248
~Damon's POV
The question cut through me sharper than any blade.
I leaned closer, forcing my voice calm though my chest ached. "Lisa…" I said.
Her breathing quickened, panic flickering in her eyes. "I… I want… my baby…"
Her voice was a broken whisper, soaked with pain and fear. She tried to sit up, but her body failed her, trembling, too weak to hold itself.
I caught her shoulders gently. "Easy. You're still healing. You can't…"
Her eyes met mine.
"Please," she whispered. "Just… Is my… my baby."
I swallowed hard.
Her gaze softened for a moment, then drifted. The exhaustion took her again. She slumped weakly back against the pillow, her fingers curling against the sheet.
I sat a long time, watching her chest rise and fall. The clinic was quiet, like a promise I couldn't keep. Finally, I could not wait any longer. I bent down and pressed a quick, blunt kiss to her forehead. It did nothing to fix her, and it hurt me more than it helped.
