Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Lewis.
I tried not to sob at the thought of what this would do to him.
“Two—”
A loud roar suddenly caught our attention, both of our heads whipping left. I winced against the glare of car headlights, heart jumping into my throat as those lights sped toward me, the sound of the tires squealing, the engine growls filling my ears.
Those lights swerved past me and straight into the Frenchman.
The impact threw him into the air as brakes shrieked on tarmac and the car skidded to a stop. My attacker crashed into the road a good thirty yards from us with a gross-sounding thud.
He didn’t get back up.
The car door flew open, and a stilettoed foot appeared, followed by an ashen-faced Carianne.
I gaped at her as she wobbled out toward me on shaking legs. Her eyes were wide as they met mine. “Did I just bloody kill a man?”
My eyes flew to where he was still lifeless. “Well, let’s hope so.”
“I’m going to be sick.” Carianne bent over and vomited onto the road.
I hurried to her, pulling her hair away from her face as my neighbors began poking their heads out of their doors and windows.
“I’ve called the police!” someone shouted.
“Are you two okay?” someone else asked.
I couldn’t stop shaking, but I was alive.
Carianne stood up, wiping her mouth. “What … I just saw … I was coming out of the pub.” She gestured toward the Gloaming, clearly in shock. “And he had a gun pointed in your face … so … I didn’t know what else to do.”
I grasped her cheeks in my hands. “Carianne, you saved my life and my baby’s life.”
“Did I really?” She wrapped her hands around my wrists, still wide-eyed, so much so I was genuinely concerned she was going into shock. “Well, that’s quite something, isn’t it.”
I laughed tearfully. “Aye, my friend. That’s quite something.”
We embraced hard while our neighbors hurried over to us. I was vaguely aware of explaining the attack and informing them of the man still inside the bakery. So intent on Carianne, however, watching her for signs of shock … I hadn’t realized I was going through it myself.
I didn’t even remember passing out.
Thirty-Nine
LEWIS
Waking up to an empty bed and my phone ringing only to hear Carianne on the other end, hysterical and crying, telling me Callie had been rushed to the hospital, was the worst moment of my life.
As I’d hurried into clothes, she’d explained two men had invaded the bakery. Callie had fought them off. One had a gun. Carianne had knocked him down with her car, which didn’t make sense at all unless the fight moved from the bakery to outside. Callie had passed out while they were waiting for the police and ambulance.
I called Callie’s parents and my own on my way to the hospital, and Sloane, Walker, and I arrived at the same time.
“Where is she?” Sloane was frantic as we all rushed into the building.
“I don’t know yet.” We hurried over to the reception and our expressions must have been something else because the nurse behind the desk gawked at us for a second before she straightened her shoulders.
A minute or so later (though it felt like fifty), we were on our way to the maternity and neonatal ward, which had me in even more of a fucking panic. What if something had happened to the baby?
It was at that minute I realized how much I wanted our child. The thought had been a distant reality, a responsibility that scared the shit out of me, but one I’d face. Somewhere along the way, I’d started to imagine our baby in the real world. In my arms. Someone to love and protect as much as I loved and wanted to protect Callie. A wee human made up of me and her.
“It’ll be okay.” Sloane squeezed my arm as we made our way to the ward.
I couldn’t speak.
We took a lift to the correct floor and when the doors opened onto a reception area, a familiar blond head popped up from a waiting room chair.
Carianne.
She rushed over to us as we stepped off the lift. “Oh, thank God.”
“Where is she?” I asked quietly, afraid if I spoke any louder, I’d break down.
“She came to before the ambulance arrived, but they wanted to check her and the baby over.” Carianne wrung her hands. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks wan. “They’re checking her now.”
“Have you been checked over?” Sloane cupped Carianne’s cheek. “You look pale.”
Carianne nodded. “I’ve been looked over. I’m still so jittery. The police had a lot of questions and they said they’ll be back.” Her lip trembled. “Do you think I’ll go to jail?”
“Carianne.”
She turned to Walker.
“Tell us everything you know.”
At Walker’s calm command, she explained what Callie had told her when she was conscious in the ambulance—two men had broken into the bakery, looking for something. They hadn’t expected Callie’s defense skills, and she fought them off.