Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
Charlie
The first week of being a new mom, I slept like shit, and it had nothing to do with getting up frequently to take care of Molly.
Axel had been there for me the entire time, helping with diaper changes and burping Molly after I fed her, but nothing could stop the worry that nagged at the back of my brain that something was going to go wrong.
I knew that things would be off for a while due to fluctuating hormones and the changes my body was going through after having the baby, but I couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom.
I obsessively watched over Molly, constantly making sure she was breathing even when she was wide awake.
I had talked to Dr. Foster about it during my follow-up visits, and she assured me that this was common, but we agreed to keep an eye on it to make sure it didn’t get worse.
The storm that had moved in before I had her had already cleared out, and I couldn’t help but hope that we would get a break from the snow for a while. Perhaps it was postpartum blues, but I longed for sunny skies and warmth on my skin instead of the blistering cold every time I stepped outside.
Axel was already up, making breakfast, by the time I got out of the shower. Molly was asleep in her bassinet, but that didn’t make it any easier for me to walk away from her—even if only for a few minutes to get cleaned up.
I turned the water off, listening for the sound of crying, but heard none.
Molly had already proven to be an easy baby, sleeping long stretches that let me get things done when I needed to.
I grabbed the towel and dried off, forcing myself to keep from being overbearing and rushing out to check on her when I knew she was fine.
It was something I was working on with Dr. Foster in an effort to bring down my constant anxiety by trusting that things would be okay.
I got dressed, pulled the towel from my hair, then combed it and put it in a braid. I didn’t have the energy to blow-dry it, and honestly, it wasn’t like I needed to impress anyone by getting ready. I was just thankful not to smell like spit-up and to have clean clothes.
There was movement in the room, and I smiled, knowing that Axel was getting Molly for me.
He was as obsessed with that little girl as I was, and it warmed my heart knowing how much he loved her.
She wasn’t his daughter, but that didn’t matter.
Axel never batted an eye before stepping in and taking on that role for her.
I hung my towel up and stepped out of the bathroom, freezing as I stared at the man holding Molly. Dark eyes stared at me as he patted her back, a dragon tattoo covering his hand.
I swallowed hard as the bile rose in my throat, and blood rushed through my ears as my heart pounded in my chest.
“Please put her down,” I said as steadily as I could.
If he were in here, that meant something had happened to Axel. I blinked away the tears before they could fall because I couldn’t allow myself a moment of weakness right now. I needed to get my daughter away from him while I prayed that Axel was okay.
“You know, I came here to collect what was owed to me,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “But given the extra work you made my men go through to collect the payment your husband owed, I think I’ll make this worth my while.”