Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Three
Kelley didn’t sleep that night. He felt guilty over Sylvie for an hour and then he focused on Kyzer, himself and his work. Between the women, they had converted the room across from his study into a nursery and he felt lucky to have so many people in his life that cared so much. It still felt surreal having a son and even though Kyzer had only been in his life for a day, he couldn't imagine ever leaving him.
The door to his study opened and Kelley lifted his head from his arms. He’d fallen asleep at some point. His neck had a crick in it and he stared at Steel standing in the doorway with Kyzer in his arms. “He was crying and I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
Kelley smiled and took Kyzer from him. Steel followed him back into Kyzer’s room and he stripped off the onesie and then the diaper.
“Holy shit, what the fuck is that smell?” Steel had his hand in front of his mouth and nose and made gagging noises.
“Watch your mouth,” Kelley growled and Steel’s mouth clamped shut. “It’s poop, Steel.”
Steel suppressed the grin on this face but took a step backwards as Kelley cleaned Kyzer and changed his clothes. “Were you standing outside his door?”
“I was waiting for you to wake up,” Steel answered. “Am I back on Milana?”
Kelley picked Kyzer up and looked at Steel. “Do you want to go back to her?”
“Yes.” Steel didn’t even hesitate. “She won’t outsmart me again.” Kelley could only smile at that, the man was loyal to a fault.
Kyzer started fussing and Kelley sighed. “Come on, he’s hungry.”
Kelley called the hospital for an update on Milana after he’d shown Steel how to feed Kyzer. He watched Steel intently as he listened to the nurse talking. Milana hadn't eaten the previous night and she hadn’t stopped crying, not until they had given her a sedative to sleep.
Kelley swore under his breath as he ended the call and his phone started ringing again immediately. He slid the button upwards and answered the call.
“Connor.”
“You have a baby!”
“He was a bit of a surprise,” Kelley said with a grin.
“You have a baby and you don’t call me?”
“You’re on your honeymoon, Connor, give me some credit.”
Connor snorted over the phone. “You could’ve sent a picture, asshole.”
“Sounds like you’re having fun. You’ve got a week left, enjoy it because when you get back you’re on diaper duty for the asshole comment.”
Connor laughed loudly and they spoke for a few minutes more before saying goodbye. Kyzer’s eyes were closed and the bottle was empty by the time Kelley put his phone back in his pocket. He took Kyzer and burped him in the kitchen before heading back upstairs.
“We’ll leave in the next half an hour,” Kelley said as Steel nodded his head and walked towards the other side of the house where his room was.
Kelley placed a sleeping Kyzer in the middle of his bed and placed his pillows around him, even though he couldn’t roll over yet. It was the fastest shower Kelley had ever taken and he dressed quickly. Kyzer slept fitfully even when Kelley placed him in the stroller and carried him down the stairs back to the kitchen.
Kelley packed a diaper bag and slung the bag and his laptop bag over his shoulder. Steel chuckled as Kelley turned around and then started laughing loudly as he covered his mouth with his hand. “What?”
“I’m sorry, Kelley, but you look ridiculous,” Steel commented as he looked at Kelley with the diaper bag over one shoulder and his laptop bag over the other.
“Grab the baby,” Kelley said as he walked to the foyer and opened the front door. Steel pushed the stroller behind Kelley and then watched with rapt attention as Kelley showed him how to strap Kyzer into the car seat.
Kelley slid into the backseat of his SUV and sat next to Kyzer as Steel drove them to the hospital. Kelley couldn’t help but stare at his son and then another thought occurred to him. “The nurse said Milana’s not eating.”
“She had major surgery yesterday. All those drugs and shit they gave her, I’d be surprised if she did eat,” Steel said.
“Hospital food sucks, I remember that much.”
Steel parked the SUV and got the stroller from the boot. A female car guard stood watching them as they struggled to unfold it for at least ten minutes. “First baby?” she asked when Kelley finally lifted Kyzer from the car seat and Steel fussed over him with the blanket, tucking it in on the sides.
Kelley smiled at the woman with a glint in his eyes. “Yes, he’s the mother.”
Steel blanched as Kelley handed him the diaper bag and started walking towards the hospital. “I’m not the mother! Kelley!”
Kelley turned to look at Steel as he started explaining to the woman that he wasn’t Kyzer’s mother. She didn’t look like she believed him and Steel stood with a hand on his hip and the other hand on the stroller’s push bar.
“Come on, honey. The doctor’s waiting,” Kelley yelled and Steel’s face reddened as he started pushing the stroller towards Kelley. He glared daggers at Kelley who ignored hiim but a small smile was on his lips.
“Connor’s right, you are an asshole.”
Kelley huffed out a laugh as they took the elevator up to the maternity ward and walked down the hall to Milana’s room. Nurses stopped and stared and Steel gritted his teeth. He seemed to breathe again when Kelley opened Milana’s door and his chuckle softened.
She lay on her side, facing away from him. She showed no signs of being awake and Kelley held up a finger to his lips and Steel nodded his head. Kelley picked Kyzer up and walked around Milana’s bed. She was staring at the wall, not even out of the window and Kelley looked worriedly at her.
