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Chapter30
Calista
My eyes flutteropen to harsh fluorescent lights. The familiar, steady beeping of a nearby machine fills my ears, and the hint of antiseptic hits my nose. I’m in a hospital.
A-fucking-gain.
I immediately search for Hayden, both relieved and disappointed by his absence. The last time I was here, he never left my side. Flashes of memory return—Russell, the secrets, the gunshots.
A sickening feeling roils in my gut. If Hayden’s not here, he’s with Russell, making good on his promise to avenge his mother. And me.
I can’t deny the sick satisfaction of knowing my attacker is dead. Or about to be, if anything he said about Hayden was true. I believe it is, or I wouldn’t be nervous at the idea of seeing him.
A nurse enters the room, her rubber soles squeaking on the tiled floor. “Oh, good, you’re awake,” she says with a bright smile. “We were starting to get worried when you didn’t wake up right away after having your stomach pumped.”
I place a hand on my abdomen, my throat too dry for me to respond. As if sensing my discomfort, the nurse hands me a cup of water. After a few sips, I try again. “What happened to me?”
Although I know the answer, I’m cautious since I have no idea what Hayden told the hospital staff when he brought me here. I may not trust him, but I’m too upset to make any decisions that could land him in prison.
“You had quite an ordeal, but you’re safe now,” the woman says.
I flick my gaze to her name tag. “Thank you, Nicole.”
“Absolutely. Thank goodness you threw up most of the pills. Otherwise…” She trails off and grimaces. “Anyway, there’s no need to worry.”
I shudder, recalling the moment Russell held me at gunpoint and told me to swallow the pills. “Good. Where’s Mr. Bennett, the man who brought me here?”
“Your husband was here until the procedure was finished and you were stable. He told me to tell you that he’d be back and not to panic.”
A hysterical bit of laughter rises in my throat, and I swallow it down. His lack of presence wouldn’t send me into panic mode. It’s the complete opposite at this point. I school my features with a look of consternation.
“Oh, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you,” she says. “The baby is going to be just fine. It hasn’t suffered any effects from the drugs, which is a blessing.”
I blink at her. “Pregnant? That can’t be right. Are you sure you got all of the drugs out of my system? I just imagined you said something that’s impossible.”
The woman grins at me. “It’sdefinitelypossible.”
“No, I’m on the shot.” I shake my head emphatically. “I got it weeks ago.”
Her smile disappears. She grabs the chart from the side table, confusion clouding her face. “No, it says right here that you’re approximately four weeks pregnant.”
I don’t need a mirror to confirm the look of horror on my face. The nurse gives me a sympathetic pat on the arm. “The shot is about 94% effective, and no birth control is 100%,” she says. “You may have fallen into that small percentage where it failed.”
“Did you tell Hayden? I mean, my husband?” When she shakes her head, I go limp against the mattress. “Okay, please don’t. I want to be the one to do it.”
She nods. “Don’t forget about HIPPA. Don’t designate him to have access to your medical files if you don’t want him to know.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to remember that.”
The idea of Hayden knowing I’m pregnant is enough to make me faint. After everything that’s happened between us, he deserves the chance to explain Russell’s accusations. But my intuition knows something I can’t seem to wrap my mind around.
He’s guilty.
* * *
I stare at the ceiling, still reeling from the news that I’m pregnant.
What am I going to do?
