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“Kendrick. I like it.”

“Yeah?” I look at him and see him grinning.

“Yeah. The brothers will too.”

“Kendrick. That’s cute. I’ll update his information and each of your bands before you leave. You guys want to hold him?”

“More than anything,” I rush to say all in one breath.

“Fantastic. Do you want to try feeding him?”

I nod, grinning as I ease myself gingerly into the nearest chair. The nurse places him against my chest, and my arms immediately snap around him to keep him safe.

“Hey, you,” I whisper. “You’re even better than I dreamed you’d be.” I kiss his forehead and look up at Lick just in time to see him fall completely in love with him.

40

Lick

Leaving Kendrick behind is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I know he’s in the best possible hands.

Emma discreetly wipes a tear from her face before turning to look out the passenger window. She’s been silent since we left the hospital, caught up in her own thoughts. She has to be in pain. I couldn’t keep the shock off my face when the doctors told her to take paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage her pain. Like she didn’t just almost die after they cut through seven layers of her abdominal wall less than a week ago. I’ve had stronger painkillers prescribed to me for a fucking toothache.

“Want me to go to the drive-thru?”

“I’m not hungry,” she answers somewhat listlessly. “Just drop me off at home, please.”

“Alright.”

I turn the radio on low and head to the house, wondering how long it will take for her to notice. Only she doesn’t. Instead, she dozes off.

I pull up outside my place and climb out, unlocking the front door and leaving it open before collecting her bags from the trunk and dropping them inside the hallway. I head back out to the car. I reach to tug the door open and pause. Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick her up and carry her inside, but I have to remember I’m still healing, too. The last thing I want to do is drop her and cause her more harm. Don’t get me wrong, if she tries to run, then all bets are off. But I’d rather give her the illusion of a choice.

I tug the door open, making her jolt. I reach over her and unclip her belt before taking a step back and cupping her face. “Don’t run.”

She blinks in confusion. “You sound like a serial killer.”

I chuckle, offering her my hand. “If anyone is safe from me, it’s you.”

A look of pain crosses her features, one that’s there and gone so quickly that if I hadn’t been watching so intently, I’d have missed it. Somehow, I know it has nothing to do with her surgery and everything to do with her not feeling so safe with me anymore.

I sigh. “Come on. Nice and easy.”

She groans as I help her out, dots of sweat breaking out on her forehead from the exertion. Once I’m sure she’s steady, I close the door behind her and reach into the back seat for my cut and shrug it on.

She looks at the house, then back to me with a frown. “I don’t understand. You’re supposed to take me home.”

“I did. You are home.”

She blinks, tilting her head in a way that makes me think she’s either trying to figure out my words or assess if I’m joking.

“Your landlord evicted you.”

“What?” she chokes out.

“I went to your place to talk to you, and he said you’d left without notice and he had new tenants moving in.”

“He can’t do that.”