Hey Baby

I Hate You? I Love You

The moment we stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse, the tension filled the room quicker than a crowd of thirteen-year-old girls at a boyband's concert.

Miles kept his hand around my arm, but his entire body tensed when he spotted Lincoln in the recliner. Link stood immediately, fire igniting in his eyes seeing Miles at my side.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked me. "I've been worried sick. I saw you called, but when I tried calling back you didn't answer. For almost twenty four hours, El."

"She was in the hospital, asshole." Miles snapped. "Nearly passed out at work yesterday. Has all kinds of shit going on. Needs to be put on bed rest."

I looked between the two men, then sighed, "Yeah, neither of you are helping with the stress issue. I could cut the tension in here with a knife."

"Well, he can leave." Link said childishly. "This is my place."

"And Arielle is the mother of my child and I need to make sure my girls are okay before I go home."

I winced at the bitterness in Miles' words, knowing that he said them with so much spite to get under Link's skin.

"Get out!" Lincoln started toward us, but I stepped between them before he could reach Miles. Turning, I touched a hand to his chest and smiled. "Thank you for staying with me last night and. . . thank you for everything. I appreciate it."

"Yeah, of course." he hugged me, touching one of his hands to my stomach. "Call or text if you need anything, okay? And please, please make sure that you rest, alright?"

I nodded and stepped back. "I know, Miles. I'll be fine."

He shot one last murderous glance at Lincoln before he stepped back into the elevator. Link waited until the elevator doors shut to finally approach and touch a hand to my shoulder .

"Are you okay? What the hell happened? Is Belle okay?"

He said it quickly, genuine concern in every word and lining every inch of his face.

"Yeah, we're okay, Link. I've just been overdoing it, or maybe it's the stress of everything going on. Dr. Evans wants me on bedrest for a few weeks to try and see if it's a me thing or just my body thing."

"Shit." He breathed.

"Yeah." I rubbed my stomach. "But at least Belle's okay."

He shifted once on his feet, then took my purse from me and nodded toward the hall. "Come on. Let's get you in bed."

I didn't protest. I was exhausted. I'd been woken up all night with nurses coming in to check my blood pressure and draw blood.

He crossed the room quickly and fixed the comforter so I could just climb in and burrow in the blankets. I grabbed his wrist on his way back toward the door. "I. . . do you think you can be my best friend again for one night? Not flirty Lincoln. Not fake boyfriend Link. But best friend Lincoln. Because I really need him right now."

"I can do that." He whispered, flipping my hand so he was holding mine. "What did you have in mind?"

I looked toward the TV mounted on the wall, then to him again. "Movie night?'

**

I must have dozed off, because I woke up to use the bathroom at two in the morning. I was honestly pretty shocked that Link had kept true to his word and kept to his side of the bed and hadn't cuddled up to me once asleep. He was even facing the other direction, the blanket on me and leaving him in a pair of black pajama pants and nothing covering his torso.