“I’m on it.” She hung up.
With somewhat of a plan, I ran back to his place. When I reached his apartment door, I grabbed the handle and pushed. Terror gripped my insides. I tried again, holding in a scream, praying I hadn’t locked myself out. But, nope. Somehow I had.
Don’t freak. Help is on the way. If they have a key.
I silently scolded myself for my stupidity.
I called Dr. Vieira again.
The line connected. “Layla, Harley just told me something happened to Sam.”
He answered her call?I shook off my ire, tears pricking my eyes. “One minute he was fine, and the next he was out cold.”
“I’m on my way,” he said.
“Doc, I’m locked out. We need a key.”
“Jo has one. I’ll swing by her house.” Then the call ended.
I pressed my hands into the wall, wishing like hell it would swallow me up and transport me to a place where there was nothing but sunshine and happiness. I slid down the smooth surface until my butt hit the floor, then I brought my knees to my chest and cried. I wasn’t one to shed many tears. But why did the universe keep throwing me wicked curveballs? I felt as though I was dodging bullets left and right.
The squeak of the stairwell door ricocheted off the walls as the sound bounced toward me. I lifted my head to find Harley running my way.
I hadn’t seen the pretty strawberry-blonde vampire in weeks. If my memory served me correctly, the last time I’d seen Harley was shortly after Sam and I had had our first romp in the hay on the night I conceived. Since then, I’d been in Montana, and when I returned with Sam, Harley had been out of town.
She slowed to a walk as she approached. “Layla, are you locked out?”
Sighing, I nodded. “I’m sorry to wake you.”
She swept her fingers through the air, her red nails glinting in the lights shining from above. “No need. Doc is on his way. I thought you could use a friend.” She wiped her hands on her blue leggings that were tucked into suede boots before she sat beside me. “Sam will be okay.” She kicked out her legs and crossed one ankle over the other. “He’s a tough dude.”
“He has a pulse. At least he did when I sprinted out to find help.” But now… I gnawed on a fingernail. He might not be dead, but after what he’d been through with Carly, I wasn’t sure he would be the same.
She hooked her arm in mine then grasped my hand.
I shuddered, a queasiness taking hold of my stomach. “I’m pregnant.” I didn’t know if she knew. I hadn’t told her. I couldn’t see Webb gossiping to her about my predicament either.
Her blue eyes brightened. “My brother, Sawyer, told me. I had every intention of visiting you in the infirmary a couple of days ago, but Webb has been keeping me busy. Anyway, I’m stoked for you and Sam. You must be blown away. I mean, did you know you have the rare blood type?” Her tone indicated she was happy and curious in equal measure.
I smiled at her. It was nice to have a friend—a true friend. Not a sibling or other family member of mine or Sam’s. But someone unbiased and nonjudgmental. “Blew me away. Still does.”
She squeezed my hand. “I’m here for you, Layla. Anything you need, I’ll help. I can only imagine how hard it is for you to deal with everything you’ve been going through, let alone a pregnancy by a vampire, no less.”
And a marriage proposal. I wasn’t ready to divulge that piece of shocking news. I’d never thought of tying the knot. I’d always seen myself as a loner despite my longing to have children.
The stairwell door creaked open.
I jumped to my feet when I saw Dr. Vieira, Jo, and Webb.
Harley stood. “He brought the cavalry.”
Oh crap. Sam was naked. Heat pinched my cheeks. Jo had probably seen her brother naked as a kid, but I doubted she had seen him that way as a man. Then there was Harley. But she’d seen him in his birthday suit since she and Sam had been friends with benefits before he’d met me.
I shrugged off the insignificant thought. Sam’s life was more important.
The three of them wore expressions conveying varying degrees of worry. Dr. Vieira’s was the least intense over Jo and Webb, which married up with his profession. Doctors were supposed to be calm and not show an ounce of fear.
Jo unlocked the apartment door and entered before I could rush past her to cover Sam’s lower torso. Webb and Doc trailed behind her.
