Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 146

Sutton cried the moment she stepped out of the NICU. She was crying because she was leaving Miles in the hospital while she went home, She didn‘ care that it was only temporary. Her arms felt wrong without him in them. Even though she hadn’t been with him all night, it still felt wrong somehow,

She knew he was safe and well fed. Monitored around the clock, supported by more machines and sensors and trained professionals. The NICU nurses. knew her by name. They adored Miles.

And yet–it still felt like she was walking away from her heart.

She pressed one hand to her chest as she returned to her room to gather the last of her things. Luca had left her a few minutes ago to talk to Antonio, who was seeing their father. Sutton had already been in to see Nick.noveldrama

A nurse smiled gently, not asking why she was crying. They always knew.

“You’ll be back tomorrow,” the nurse said softly, folding Sutton’s discharge papers into a folder with the hospital logo.

“I know,” Sutton whispered. “I just… I don’t know how to go home without him.”

“You go knowing he is getting the best of care,” the nurse said kindly, “and you need to take care of mum now. And sleeping in a hospital is never the best rest. That’s what keeps you both strong.”

It wasn’t enough. But it was what she had.

Outside her room, Luca was pacing near the window, his phone pressed to his ear, back turned to her. He wasn’t speaking loudly, but his voice was low and firm. He was distracted, focused on whoever was on the other end of the phone. She paused in the doorway, suitcase handle in hand.

“Yes… double rotation. I don’t care if the hospital already screens employees. I want our people inside the NICU too, t just the hall. I want eyes specifically on the pediatric floor.” A pause. “Yes, Miles. He’s the priority… no access unless approved.”

Sutton’s blood chilled.

What the hell?

She stepped forward slowly, her breath caught in her throat.

Luca didn’t notice her yet. Still facing the window, phone clutched in his hand, his other hand resting flat on the glass as he spoke calmly but with

urgency.

“And make sure you keep her photo circulated. If anyone resembling her gets within two floors of that wing… I want to be alerted. Immediately.”

Photo? Of her?

Her stomach sank with understanding. Nicole.

Luca hung up.

Sutton’s voice came out high and only slightly controlled. “What’s going on?” Her son was in danger, and she hadn’t even known.

He turned, startled… but she saw guilt flicker across his face.

“Sutton-”

“You said it was security. I thought-” she trailed off, heart hammering. “I thought it was for the media. But it’s not the press you’re worried about, is

Luca opened his mouth, hesitated.

“Tell me,” she said. “Tell me what the hell Nicole has done now.”

He sighed, stepping forward. “She called after she saw us in the media.”

“What?”

“I didn’t want it to reach you.” He kept his voice low. “Nicole is still under psychiatric care, but we could not legally detain her any longer. She has to report to the police station every day. She’s made threats. I was worried about you and Miles. The press stirred everything up. I have someone trailing her. She came to the hospital yesterday. My lawyer wants a second opinion about her mental state. He doesn’t believe it.”

Sutton’s breath caught. “She tried to get into Miles’s wing?”

“We don’t know how close she got,” he said quickly. “My man lost Irer for a few minutes before she reappeared on the street.”

Sutton stared at him. Too stunned to show him how pissed she was right now.

“And you didn’t think I deserved to know that?” she asked, voice harder now. “You kept me unaware that my son could be in danger, and you didn’t say a word? Arrogant fucking men.”

“You were already recovering from surgery. You were emotionally wrecked,” he said, jaw tightening. “And I had it handled-”

“You think not telling me is handling it?” she snapped. “You think keeping me in the dark is protecting me? My son could have been in danger.”

“Our son. Sutton, you were going through enough,” Luca snapped back, stepping toward her now, eyes sharp. “You nearly died giving birth. You’re healing. You’re pumping milk and trying to spend every spare second with our son.” His voice strained. “I didn’t want to add to that. I could protect you

both.”

“And yet here we are!” she shouted. “The reality crashed into me anyway, didn’t it? I just left my baby in a hospital room, and now you’re telling me the woman who hates me and tried to sabotage my life is trying to get near him? God, Luca, how dare you decide what I can and can’t handle-”

Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her to him, and kissed her.

Hard. The breath was knocked out of her for a second before she even realized they had gone from arguing to kissing.

She tried to bite him, but he pulled back for a second and laughed. “This hissy fit you’re having is a real turn–on.” Before closing his mouth over hers

again.

His hand cupped the side of her jaw while his other curved around her waist, pulling her toward him. She gasped against his mouth, fists pressed to his chest, her fury flooding with need and heartbreak and more than a little rage.

When he pulled back, she was breathless, but so was he. So she didn’t feel so out of sorts.

His voice was hoarse when he said it: “This is what I do best, Sutton. I keep the people I love safe. You were always doing so much. I wanted to take care

of you.”

Her eyes were glassy, still angry. “That doesn’t mean lying.”

“I never lied,” he rasped. “I just withheld. It was to buy you some peace.“.

She pressed her fingers to her temples, stepping back “You don’t get to decide what’s too much for me or my… our son.”

“I know that,” Luca said, his voice gentling. “I do. But just in this, I needed to give you the chance to breathe without another landmine under your feet. I was going to tell you tonight. I hadn’t planned on Keeping it from you. Just giving you time.”

She exhaled slowly. Still angry. But beneath the fire, there was what she always found when it came to Luca De Santis. He could be an arrogant son of a bitch… but she did know he loved her and their son.

She ran a hand down her face. “So she is being watched?”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re sure? Twenty–seven?“.

“Yes.” He stepped forward again and lowered his voice. “She’ll never get near Miles. Or you,

Their gazes locked.

Never”

Somewhere beyond the fury and shock, what Luca had done… maybe it wasn’t right. But it had come from a place of devotion and caring

Silence stretched between them again. Luca put a hand on her back and led her out of the hospital to his car.

“I’m angry,” she said finally.

He nodded. “I know.”

“I don’t want secrets between us.”

“You won’t get them from me again.”

He helped her into the passenger seat before circling the car and getting behind the wheel.

Sutton sat with her hands gripping her thighs as the car finally moved again. Luca glanced at her, but she was staring straight ahead. She was finding it hard driving away from their son.

“I’m visiting every day,” she said.

“I assumed.”

“And I want a full report from security.”

“You’ll get it.”

Another silence and Luca waited.

Eventually, Sutton leaned her head against the passenger window and whispered, “You can’t be every wall I lean on and every lock on the door, Luca.”

“I can try,” he said softly. “But until you’re strong enough to slam the door yourself.”

A minute later, as the hospital disappeared behind them, Sutton sighed, then said quietly, “I’m strong enough to walk through it now.”

And Luca smiled… because he would always be there as a bridge between her and the world.