Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 145

Nick stood just outside the NICU, staring through the glass. Luca was beside him, one hand lightly resting on his father’s back.

Sutton watched from inside the room, already scrubbed, her gown tied behind her back. She’d been sitting beside Miles for nearly an hour, skin to skin, his impossibly small head tucked beneath her chin, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his breath. Her son. Her sweet miracle.

A nurse gave the signal and waved them in.

Luca pushed the door open, and Nick followed him in slowly, cautious courtesy in every footstep. His cane tapped lightly on the vinyl floor

The room was kept warm and dim for the babies. Monitors beeped softly, a mechanical heartbeat winding through wires and plastic tubing. Miles stirred gently in Sutton’s arms but didn’t wake.

Nick stopped a few feet away, clearly unsure of the space.

Sutton looked up and smiled. “He’s fragile,” she said quietly. “And he is small… But Luca will tell you he is a fighter.”

That made Nick smile faintly, eyes crinkling.

Luca crossed the room and gently helped him into a padded chair near Sutton’s. Not too close, but close enough.

For a moment, he just watched.

Miles’s face was still pink and a little wrinkled, like a face he hadn’t quite grown into. With his tiny fist resting against Sutton’s collarbone, he had the longest fingers. She adjusted the blanket around his back and murmured something to Miles. It was something she found she did a lot. Just talk to him. Her voice seemed to soothe him.

Then, she looked at Nick again.

“Want to say hello?”

Nick hesitated for a moment before he nodded.

Sutton adjusted Miles carefully and leaned toward him. Her arms moved gently until her hands brushed Nick’s, guiding them beneath the baby’s head, helping him cradle his grandson.

Nick’s eyes widened the second his hands accepted the bundle.

It wasn’t much. Miles barely weighed anything.

with babies… but she doubted he’d held one this

said nothing. He just looked

Miles’s hat, her voice low. “This is your Nonno,

swallowed hard. “He’s

a head start. The doctors are not concerned about his ability to feed, and his lungs

Nick glanced at Sutton. “You named him

first it was a joke. But it felt right. To remind us

thumb brushing slowly over the edge

1/3

Chapter 145

like Luca did, but smaller. With the size of Luca at birth, maybe it’s a good thing

Sutton blinked quickly.

just slightly. Sutton guessed

Sutton and said, “You two. When do you plan

someone who didn’t

brow. “I’m old, I

baby, still nestled against Nick. “After. After Miles

his

is still in the hospital. There’s time for a celebration when we’re all standing under the same roof, and I

that she would not

the curtain and leaned over to whisper. “We’ll need to return

schedule was tight. With a

softly as he

quietly, “but you’re

incubator before

will see you

her son’s back through the incubator’s porthole, watching him drift into sleep. She whispered something only he could hear, kissed her palm, and held it above his

come back

walked the hallway in silence for a time, heading back toward her

was looking forward to getting out of the hospital but, on the other

sure she had everything she needed on her bedside table.