Page 84 of Blood

“You own me, Samantha. I’m yours.”

Our lips clash, his teeth nip before his tongue soothes the pain. Together, we fight for dominance until finally I relent. My arms wind around his shoulders, and my hand cradles the back of his head.

He and I are wrong. Everything about this is wrong, yet at this moment, my life has never felt more right.

I love Kaleb Cromwell, and anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with him.

“I love you, too.”

A devilish smile takes over his face. “That’s my girl.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Kaleb

I glance over at a silent Samantha.

Red-eyed and pale, she looks tired and older than her twenty-two years under the fluorescent lights of the hospital elevator.

Hearing the ding, I reach out and take her hand, happy when she doesn’t pull away.

“Come on, baby,” I encourage, leading her down the corridor toward her best friend’s room.

The night nurse looks up as we pass but doesn’t comment on our late visit.

Money will do that for you.

The blinds are open in Shelby’s room. Through the slats, I see Leonard stand.

Quietly, he joins us in the hall.

“How is she?” I ask.

He shakes his head and blinks.

“Awake. On good pain meds.” He manages to get out.

Samantha isn’t the only one with red eyes.

“Riley?” he asks.

“She’s perfect. More than happy to be having a sleepover with her new aunt Lara and uncle Michael,” I reassure.

He runs a hand through his hair. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Shelby’s family. That makes you family?” I state. Raising a brow, I dare him to argue.

“She could use some of that right now.” He nods back into the room. Pinching the bridge of his nose, we watch as he tries to calm himself. “She was pregnant.”

I stand straighter at his words.

Was.

Sam doesn’t wait to hear anymore. Slipping her hand from mine, she rushes into her friend’s room.

We watch as my girl slips off her sneakers and crawls onto the bed. Sam wraps her body around Shelby, careful of the sling and bandages.

That’s all it takes. The young brunette breaks down, and her sobs claw at my chest.