Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 514 Madeline's POV Morning filtered through the hospital room window, that soft, golden light that made everything feel gentler than it really was. I'd been sitting in the chair beside Marcus's bed for nearly an hour, just watching him sleep. Aurora was in my arms, asleep too, warm and safe against my chest. She'd nursed about half an hour earlier and was completely relaxed now, her tiny lips making those little sucking motions even in her sleep. Marcus had been moved from recovery to a private room the night before, but when I arrived, he was still groggy from the anesthesia.

We'd only managed a few quiet words before he drifted off again, his hand loose in mine, his face pale against the white pillow. But now, with the morning light touching his features, he looked better. More present. More alive. As if he could feel my gaze, his eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times, focusing, adjusting to the light. Then his eyes found mine. And he smiled. That smile. That damn smile that had undone me from the very first moment we met. The one that made me forget how to breathe. The one that made everything feel possible.

"Hey," he said, his voice rough from disuse and medication. "Hey," I answered, tears immediately rising. Tears of relief. Of joy. Of a love so intense it hurt. He tried to sit up, grimacing when the movement pulled at his injured shoulder. "Easy," I said right away. "Don't push it. You just had surgery." I kept Aurora steady as I leaned in to help him settle back against the pillows. "I'm fine," he said, though his breathing was a little faster. "Just... sore." "Sore?" I repeated, lifting a brow. "Marcus, you were shot." He gave me that crooked grin of his. "Oh. Just that?

I thought it was something serious." I laughed despite the tears, shaking my head. "Idiot," I murmured fondly. His eyes dropped then to the bundle in my arms. To Aurora. And I watched something melt in his expression. Every bit of bravado, every attempt to look tough, disappeared-leaving only awe. Love. Raw, unguarded vulnerability. 1/4 Chapter 514 "Can I..." he started, his voice faltering. "Can I hold her?" "Of course," I said, moving closer to the bed. I helped him position his good arm, propped it with pillows, made sure nothing pulled on his injured shoulder.

made of glass. So gently. So reverently. "Hey, little one," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Hi, Aurora. Daddy's here." I sat on the edge of the bed, watching them. My husband and my daughter. My family. Alive. Together. Safe. "She's perfect," Marcus said, his eyes never leaving Aurora's face. "Madeline, she's absolutely perfect." "She is," I agreed, wiping at the tears now freely falling. "And she has you. We have you." His free hand found

would grow up without knowing her father." My voice completely broke, sobs tearing free. "I thought I'd lost you," I repeated, barely more than a whisper. Marcus squeezed my hand harder, pulling me closer. "Hey," he

my forehead against his, careful not to jostle Aurora between us. "Promise?" I whispered. "I promise," he said without hesitation. We stayed like that for a long moment. Just breathing together. Existing together. Grateful to be alive. Eventually, I pulled back,

quietly. "It feels like... like I was useless. You went alone to face Dominic. You were the one who had to deal with everything. And I just... passed out and stayed on the floor while you-" "Stop," I cut in firmly. "Stop that right now." He looked at me, startled by

brilliant." I saw something shift in his eyes. "If it weren't for you," I continued, my voice growing stronger, "I might still be there. Or worse. Christian would never have found us in time. The police wouldn't have arrived when they did. Everything