“Look at him, Emery,” Damon says softly. “He’s perfect.”
Perfect.
I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Our baby boy, with his chubby cheeks and tiny hands, is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against the rattle in Quin’s hand.
Quin looks up at me. “We did good, didn’t we? We made something perfect.”
Perfect.
“Yes,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “We did.”
The baby’s tiny hand grabs the rattle, shaking itclumsily. Damon and Quin watch him. So pure and innocent. Happy. We all look so fucking happy. It could’ve been perfect.
Perfect.
It could’ve been?—
The vision fades, and a sharp, agonizing pain erupts in my abdomen.
I cry out, clutch my stomach, and drop to my knees.
“Quin!” I scream, my vision blurring. “Quinton!”
He’s at my side in an instant, his face pale. “Emery, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” I gasp, my insides churning and twisting. “Something’s wrong. The baby…”
He doesn’t hesitate. Like a cadet, like a soldier with years of training, Quin scoops me up in his arms. “We need to get to the hospital.” His grip around my aching body is ironclad, his breathing even and calm as I cry out in panic. “It’s okay, Emery. I got you. You’re going to be okay.”
The world blurs as he carries me out of the house and into the car, placing me gently in the back seat. He remains cool and reassuring, his focus entirely on me. He’s a rock. An anchor.
“Call him,” I sob, pain tearing through me. “You need to call him.”
Perfect.
Quin nods, pulling out his phone as he speeds toward the hospital. He dials Damon’s number, the phone ringing endlessly. Each unanswered ring feels like a nail in my foolish heart.
“Come on, Damon, pick up,” Quin mutters, hisknuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. But there’s no answer. The line goes to voicemail, and Quin curses under his breath.
I moan in agony, the pain becoming unbearable. “Quin, please…”
Perfect.
“I’m here, Em,” Quin says, his voice breaking. “I’m here. We’re almost there. Hold on, just hold on.”
My breaths come in ragged gasps as the pain spreads to my temples. A vise grip tightens around my stomach, squeezing the life out of me. I can barely see through the haze of tears clouding my vision, but I focus on Quin’s soothing voice.
“Emery, look at me,” Quin says, glancing back at me through the rearview mirror. “Breathe, okay? Just keep breathing.”
I nod weakly, trying to follow his instructions, but it’s so hard. The pain is all-consuming. “It hurts, Quin,” I manage to choke out. “It hurts so much.”
“I know, darling, I know. We’re almost there. Just a little longer.”
Time and space seem to fade into nothingness as my eyelids flutter. Quin steps on the gas, racing through traffic toward the hospital. I grip the head rest in front of me, trying to find some semblance of control, but it’s slipping away, piece by piece. Shard by shard. Vision by vision.
Perfect.
“Keep breathing, darling,” Quin says, his voice unwavering. “It’s going to be fine. I promise it’ll all be fine.”
