“She will be. Wolf doubled the guard. The Magnolia Ladies nearly staged a hospital takeover.”
Laney nods slowly.
Then stares at the ceiling.
“I hate that someone got hurt because of me.”
“No,” I say quietly.
“She got hurt because someone evil is running out of room.”
Laney turns toward me.
“You’re not going to let anything happen to her,” she says.
Not a question.
“No,” I reply.
“Or you. Or Emmy.”
Her throat tightens.
“You don’t have to—”
“I know,” I interrupt gently.
“But I want to.”
Emmy makes a tiny sound in her sleep.
Laney immediately reaches toward the bassinet.
That small, instinctive motion does something violent to my chest.
“You’re good at this,” I tell her.
“At what?”
“Being her mom.”
Her eyes shine.
“I’m terrified all the time.”
“Yeah,” I say softly.
“That tracks.”
She studies me.
“Are you scared too?”
I don’t dodge it.
“Yes.”
After a moment she whispers:
