Captured

Chapter 32

For the next two weeks, I didn't leave my daughters side. Kane had said that because she was born early, we needed to keep an eye on her and that's exactly what I did. I didn't even let her out of my arms until she fell asleep and I put her in her crib - that Kane had built for her from wood he'd collected from the forest - every night.

I'd been waiting for Kane to lose his temper when she screamed through the night or to leave me to take care of her during the days because I was the woman. But he didn't. He was so gentle with her that I found it difficult to remember him yelling and threatening me only a few weeks ago.

One night, I woke up to the sound of my baby screaming and peeked an eye open to see him holding her in his arms, shushing her softly. "For something so small, you sure are noisy," I heard him whisper, closing my eyes again and simply listening to him, "you'll wake your mother."

He cooed and rocked her in his arms until she drifted back to sleep and then climbed back into the bed. I had to bury my face in the bed covers to hide my smile.

I spent most of my days lay across the couch, my daughter in my arms, talking to her and telling her stories when she was awake and rocking her when she was asleep. I was exhausted from being kept awake all night and I couldn't remember the last time I had showered or brushed my teeth but I was happier than I'd ever been.

"Why don't you let me take her today?" Kane asked one morning while I was feeding her. He'd barely even had the chance to hold his daughter since she was born, I wasn't willing to risk it and I couldn't bring myself to let go of her.

"That's okay," I told him, looking down at her small, content little face while she drank my milk.

"Katherine," he sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "She's my daughter too. I've been as patient as I can be but I want to spend time with her. So why don't you have a shower and put on some proper clothes and walk the dogs?"

Kane had done a good job of stitching up the gash that the bear had caused and now the two dogs were back living in the apartment. They loved the baby as much as I did and wagged their tails every time she laughed. They also whined when she cried and wouldn't leave her side until she calmed down.

I stared at Kane for a moment. He had every right to spend time with his own child but that didn't stop the anxiety from creeping in. My mind always wandered to memories of my own father and any time the two of us had spent together always caused me pain.

"She's safe with me," he said with a sigh, apparently reading my thoughts.

I bit my lip. He'd given me no reason not to trust him and there was only so long he would wait before he demanded time with her. We'd made a deal to raise her together and I had to stick to my side of that deal, even if it went against my instincts to protect my daughter.

"Okay," I said, covering myself back up when my baby had finished feeding and wiping her mouth with my sleeve. "Just be careful with her," I said, looking between him and her. "And-."

"Kath!" He interrupted, raising his eyebrows. I nodded apologetically and handed my daughter over to him, albeit reluctantly.

"Alright," I muttered, feeling empty without her in my arms. "I'll go and shower then."

He simply nodded, his attention entirely on our daughter as he began to bounce her up and down gently, eliciting the sweetest little laugh from her that had a smile crossing my face and the dogs tails in the air. I moved to the bathroom and stripped off the clothes I'd been wearing for two weeks now. They were coated in sick and milk and a lot worse and smelled awful so I took them in the shower with me to clean.

I stayed under the water for a lot longer than I intended, detangling my knotted hair and scrubbing my skin clean until I finally felt normal again. I hadn't realised how desperately I needed to wash until the hot water fell on me and my tense muscles started to relax.

I dried off and found some clean clothes, hanging the now soaking wet but freshly cleaned ones in the bathroom to dry. It felt good to breathe in and not be hit with a concoction of sick and sweat.

When I stepped back into the lounge, I was met with the sight of Kanes huge body filling the couch, our daughter tucked beneath his arm with her head resting on his shoulder. He stared down at her with emotion swimming in his eyes while she slept peacefully.

"Feel any better?" He asked quietly, not moving his eyes off of her.

"I do actually," I answered with a nod even though he wasn't looking at me. I turned to the dogs who lay on the floor beside the couch. "Come on," I called, tapping my thigh, "time for a walk."

They wagged their tails and bounded towards me excitedly as I exited the apartment. My legs were a little weak after not being used much in the last couple of weeks but I strolled slowly with the dogs, catching a glimpse of the blue sky outside and decided I was due some fresh air.

It was cold outside but it felt good to be out so I played with the dogs for a while before growing tired. We made our way back inside and down the halls towards the apartment before someone stepped out of a room and blocked our way. I frowned as the man smirked down at me, causing the dogs to growl.

This felt all too familiar but rather than say anything, I simply turned to go another way. I barely took a step before someone emerged, blocking me in between the two men.

"What do you-?" I was cut off when a scream tore from my throat at the pain spreading through my body. An arrow was lodged in my chest, barely missing my heart. I cried from the pain and staggered backwards, into the awaiting arms of the other man who caught me before I could fall and pulled a blade along the base of my throat.

I screamed again, the sound muffled by the blood. "Now that baby is out of you, you're no longer needed," he hissed as my vision started to blur and I choked on the blood pouring down my front. "You can finally pay for your crimes."

I shook my head, swaying from side to side before dropping to the ground in a heap, my vision going black.