Chapter 221 Ryan, Hold Me
Michael and Kevin probably hadn't expected to move in perfect sync, but at that moment, they did.
Both men froze mid-motion, the air tightening between them until it felt almost solid. The awkwardness was palpable.
Kevin's thoughts sharpened instantly. 'Seriously? Right in front of me, Michael's actually going to scoop Amelia into his arms? Sure, that stunt with the will had impressed me enough to tolerate their relationship, but this is pushing it. If he dares to hold her in front of all her brothers today, what's next - hand-holding, kissing in front of us? Not happening. Better stop this kind of intimacy before it takes root.'
Michael drew a deep breath.
The impulse to hold her had been pure instinct.
Whenever they were alone, Amelia had a lazy habit of letting him carry her from one place to another. It had become second nature.
In the car, she would lean into him, and he would let her rest on his lap, arms around her.
In the Johnson family's living room, she would sometimes sprawl against his chest, and he would tap her back until she drifted to sleep.
When they met, she would sometimes run straight toward him, and he would automatically bend down, arms open, lifting her just as he'd tried to do now.
But his hand had barely moved before reality cut in - Kevin was here. And so were the rest of her brothers.
Every one of them was fiercely protective of Amelia, convinced she was too young for romance, that she'd been sweet-talked into feelings she didn't fully understand, and that Michael was taking advantage.
Tobias, the youngest, would have gone off like a firecracker if he saw Michael holding her.
Sure enough, Michael caught Kevin's sharp glare, and Tobias's eyes narrowed in instant suspicion.
All eyes locked on him.
For a man known for composure, Michael felt an uncharacteristic flicker of unease.
The most uncomfortable, however, was Amelia herself - caught in the middle of two men reaching for her at once.
For her, the solution wasn't complicated.
In the brief pause, she shifted smoothly, her voice calm as she called. "Ryan, hold me."
"On my way, Little Cutie."
In the very next heartbeat, Ryan - tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome like a comic book lead - slipped between Kevin and Michael with a grin.
His eyes softened with affection as he bent to lift Amelia. "Knew you'd pick the most reliable one," he teased warmly.
Kevin's inner voice muttered, 'Sure, unity's fine, but was that jab at me really necessary, Ryan?'
Once Amelia was settled on the bed, the doctor began measuring her leg. He laid the soaked plaster strips onto the cotton padding, shaping them against her calf and foot, smoothing the surface to fit.
Chris assisted, winding bandages upward in a tight spiral, three layers in all.
When the plaster had been trimmed and shaped, the cast was complete.
Still, the bruising around Amelia's waist concerned Chris. He asked the doctor to prescribe an anti-inflammatory cream for the swelling and went to retrieve it.
When Amelia was wheeled out of the exam room, her brothers Asher, Dorian, and Leroy finally relaxed, reassured she was not badly hurt.
It was clear she wouldn't be attending school today. Dorian handed her the phone she'd brought from school, and the three returned to campus.
Tobias and Zander, however, had no intention of going to class. They took the day off.
That left Michael with the Martinez family.
Jenny had only learned today from Kevin about Michael and Amelia.
Hearing that Michael had shown up with a will in hand and had spent two hundred million dollars on an island to build a private estate for Amelia's coming-of-age gift had left her stunned.
She had always known Michael was wealthy, but she hadn't realized that the sole heir of the Johnson family commanded a fortune in the hundreds of billions.
The Martinez family might not be River City's absolute elite, but they were high enough in the social hierarchy. Even so, two hundred million for an island was beyond their reach.
Money, it seemed, could win hearts in its own way.
Jenny had never thought of it that way before, but the more she looked at Michael now, the more she found him steady, dependable - someone worth trusting with Amelia's future.
With everyone gathered and Chris's shift ending, Kevin suggested they all return to the Martinez family estate and invited Michael to join them for dinner, making up for the last time when the household staff had been on leave.
Michael agreed without hesitation.
Though he had met the family before, this would be his first formal visit, and he intended to treat it with the respect Amelia deserved.
He texted Eric, instructing him to prepare gifts. For Jenny in particular, he requested a jade ring worth over a million dollars.
His second meeting with Jenny had been at the Williams family's charity gala.
He had seen her in the garden, confronting Amelia - nearly striking her.
Until today, Michael had considered Jenny an adversary.
Anyone who had harmed or tried to harm Amelia was his enemy.
But when he saw Amelia thank Jenny earlier, he understood - she had let go of her guard and chosen to forgive.
If that was her choice, then he would see Jenny as a family elder.
As Amelia was wheeled toward the hospital's front doors, the afternoon sun flared bright, making her squint.
In the shadow ahead, a tall, lean figure stood waiting.
It was Lon.
Her hand tightened on the armrest, her gaze hardening in an instant.
She was in a wheelchair, injured - and yet Lon had come to the hospital. Was he still clinging to his suspicions about her?