The silence in the room hung heavy after Adonis left, his words still echoing in my head. If anything happens to her or the baby, I'll hold you responsible. The baby. His baby. I clenched my fists at the thought, trying to push back the anger that was boiling up inside me.
I sat back down beside Sapphire, my hand still holding hers, but my mind was spinning. I wanted to protect her, keep her safe, but every time I thought about them—her and Adonis's baby—it was like a knife twisting in my gut. I'd been there, ready to keep her safe, but the baby weren't mine to protect. They were Adonis's responsibility, not mine.
I looked at her, her face pale but beautiful as ever, her hand resting on her stomach. That bump—the one I hadn't wanted to notice, hadn't wanted to think too hard about. But now that I was here, sitting beside her, knowing that her life and the lives of the baby had been in danger... It was impossible to ignore.
She hadn't told me. Not once. She hadn't looked me in the eyes and said, "Logan, the baby is Adonis's." She just... kept quiet. Like she knew I'd figure it out. Like she assumed I was fine with it. I wasn't fine. I wasn't even close to being fine. But I couldn't lose my temper, not here, not now. She needed me to be steady.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, my voice coming out more strained than I intended. I didn't want to sound so... cold.
Sapphire nodded, her eyes meeting mine for a second before drifting down to her lap. "I'm okay," she whispered. "Just tired."
Tired. She looked exhausted, and I couldn't blame her. Hell, I was exhausted too, from the guilt, the confusion, the constant battle in my head. I hated Adonis for this. I hated him for putting her in this situation, for getting her pregnant when he knew she was still wrapped up in all the mess with me. And I hated myself for ever letting her go to him, for driving her into his arms with my anger and jealousy.
I glanced at her stomach again, the swell unmistakable now. There was no point in asking now. She'd never say it, not directly. Maybe she thought that was mercy. Maybe she thought I didn't need to hear the words. But I did.
I leaned back in the chair, rubbing a hand over my face. "We'll leave as soon as the doctors say it's safe for you to go," I said quietly. "You'll be safer at my place."
She nodded again, still not looking up at me, and it made my chest tighten. I didn't even know how to talk to her right now. There was so much between us, so many things left unsaid, and I wasn't sure if I had the strength to dig through it all.
"Logan," she said suddenly, her voice soft but urgent. I turned my head toward her, meeting her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady.
She hesitated, her brow furrowing as if she was searching for the right words. "Thank you... for being here. For protecting us."
"Of course," I replied immediately, the words almost automatic. I'd always protect her. No matter what. Even if it killed me inside to know those kids weren't mine. "I promised I would, didn't I?"
She gave me a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. It was like she wanted to say more, something important, but stopped herself.
A heavy silence settled again. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something—something crucial. But I wouldn't ask. I couldn't ask. The truth was staring me in the face, and whether she confirmed it or not, it didn't change anything.
All I knew was that Sapphire and the baby—Adonis's baby—were my responsibility now. And no matter how much it hurt, I wasn't going to let anything happen to them. Even if it meant pretending like this didn't tear me apart. Even if it meant watching her every day, knowing that she'd chosen someone else. Knowing that she didn't trust me enough to even tell me the truth straight up.
"Lo- Logan" she hesitated, glancing away for a moment before looking back at me. "And what about Adonis?" she asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.
I clenched my jaw at the mention of his name, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Adonis can visit. He can help where he's needed. But you're not staying going to his place anymore."
Sapphire didn't argue, but I could tell she wasn't entirely convinced either. That was fine. I didn't expect her to be. But as long as I could get her out of that house and back where I could watch over her, that was the first step.
"I'll make sure everything is set up for when you're discharged," I said, standing up from the chair. "I'm not leaving this time. Not ever."
She didn't say anything, but the way her eyes softened just a little gave me hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could fix this.
I stood up slowly, the weight of everything pressing down on me. "I'll talk to the doctors," I muttered. "Make sure everything's ready for you to be discharged."
She watched me as I walked toward the door, her eyes following me, but she didn't call me back. She didn't tell me the truth. And that was the worst part of it all.
I stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me, my mind racing. I couldn't keep pretending forever, but for now, it was all I had.
~~~~~~
Two days later, I was finally being discharged. The hospital had been a place of restless sleep and sterile quiet, a reminder of everything that had happened and the lingering weight between Logan and me. As I sat in the wheelchair, waiting for the final paperwork to be completed, my heart raced with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. I hadn't seen much of Logan since that first night. He had been around, but we barely spoke beyond what was necessary, like two strangers forced into close proximity.
I should've had a discussion about the babies. The weight of that silence was growing heavier each day, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not yet, after keeping it from him so long I didn't know how to. It was the guilt. I glanced down at my bump, rubbing it gently as I thought of the twins inside. They were safe, and for now, that was all that mattered.
"Ready to go?" Logan's deep voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I looked up to see him standing by the door, his expression unreadable as always. He was holding my bag, looking like the epitome of calm and control, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. He had been distant, careful, and I could tell something was weighing on him too. Maybe it was the thought of me staying at his place again—or maybe it was something else entirely.
I nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, I'm ready."
The drive to Logan's house was quiet, the air between us thick with unsaid words. The city streets blurred by, and I found myself nervously fidgeting with the hem of my shirt, feeling the bump beneath. Every time I glanced at Logan, he had his eyes fixed on the road, his jaw clenched.
When we finally pulled into the driveway of his home, the sight of it felt overwhelming. It was familiar, but it had been weeks since I'd been here. I remembered the last time I'd stayed, how things had crumbled between us. Now, everything felt so different—yet somehow the same. I was still holding onto secrets, and Logan... well, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
He parked the car and got out, walking around to open my door. His movements were smooth, automatic, but there was something hesitant in the way he looked at me. He offered me his hand to help me out of the car, and for a moment, I hesitated. But I took it, letting his touch ground me.
As we walked up the steps, the heavy front door swung open. Logan motioned for me to go ahead, his hand resting lightly on the small of my back. The moment I stepped inside, the house felt quieter than ever. It was strange, walking back in with everything that had happened between us. I wasn't sure what to expect.
He set my bag down by the door and turned to face me. "You should rest," he said quietly, his eyes meeting mine for the first time in what felt like days.
I nodded, feeling the exhaustion of the past few days catching up with me. "I know." I rubbed my belly absentmindedly, the babies shifting slightly.
Logan's eyes flickered to my stomach, and I caught the faintest glint of something in his gaze—something like recognition. But he still didn't say a word about it. Nothing. It was like he was purposefully avoiding the topic, and I couldn't figure out why. Was he angry? Hurt? Did he know the truth and just... didn't care?
"Your room's ready," he said after a moment, his voice softer this time. "Everything's as you left it."
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Thanks, Logan."
He gave me a brief nod before turning to walk away, and I stood there for a moment, watching his back as he headed down the hallway toward his office. The distance between us felt greater than ever. How had we gone from being so close to... this?
Sighing, I made my way upstairs to my room. The familiar space felt oddly comforting, but also bittersweet. I sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing my belly and whispering softly to the twins. "We're here. We're safe. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."
But even as I said the words, I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince—myself or them. Logan and I were under the same roof again, but with so much unsaid between us, it felt like we were miles apart.
For now, all I could do was rest and hope that, somehow, we'd find a way to bridge that distance. Because sooner or later, the truth about the babies was going to come out. And I wasn't sure how either of us would handle it when it did.
~~~~~~~
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