Chapter Forty-One Ella
Chapter Forty-One
Ella
Ireach out blindly for something to grab, but the handrail is already too far away.
Instinct takes over. I curl inward, trying to shield my stomach as I fall.
My body hits the wooden steps with a jarring thud that knocks the breath from my lungs. Pain explodes along my left arm and tears through my lower back like white-hot lightning. A raw sound rips out of me as I crumple against the frozen boards.
Fear and pain blur together, disorienting me.
Peanut.
Fresh tears spill over as I wrap my right arm around my abdomen, my left throbbing too much to move.
Rhia bursts out of the cabin, the color draining from her face the moment she sees me sprawled on the steps.
“Ella!” She drops to her knees beside me. “Oh God. Are you okay?”
Before I can answer, Tiero is there, sprinting across the frost-dusted ground.
“Angel, what happened?”
He crouches beside me, his gaze sweeping over me with quick, practiced precision.
“My arm,” I manage through the tears. “It hurts so much.”
He reaches for it carefully, his touch gentle, controlled, but my thick jacket makes it awkward.
“We need to get you inside and check you properly,” he says, calm and decisive. “Santino, get Agosti here. Now.”
“He’s already on his way,” Santino replies without hesitation.
Tiero stills. “Do you hurt anywhere else?” He doesn’t move me, his eyes scrutinizing and assessing.
“I landed on my back,” I say, swallowing hard. “It hurts, but nothing like my arm.”
My attention shifts inward, to my abdomen and Peanut. I don’t feel pain there. But the brutal throb from my wrist to my elbow drowns out everything else.
Panic hits fast. My vision speckles, the ground tilting beneath me. I feel like I might faint for real this time.
What if I hurt her?
Tiero lifts me carefully, every movement measured as he carries me back into the cabin. He eases me onto the sofa and helps me out of my jacket. I keep my injured arm pinned close, terrified to move it even a fraction.
Rhia sits beside me, taking my free hand. The worry and guilt in her eyes mirror my own, and it only makes me cry harder.
Tiero stays close, one hand resting protectively over my abdomen. My terrified gaze finds his.
“What if the fall hurt the baby?” I whisper. “What if we lose her?”
He cups my cheek, wiping away tears that won’t stop.
“Our baby is stronger than you think,” he says softly.
His mouth curves into a faint smile, but his eyes give his worry away.
“He has you as his mother.”
A knock on the door announces Dr. Agosti’s arrival. Good thing Tiero always travels with his physician. Though he’s probably used to treating far worse injuries than mine.
Dr. Agosti approaches with measured calm, his gaze flicking briefly to Tiero’s hands on my abdomen before returning to my face. He knows exactly what’s at stake.
Tiero steps behind me to make room, his hands settling on my shoulders. He needs to touch me to reassure himself I’m okay, just as much as I need his touch to stay calm.
“You fell,” Dr. Agosti says calmly, setting down his bag.
He examines my arm with practiced precision, his touch gentle but exact.
“Tell me where it hurts most.”
I flinch as his fingers brush a certain spot.
“Right there,” I say, the pain stealing my breath.
He nods once. “Given the impact and your symptoms, I suspect a fracture.” His eyes shift to Tiero. “Considering her condition, we need to be thorough.”
My stomach drops. “Is the baby okay?” My voice trembles. I can barely hold it together.
“Any cramping? Abdominal pain?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“That’s reassuring,” he says. “But I recommend imaging for your arm and further tests to confirm the baby’s well-being.”
Santino is already on his phone.
“Golden Hospital is thirty minutes away.”
“Call ahead,” Tiero orders. “I want her seen the moment we arrive. Offer a generous donation. I don’t want any delays.”
Dr. Agosti secures my arm in a sling, and Tiero lifts me again, cradling me against his body. I cling to him, pressing my face into his chest as he carries me back out into the cold.
He takes the steps carefully, his footing sure as he carries me down to the waiting SUV. The engine is already running, warmth rolling out when the door opens.
“I’m coming with you,” Rhia says, hurrying after us with my jacket.
“Me too,” Lex adds, appearing at her side. Good. They must have finally let him go.
“Same,” Claudette says, looking a little disheveled. Not that it would bother her.
“No.” Tiero’s voice cuts through them as he settles me gently into the backseat.
What?
“I want them with me,” I say quickly. “Having familiar faces around will make me feel better.”
His jaw sets. The answer is written all over his face.
I look up at him. “Please.”
He grinds his teeth, something he’s been doing a lot today.
“Fine,” he says at last. “They can take the other car.”
I catch his arm before he can shut the door. “I want them with us.”
He stills, eyes locking onto mine, unreadable. I can tell that he wants to be alone with me. He wants control, quiet, containment.
Too bad.
I lean closer, lowering my voice. “I want something that feels normal,” I say. “In a normal life, my friends would be there for me when I’m hurt. Not always. Just when it matters. This matters to me.”
I pull back and hold his gaze to make my point.
He studies my face, searching my expression for any clues I might not tell him the truth.
Is he still afraid I’m plotting to run away with them?
He must be. Why would he be so wary otherwise?
I guess the fact that he doesn’t trust anyone other than his brother could have a lot to do with it.
After a beat, he exhales and gives a short nod. He signals the driver, who folds down the rear seats.
Lex and Claudette climb in. Rhia slides in beside me, clutching my jacket. Santino takes the front passenger seat, watchful as ever.
I carefully shuffle toward the middle to make room for Tiero. When the door closes behind him, he immediately angles my body so I’m leaning against his side.
He folds my jacket and tucks it beneath the sling to support my arm and ease the pull on my neck. Even that small adjustment sends a sharp pain through me, and I hiss before I can stop myself.
He drapes an arm around my shoulders and settles my head beneath his chin, holding me close.
“How are you holding up, princess?” he murmurs against my ear.
I let out a long breath and cradle my stomach.
“Okay,” I whisper, even as a fresh pulse of pain rolls through my arm.
His hand covers mine, warm and steady, grounding me more than I expect. The tension in my body eases just a little.
We’re in this together. Whatever comes next, he’s here with me.
I close my eyes and let the familiar hum of the engine lull my nerves into something resembling calm. The pain in my arm never fully fades, but it dulls enough to let me breathe.
When I open my eyes again, Rhia is watching us. There’s a small smile on her lips, tentative but real.
It’s the first time she’s seeing Tiero and me like this. Together.
She might not like him, but she approves of the way he takes care of me. And maybe, just maybe, that will help mend what cracked between us earlier.