Blood and Roses (Tainted Hearts 3.5)

Fuck. I just wanted this to be over—soon—with both my Angel and my baby safe in my arms.

With a sigh, I started to get up. I chucked the rest of my drink down my throat, letting it burn and making me feel alive at the same time. “Let’s call it a night. Maria must be waiting for me.”

Isaak nodded and got up too. He clasped me on the back. “It will be okay. She’s stronger than you think.”

I knew she was. My Angel was so goddamn strong that she left me in awe every day. And this reason right here was why I was suddenly desperate to hold her in my arms. It had been a long day away from my wife.

Just when I was about to reach the door, it banged open, and I was forced to take a step back. Lena appeared in the doorway of my office, completely winded and a look of panic on her face. My blood instantly ran cold, and I lurched forward, pushing past her and running out of the office.

Lena was quick and followed me by my heels. She was out of breath as she spoke. “Maria is in labor. I found her in bed, and it looks bad. She is…bleeding.”

Her last word was choked out.

“Did you call the doctor?” I snapped. Fuck, I was going to lose it.

Lena nodded just as I reached my bedroom. I slammed the door open and found my Angel on the floor, curled up by the bed, whimpering. My heart sunk, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with a horrible sense of dread.

Maria moaned in pain, and I fucking lost it. Right then and there.

“Where is the fucking doctor?” I snarled at Lena. “Why is she taking so long?”

She didn’t even flinch. I didn’t waste her a second glance before sinking to my knees in front of my Angel and curling my arms around her body. I cradled her in my embrace. Standing up with her held closely against my chest, I put her on the bed. Lena threw the bedsheets away and settled the pillows comfortably behind Maria.

She moaned something under her breath before crying out. Her face was ashen, and her tears were my undoing. Maria gripped my hand, and she squeezed, rather strongly in her weak state. My breath left in a loud whoosh, and I wanted nothing more than to comfort her and take my Angel’s pain away. But for the first fucking time in my life, I was clueless and utterly helpless as I watched her cry out in agony.

Huge sobs racked through her body, and she begged. Begged for me to make it stop. Begged for me to save our baby. “Please, Lyov. It hurts…”

“I know, Angel,” I soothed, leaning over her body and placing a kiss on her sweaty forehead. I pinched my eyes closed, trying to breathe through my clenching, burning lungs. But it was so fucking hard. It hurt. I was hurting.

I fought down the panic and forced down the terror. It was a torrent of unmasked emotions, and I had absolutely no idea how to feel or control them.

“I can’t…lose…our baby,” she whimpered through each labored breath.

My heart pounded, and I fought the urge to throw up. “You won’t. Nothing is going to happen to either of you. I won’t allow it.”

My eyes drifted to her legs, and I could see the blood pooling between them, drenching the bedsheet underneath her. Why was she bleeding so much?

I stared up at Lena, as if taking some kind of courage from her—but she looked helpless herself.

“It will…be okay,” I breathed, trying to convince all of us. But it didn’t seem like it would be. It was at that moment that I started second guessing everything in my fucked-up life.

Dangerous thoughts bloomed in my mind, pushing me over the edge of insanity. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I was the one who got her pregnant…I was somehow responsible for my Angel’s state of pain. It was stupid to think so, but the blame was heavy on my shoulders.

Finally, the midwife appeared, running into the room, looking out of breath. I felt the urge to claw at her perfectly put together, stupid face and tear her eyes and tongue out. She was supposed to be here. With Maria. Always at her side. But she wasn’t when my Angel needed her the most.

Her frightened eyes met mine, and she knew she fucked up. Without wasting any time, she came to the bed. I closed my eyes, trying to tone down the alarm rising in my chest.

The midwife swore, and I heard her giving orders, asking for towels and a basin of water. I tuned her out, refusing to listen to any words around me. I could only focus on my Angel’s whimpers and moans of pain.