Nursing Him

Nursing Him
Kayla’s POV

I stayed with him all night.

The conflicted feelings wouldn’t leave me alone. Part of me kept whispering…reminding me that this was fake, that I didn’t owe him anything. 

But the bigger part…the part that watched his chest rise and fall and remembered his colleague telling me that he kept muttering my name while they pulled a bullet out of him…felt responsible. 

We were kind of married on fake paper, right? At least for now. So I kept busy.

Every time his temperature spiked, I called the nurses. When they were slow, I table-sponged his forehead and neck myself with cool water. 

I watched his IV like a hawk and buzzed them when the bag needed changing. I couldn’t bring myself to sleep. Every beep of the machine made my stomach twist. What if something went wrong? What if he didn’t wake up?

At some point exhaustion won. I must have dozed off with my head resting on the edge of his bed, my hand still loosely holding the side rail.

I felt a gentle hand patting my head and I stirred.

I shot upright when I realized where I was, blinking hard. Nathan was awake, looking at me with this big, genuine, puppy-like smile. 

His eyes were tired but sparkling with excitement, like a kid who just got the toy he wanted for Christmas. 

How the hell could he look so happy after almost dying a few hours ago?

I looked around the room. Sunlight was filtering through the blinds. It was morning. Early morning.

“How are you feeling?” I asked quickly, reaching out to touch his forehead again. Still a bit warm, but better.

He kept smiling, not even answering.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I muttered, lightly hitting his uninjured arm. “Is your job always this dangerous? And why are you grinning like an idiot?”

He chuckled softly and tried to sit up. I rushed forward immediately. 

“Wait…don’t move like that. Let me help you.” 

I propped the pillows behind him and helped him settle back, then passed him a glass of water. He took a few slow sips. When he was done, I took the glass and set it on the table.

Nathan exhaled and glanced down at the bandage on his shoulder. “This is nothing,” he said casually.

Then he turned a little, showing me his back. My eyes widened as I took in the scene. 

His back was covered in scars…old ones, faded knife marks, bullet wounds that had healed rough, patches that looked like they came from fights that should have killed him. Evidence of how many times danger had come knocking and he’d answered.

I stared, heart squeezing tight.

Suddenly I stood up, shaking my head. “I can’t do this.”

His expression turned worried. “Kayla—”

“Fake or real, I can’t,” I said, voice cracking. “I have a weak health, okay? I can’t handle these kinds of situations. The waiting, the blood, the fear… I just can’t.”

He caught my arm before I could step away. That huge smile was back on his face as he gently dragged me closer, down toward the bed.

“You’re concerned about me? Are you worried about my safety?” he asked with a cocky grin. “Does this mean you like me?”

I struggled half-heartedly. “Let me go first, you idiot—”

The door swung open just then and a mid-aged woman walked in with that unmistakable old-money housewife vibe…perfectly styled hair, expensive but understated clothes, the kind of posture that said she ran charities and book clubs. 

Beside her was a classy, attractive woman who looked posh and extravagant, like she stepped out of a magazine. She seemed so familiar that I kept flipping through my mind, trying to recall where I had seen her.

The younger woman rushed forward, almost pushing me out of the way, fawning all over Nathan. “Nathan! Oh my God, why didn’t you call anyone? How did you manage all by yourself?”

The older woman also came forward, still pushing me back and away from the bed. “Nathan…darling. Why didn’t you call me?”

Nathan groaned. “I wasn’t by myself, mother. My wife was right here with me, nursing me all night.” He looked at me softly. “Right, honey?”

I looked up immediately, self-conscious as hell. I was still in my pajamas and mismatched slippers. 

His mother and this girl were dressed like they were attending brunch at a country club. I stepped back, not wanting to overstep.

That’s his mother?

I felt even more aware of how I looked. His family was prominent and wealthy…I remembered that now.

And the girl… I looked closely and it clicked. I remember her too. She was the same one from the mall days ago. The one who had confidently called herself Nathan’s fiancée.

All eyes bored into me. Nathan’s were wide and hopeful. His mother and the girl glared at me murderously.

Oh hell no. 

I’m not about to become the female lead in some dramatic mother-in-law story. The kind where the rich mom already has the perfect, polished girl picked out for her son and hates the outsider who showed up in pajamas. 

I’m not built for that kind of fight.

I muttered something incoherent, turned around, and walked out fast as Nathan called out to me. Of course I ignored him.

Fuck all this. I have way more important things to worry about. At least he’s okay. That’s enough.

I ran into the officer from last night…he was sitting on a chair by the waiting area.

“Ma’am, the front desk needs the captain’s guardian to sign some paperwork,” he said.

I shook my head with a tired smile. “I’m not his legal guardian. His mom and… fiancée are in there with him. They’ll handle it.” 

I didn’t wait for a reply. I kept walking. Why the hell am I pissed?

I got to my car, zoomed out of the hospital driveway, and drove straight home. 

When I finally pulled into my apartment garage, my body felt heavy. I took the elevator up, unlocked my unit, and walked straight into the bedroom. I dropped my phone and car keys on the table and headed into the bathroom.

The mirror showed the truth. Messy hair, tired eyes, pajamas that had seen better days. I looked nothing like that polished girl standing next to Nathan’s bed.

Memories crashed over me. Girls my age mocking me when I was pregnant, whispering behind my back. 

After I gave birth, alone, I’d see them clubbing, dressing up cute, living freely while I wore practical clothes that made breastfeeding easier. No one to help. Just me and Caden.

I peeled off the pajamas, sank into the bathtub, and let the tears come. They fell hard and I welcomed them.

Minutes later, the cold, untouched Kayla was back. I stared at my reflection…hair pulled into a neat ponytail, fresh jeans and a simple polo shirt, handbag ready. 

Time to get serious with the bakery. More money meant a stronger case in court if Caleb ever tried anything. I had to prove I could raise my son alone.

I walked out of the unit and stepped into the elevator.

The doors were about to close when someone rushed in.

Someone I never expected to see in my wildest dreams.