re talking about and how long it lasts.”
“I don’t know,” she admitted softly. “I put a pad on when I noticed it and then climbed into bed and haven’t moved since. I’m scared.”
“Okay, why don’t I take a quick look and assess?” Rush glanced at Braylon and then Storm. “It’s up to you all. I meant what I said. It won’t change anything. She either miscarries or she doesn’t. I can’t stop it. If she truly is spotting, bed rest is the only answer. If it stops in a few days, she can get up and add more activity. If you want me to look and give you my best guess about the amount of blood, I can do that.”
“I think I’d like you to look,” Haley said.
Braylon nodded. “Whatever you want, baby.”
Storm probably had no idea how hard he was gripping her leg.
These men loved her to pieces, and Rush could see why. As he reached for the covers to pull them down her body, Braylon grabbed his wrist.
Rush lifted his gaze. “I’ll be as quick and non-invasive as I can, Braylon.”
Braylon swallowed. “It’s not that. There’s something you should know.”
Rush lifted both brows.
“She’s…” Braylon drew in a breath.
Storm finished the sentence. “No one has touched her.”
Rush flinched and glanced at both men in shock. “You mean you haven’t had sex?”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Storm added.
Rush lifted his hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples. Holy fuck. This was an unexpected development. No wonder they were all so certain the baby was Rush’s. But why?
As if he’d asked that question out loud, Braylon answered him. “I’m not a monster. I may have been forced to marry her, but that didn’t mean I had to rape her also.”
Rush’s respect for these men went up ten notches. He nodded. “You’re a good man.”
“I’m just a decent human being. If I were a good man, we wouldn’t still be in this fucking house doing my mother’s bidding.”
“But if you knew your mother would suspect you weren’t able to impregnate her, why—”
Braylon shook his head. “We had no idea she would suddenly declare me impotent after six months of marriage. We’d hoped to have more time. I wanted to get to know her before we started having sex. I wanted more for her.”
The tension in the room was palpable.
Haley grabbed her husband’s hand and brought it to her cheek. “It’s okay, Bray.”
He flinched. “It’s not. Nothing about this is okay. My wife is pregnant with another man’s baby and I haven’t even slept with her myself. It’s pure madness. Not to mention the fact that my best friends are also a part of our lives. We should have done more to get you out of here. And now things are escalating by the day.”
Haley was shockingly calm in the face of Braylon’s frustration. She continued to grip his hand and hold his gaze. “You’ve done everything you could. Stop castigating yourself.” She glanced at Rush. “We have help now. We’re going to get out of here soon.”
Rush nodded. “I swear I will get you to safety. All of you.”
“See?” She smiled at Braylon and then Storm. “Now, stop freaking out and let Rush examine me.” She yanked the covers off her body, exposing her small frame.
Rush felt like he should drop to his knees next to her. She was spun gold. His heart was racing as if he’d known her for a year and she’d just agreed to marry him. Ludicrous. She wasn’t his in the slightest.
“I’ll wait in the bathroom,” Storm said as he rose from the bed.
Haley shook her head. “You’ll stay right here with me. Surely the sight of a little blood is not going to make you faint, right?” She lifted a challenging brow.
Rush was grinning inside. Damn, she was strong. Much stronger than she looked.
“Of course not, baby,” Braylon responded. “We’ll stand wherever you want us. Whatever makes you comfortable.”
“If we’re going to have a baby, you’re going to have to get used to seeing blood. I’m pretty sure there will be a lot of it during the birth,” she teased. “And it’s probably time for everyone to stop being quite so protective of my virtue.” Yet another joke. “It’s overrated, don’t you think? If I’m going to give birth in nine months, I sure don’t want to still be a virgin. Maybe you should all get acquainted with my body.”
Braylon grinned as he leaned over and kissed her lips. “So demanding.”
She smiled. “Yeah. Enough coddling me. I’m not going to break. I’m a grown woman. A married one.” She turned her attention toward Storm. “You okay with a little blood?”
He smirked and placed his hand back on her ankle, her bare ankle now that she’d tugged the covers away.
She shifted her gaze to Rush next. “Do it.” She even pulled her nightgown up to her waist. “I’d rather have your opinion than lie here for several days wondering.”
Rush gripped her hand and then set it beside her body. “I don’t have any gloves, but I’m going to wash my hands first.” He rose and headed to the attached bathroom where he turned on the water and scrubbed his hands with soap. He stared at himself in the mirror the entire time.
This cannot be happening. It was surreal. It was frightening and invigorating at the same time. He needed to put his feelings in check and fast. Haley wasn’t his. She already had three men who adored her. Just because Rush had offered to get them to safety didn’t mean he would ever have any claim on her, baby or no baby. Right?
He swallowed back his concerns, dried his hands, and returned to the bedroom. Without a word, he eased her panties down over her hips, leaving them around her thighs. It took every ounce of inner strength to keep things professional.
He’d been a medic for years and never once had he crossed a line with a patient. But this woman had burrowed her way into his heart in seconds, and this was extremely personal.
Not to mention the fact that this was his baby they were talking about. Even though he hadn’t wanted any part in creating this human, it was done, and dammit, he didn’t want her to lose it.
He quickly assessed the pad between her legs and then gently nudged her thighs apart a few inches so he could take a look at her vaginal opening. Keeping his personal feelings at bay, he parted her folds to check for blood. It only took a few seconds, and then he immediately righted her panties and pulled her gown down.
He lifted his gaze and smiled. “She’s fine.”
They all blew out a collective breath.
“Minor spotting. Nothing to worry about as long as it remains minor.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it again. He didn’t really give a fuck if no one liked it. He couldn’t keep from touching her. He only had moments left before he would need to leave, and who knew when he might get to see her again?
He met her gaze. “Don’t panic. I think you’ll be fine. No cramping, right?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Rest for today, and if you want to milk it, do so for as long as you’d like. If you really start bleeding, let someone know. If you complain of cramps and Mrs. Hanson calls your regular doctor, don’t worry. Cramps are perfectly normal, and there’s no way for him to know if you’re telling the truth or not.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She hesitated and then surprised him by bringing his hand to her face and rubbing it against her cheek.
Rush held his breath.
“You care, don’t you?” she asked softly.
“Yes. I don’t know why,” he admitted. It really did defy logic.
“I get it. I didn’t think I would care. At first, I wished I would miscarry, but now that I’ve had a few days to get used to the idea, I really panicked at the thought of losing the baby. Isn’t that crazy?”
Rush turned his hand over so he could cup her cheek, glad that no one stopped him or said a word. “It’s not crazy, Haley. I feel the same way. I didn’t want to have anything to do with masturbating into a cup so someone could use my semen against my will, but knowing you’re carrying my child changes things. I swear I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
Storm set a hand on Rush’s back, surprising him. “We gotta stop introducing her to new men, Bray. She’s irresistible.”
Rush’s chest was tighter than ever. He could hug the man at his back for his kindness and understanding. These guys did not have to be so accepting. They could just as easily have told him to go fuck himself and get his damn hands off their woman.
He didn’t move for long seconds while no one spoke. He couldn’t. He needed to stay right where he was for as long as he could. He had no idea when he might get to see this amazing woman again. Days? Weeks? Never?
“Stay safe,” he finally whispered, knowing he was operating on borrowed time.
She nodded, seemingly unable to form words.
He closed his eyes as he pulled away from her and turned toward the door. Fuck. What a fucking mess.