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I cut her off with a deep kiss, holding her like I’d never let her go again. Her skin was distressingly cold, and her lips were likely stiff because of it. Vivian clung to me, sighing happily as she kissed me back.
I checked her over quickly. “Are you hurt?” I asked. “Did those bastards do anything to you?”
“I’m fine, Jesse. I promise.”
A noise came from behind Vivian, and I looked over her shoulder and saw another woman huddling close by.
“Jesse, this is Molly. Molly, Jesse.”
“P-pleasure,” she said dryly. “Can we p-please go h-home now?”
The police and cartel were still fighting out front, and I really didn’t want to risk Vivian and her friend getting caught in the crossfire.
“Stay low,” I instructed. “We’ll have to take the back exit. Whatever you do, don’t stop moving.”
Vivian gasped. “Behind you!”
Something heavy hit me across the back of the head, knocking me to the ground. The room spun; the floor slipped out from under me. I couldn’t hear anything past the loud ringing in my ear. Before I could come to my senses, someone had me by the collar.
They hoisted me up and tossed me across the room. I skidded across a metal preparation table and landed in a hard pile on the cold tile floor. I struggled to my feet, disoriented. I didn’t need a doctor to tell me that I’d bruised a rib. I could feel it, the throbbing pain taking hold of every nerve in my body.
My assailant charged me with a chef’s knife in hand, bringing it down to take a chunk out of my leg. I rolled out of the way and pulled myself up in a hurry, dodging swipe after swipe. He moved with such force that I could feel the air split as he waved his blade around, the edge just barely nicking me each time.
“Vivian, run!” I shouted, praying she had the good sense to actually listen this time.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vivian lunge toward me. Terror unlike anything I’d ever experienced ripped through my core. I caught her in my arms, horrified by the red soaking into her shirt.
The guy I’d been fighting stepped toward us, brandishing his knife. With a wicked grin, he swung at both of us. I was fully prepared to use my body as a shield whenthunk!Molly threw a heavy cast iron skillet at the man’s head. It knocked him out and sent him crashing to the floor.
Blood was everywhere. So much so that I couldn’t figure out where her wound was. I felt around hopelessly, attempting to staunch the bleeding but with no success. I could feel her fading, growing limp and weak arms. Vivian’s breathing was labored, her eyes fluttering closed.
“No!” I exclaimed. “No, no, no. Vivian, hang on.”
“The ba—” she croaked incoherently. “The baby.”
I shook my head. “Baby? What baby?”
With a shaky hand, Vivian took mine and placed it over her stomach. It took me far longer than I cared to admit to understand what she was trying to tell me.
Joy followed by immediate dread.
Happiness with a harsh slap of horror right after.
A healthy dose of confusion.
“You’re pregnant?” I whispered gruffly.
Vivian nodded, her head lolling to the side. She was pale. Too pale. I was losing her. I was losingthem.
I shook her gently, trying everything in my power to keep her awake. “Vivian. Vivian, stay with me. Don’t do this to me, angel. Come on, just—” I looked up, frantically searching for help. “I need an ambulance in here! Someone!Anyone!”
But nobody came.
All I could do was hold her. I’d never felt more useless in my entire life.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered, brushing her hair with trembling fingers. “You shouldn’t have done that, Vivian.”
“To save you,” she mumbled weakly.
