I wake up and immediately know I’m in a hospital. It’s far too bright to be anywhere in Matteo’s home. The only other place it could be is heaven, but I know that the bullet just barely grazed my arm, so that can’t be it.

Although, why I’m in a hospital is lost on me. I can tell from how my body barely aches that I’m not injured enough to be here.

I look over and see Matteo holding my hand like I’m about to die, staring at me with relieved eyes when I open mine. He exhales deeply, reaches over the hospital bed, and hugs me.

“I’m so glad that you are okay,” he says.

I scrunch my nose. “Did I miss something? Because I don’t feel that injured.”

I move my arms and legs around, realizing the only part of me that is even taped up is my arm, and it barely hurts. I have an IV that could be feeding me pain drugs, but they wouldn’t make me feel this much better.

“You were shot in the arm.”

I smile. “You brought me here because I was shot in the arm?”

He nods, still frowning and not understanding while I’m smiling.

“Yes, you were also passed out, and I was afraid you might die.”

I bite my lip to keep from smiling brighter as I stroke his cheek.

“You do know I survived an injury to my leg that was a lot worse than this without going to the hospital?”

“That was a mistake,” he says coldly.

I raise an eyebrow. “Did the doctor say that something was wrong with my leg?” I’d be surprised if he did. My leg feels amazing.

“No, he said it seemed to have healed nicely.”

“Then, what’s the problem?”

He sighs.

My heart falls in love a little more, seeing him risking losing me to bring me here.

“How did…?” I ask, not being able to ask how many men he lost when he saved me instead of staying and fighting.

“Clive and Erick are taken care of. We only lost two men. It’s going to be hard for the men to lose them. But their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. Just like yours wasn’t.”

I swallow. I hate that anyone died, but I’m glad it’s over. We’re safe. For now at least.

I hear the knock and look up to see a doctor walk in smiling at me brightly.

“Can I have a moment alone with Eden?” she says, looking at Matteo.

“No, I’d like to be here for whatever you have to talk to her about,” Matteo says, glaring at the woman for even suggesting that he leave my side for a moment.

I don’t care if he stays or leaves, but I like that he wants to stay.

The woman gives him a snide look back. “I’m not asking. I have private information that I need to discuss with Eden, and I will not have you here when I talk to her.”

He doesn’t budge. “I’m her husband.”

She laughs. “No, you’re not. Now get out of here, before I call security and have you thrown out. I don’t care if you are the king of Italy, I want you out.”

He looks from her to me, and I nod, encouraging him it’s okay that he leaves.

“I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.” He kisses me gently on the lips and then storms out, flipping off the doctor as he does.

The doctor ignores him and walks over to my bed. “I’m Abigail Faustino. I’ve been looking after you while you are here. How are you feeling?”

“Great actually.”

She smiles. “Good. I know that you were involved in a gunfight with Mr. Carini. I’m not here to ask questions or get involved. But I am here to help if you want a way out. Do you need a way out?”

I swallow. I may never get another chance like this again. She’s offering to help me. I should take it. My heart thumps loudly. I can’t.

“No, I don’t need your help,” I finally say.

She nods. “I figured you’d say that. Mr. Carini seems to be especially fond of you, so I hope he treats you well.”

“He does.”

“Good, well now that that is out of the way, I have some news to share with you. When you were admitted, we ran some regular tests and well…you’re pregnant.”

I gasp and then I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I can’t think. Of all the things she could have said, that was the least expected.

The door is thrown open, and Matteo runs in, clearly having heard what the doctor said.

The woman sighs but doesn’t object as Matteo runs to my side and holds my hand.

“I think she might be in shock,” the doctor says, coming to my side as Matteo stares at me.

I suck in a breath as the doctor puts her hands on me.

“How far along?” I ask, coming to.

“We don’t know for sure without an ultrasound, but it could be a couple of months.”

I swallow, staring at Matteo, silently telling him that it could be Armas’ baby.

Matteo frowns. Grabbing my cheek and forcing me to look at him. “It’s mine.”

I swallow. It should make me feel better. It should make me feel happy to know that it’s most likely Matteo’s, but it doesn’t. I don’t know how he will feel about having a baby. I don’t even know how I feel. Should I get an abortion? I shouldn’t have a monster’s baby while I’m captured.

But I haven’t really been captured in a while. He has given me freedom without actually telling me I was free. I just turned down freedom. He’s shown me he loved me without telling me.

And I know I love him. Is this the worst thing? Maybe him having a kid would change him. Make him softer, get out of this life and live a whole new life with me.

“Could you leave us alone for a few minutes, doctor?” Matteo asks.

The woman nods and leaves.

I stare at Matteo, still not understanding how I feel. Matteo smiles at me softly as he holds his hand over my stomach.

“We are going to have a baby,” he says, giddily kissing me firmly on the lips, seemingly happy with the idea.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes as he kisses me. He’s happy to have a baby with me, so I’m not going to fret. Not immediately anyway. I’m going to just be. And see what happens.

I open my eyes though, needing to talk about so many things. But what I see when I open my eyes isn’t the Matteo I’ve gotten used to these last few weeks.

Instead, a darker Matteo is here with much darker intentions. His hands are on me touching me without permission. His cock burns inside me, and his eyes see red.

I close my eyes and open them again, and I’m back in the hospital room instead of the couch in his room. It was a memory. A memory I had forgotten or tried to push out of my head. Whichever it is doesn’t matter.

What matters is that I remember. I remember the worst of Matteo. And I realize I should have taken the doctor’s offer to help me escape.