In. Short.
Out. Long.
My lips tingled. My fingers went numb.
Logan shook me, and the world spun.
“You’re too fucking stupid to talk, and now you’re too fucking stupid to breathe?” he growled. “The Devereauxs aren’t coming to save you. The Rossis aren’t coming to save you. You are mine, Violet.”
I tried to pull in more air.
Nothing.
Then I exhaled what I didn’t have.
His grip tightened.
“Look at me.”
I couldn’t. My vision tunneled until the world collapsed into a pinprick.
Somewhere beyond him, the music faltered—or maybe it was just my hearing slipping.
“You don’t get to die,” he hissed. “You don’t get to embarrass me.” His voice cracked on the last word. “Forty-five fucking minutes. That’s all that’s left. Then I’ll take you to the hospital and I’ll get you whatever stupid fucking rock you want.”
My next inhale didn’t come.
Logan froze.
“Violet.” The anger drained from his voice, but he still slapped me. I think it hurt. I wasn’t sure. “Okay, twenty minutes. That’s it. And two rocks, okay?”
Twenty minutes.
I could do that.
His hand slid from my cheek to my throat. Two fingers pressed against my pulse.
“Breathe,” he whispered.
The ringing in my ears swallowed the music completely.
“Violet,” he said again, and his voice cracked. “Stop.”
His fingers pressed harder.
“If you don’t stop, everyone in this room is going to know you’re fucking insane, and I will have you committed for the rest of your life. Do you understand me? Once the babies are here, I’ll have everything I want. I don’t need you.”
I couldn’t control most things in my life, nor had I ever been able to, but one thing was certain. Logan wouldneverhave my babies. Then another thought followed.
No one was going to have my babies, because I was going to die.
The realization didn’t bring peace. But my body was so tired I couldn’t imagine ever coming back from this.
Still, I refused to let Logan earn sympathy from what was inevitable.
He wouldn’t get to be the tragic widower whose wife died in his arms.
If I had my way, he’d be remembered as the alpha who let his pregnant omega die.
