“I—”
“Why would you need a waiver? Hugo, why would she need a waiver?”
“She doesn’t, and I’m not leaving this hospital,” he added through gritted teeth. “Sorry if it messes up whatever game you’re playing.”
“I’m done playing,” Ethan admitted and I turned to him.
“Ethan—”
He squeezed my hand. "I'm so glad you're okay," he admitted with a sigh of relief before kissing the hand he was holding. "Don't you ever frighten me like that again.”
"I'm the one in a hospital bed and yet this is about not frightening you?"
"Of course! Everything is about me, Ava Byrnes!" He thumped his chest smugly and grinned. "I thought you knew that by now."
I paused. "Is my baby really alright?" I asked quietly.
"I believe so." Ethan glanced at Hugo, who was still glowering.
“I’ll go see what is taking the damn doctor so long,” he muttered and took a step away before turning back toward me, his face reflecting a turmoil I was sure was just as unsettling for him as it was for me.
He took a step toward me again and brought his hand up to cup my cheek. I was surprised to see confusion and irritation there, but so much tenderness too. Hugo opened his mouth while cradling my cheek and I held my breath, hoping for words he would likely never say.
I saw his face morph, taking a more resigned look, and I knew that whatever he had planned to say had died in his throat.
“Everything will be fine,” he finished with a small shake of his head, as if he had forfeited something, and this time he turned around and left the room without another word.
“What happened, Ava?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “Everything and nothing at once.”
“I’m sorry for everything. If it wasn’t for Hugo stepping up, you’d probably be mourning the loss of your child right now.”
I looked at Ethan with confusion and noticed that he looked drained, despite the previous banter and smile.
“Sorry for what? You’ve done nothing wrong.”
He let out a humorless sound. “Yes, I did, from the moment I asked you to be deceitful. I’ve been a coward and a fool, and I’m the cause of the power my brother had over us, but this is no more. We can do what we want now. There won’t be any repercussions. If anything, Hugo will be the one with the sword of Damocles over his head.”
My heart slammed against my chest at the thought of what that implied for him.
“Ethan… What did you do?”
“Something I should have done a long time ago.” He gave me a smile that was both mocking and pained. A smile that reminded me a lot of his brother. “But it gave me, us, an unexpected power and we can use it.”
“Ethan… I…”
“I called your parents yesterday.”
“Oh!” I rested my hand on my mouth as shame filled me. “I forgot they were leaving.”
He rolled his eyes. “With everything that happened, who can blame you?" He waved his hand dismissively. “I told them you had to take a trip with Hugo and that you broke your phone, but that it should be fixed when they reached the first port and they could call you then.”
I pulled his hand, clutching it to my chest. “Thank you, but tell me what did you—”
A sharp knock sidetracked me again and a man in a white coat walked in, quickly followed by Hugo.
“I’ll be right outside,” Ethan murmured, letting go of my hand and standing up.