The moment the words left my mouth, whatever softness had been in his expression vanished. His tone turned cold again.
"Naomi, they just came to see the baby out of kindness. Why do you always have to twist everything and assume the worst about people?"
"Charity's right. You women are all the same—overthinking, petty, making mountains out of nothing."
My nails dug into my palms until it hurt. I swallowed the pain and was about to say something when I saw Charity's hand moving again.
She'd already undone the second button on my daughter's onesie.
"Stop!"
I screamed and lunged toward her, but a pair of large hands clamped down on my shoulders, pinning me in place.
Brendan looked at me with cold, flat eyes. Disappointment. As if to say: Can you stop being so dramatic for once?
Charity drank in the fury and desperation on my face. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"Relax, sis. I'll be gentle. I won't wake your little girl."
Click. Her nail flicked open the last button.
I could only watch—helpless, frozen—as Charity lifted my baby's legs and exposed her to the room full of men.
Tyler, the crudest of them all, leered with open amusement. His hand actually started to reach out—
Something inside me snapped.
I opened my mouth and sank my teeth into Brendan's hand. Deep. Until I tasted iron.
He hissed in pain, and his grip loosened.
I threw myself forward, using my body as a shield to block that reaching hand, to block all those mocking eyes from my daughter.
Looking down at Sophia's peaceful sleeping face, I finally broke. Tears spilled over, hot and uncontrollable.
The violent movement had torn something inside me. Pain ripped through my lower abdomen, and I felt warmth spreading—blood soaking through my hospital gown, seeping into the sheets beneath me.
I didn't feel it. I couldn't afford to.
I slapped Charity's hand away with a coldness that surprised even me. Carefully, deliberately, I fastened each button on my daughter's clothes. Smoothed the blanket over her. Tucked the edges in.
Only then did I wipe my face and turn to face them, my voice raw with hatred.
"Get out. All of you. Get out."
They looked to Brendan. These people had never liked me, never respected me. They certainly weren't going to take orders from me.