I push through the hospital doors and several heads turn in my direction at the sight of the unconscious woman in my arms.
“I need a doctor,” I bark.
Nurses rush towards me, and someone appears with a wheeled bed.
“Set her down, sir,” a nurse says.
I do, though every part of me resists it.
The moment she’s no longer in my arms, a fresh wave of panic claws its way through me.
I can’t feel her skin, her pulse, and I can’t reassure myself that she’s still here, breathing.
Several doctors arrive and immediately focus on her.
“Call theatre. I want a surgical team ready now,” one of them says.
The bed starts moving down the corridor and I fall into step beside them, but a nurse quickly moves in front of me.
“Sir, you can’t go beyond this point.”
I look at her, then past her.
The doctors already have Piper inside one of the treatment rooms.
I step around the nurse and walk straight in.
One of the doctors looks up from where they’re attaching monitors and cutting through Piper’s shirt.
“You can’t be in here, sir.”
My eyes move across every person in the room.
“If she dies, you all fucking do.”
A heavy silence follows.
“Sir, I understand you’re worried, but you can’t threa—” someone begins.
“I can,” I interrupt. “And I am.”
Several faces pale.
“If her life is at risk, so is yours.”
“Mr...” one of the nurses says hesitantly.
“Wardgrave.”
She visibly swallows.
“Mr Wardgrave, we’ll do everything in our power to—”
I stop her before she can finish.
“You’ll do everything and more.”
My eyes return to Piper.
