Page 401 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

Daphne smiled and nodded, like she knew where I was going. But where else would I be fucking going? My wife was in the hospital. And it was about time I stopped doubting her. Right now she needed me. I wasn't going to let her down twice.

***

"Baby, you won the bet," I said, stroking my thumb along her palm. "It's a boy." I didn't know who else had visited her. I didn't know if she could hear me. "You won, but I'm the one that needs a wish. I need you to come back to me." I reached up and pushed her bangs off her forehead, trying not to cringe at the coolness of her skin. "Do you hear me, Penny? I need you. Scar needs you. Liam needs you."

I smiled at hearing his name out loud. "You were right. I wanted a son. But I was scared that I'd ruin him. I was scared he'd be too much like me." I looked down at the tube sticking out of her mouth. I wanted her to smile. I wanted her to tell me that everything was going to be okay. "I read your letter." I put my other hand on top of hers, sandwiching her small hand between mine, trying to warm her skin. "And I'm going to deny your request."

I could imagine her pouting.

"I'm going to be a terrible father from here on out. I'm going to ruin our son. I'm going to get high every night. I'm never going to smile. And I'm going to pine over you. Do you hear me?"

I imagined a line of worry appearing on her forehead.

"So you better wake up. Because our family's future depends on you. It always has. I know you want to wake up. Now you have an even better reason to."

She'd probably slap me right now if she was awake. Or tell me I was impossible. Or poke me in the middle of my chest and yell at me. And that's what I wanted. I wanted her to be feisty and strong and wake the fuck up. Our family needed her. I needed her.

"I'm going to find out what happened. I'm going to take care of it. You just focus on getting better, okay?" I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. The softness of her skin was the only thing that remained the same. "Fight for us, baby. Be as strong as I know you are."

I stared down at her. "You know, some people say another person shouldn't complete you. That you should be whole without having to rely on another soul. That you should just be happy the way you are. Do you know what I say to that? Fuck them. I don't care if no one understands us. I don't care if something like this isn't comprehensible to the average person. Because the average person hasn't experienced this love. Our love. Our story. A great love."

I swallowed hard. "Because I swear I can't breathe without you. I swear my heart will stop beating when yours does. And I swear I wouldn't want it any other way. So wake up. If the threat of me ruining our family isn't enough, think about that. Our children not having either of us. Not getting to experience growing up in a house full of love and laughter. Not getting to experience everything we could give them."

I ignored the twitch of my eye.

"I read your story and I'm sorry. I got you a publishing deal and I'm sorry. I lied to you about my trip and I'm sorry. And for five years I've believed that I'm addicted to you." I wasn't sure I would have said that if I thought she could hear me. But I needed her to know. That I had lived with that fear. "This whole time."

I ignored the twitch of my eye again.

"I'm not addicted to you," I lied. I needed to say it out loud, even though it wasn't true. I needed her to know I was trying to be strong too. I needed her to know that I did believe what we had was love. Even though I now had the proof that our love was infected by my problems. Even though I had always known in the back of my head. "I'm not addicted to you," I said again,more for myself than for her. "But I do love you. I love you with everything that I am. Come back to me, baby."

My words were greeted by the whirls and beeps of machines.

"Because this is love. Not addiction." I put my hand on the center of her chest and smiled at the feeling of her heartbeat. "You've always understood. You've always seen the truth."

I put my forehead against hers. "You've always been the light to my darkness. And, Penny, I can't survive without your light."

The Light to My Darkness - Chapter 42

Monday

James

"When is Mommy coming home?" Scarlett asked as we stepped into the apartment.

"Soon," I said. This time it didn't feel like a lie. When I was in my coma, I swore I knew she was beside me. I couldn't remember anything specific, but I just knew. And she'd know I was there today. She'd know that she couldn't give up. She'd hear my plea.

I placed Scarlett down when I heard a knock on the door. "Go upstairs and get ready for bed, pumpkin," I said and ruffled her hair. "I'll be up to read you a bedtime story in a minute."

"Can we watch a movie instead?"

I smiled down at her. She usually fell asleep with her head on my lap when we watched movies. I understood that she didn't want to be alone tonight. "Of course. Go pick one out. I'll be there in a minute."

She walked away. Not her usual skip. No giggle.Don't change. Please don't let today hurt you.I needed to stay strong for her. Despite what I had said to Penny, I would never. Ever. Forget that my first job in life was as a father.

I turned around and opened the door.

"Mr. Hunter," Porter said. "I went through the footage from the past two days. There was nothing there. She didn't do it."