Staring at the snake, he pushes a button. The window slides down.
As soon as it’s down I reach in and grab him by the neck. His eyes nearly bug out of his head. “This is an emergency. I’ve gotta move. Get out of my fucking waynow.”
His friend slams the dashboard. “Do it. Jesus, do it.”
I release him and toss a few bills on his seat. “Here’s a tip.”
I go back to Cosette and notice blood on the seat of the car. She openly weeps and turns away when I get back in the driver’s seat. I reach for her knee. “Breathe, baby,” I say again, as the car in front of us peels away. I hit the dash with my left hand and call the doctor. I tell her what’s happening.
“Meet me at the hospital, Mr. Gerard.”
We drive through the city streets as fast as I can while keeping her safe and glide into the hospital entrance within two minutes. Seconds later, I’m running in with her. She’s sobbing quietlyagainst my shirt. I bark out orders to the hospital staff, trying to think of anything at all that might make this better.
Goddammit. I feel helpless and useless.
There are some things that even physical intimidation, millions of dollars, and brute force can’t control.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cosette
“We’re going to the hospital,”Lyam says. “Hang in there, baby.”
I hold onto my belly as if somehow, I can keep this baby here with me. Even though I’m not that far along, I’ve already imagined having a sweet baby of my own… of our own. I’ve already imagined how it would feel seeing Lyam hold our baby, and how I would be the one to hold and rock and soothe our little one.
Lyam drives fast on a good day. Right now, it feels as if the car has sprouted wings and begun to fly. But I don’t care. I want to get there as fast as he does. He’d teleport us if he could but since he can’t, he’s doing the best he can to get me there as fast as humanly possible. God help any officer who tries to stop him right now.
When I see traffic and brake lights ahead of us at the final turn to get to the hospital, I stifle a sob. I need to get there. The urgency of the moment tells me I need to get therenow.
“They have to move,” I cry. “How do we get them to move?”
“I’ve got this.” His hand rests on my thigh. “Trust me.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
With a quick turn of his wrist, determination written in the angles of his face, he cuts the wheel and hops the curb. I close my eyes. I feel his hand leave my thigh as he continues to drive as if this sidewalk is his own personal lane. I tune out the sounds of horns blaring and people screaming as he tears down the sidewalk and nearly flips the car over as he makes the turn to get to the hospital.
Several ambulances, lights flashing, sit in the bays at the back of the hospital. Lyam throws the car in Park and runs to my side. Yanks open my door and lifts me out. I’ve never seen him look so wild and afraid. It terrifies me.
A young man in a security uniform steps in front of him. “Sir, this entrance is only for?—”
“Stand back.” Lyam’s eyes narrow. He hasn’t bothered to hide his weapons and they all look down immediately. “We’re meeting Dr. Martin. We’ll go in this entrance.”
They mutter to each other as they part to let us in.
“You can’t threaten security guards, Lyam,” I whisper. “You’ll get arrested.”
“I’m getting you in there.”
“You are no good to me if you’re in jail!” I protest.
He grunts in reply.
Two nurses in scrubs see us and usher us down a hall. “This way, Mr. Gerard. Dr. Martin is ready for you.”
I bury my head on his chest as he carries me down the hallway. We’re brought to a room with a hospital bed and monitors.
He lays me down with surprising gentleness.
