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Calla nodded.
“Did you have much to eat this morning?”
Calla shook her head and looked down at her lap. “No. I mean, I had half a bagel, but that was it.” More like a fourth of a bagel if she was being honest. Mack had urged her to eat more but she’d felt nauseous. Morning sickness still hit some days. She claimed it was nerves because of the competition. God, that seemed like it was a million years ago now.
After the police had gotten her free of the cuffs attaching her to that horrible coffin of a gurney, another ambulance brought her to the hospital. She’d about hyperventilated when they put her in the back of it. Liam and Mack hadn’t been able to come either because the police were still questioning them.
“Well,” the doctor said, running his pen-light over her pupils again, “barring the results of your blood test, I’d venture to say that it was just a combination of low blood sugar and the shock of the fall that had you briefly passing out. And after the stress of everything that happened to you today,” he patted her shoulder, “I suggest focusing on rest and nutrition for the next few days. But like I said, I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t continue with a healthy pregnancy.”
Calla blinked but couldn’t hold back any more. She put her hands to her face and started crying.
“Oh. There, there, Ms. Carter.”
“Calla!”
Calla looked up at Liam’s worried voice. “Are you all right? I’m sorry we took so long. The cops kept asking a million questions.”
Liam jogged past the doctor to her side. Mack was behind him but he stopped in the doorway.
“Are you okay?” Liam asked again, slipping an arm under her head and pulling her to his chest. She didn’t realize how tense she’d been until all her muscles relaxed at his touch. She went limp against him, reaching her other hand out for Mack.
He stared at her for a long moment before coming forward and clasping it. Finally. Finally she could breathe out.
“Everything’s fine,” she said, laughing and crying at the same time. “The baby’s fine.”
The next moment, though, her head was filling with images of what happened earlier.
God, when she’d come to in the ambulance only to find an attendant strapping her waist to the gurney. And then—she shuddered remembering how that man, that monster, ripped the second ambulance attendant backwards and how the blood sprayed when he slit his throat—
She shuddered.
“What is it?” Liam said. “Baby, you’re killing us here.”
She could tell he meant it, too. He sounded anguished. He didn’t deserve it. She knew both he and Mackenzie had been through the ringer today too.
“Just…” She looked from Liam to Mack. “Thank you. If you hadn’t gotten there when you did…” She shuddered again and pressed the hands they were holding to her stomach.
Mack jerked his hand away and she looked up at him startled.
He ran his hand through his hair. “I need to go.”
He stood up abruptly.
“Wha—” Calla said at the same time Liam said, “You’re not going fecking anywhere.”
Mack swallowed, looking from one to the other. He shook his head and looked down. “I almost got you killed. The bab—” His voice broke and he looked toward the window, jaw flexing with emotion.
“You saved me.” Calla reached for his hand again but again, he pulled it away.
“Stop it,” he bit out, eyes flashing at her. “I know what I am. I’m ugly and fucked up inside. Why do you think I got these tattoos?” He yanked up his shirt sleeve to expose one of the bug-eyed devils inked on his skin. “It’s what he made me. I’m damaged fucking goods and you deserve better than me. You deserve a man like him.” Mack’s eyes went to Liam.
“Mackenzie,” Calla cried. How could he think that of himself? He’d been used and abused so horribly, but didn’t he see? That was over now. “Don’t you see? I felt ugly and alone my whole life until you two. We belong together. We’re each other’s family. And now we’re about to add one more.”
Mack’s face went pained as he glanced at her hand on her stomach.
Don’t pull away. Please. Don’t pull away again, she begged silently.
“For Christ’s sake, there you are,” boomed a voice from the doorway. Calla’s head swung that direction just in time to see Liam’s father striding into the room.
