Chapter 102

ISABELLA

The next morning, I woke up feeling... off. It wasn’t anything too alarming, just a kind of sluggishness in my limbs and a faint ache in my back. Maybe I had overdone it yesterday with all the shopping, or maybe it was the excitement of the evening with the boys. Still, I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling.

As soon as I sat up, Jax was at my side, his hand on my shoulder. “You okay, Isa?”

I gave him a tired smile. “I’m fine, just feeling a little tired, that’s all.”

He frowned, concern flickering in his eyes. “You sure? You don’t look fine.”

Before I could protest, Asher was already in the room, his phone in hand. "We’re going to the doctor."

“Wha— Asher, I don’t need to go to the doctor! I’m just a little tired!”

“Nope,” he said firmly, dialing the number. “We’re not taking any chances. You’re going.”

Knox appeared in the doorway, looking like he’d been up for hours. “She doesn’t look too great, Ash. Better safe than sorry.”

“I’m literally right here,” I said, waving a hand in front of them, but they were already in full panic mode.

Before I knew it, Spencer had appeared from wherever he lurked in the penthouse, looking calm but definitely concerned. “Should I prepare the car?”

“Yes,” Asher said, without missing a beat.

“No!” I groaned, but it was too late. The whole team had already mobilized as if we were headed to a battlefield, and I had no choice but to go along with it.

At the doctor's office, the boys were hovering. Spencer, in particular, seemed to be scanning every corner of the waiting room like we were about to be attacked at any second. Meanwhile, Asher was pacing, Jax kept fidgeting in his seat, and Knox was tapping his foot, clearly on edge.

The gynecologist finally called us in, and after the usual check-up, she smiled at me kindly. "You're doing just fine, Isabella. But you need to rest. No more running around all day, okay? You need to take it easy."

I nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. "Thank you, Doctor."

The moment we stepped out of the office, however, all hell broke loose.

“I knew it,” Jax muttered under his breath. “I told her she needed to rest more.”

“I’ll make a schedule,” Asher said, already typing away on his phone.

Knox looked determined. “She’s not lifting a finger. We’ll handle everything from now on.”

I looked at them incredulously. “Guys, I’m not dying! The doctor said I just need to rest a bit more, not turn into a complete invalid.”

But they weren’t listening. They were already discussing who would do what—who would cook, clean, make sure I didn’t so much as blink without assistance.

When we got back to the penthouse, things only got worse.

“Isa, I told you to sit down,” Jax said as I reached for a glass of water. He rushed over, practically tripping over the couch to grab the glass before I could even touch it. “I’ve got it.”

“You know I’m capable of pouring my own water, right?” I raised an eyebrow, trying not to laugh.

“Nope. Not on my watch,” he said, handing me the glass with a smug look.

Then Knox came in with a ridiculous amount of pillows. “Here, Isa, lean back. You need to keep your feet up. The doctor said rest, remember?”

“I remember,” I said, eyeing the mountain of cushions now threatening to swallow me whole. “But this feels a little excessive.”

Spencer stood nearby, arms crossed, ready to pounce at the first sign of me overexerting myself. He didn’t say much, but the look on his face said it all: Don’t you dare move.

When I shifted slightly on the couch, trying to get comfortable, Asher appeared out of nowhere with a blanket. “Are you cold? You should be warm. Here, let me get you—”

“I’m not cold,” I sighed, already wrapped in layers of soft fabric.

Jax, meanwhile, was plopping down in front of me with a footrest. “Feet up, Isa. The doctor said you need to relax, so that’s exactly what you’re gonna do.”

I stared at them, half-amused, half-annoyed. “Guys, I can still function like a normal person. You don’t need to baby me.”

But my protests fell on deaf ears.

Knox pulled up a chair and sat beside me, looking far too pleased with himself. “You’re stuck with us, Isa. You might as well enjoy it.”

Jax grinned. “We’re just looking out for you.”

Spencer gave me a nod. “It’s for your own good.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. “You guys are ridiculous.”

Asher leaned over and kissed my forehead. “We’re ridiculous because we care.”

And honestly? As much as I tried to act like it was too much, I couldn’t deny how loved and cared for I felt, surrounded by all of them. Even if I was basically under house arrest for the foreseeable future.

After hours of being fussed over like I was made of glass, I finally had enough. I’d been smothered in blankets, surrounded by pillows, and forbidden from moving an inch unless one of the boys was there to ‘assist’ me. Even Spencer, usually the calm and distant one, seemed to be taking this new role of overprotective guard a bit too seriously.

When Jax handed me a snack that I didn’t even ask for and Knox was hovering with another pillow, I snapped.

“That’s it,” I groaned, grabbing my phone. “I’m calling the doctor.”

“Isa, what are you doing?” Asher asked, looking at me like I was about to do something reckless, like climbing Mount Everest.

“I’m calling Dr. Sullivan because you guys are driving me insane,” I said firmly.

They all exchanged looks, clearly not convinced this was necessary. But I had had enough of being treated like a fragile porcelain doll. The phone rang twice before Dr. Sullivan picked up.

“Hello, Isabella! How are you feeling?”

I could hear the smile in his voice, and I let out a sigh. “Hi, Dr. Sullivan. Listen, I’m fine. That’s exactly the problem. My mates have turned me into a prisoner of my own couch, and I need you to tell them they’re being ridiculous.”

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a soft chuckle. “Ah, I see. Overprotective, are they?”

“You have no idea,” I muttered. “I need you to explain that while I do need to rest, I also need to move around and live my life. They’re acting like I’m about to fall apart at any moment.”

The boys were watching me intently, trying to hear both sides of the conversation.

Dr. Sullivan chuckled again. “Put me on speaker, Isabella.”

I hit the speakerphone button and held the phone out so they could all hear.

“Hello, gentlemen,” Dr. Sullivan said warmly. “I hear you’ve been taking very good care of Isabella.”

Knox puffed his chest proudly. “We’re just making sure she follows your orders, Doctor.”

“I appreciate your dedication,” Dr. Sullivan replied, amusement clear in his tone. “But I think there’s been a bit of an overreaction. While Isabella does need rest, she also needs to remain physically active—within reason. That means she can move around, go for walks, and even do some light shopping as long as it’s not too intense.”

I shot the boys a triumphant look as they all stood there, momentarily stunned into silence.

“Overexertion is the only thing to avoid,” Dr. Sullivan continued. “But she can certainly pour her own glass of water.”

Knox blinked and had the decency to look sheepish.

“Bottom line, gentlemen: take care of her, but let her live her life. Everything’s going to be fine,” Dr. Sullivan concluded. “And Isabella, if they start driving you crazy again, you know how to reach me.”

I smiled, feeling vindicated. “Thanks, Doctor.”

After I hung up, I looked at the boys, who now seemed to be reevaluating their strategy. Asher was the first to break the silence.

“Okay, so maybe we were a little… overzealous.”

“A little?” I raised an eyebrow.

Knox folded his arms, looking defensive. “We were just trying to make sure you were okay.”

“I know,” I said gently, giving him a soft smile. “But I’m not an invalid. I can still do things. The doctor said so.”

Jax sighed, walking over to sit beside me. “Fine. But if you even look tired, we’re stepping in.”

I laughed. “Deal.”

Asher leaned down and kissed my forehead again, his eyes filled with warmth. “We just want to keep you safe.”

“And I appreciate it. But next time, maybe dial it back a notch?” I teased.

Knox smirked. “No promises.”