She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 56

Chapter 56 Night Shift

(Natasha)

By evening, I’m so tired my bones feel hollow.

Even blinking feels like more effort than I can really afford.

Sonia grieving on command. Eleanor hovering.

Chase coming home with that strange look on his face whenever Sonia reaches for him, as if he’s forcing himself through a role he no longer enjoys.

I feed Lily, bathe Lily, change Lily, and walk the nursery floor with her pressed against my shoulder while she fights sleep like it’s a matter of principle.

By the time she finally gives in, I’m missing a shoe, and too exhausted to care where it went.

But when I attempt to lay her down, she immediately starts grizzling again.

With a sigh I start pacing again for a bit, before sinking into the nursing chair with her warm weight against my

chest.

Only meaning to rest my eyes for a minute.

When I jerk awake, the room is dark except for the cloud-shaped night-light.

Lily makes a fussy sound from the vicinity of my shoulder, and a man’s voice answers her in a low murmur.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Chase says quietly. “You’re not nearly upset enough to justify this level of complaint.”

I go very still.

He’s standing over me in nothing but his sleep boxers and a vest, reaching out to gently lift Lily from my arms.

She lets out another offended squeak.

“I know,” he tells her gravely. “Life is very difficult. Your mother had the nerve to stop walking with you. A grave injustice.”

It’s ridiculous, but it’s also, somehow, working.

Lily is blinking sleepily, as if she only needed to be told her grievances are justified.

I push myself upright too quickly and nearly lose my balance in the process.

Chase’s gaze moves over me slowly, taking in my crumpled dress. My hair half-falling out of its clip. The cardigan twisted under one shoulder.

There’s no mockery or irritation in his eyes. Only something soft that’s much harder for me to deal with.

“Did you fall asleep here?”

My voice comes out rough. “I didn’t mean to.”

He glances at the chair, then back at me.

“You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

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“That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day, and I’m not even joking.”

One corner of his mouth almost moves.

Lily starts fussing again. Chase reaches down and adjusts the blanket around her with easy competence,

His hand rubs her back in gentle circles for a second until she quiets.

I stare at him hard enough that he notices.

“What?”

“When did you learn the patience to do that?”

He looks back at Lily instead of me.

“I guess when I became a dad.”

He looks at me again and says, “Go back to bed. I’ve got this.”

It’s not an order.

That’s what startles me most.

There’s no edge to it. Just a tired man in the dark, speaking so gently I almost don’t recognize him.

“You have work tomorrow,” I say.

“I’m already awake.”

“She’ll probably settle in a minute.’

“I know.”

I keep looking at him, absurdly suspicious of basic kindness.

He exhales through his nose.

“Natasha. Go to bed before you fall over.

Instead I stand, smoothing a hand over my wrinkled dress.

He looks tired too. There’s a shadow along his jaw and circles under his eyes.

I bend over to press a kiss to Lily’s forehead.

“Try not to let him teach you terrible habits,” I whisper.

“Too late,” Chase murmurs.

There are a thousand things we could talk about.

Sonia. The miscarriage. What we intend to do about us.

Instead, I nod once and leave.

My missing shoe turns out to be in the doorway, so at least one mystery in this house resolves itself without

trauma.

Back in my room, I change into my nightclothes in the dark and slide into bed after brushing my teeth.

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Sleep does not return.

there staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint creaks of the house, and think about Chase in the nursery.

About the easy way he has with Lily.

The way he speaks to her like she’s a person, not a duty.

The way she quieted for him.

The man I knew would never have had the patience for all that.

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