The Surgeon King's Secret Baby

At least she didn’t have to explain what cardiomyopathy was to Kainan. He understood the gravity of the situation.

Is he on the transplant list?

“Yes. We’re waiting.”

How terrible for you. How do you do it?

A spark of anger flared up in her. It was an innocent enough remark, but it had cut her to the quick.

How do you do it?

How could she not? There was really no choice in the matter. Just one foot in front of the other.

“There’s no choice,” she said wearily.

No. I suppose not. Kainan scrubbed a hand over his face. He didn’t sign anything else.

Reagan was waiting for him to sign I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. Or Let me help, but he didn’t offer any of these things.

Instead he signed, Is he stable now? Can we get back to work?

It was a slap to the face—but then again a lot of stuff had happened to Kainan in a very short span of time. Still, he hadn’t even asked their son’s name.

Don’t take it personally. It’s a lot to process.

She’d been disappointed before. Countless times, when her parents had been too busy for her.

“I need help, Mom. Please. I’m tired and Peter is sick...”

“It was your choice to have the baby, Reagan. I told you to get rid of it.”

Her mother’s callous words still haunted her.

What’s wrong? Kainan signed.

“Nothing.”

Your expression says otherwise.

“He’s stable,” she said, answering Kainan and yet ignoring his questioning.

Good.

There was a hint of relief on his face, but only a brief hint. Reagan hoped it was in regard to their son, but again she’d been disappointed before.

“Let’s get back to Michael’s office and we’ll go through everything,” she offered.

Kainan nodded and fell into step beside her. There was silence between them, which was good, because right now she was having a hard time to keeping it all together.

* * *

Kainan listened to Reagan go over protocols and some other things that he couldn’t seem to focus on. All he could think about was taking care of Reagan and Peter. Doing his duty to them.

Even though it would kill him to trap them both in royal protocol.

If his brother had still been alive there wouldn’t be this guilt about forcing Reagan into this life Kainan never wanted. He was the “spare,” so he’s pursued medicine in order to escape Isla Hermosa. He’d gone to medical school in Switzerland and worked there. He’d been happy.

He hadn’t ever planned on returning to Isla Hermosa after his brother became King, but then war had broke out and his brother had been killed.

Kainan’s freedom had evaporated then. It had been obliterated.

Inside he was screaming and raging, but if he tried to let it all out there would be no sound, and that made him rage all the more at his own stupidity. Yet he still wanted Reagan, and now his son. She’d been alone. She shouldn’t have been alone.

I should never have let Reagan go.

If he’d have been with her... He didn’t finish that thought, because it wouldn’t have changed the outcome at all.

Their son would have been born with cardiomyopathy anyway. That was if he’d survived being born in a war-torn country. The thought made his stomach clench. He tried not to think about it.

“Alek, you have to surrender. It’s done. Too many lives have been lost!”

“I will not surrender! Father never would’ve backed down.”

“He would if innocent blood was being spilled. What you’re doing is folly!”

“You just want the crown for yourself, Kainan. I know you.”

“You don’t know me. You’re completely absurd. I never wanted this. Never.”

“Then why are you here?”

“To save your life. You’re my brother, Alek...”

“I’m your half brother.”

“Half, then—but still I’m here to save you.”

“Why?”

“Because Father loved you. I’m doing this for Father.”

Alek had sneered and shaken his head.

“Always trying to please Father. But he’s dead and I am King. I will always be King.”

Kainan shook those thoughts away. They were treading on dangerous ground. They were threatening his control. He’d tried to save his half brother’s life before Alek had been overthrown. He’d been trying to drag Alek out of the palace to safety just before the IED had gone off in the throne room.

Kainan had survived the blast, but had lost his voice for his brother...his King.