Her pain was different. It wasn’t as agonizingly sharp as before. Instead it had settled to a dull ache, not as deep as it had been, but on the surface. Jewel tried to shift and gasped when it felt as though her belly had been ripped in two.

“Careful, yineka mou. You mustn’t try to move. Tell me what it is you need, and I will help you.”

Piers. She opened her eyes, squinting as the light speared her eyeballs. She quickly shut them again and cautiously opened them a slit as she tried to bring him into focus.

And then she remembered.

“The baby,” she whispered. She reached her hands out in panic, feeling for her belly then gasping as more pain crashed through her system.

Piers took her hands and pulled them gently away from her belly.

“The baby is fine, as are you. See?” He carefully levered one of her hands to the swell of her belly but wouldn’t allow her to exert any pressure.

She looked down at the unfamiliar feel of bulky bandages, but the swell was still evident. Tears flooded her eyes as her insides caved in relief.

“I was so afraid. I can’t lose her, Piers. She’s everything to me.”

He cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb over the damp trail underneath her eye. “Your surgery was a success. The doctor says the baby is doing well. They’ve been monitoring you for contractions.” He gestured toward a machine at the side of her bed. “See? You can see and hear her heartbeat.”

She turned her head and tuned into the soft whop whop whop sound that echoed in the still room.

“It’s really her?”

Piers smiled. “Yes, our daughter is making her presence known.”

She caught her breath as suddenly she remembered the scene just before they’d taken her to surgery. At first she thought surely she’d imagined it, but no, here again he was staking his claim. Why had he changed his mind?

“Thank you for getting me here so quickly,” she said in a low voice. “I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to get to you.”

He sobered as he gazed intently at her, his dark eyes seeming to absorb her. “You wouldn’t have suffered for as long as you did if I had been there with you. From now on, you’ll sleep in my room in my bed so if anything like this happens again, I’ll know immediately. I don’t like to think what could have happened if I hadn’t heard you call out.”

She processed his statement, blinking the cloudiness from her mind. Everything was so fuzzy, and he confused her more than ever. It was as if their argument had never happened, as though he hadn’t accused her of trying to pawn off another man’s child on him.

“There will be plenty of time to talk later,” he chided gently. “You’re worn out and in pain. You need rest. I’ll be here when you wake up. You can ask the questions I see burning in your eyes then.”

She shook her head and winced when the movement caused a ripple of pain through her belly. “No, I have to know now. You said—implied—some terrible things, Piers. I won’t stay with a man who thinks so little of me, not even for my daughter. Kirk is willing to help me get back on my feet. I should have called him in the first place.”

“But you didn’t,” he said mildly. “You called me, as you should have. I think it best if we leave Kirk out of the equation.”

She started to protest but he held a finger over her lips.

“Shhh, don’t upset yourself. I owe you an apology, yineka mou. I’m sure it won’t be the last I ever have to offer you. I would appreciate your patience with me. I’m not an easy man. I realize this. I should not have implied what I did. From this day forward, we go on as a family. You’re having my child. We owe it to her to be a solid parental unit, not one where I continually upset you and cause you such stress. If you’ll give me another chance, I’ll prove to you that our marriage will work.”

She stared at him in absolute stupefaction. His sincerity was etched on his face. His eyes burned with it. There was no arrogance to his voice, just simple regret.

Something inside her chest, perilously close to her heart, unfurled and loosened. Forgotten for a brief moment was the pain that throbbed in her abdomen and the fuzziness caused by the pain medication. Warmth, blessed and sweet, hummed through her veins. Hope. It had been so long since she’d felt such a thing that she hadn’t identified it at first. For the first time, she had hope.

He drew her hand to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss inside her palm. “Do you forgive me? Will you give me another chance to make things right?”

“Yes, of course,” she whispered, her voice so shaky that her words came out in barely a croak.

“And you’ll stay? There’ll be no more talk of leaving?”

She shook her head, too choked to say anything more.

“You won’t regret it, yineka mou,” he said gravely. “We can make this work. We can do this.”

She smiled and then grimaced as pain radiated from the center of her body. Piers leaned forward, directing her attention to the small device lying beside her on the bed. He picked it up and pressed it into her palm.

“This is for pain. You press the button here, and it injects a small amount of medication into your IV. You can press it every ten minutes if you have the need.”

He depressed the button himself, and a split second later, she felt the slight burn as it entered her vein. The relief was almost instantaneous.

“Thank you.”

“I will take care of you and our baby,” he said solemnly. “I don’t want you to worry about a thing except to get better.”

She smiled up at him, her eyelids fluttering sleepily.

“Tired,” she said in a half murmur.

“Then sleep. I’ll be right here.”

She turned toward his voice, and when he started to move his hand from hers, she curled her fingers around his, keeping them laced. He relaxed and tightened his grip on her hand.

“When am I getting outta here?” she mumbled as she fought the veil of sleep.

He chuckled lightly. “There’s no hurry. You’ll leave when the doctor feels it’s safe for you to do so. In the meantime enjoy everyone fussing over you.”

“Just you,” she muttered just before she surrendered to the dark.

“Are you sure everything is prepared?” Piers said into his mobile phone as he entered Jewel’s room.

Jewel looked up and smiled and Piers held up one finger to signal he would be finished shortly.

“Good. Very good. I owe you one, and I have no doubt that you’ll collect.”

He snapped his phone shut and hastened to Jewel’s side. He bent down and brushed his lips across hers in greeting.

“How are my girls today?”

“Your daughter is very active, which is a blessing and a curse.”

Piers gave her a sympathetic look. “Do her movements aggravate your incision?”

She grimaced. “I think she’s playing target practice. She’s has uncanny accuracy for kicking that precise spot.”

“I’m sorry. I know it must be painful for you.”

“The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about, so I’m grateful for her movements.”

“Has the doctor been by to see you yet?”

“He came by while you were out. He said if all goes well today and I have no further contractions, that I can be released tomorrow. I’m to be on strict bed rest for a week and then I can get up and around as long as I don’t overdo it.”

“And I will see to it that you obey his instructions to the letter.”

She was careful not to laugh, but she grinned in amusement. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to enjoy my convalescence?”

He gave her an innocent look. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because you’re a man used to bossing people around and having them obey you implicitly,” she said darkly.

“You say this as if it was a bad thing.”

This time she did chuckle and promptly groaned when her belly protested. Piers gave her a disapproving frown, and she rolled her eyes.

The past several days had been good considering she was stuck in a hospital bed. After the first day, the nurse had come in to help her get up, and Jewel had spent fifteen minutes trying to argue that there was no need for her to get up when every movement nearly split her in two. It was the threat of a catheter that finally gave her the motivation to endure sitting up and standing.

Piers had been wonderful. The brooding man who’d so insolently told her there would be no divorce had seemingly disappeared, and was replaced by someone who saw to her every need. She had to admit that he was trying very hard to put their past disagreements behind them.

A light knock sounded at the door, and to her surprise, Piers’s brothers and their wives crowded into her room. She must have looked as mortified as she felt because Piers squeezed her hand.

“Don’t worry, yineka mou. You look beautiful. They won’t stay long enough to tire you. I’ll see to it.”

He was lying through his teeth, but she loved him for it.

The thought hit her between the eyes and was more painful than the stapled incision in her belly. Love? Dear God, she’d fallen in love with him.

She tried to smile, but what she wanted to do was crawl into a deep, dark hole. How could she have allowed herself to fall in love with him—with any man? Apparently she hadn’t had enough hurt in her life. No, she obviously wanted to pile on more pain and disappointment.

It was all well and fine to want to be loved, but to offer her love on a silver platter? She was just asking for rejection.

“Jewel? Have we come at a bad time?” Marley asked quietly.

Jewel blinked and saw that the two couples were standing at the foot of her bed, studying her intently.

“No. No, of course not. I’m sorry. I’m still a bit muddled. It’s probably all the pain medication they’ve funneled through me.”

Beside her Piers frowned, and she just hoped he’d remain quiet about the fact she hadn’t had pain medication in three days. The doctor hadn’t wanted her to be on any narcotic for an extended period of time. It was too risky for the baby.

She smiled brightly at Bella and Marley and opted to keep her gaze away from Chrysander and Theron. They intimidated the hell out of her, and she wasn’t in the habit of giving up that kind of advantage to anyone.

“How are you feeling?” Bella asked as she moved forward.

She perched on the side of Jewel’s bed and flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder.

“Has Piers been bullying you? Marley and I can take him outside and rough him up for you.”

Jewel smiled and swallowed to keep from laughing.

“Don’t make her laugh,” Piers growled. “It hurts her too much. Besides, I have you and Marley wrapped around my finger, remember?”

Chrysander let out a loud guffaw. “Don’t let him fool you, Jewel. All either woman has to do is look at this idiot brother of mine, and he gives them whatever they want, much to mine and Theron’s dismay.”

“As if you both don’t spoil them shamelessly,” Piers said dryly.

“That may be true, but a woman can never have too many men at her disposal,” Marley said cheekily.

“There is only one man at your disposal, agape mou,” Chrysander growled. “And you would do well to remember that.”

Jewel watched the interaction between the three brothers and Bella and Marley, and for the first time, she didn’t feel like an outsider. The horrible feeling of intense longing didn’t hit her like it did the first time she’d met them. This time she felt more of an equal, as if she belonged in this intimate circle of family members.

“You must be feeling better,” Bella said from her perch on the bed. “You’re smiling so beautifully. You look quite radiant for someone who has just undergone surgery.”

“It’s the pregnancy,” Theron said slyly. “A woman never looks more beautiful than when she is pregnant.”

“Nice try,” Bella said dryly. “Your flattery will get you nowhere. And if you start lusting after pregnant women, I’ll make it so you’ll never be able to father children.”

Jewel couldn’t help but laugh when Theron all but paled. She put her hand over her belly and groaned, but even amidst the pain, it felt so good to laugh. She felt lighter than she had in a long time.

“Are you all right?” Piers asked quietly.

She waved him off. “I’m fine. Truly.” Then she turned to Bella. “Why do I get the feeling this is an ongoing battle between you and Theron?”

Bella grinned. “If Theron had his way, I’d have already popped out a veritable brood of children, but I’m too young, and we have so much to do together before I think of having babies. I’ll eventually give in and fill his nursery, but until then I live to torment him.”

Jewel studied Theron’s face as Bella spoke. His eyes shone with love for his wife, and she knew that he didn’t exert any real pressure. It was obviously a long-standing joke between them.

“Besides, Marley has taken it upon herself to provide enough Anetakis children for both of us,” Bella added with a smirk.

Piers eyebrows shot up. “Marley?”

Marley blushed while Chrysander smiled smugly and wrapped his arm around her waist. It was a possessive gesture not lost on Jewel.

“You’re pregnant again?” Piers demanded.

“In seven months she’ll give me the daughter I want,” Chrysander said arrogantly.

“And if it’s another son?” Marley challenged.

Chrysander looked down at her, passion blazing in his eyes. “Then we’ll simply try again until we get it right.”

Marley and Bella both laughed, and Jewel joined them, holding her belly all the while.

What a marvelous family. A family that she was now a part of. It was simply too much to take in.

“We should probably go now,” Chrysander said as he studied Jewel. “You look as though you’re in pain, and we don’t want to tire you out. We simply wanted to come by to check in on you and to let you know that if there is anything you need, anything at all, just let us know. You’re family now.”

She stared back at him, tears in her eyes. “Please, don’t go. You’re not bothering me a bit. I’ve so enjoyed having you all.”

“Tell me,” Bella said, leaning forward to capture Jewel’s attention. “Are they letting you have real food yet? I’m simply dying for some pizza. Theron thinks it’s barbaric, and so I’m shamelessly using you as an excuse to get some really greasy, cheesy pizza.”

“You call that real food?” Theron asked in mock horror.

“Oh I’d love pizza,” Jewel said with real longing. “Double pepperoni and extra cheese. Oh, and light sauce if no one objects.”

“Tell you what,” Bella said. “We’ll order one our way and let the rest fend for themselves. What you suggested sounds positively divine.”

Jewel looked hopefully at Piers who sighed in resignation.

“What man can possibly say no to a woman when she looks at him that way?”

Both Theron and Chrysander laughed.

Chrysander clapped Piers on the back. “Now you’re learning, little brother. Now you’re learning.”