49. Cole
COLE
Ispent the morning holding Rosalie and helping her to the bathroom whenever she had to throw up. I was exhausted off my ass, having been up all night at the hospital, but I was here for the long haul, even if my eyelids were dragging at my feet.
“You’re OK, baby,” I murmured, smoothing her hair as I lay her back in bed.
“You’re tired,” she mumbled.
“It’s fine.” I kissed her forehead.
“I have to talk to you—”
“Shh. Rest. We’ll talk later.” She’d been throwing up so much that I was beginning to get concerned about dehydration and contemplated hauling her sexy ass to my hospital to get her fueled up on an IV.
Even the electrolyte drinks weren’t staying down.
Fear of what happened with Blossom kept coming back into my head, and it was a battle to shut it out.
“Cole—”
“Rosebud. I’m not taking no for an answer. Close those pretty eyes of yours and rest. Our baby needs his mommy to be strong and healthy. When you wake, we can talk. I’ll listen to whatever you want to talk about.”
“Sleep with me,” she said, holding her hand out.
I took her hand and climbed into bed next to her. She immediately curled into me. She’d thrown up so damn much in the last three hours. She’d taken the meds, but they weren’t much help since she was throwing up moments later.
I raked my fingers gently through her hair. I sent out a silent prayer that she’d be able to rest. Fear welled inside me because ugly memories of losing Blossom bubbled up.
Her breathing turned deep, and I kissed the top of her head fiercely.
It didn’t take me long to fall asleep, but I did try to fight it for a moment. It was a losing battle, so I submitted.
I woke up hours later to the smell of something awesome cooking. The sun was setting, and Rosalie wasn’t in bed with me.
Immediately, I got up and went out to the main part of the apartment, hoping to kiss my girl, but I stopped dead in my tracks as I spotted Ryder with his hands on her waist, leaning in to her as they slow danced.
I swallowed hard as she laughed softly. She still looked so exhausted and unwell.
He reached out, cradled her face, and murmured something to her that made her shake her head no.
Something was going on with them. I suspected he wanted her, and it pissed me off then.
Now?
I breathed in deeply, trying to compose myself, but it was a losing battle because just when I thought I had my shit together, he kissed her.
She didn’t push him away.
“What the fuck?” I shouted, surging forward.
I made it to them in the blink of an eye and shoved Ryder so hard that he stumbled back against the pantry.
“Cole!” Rosalie reached for me, but I was in attack mode.
I lunged at Ryder. My fist connected with his face. If I thought that was going to slow him down, I was wrong because he came right back at me, his fist meeting my face so hard my ears rang.
Guess we weren’t going to pull punches.
That was fine. I’d been really wanting to clock his ass for weeks now.
Scratch that.
Years.
“Cole! Ryder! Stop!” Rosalie screamed, trying to separate us, but we were both tearing into one another.
“You fucking piece of shit!” I shouted, clocking him again.
“Fuck you!” Ryder shouted back. “Fucking asshole! Psycho!”
I let out a huff of air as his fist connected with my ribs. I swung on him again, and he dodged it. Then he swung at me, and I blocked it before our fists flew more.
“Stop! STOP!” Rosalie yelled. “Please—”
And then she was stumbling. Falling.
She tried to catch herself, but it was a losing battle. She went careening sideways, her head smacking against the cupboard as she tumbled to the floor. She landed with a thump, her little body limp, and her eyes closed.
Immediately, our fight ended, and we rushed to her.
“Rosebud. Rosebud!” My heart pounded hard in my chest as I checked her pulse, the very real fear that we’d killed her by giving her a damn heart attack rushing through me.
Her heart beat strongly beneath my fingers, but her head was bleeding.
“Fuck,” I choked out.
“Why did you fucking attack me?” Ryder shouted. “You fucking idiot!”
I couldn’t deal with him right now. I was never a nervous person when I worked on a patient, but in that moment, my hands shook as I tried to wake Rosalie.
“Baby. Baby, hey.” I rubbed her chest, but she didn’t respond.
“Oh god.” Ryder tugged at his hair. “Red, baby, wake up. Fuck!” He pulled out his phone, but I’d already scooped Rosalie into my arms and was halfway to the door. He rushed after me and, thankfully, didn’t give me any shit.
“What car is yours?” I demanded.
“The Lincoln.” He pointed to a blacked-out SUV in the parking garage.
We wasted no time getting to it. He opened the back door for me, and I got in with Rosalie in my arms. He jumped into the front and quickly backed out.
“Where do I go?” he called out.
“Mercy,” I said.
He squealed out and headed in that direction.
“Rosebud, hey,” I said, cradling her against me. Her head was bleeding still, so I knew she’d need stitches.
If she woke up.
FUCK.
I had no idea what happened to her. I knew she wasn’t feeling well beforehand.
“Baby, please. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I held her, trying not to cry. I had no idea what the fuck was going on with her and Ryder, but holding her limp body against mine let me know I overreacted and should have just talked to them.
She was breathing normally, so I kept telling myself she was knocked out. She’d come back. The baby was safe.
I pulled my phone out and called Enzo, my hand shaking.
“Hey, man—” he answered on the second ring.
“I fucked up. Rosalie…. Fuck. I need you. I’m headed to Mercy with her.”
“What the fuck is going on?” he demanded. I could hear him moving around.
“I got into a fight with Ryder. She tried to stop us. She fell. She’s hurt. She won’t wake. Please. I need you.”
“I’m coming. I’ll meet you there,” he said.
“Thank you,” I rasped.
He swore softly before he disconnected the call. I’d have asked for E, but he had Riot, and I didn’t want to scare our son.
I held Rosalie tighter and caught Ryder’s eye in the rearview mirror.
“If she’s hurt… if she loses the baby, I’ll fucking kill you,” Ryder said.
“You won’t have to worry about it,” I answered, my voice shaking. “I’ll do it for you.”
We didn’t speak to one another the rest of the way to the hospital. I simply kept trying to wake Rosalie. When we got to the emergency room, I was out of the car before Ryder could help me out.
“Dr. Scott!” Brenda, one of the older nurses, called out.
“I need help,” I shouted. “My girlfriend. Please.”
Immediately, the staff surged toward me. I was able to get Rosalie on a stretcher before we rushed her back to a room.
“What happened?” Gage asked as we trotted along the stretcher.
“S-She fell,” I said thickly. “In the kitchen. She hit her head. She’s pregnant.”
“OK,” Gage said tightly as we went into one of the trauma rooms. I helped get a line on her, as they sent word to CT that we’d need them.
“Vitals ninety-two over fifty-six,” Brenda called out. “Respirations twelve. O2 ninety-eight. Heart rate is ninety-nine.”
I breathed out, grateful for the numbers. The blood pressure wasn’t great, but since it seemed she passed out, that was expected. Plus, I already suspected dehydration.
“Cole,” Rosalie called out, my name thick.
Fuck, she’s awake. Thank god. Fuck, thank god.
“Baby,” I said, staring down at her as Gage checked her pupils.
“We need something for the bleeding. Looks like she’s going to need stitches,” he said.
“Talk to me,” I commanded softly. “Keep your eyes open.”
“My head… hurts. I don’t feel good.”
“I know, baby. It’s OK. We’re getting checked. You’re safe. You’re safe.” I repeated it, really hoping it was true.
“CT is ready,” Linda called out.
Gage looked at me. “Ready?”
I nodded, and Rosalie was wheeled from the room, me in tow.
There was no way I’d leave her side. I had to fix this.