Page 10 of Bought to Bear Bratva Heir

It felt like I was dying. And after thirty-six hours, I wasn’t sure whether I actually wanted death now.

I just wanted a moment, just one moment of peace.

"You’re doing so well." A warm hand stroked back my hair from my sweaty forehead. "So well, baby."

Ilya. Ilya was here, but of course he was. He hadn’t left my side since that first pain. He was right next to me. One hand clasped in mine. And the other on my forehead, wiping away my sweat and my tears and probably my snot and God knows what else.

I didn’t want to think how bad I looked.

Like he could read my thoughts, he pressed his lips to my hair. "You are so beautiful, Daisy," he murmured.

I wanted to call him out on his bullshit, but another pain ripped through me. My body convulsed, and I twisted away from him, squeezing his hand in a death grip.

"I can’t do this," I screamed. "I can’t—"

Ilya’s lips moved across my face. "Yes, you can. You can do this, Daisy."

"I want my daddy," I sobbed, burying my face into his chest and panting.

Instantly, his hand came down on my back. "I know, I know. I’ve called him."

I knew he had. I’d called him over the months as well. He wouldn’t pick up. It was like he couldn’t face me. I didn’t blame him for that. He had sold me to save himself. It didn’t really matter that I had found love and happiness with Ilya. My father felt too guilty now.

"I’ll try again."

I gripped him harder, my nails clawing into his skin. "Don’t leave me. Please, Ilya." I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want him to go. I needed him.

"Not going anywhere. I’ll stay—"

Another scream ripped through me. The pain was too much. Arching my back, I heard the beep of the monitors go crazy.

"Mr. Popovitch?"

I had no idea who was talking. Really, it didn’t matter. I just wanted this to end. I couldn’t take it anymore.

"We need to take Daisy down now. The baby’s heartbeat is erratic and—"

I didn’t hear anything else; there was nothing but the sound of my own blood rushing through my ears and the pain that felt white-hot twisting my body.

"You can’t come. This is an emergency."

That filtered into my brain; I screamed even louder as my bed was wheeled from the room. Ilya held on to my hand for as long as he could before it dropped to his side.

"Ilya."

"It’s going to be okay, Daisy," he called after me, and it was the last thing I heard.

Crying, I was wheeled away. My eyes glued to the blurry lights as I was rushed down the hallway towards the OR. And then it went dark, but not pitch black. It was like my vision had clouded.

I cried the entire time they cut into me. I cried when I felt the tugging in my insides that told me someone had their hands inside my body.

I cried when silence fell.

Absolute silence.

And then a wail went up. Instantly, my tears stopped because I knew that sound. It was the sound of a healthy baby.

"Are they—" I lifted my head to the blue sheet that stopped me from seeing my torn-open body. "Are they okay?"