Mr. Big Jerk: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance (Kinda Cocky Series Book 3), стр. 47

I started trembling. “There was--so much blood. There--there was--.”

Kelly cupped my cheeks. “Focus on your son. Roxy needs that from you right now.”

Every second seemed like an eternity. Every minute that passed felt more and more hopeless. Why hadn’t someone come in to tell me anything yet? What the fuck had happened to Roxy?

What if she dies?

“Mr. Hearthstone?”

I jerked my head up from feeding my baby boy. “Yes?”

He crouched down beside me. “Miss Crown suffered from what we call a uterine rupture. Unmedicated labor was a bit too hard on her body, and when the uterus was trying to push out the placenta, it split just that quickly.”

My heart leaped into my throat. “Please tell me she’s all right.”

The doctor sighed. “These next few hours are crucial. But, all she can talk about is seeing the two of you. Come with me.”

I sure as hell didn’t have to be told twice.

I marched down the hallway, in tandem with the doctor, before he led me into a recovery room that had more beeping machines and more tubes than when we first came in. Seeing Roxy so pale and so fragile broke my heart. But, she was alive, and that showed me exactly the kind of fighter she was. Her eyes slowly opened, and her head turned toward the door, and even from beyond the worry and the pain and the sorrow behind her eyes, her face lit up with joy.

“There are my boys,” she said weakly.

I rushed to her side. “Want to give this skin to skin thing another try?”

Her eyes watered. “Would I ever.”

I helped get her gown undone before I settled our son against her skin. And when their two bodies met, I watched color flush back into Roxy’s face. I watched our little boy nuzzle between her leaking breasts, so I pulled up a chair and softly guided our son’s lips to her bosom.

Before he latched on and started sucking.

Roxy giggled. “Looks like he won’t have an issue eating.”

I smiled. “Gets that from you.”

She glared at me. “You think you’re cute, but sometimes you’re annoying.”

I kissed her forehead. “I’ll take it any day of the week.”

I sat back down in the chair. “So, do you have a name for our little guy?”

Her head fell back to her pillow as our son continued to nurse. “How does Bryce sound?”

I blinked. “What?”

Her head lobbed over to face me. “Bryce Clinton Hearthstone. Has a bit of a ring to it, doesn’t it?”

I felt a tear streak my cheek. “Are you being serious right now?”

She nodded. “That way, you and Bryce will always be together. In him.”

I drew in a broken breath. “Marry me.”

She furrowed her brow. “What?”

I held my breath before I let out a snicker and took her left hand in my own.

“I know that’s not the most romantic proposal, and I certainly don’t have the ring with me. I, uh, planned on proposing once we got home and got settled in. So, it’s there, in my underwear drawer. But, I can’t wait a second longer. I can’t wait one more millisecond to ask. Roxy Crown, I love you more than life itself. You’ve given me my son. My namesake. And it sure as hell wouldn't be fair if you didn’t bear our last name, either. I love you from the bottom of my soul. To the moon and back. Forever, and back again. Roxy Crown, will you marry me?”

She let out a soft sob. “Of course, I’ll marry you, Clint. And I promise never to tell anyone that you really can cry like me.”

I barked with laughter. “You and that sarcastic wit of yours.”

“Come here and give me a kiss.”

And as I raised up, pressing my lips against her own, I knew that was the first of many commands I’d obey for the rest of my life.

So long as Roxy and Bryce were always at my side.