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“It’s okay, Vivienne.” Doc pressed his hand against the wound, then tore open several packets of gauze to try to stem the flow. “I need you to stay with me here, can you do that? Can you stay here?”
She gave a slow nod, but as I watched, the color drained from her face, leaving her ghastly pale.
I was going to lose her.
I tore my gaze away, my fist clenched tight around the door handle. In the side mirror, movement came. A car skidded hard, then raced to catch up with us. The moment the dust settled I saw who it was…Guild. Then came another car behind him…and then another. Before long, the stretch of cars behind us was all I could see.
I’d never been a man of prayer.
Not even when my son was taken and tortured nearly to death.
My fists were my salvation.
My rage was my church.
But I closed my eyes now.
And I prayed.
If you’re up there. If you’re listening, don’t take her. Don’t take the one good thing you’ve ever given me…no, you’ve ever given us. I beg of you. If you have to take someone, take me instead.
I don’t know how long I stayed like that, while my world seeped away from me one drop at a time.
“Take us to Mercy,” Doc murmured. “I have a team on standby.”
I opened my eyes, finding the city skyline rushing toward us. Carven pushed the car harder, taking the corners wider as we hurtled closer. Seconds felt like hours. Minutes like days. I risked a glance behind us to where her bloodless lips were parted, and her breaths were fast and shallow.
“She’s going into shock.” Doc shifted, pulling her legs upwards, until her feet were in the air.
“Get the fuck out of my way!” Carven screamed at the traffic.
I hung on, we all did, as we turned hard once, then once more, hitting the driveway of the hospital with a jolt then tore toward the entrance. Tires skidded. I slammed forward as he hit the brakes, throwing my door open wide before we’d even come to a stop.
They were waiting for us, yanking open the door before Doc pushed out.
“Female, 20 years old, currently thirty-nine weeks pregnant with twins. Has extensive injuries to her…”
I zoned out, unable to look away from the knife in her belly. That fucking knife…what the hell had happened in there? The doctors lifted her gently onto the stretcher, nodding at the nurses to rush her inside.
“The babies.” I stepped forward and grabbed the doctor’s arm. He stopped, then met my stare. “If it comes down to it, she is the priority here.”
There was a slow nod. He never winced, never missed a beat as he said, “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Then they were gone, leaving us standing there as the other cars pulled up and those who loved my wife stepped out. I stared at those closing double doors for too long. My body couldn’t move, waiting on signals my frozen mind couldn’t give.
“London.” Ryth called my name.
I shook my head and, as tears blurred my vision, I turned away, giving them my back.
“Hey.” Ryth’s small hand grabbed my arm, stopping me. I looked down at her hand. “Whatever happens, we’re going to be there.”
I swallowed that hard lump in the back of my throat as Carven and Colt headed inside, following DeLuca.
“Thank you,” I answered, then headed after them.
Flashes of images assaulted me as we headed for the bank of elevators. The knife in her belly. Her wide, unflinching eyes…then it was that bastard. That goddamn bastard who stared at me as I drove the gun under his jaw and pulled the trigger.
“London.”
