Page 98 of Protected By the Sinner

I knock on the hospital room door out of courtesy—but I’m going in whether she says I can or not.

The doctor—the hospital’s obstetrician—is standing by her bed, looking way too invested.

I’m at my limit, and this is the final straw.

I think I make some kind of sound in my throat because he looks up.

He starts to say something, but I beat him to it.

“Out.”

He stares at me, but after a few seconds, he’s smart enough to back off.

When the door closes, she leans back against the pillows. “Beau, I don’t think this is—”

“No, I need to talk. The doctor said there’s nothing wrong with you or the baby, so I’m not waiting. Otherwise, you’ll get all emotional,” I say, echoing Elodie’s words.

She frowns. “You talked to my sister?”

“I did. But that’s beside the point. About what you said before fainting—I understand the shock of getting your memoryback and realizing how things started between us. But let me tell you something: You remembered your side of the story. I deserve to share mine.”

“What’s there to say? I acted like a . . . I . . .”

“You did what you had to do to save the only family you had left. And there was no betrayal, because the moment I saw you, I already knew you were mine.”

“The day I got hit by that car, I overheard you talking to someone, maybe Roman. You had called me and didn’t realize it. I was so stunned I crossed the street without looking. I was sure you’d never forgive me.”

“So was I,” I say honestly. “But I hadn’t realized yet that I was already completely in love with you. If things were different, Amber, if you’d planned to have me killed, even loving you, I wouldn’t be able to forget. But how could I hate you for doing what you did out of love for Elodie?”

She opens her arms to me, and I step closer, though I don’t touch her just yet. My emotions are right at the surface. I’ve been through hell over the past few hours.

“I don’t deserve you,” she says.

I sit on the bed and pull her into my arms. “Don’t be fooled, Amber. I’m no saint. Forgiving you isn’t some noble act; it’s purely selfish. I love you. But don’t expect me to forget it if you ever do something like this again, no matter the reason. I take loyalty to the extreme.”

I look her in the eyes to make sure she understands I’m breaking all my rules for this crazy love, but there will be no second chances.

“I’ll never betray you again. I promise. I’m so ashamed . . .”

“How ashamed?”

“I can’t even put it into words.”

“There is one thing you can do to make it right.”

“Anything, Beau.”

I pull a small box containing a diamond ring from my pocket. “Marry me. Be my love, my home. Let’s build the family we never had. Be my anchor and my lover. My daisy.”

“You remembered.”

“I remember everything you told me.”

She’s got her face buried in my chest, but she stretches out her hand for the ring. “Yes. I want to be your daisy, Beau.”

Chapter 46

New Orleans